Buying Guide to Men’s Wristwatches

Have you looked at your wrists lately? Maybe they’re a little bare. Or maybe the timepiece that occupies space there is just too outdated. Maybe you are looking for the latest style to wear out on the town or to impress your co-workers. Whatever your reasoning may be, this guide is here to help you get into the market and determine exactly what features are important to you, what brands will be perfect to be on your arm, and which watch will just feel right. For every person, there is a different set of standards that are important when finding a watch. We’ll examine different types or watches, what they offer, and some of the best watches on the market for those styles. This will be the most comprehensive guide to men’s wristwatches you can find on the internet.

Sports/Athletic Watches

These are the watches for the athletic men in the world. Those guys who are rock-climbing, running, always active in some way. Their perfect watch will usually be a more durable one, not suspect to damage from hard contact. They almost always will have either a rubber or nylon-type band, perhaps a mesh, something that fits in with the athletic lifestyle and need. You really can’t imagine a jogger running by with a stainless steel analog clock on him, would you? Digital all the way, with different modes for stopwatches, alarms, and other features. You will also need water resistance, because you don’t know when that sudden water bath you are giving yourself from a water bottle will leak a little water into the watch and ruin it. If you have a watch that is waterproof, then you won’t have to worry about that. Basically, these are the types of watches that take a licking and keep on ticking. Remember, you also want a watch that will fit snugly on your wrist because you don’t want it becoming loose with all of the activity you will be doing with the watch. Some even come with extra bells and whistles, such as reading your pulse and heartrate while engaged in activity or have a setting that can tell you the time in any country in the world, a feature that comes pretty easy with the more versatile digital watches.

Some Watches to Look For: Nike Triax Mobius Super ($119); Timex Bodylink Speed and Distance Monitor/Watch ($250); La Crosse XG-55 Digital w/Altimeter and Compass ($100)

Classic Professional Watches

Whether you want this watch for the office or for the night out, these are the kind of watches that say, “simple, yet sophisticated.” There won’t any special technological advances in these watches in terms of performance, but you may see a lot of different features on these kinds of watches. You look for more of the stainless steel or metal watches here, with either similar bands or leather. No rubber or Velcro here, guys. Normally an analog watch to complete the classic look and to keep a sort of elegance to the watch. Also, you don’t want a piece that is fragile because you want this to last through the wear and tear of everyday use. It’s only natural that you will bump and bang this watch a bit and it needs to be well made to work for you. Simple colors, either silver or black, no outlandish colors that will be hard to match for different fashions. Perhaps a little bit of accent, but nothing too elaborate.

Some Watches to Check Out: Citizen Eco-Drive Two-Toned Watch ($450); Diesel Watch DZ4100 ($120); Marc Ecko The Arena Watch ($175); Sector 700 Series Watch ($385); Seiko Le Grand Sport Titanium Watch ($375)

High-Class Status Watches

These are the cream of the crop. They may not even have as many features as the other watches, but these are the timepieces that catch peoples’ eyes. The ones which are basically yelling to the world to “look at me.” Draped in all kinds of gems, diamonds, rubies, and usually gold or white gold, these are the elite status watches. They don’t do much for functionality and are obviously not for everyday use, but when you are trying to make an impression people will never forget, these are the watches that do so. The shinier and the brighter, the better, these are watches that could very well cost more than the rest of the outfit. They’ll break with any real rough usage, but are durable enough to withstand some minor nicks and scratches.

Some Watches to Gander At: Gucci G Chrono Watch in Stainless Steel ($1,495); Movado Gents SL Watch ($1,295); Burberry Expedition America Watch ($695); Tag Heuer Autavia ($3,295)