Which brand of watch is best

The Best Watch Brands: An Insiders Guide For What To Buy Now

The best watch brands are often rooted in craftsmanship and sentimental value since what you wear is part of your personal story and style. Not surprisingly, watches tend to make excellent gifts for milestone momentsbirthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduationsand if you invest in classics, theyll last forever. If youve been lucky enough to inherit a vintage Rolex or Patek Philippe, youve got a piece of history on your wrist.

Shopping for a luxury watch requires a fair amount of knowledge on everything from movements to complications to cases. Whether youre a collector or new to the watch world, I consulted experts to find the best watch brands to buy right now for every style and price point: I talked to watchmakers and repair specialists who know timepieces from the inside outliterallyand I also reached out to watch specialists to find out what brands hold their value over time. Here are the top picks:

• Best Watch Brands Overall: Omega, Rolex, Tag Heuer
• Best Affordable Watch Brands: Swatch, Timex, Citizen
• Best Expensive Watch Brands: Patek Philippe, Cartier
• Best Smartwatch Brands: Samsung, Apple
• Best Watch Brands For Men: Panerai, Shinola, Seiko
• Best Watch Brands For Women: Herms, Breda
• Best Dress Watch Brands: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breguet

Best Watch Brands Overall

MOST POPULAR

Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial 38mm Mens Watch

Founded in: 1848 | Average price: $2,000-$80,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Swiss brand Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932 and they also supplied watches to the British Armed Forces in the 1940s. Their Speedmaster watch was worn by astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission and its graced the wrists of several James Bonds. As a result, Omegas are typically both sporty and sophisticated. From a mechanics point of view, I like Omega movementssuch as caliber 1120 and 861because theyre well-constructed workhorses, says New York City watchmaker Ron Gordon. The cases are also functional and incredibly sturdy.

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Rolex Datejust Stainless Steel Watch

Founded in: 1905 | Average price: $3,000-$160,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Rolex watches are known for their elegance and reliability. Theyre built to perfection, says Gordon. If taken care of correctly, they will last forever. Theyre a worthy investment. Rolexs iconic Datejust watch has an automatic movement, silver dial, 18k white gold bezel and stainless steel crown and oyster bracelet. Its an excellent starter model for todays watch collector.

Tag Heuer Formula 1 Quartz Men's Blue Steel Chronograph, 43mm

Founded in: 1860 | Average price: $1,000-$14,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Edouard Heuer opened his watchmaking shop in the village of Saint-Imier, Switzerland, at age 20 where he began by selling silver pocket watches. In 1887, he introduced a patent to perfect the oscillating piniona key component thats used start and stop chronographswhich is still in use today. I especially like the Tag Heuer Carrera and Aquaracer models, says Gordon. The quality of the movements are top notch, and their well-constructed cases with screw down crowns are both dust- and water-resistant.

Best Affordable Watch Brands

Founded in:1983 |Average price:$12-$726 |Made in:Switzerland

Swatch disrupted the traditional watch market with its irreverent watches, often designed in collaboration with artists and influencers, as an alternative to the old guard of traditional European watches. Fun fact: The name Swatch is abbreviation for "second watch," since the styles are affordable and meant to be switched up often. Collectors covet many of the original styles as well as newer releases, such as this oversized pick.

Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 Sky King in Black

Founded in:1854 |Average price:$45-$495 |Made in:America

Timex was first established in 1854, as the Waterbury Clock Company. The made-in-the-USA brand stamped gears out of metal, instead of carving them from the traditional wood, which resulted in smaller, more accurate movements. Early fans included Mark Twain, who bought two Timex watches. Today, the brand has stayed true to its stylish and affordable roots, and a recent collab with American menswear designer Todd Snyder puts a modern twist on some of their most iconic designs.

Citizen PCAT Black Dial Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch

Founded in:1918 |Average price:$225-$4,750 |Made in:Japan

The first watch brand to create quartz crystal and titanium timepieces, Citizen launched in the early 1900s, and later pioneered the atomic timekeeping watch in 1993. Citizen has remained a pioneer in the field: Its Eco-Drive models use a battery recharged by a solar panel hidden under the watch face.

