The 5 Varieties Of Watch Every Modern Man Needs In His Life
We dissect the best luxury men’s watches - along with some affordable favourites - to add your collection pronto
Looking to make a statement with a timekeeper that turns heads? From a status-flaunting Rolex to a vintage Breitling, there are plenty of ways in which your watch can show both the horological and wider world you mean business, not least with it’s price tag. But such splendour rarely goes unnoticed, meaning you’re unlikely to make it from breakfast meeting to late night-bar without at least eliciting a tut or even some unsolicited interest from those who may wish to relieve you of your possessions on the sly. If vintage design is more your suit, or there’s a practical requirement at play, you may be better placed spending your money on something more tailored to your needs.
In short, there simply is no one size fits all when it comes to men’s timepieces - meaning a collection suited to all manner of occasions is a must. From lavish luxury names to affordable options that could still impress on closer inspection, every modern man needs a suitably diverse selection to reflect his ever-changing routine. From preowned treasures to clever tech, Port dissects the wrist wear essentials.
The Status Symbol
When it comes to making a serious and costly investment, Swiss brands are usually the safest bet with Rolex often rolling off the tongue as the most revered men’s luxury dress watch brand. Since it’s conception in 1953, the Rolex Submariner has become one of the most instantly recognisable designs from the brand with the more recent Submariner Date paying homage to the original model, but with a more modern finish. The distinctive coloured dial, luminescent markers and rotatable bezel are recognisable from across a table or room - which is exactly the reason you’d be after such an iconic design. If you’re looking for luxury but feel a Rolex to be too obvious, options from Jaeger-LeCoultre or Omega will suitably impress the dinner party crowd.
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The Practical Smart Watch
If your evening activities are less focused on fine dining, and more on fine tuning your personal best, then a watch designed for outdoor pursuits may be more appropriate for your needs. The Tissot T-Touch Solar watch features an altimeter, altitude difference meter, barometer, thermometer, and even a compass in case your sprints take you off the beaten path. If you prefer to break a sweat inside a Fitbit will never go amiss for tracking and recording your essential body readings.
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The Vintage Treasure
Whilst modern gadgetry has its perks, there are few contemporary contraptions to rival the classics. An iconic design for more than 65 years, Breitling's Navitimer has been gracing the wrists of pilots and aviation enthusiasts for some time but it's taken until now for early editions to really start becoming collectible vintage pieces. Goldsmiths offer an excellent range of pre-owned luxury watches from a reasonable £1595, with Breitling's coming in more around the £4-5k mark.
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The Understated Everyday
Sometimes you just need a timepiece to get you from A-B, and that tends to mean exploring options that sit comfortably on the more affordable end of the spectrum. For maximum wear with everything in your wardrobe, there’s a lot to be said for keeping it simple. The Larson and Jennings Lugano 40mm design, in a minimalistic unisex gold, silver or rose gold, is a excellent buy for well under £500. Alternatively, in it's mission is to attract millennials, the Citizen Eco-Drive range - which keeps time using solar energy over battery use - is perfect for every day styling with an eco twist.
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The Diehard Digital
A cult favourite amongst the East London hipster crowd, the Casio’s distinctive square case and digital face design has been left relatively untouched over the years. As part of the G-Shock's 35th anniversary celebration, Casio recently unveiled the G-D5000-9JR - an 18-karat yellow gold piece valued at around £52,000, but those who seek out its retro 80s computer game aesthetic will be pleased to snap up the standard design for a more pocket-pleasing £200 and under.
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April 15 2019 by Camilla Hunt