Best Expensive Watch Brands

Patek Philippe Gondolo

Founded in: 1839 | Average price: $7,000-$450,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Wearing a luxury watch says that youre dependable and punctual, but wearing a Patek says that you know watcheswell. Its the last family-owned independent watch manufacturer in Geneva, and this holy grail watch brand is known for its mechanical precision and modern supercomplications. Past and present fans include everyone from Andy Warhol to Jay-Z.

Cartier Tank Franaise 36.7mm Stainless Steel Watch

Founded in: 1847 | Average price: $2,000-$60,000 | Made in: France

Cartier watches have graced the wrists of everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Mick Jagger to Kate Middleton. And while the Cartier Panthere has reached cult status, the Cartier Tank watch is arguably the brands most famous. It was introduced in 1917 during World War I and is said to be a birds eye view of the inside of a tank, inspired by the Renault FT-17 talks rolling past watchmaker Louis Francois Cartiers window.

Best Smartwatch Brands

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro

Founded in:1969 |Average price:$170-$450 |Made in:South Korea

Samsungs Galaxy Watch5 Pro is a top-rated model, and the top pick for the best smartwatch for Android users, in our recent review. It has everything youd expectfitness tracking, blood pressure tracking, GPS and a long battery lifecombined with an impact-proof, rugged design. Galaxys system syncs with Google, so you can access Maps, Google Assistant, Google Pay, Messages and more, on the go.

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS + Cellular) 41mm

Founded in:1976 |Average price:$249-$1299 |Made in:America

Our pick for the best smartwatch for iPhones overall, Apples Series 8 is an elegant, robust timepiece. While the Ultra is the latest model, the Series 8 is slightly more affordable and extremely well-rounded: Its got the Always-On Retina display with an edge-to-edge design, crash detection, sleep coaching, workout training and an improved, long-lasting battery life.

Best Watch Brands For Men

Panerai Submersible Quaranta Quattro

Founded in: 1860 | Average price: $3,000-$100,000 | Made in: Italy

Italian heritage brand Panerai began fine-tuning some of its most famous modelsthe Radiomir and Luminorwhen supplying precision instruments to the Italian Royal Navy in the 1940s. Today, Panerais watcheslike this Submersible model, introduced in 2022are marked by cases with pronounced edges and a rugged-meets-refined edge.

The Model D Detrola 43mm

Founded in:1877 |Average price:$395-$2,995 |Made in:America

Shinola began as a shoe polish brand, founded inRochester, New Yorkin 1877. It eventually went out of business in 1960, but in 2011, the brand was reborn in Detroit, as an American watch manufacturer to rival Swiss brands. Every Shinola watch is assembled in the United Statesand its watch factory is housed in a former automotive research lab.The sleek Model D Detrola is the brands bestseller for men.

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph Sports White Dial Watch

Founded in:1881 |Average price:$2,000-$60,000 |Made in:Japan

Twenty one year-old entrepreneur Kintaro Hattori opened a shop selling and repairing watches and clocks in Tokyo. Eleven years later, in 1892, he established the 'Seikosha' factory. Today, Seiko designs and develops all the components of its watches, including their mechanical ones thatconsist of approximately 200 parts. Today, the brand has a nostalgic appeal among watch enthusiasts who appreciate its understated yet technically robust designs.

Best Watch Brands For Women

Herms Brown Heure H 25mm Leather Watch

Founded in:1837 |Average price:$3,375-$42,075 |Made in:France

mile Herms, the grandson of founder Thierry Herms, reportedly c,reated the brands first watch for his daughter Jacqueline in 1912, by attaching leather straps to a pocket watch so that she could wear it around her wrist. In the 1920s, the brand invested more heavily in its watch collection, pairing its high level of craftsmanship with Swiss-made movements. If youre going to splurge, the Heure H watch is iconic but never feels stuffy, thanks to its refined shape, clean lines, gold-plated H bezel and buttery leather strap.

Breda Pulse (Tandem) Gold

Founded in:2009 |Average price:$95-$250 |Made in:America

Founded in 2009 in Breda puts a modern spin on classic timepieces with high quality but not ultra high-priced designs. Many of the Dallas, Texas-based brands watches cost under $150, are gender-neutral and feature sophisticated details. The Tandem is an update to the Pulse bestseller, with a minimalist case that only reveals the hour and minutes in a slim window.

Best Dress Watch Brands

Founded in: 1833 | Average price: $3,000-$40,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Jaeger-LeCoultre develops its timepieces by hand from start to finishmeaning, from design to decoration to productionall within its own workshops. Their most famous womens watch, the Reverso, features a cool mechanism that allows you to flip the watch face so its protected.

Founded in: 1775 | Average price: $5,000-$140,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Abraham-Louis Breguet founded Breguet in Paris in the years before to the French Revolution, and he quickly became popular with the French Court. In the late 1700s, Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte were distinguished patrons of Breguet, as was King George III and Alexander I of Russia. In the 1940s, Winston Churchill became a supporter, and his Breguet pocket watch remains on display at the Imperial War Museum in London today. While Breguet has a storied past with world leaders, their watches are now popular amongst CEOs and other captains of industry.

Best Of The Rest

Founded in: 1884 | Average price: $3,000-$40,000 | Made in: Switzerland

Stylish chronographs are Breitlings bread and butter. In 1952, Willy Breitling created the Navitimerits name a combination of navigation and timerto allow pilots to perform all necessary calculations for a flight, including things such as average speed, distance traveled, and rate of climb and descent.It has been the brands most iconic model ever since.

Founded in: 1904 | Average price: $1,800-$4,500 | Made in: Switzerland

Even though Oris has been around for more than 100 years, it still feels cool and innovative. The independent watchmaker is known for creating sleek, sexy mechanical watches at more affordable price points than many other luxury brands. We particularly like the Aquis, Divers and ProPilot models for their uniquely colored dials.

Founded in: 1755 | Average price: $11,000-$170,000 | Made in: Switzerland

The watch you wear says a lot about you, and if you wear a Vacheron Constantin timepiece, youre someone who appreciates expert craftsmanship and understated, timeless design. For more than 250 years, their cutting edge developments and refined supercomplications have made their timepieces the ultimate capstone for serious watch collectors.

Vintage 1970 Zenith El Primero Automatic Chronograph 38mm Stainless Steel and Leather Watch

Buy From Mr.Porter

Founded in: 1865 | Average price: $2,500-$90,000| Made in: Switzerland

Chronograph watches are similar to stopwatches, with dials to measure hours, minutes, and seconds, and many feature additional complications, such as tachymeter scales for measuring distance. While Zenith has been well-known in watch circles for more than a century, it has recently exploded in mainstream popularity. Zenith uses the El Primero chronograph movement, says KellyYoch, Director of Client Relations for Watches of SwitzerlandUSA. Its so famous that it was previously used in the Rolex Daytona, and its also the most accurate chronograph.

Founded in: 1874 | Average price: $7,000-$30,000 | Made in: Switzerland

The impetus for the Piaget brand was Georges Edouard Piagets desire to create a gift for his wife. In the 1950s, ultra-thin movements became one of the signatures of the brand. In the 1960s, they introduced watches with ornamental stones set into the dial, which also remains one of Piagets hallmarks.

Founded in: 1735| Average price: $9,000-$40,000 | Made in: Switzerland

For more than 280 years, Blancpain has created watches that are classically beautiful and have some of the most complicated mechanical movements created today. Their popular Villeret collection is named for the brands native village in Switzerland, and theyre also known for creating one of the most famous dive watches, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Famous wearers reportedly include avid watch collector Brad Pitt and Francis Ford Coppola.

What To Consider When Shopping For The Best Watches

Joy is the "main thing to consider when choosing a watch, says Kelly Yoch, Director of Client Relations for Watches of Switzerland USA. Ask yourself whether or not it makes you smile when you look down at your wrist. From there, think practically about if the watch suits you and your lifestyle. If the answer is no, dont buy it," advises Yoch. Beyond these initial pointers, heres what else to keep in mind:

Where Youll Be Wearing It

Two key things to keep in mind when purchasing a timepiece are style and durability. Different watches are designed for different uses, so a watch youd wear to go diving insuch as a tool watchwill be more rugged and quite different in appearance from one youd wear strictly for special events, like a dress watch.

Mechanical Vs. Battery Powered

Among watch aficionados, mechanical watchesthat use traditional clockwork technologycarry more clout. Manual-winding watches need to be wound each day, which requires effort from the wearer, as well as the potential financial investment in a watch winder. The advantage of a battery-powered quartz movement is that the wearer doesnt have to do much other than change the watch battery.

Complications

A complication on a watch is anything other than the display of time as seconds, minutes and hours. In general, a complication is something displayed to make your life easiersuch as a date window, dual time zones, moon phases or a perpetual calendar. When shopping for a timepiece, make sure you know how to use the watch and its not overly complex. You wont wear a watch if you dont know how to use it.

Case Size

To get an idea of what case size works best on your wrist, do an in-person try on session before buying. Some may look too bulky, while others will appear skimpy and get lost on your wrist. Watch cases come in a variety of shapesthe more basic are round, oval, square or rectangularand theyre typically listed in millimeters. They usually range from about 24mm to 38mm for women and 38mm and 56mm for men, but this is completely dependent on personal preference. Trends in watch case sizes are kind of like trends in jeansthey change all the time, says Gordon. A 30mm case is pretty standard for a woman, and 38 to 42mm is fairly standard for a man.

However, its ultimately up to you to decide what you like best. Watches should be judged by their size and not the sex theyre marketed for, says Yoch. If you fall in love with something thats not a typical or traditional size, forget whether the label says its mens or women's. Buy what you like.

Strap

Straps come in a variety of materials, including leather, metal (often referred to as a bracelet), fabric and rubber. There are essentially two types of straps: those that are a continuous and attached to the watch case, and those that are interchangeable or replaceable. An integral strap or bracelet cannot be removed and is difficult to repair, says Gordon. With most watches, like Rolexes, the strap or bracelet comes off and can be changed. In general, bands range in size from six to eight inches and are typically about half the width of the watch case.

Warranty

Make sure you buy an expensive watch from an authorized dealer, says Gordon, and that it comes with a certificate of authenticity and a warranty. Every watch has a different warranty, although in general theyre between one and five years, he says.

Rarity And Resale Value

If youre looking for the rarest of watches, there are often waiting lists with authorized dealers, so you may not be able to just purchase one the minute you want it. As to be expected, the rarer the timepiece, the more expensive it will be. If you think you may one day want to resell your watch, ask authorized dealers which brands and models have the best resale value.

"Brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe have good resale value largely because theres so much demand for them, says Yoch. But the smaller, independent brands are geniuses in watchmaking right next to the bigger houses. Brands such as Oris, Zenith, H. Moser and Armin Strom have the same quality and craftsmanship, she says, and they provide interesting features and movements and beautifully hand done dials."

Are Mechanical Or Battery Powered Watches Better?

Both are good options, but theyre considerably different. Its really a matter of opinion, says Gordon. Quartzor battery poweredtimepieces are more accurate, but you have to change the battery and many people dont like to do that. People with automatic watches appreciate the mechanisms and how intricately theyre constructed. Mechanical watches are generally far more expensive.

Manual and automatic watches are both mechanical. Manual movements need to be wound daily, says Gordon. Automatic movements are self-winding, so you dont have to do this because the watch winds itself while you wear it on your wrist. If, however, you dont wear your automatic watch for a couple days it will stop, so youll need to wind it manually. A quartz movement is battery powered so doesnt require winding.

What Is A Watch Movement?

Also known as a caliber or calibre, a movement is the actual internal mechanism of the watch that sits inside the watch case. The term came about because when mechanical timepieces were initially developed, the clockwork movements were made of lots of small, moving parts. Think of it as the engine inside the watch that makes everything tick.

Some brands buy movements to include in their timepieces, while others make their own movements. Companies who make their own are typically more expensive and hold more clout.

What Is A Watch Complication?

A complication is really just an extra feature in addition to telling the time, says Gordon. It could be a stopwatch or chronograph function, alarm, moon phase, time zone, minute repeater or tourbillon to boost accuracy.

How Often Should A Luxury Watch Be Serviced?

Id recommend people get their watch serviced every three to five years, says Gordon. If you wear your watch a lot, you may have to do it every year.

How Are Luxury Watches And Smartwatches Different?

"The rise in popularity of smartwatches made people think about wearing a watch who previously may not have worn one, says Yoch. But smartwatches didnt kill the watch industrythey simply brought attention to watchmaking as a whole. Smartwatches are literally computers on your wrist, but they arent about the art of telling time like luxury watches are."

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