Top 5 Men’s Watch Brands

We’re a complicated lot us men. Finding the right tie to match the right suit to compliment the right girl and the right car only get more complicated when we want to keep it all synchronized fluidly…with the right timepiece. And not all watch brands are created equal.

This is an unwavering truth. But the ones that rise above the clutter of just ordinary and average watches are the ones to ride or die for. Here is a list of the top five best men’s watch brands…according to us.

NIXON

Nixon solidly sets its planks in the sand, marking its territory on this list. Yes, we reserve real estate for the superbly priced brand because it curates a lookbook of timepieces for both men and women that range from casual to sports. The Nixon line traverses a wide range of looks and functions but never crosses upwards of what is affordable.

The Essentials collection sits in a price bracket of $100 to $450. And considering that these looks are versatile and super functional, that’s remarkable.

The quartet of looks pins its hopes first on the 37mm rose gold Time Teller at a very affordable $100.  The upper side of the bracket is the 48mm Nixon Mission which retails for $450. A solid marriage of both worlds is the Nixon Sentry, with its brilliant iterations in leather and a gold bracelet. You can buy the Sentry Leather on Amazon for $150.

CITIZEN 

Citizen cuts a head turning silhouette with its line of men’s watches that go from casual automatic and sports to smartwatches. The brand cleverly services every need a man might have in the course of a day: going from the gym to the board room to the black tie gala or to a romantic evening. And casual tee shirt and jeans days tucked under the hood of a Chevy aren’t off the table either. A stable of multipurpose watches at Citizen fall under the less than $400 bracket, with many averaging around $250.

Everything for style, leisure and adventure have a roost here in the Citizen lookbook. For example the suave Paradex with its brown leather band, stainless steel case and azure dial give credibility to the “sophistication” tag for a mere $250. Meanwhile the Eco Drive powered military inspired Chandler goes for a respectable $275. But we’d be foolish not to gush over the Super Titanium with its titanium bracelet and solar power. You can buy it on Amazon for $342.

BRAUN 

Braun has a robust collection of timepieces that tick with seamless fluidity, bling that pairs nicely with a tux, and understated casual fare that will ride shotgun on those lazy weekends on the couch. This is a stellar brand for men’s watches insomuch as they have a price range that doesn’t limit the quality nor the accessibility of its product.

Here’s the thing with Braun: the looks have their own independent personality. Digital. Minimalist. Classic automatic. Chic chronograph. The Gents BN0076 Digital Watch comes with a leather strap in its silver chrome look and retails for $275. The Gents BN0035 Classic Chronograph also retails for $275 with its black or white dial and slick leather band. Braun gets classic looks right. The 38mm Classic Stainless Steel Watch pulls together all of Braun’s best assets. You can buy it for $67.95 on Amazon.

SHINOLA 

Shinola is the all-American watch brand based in Motor City Detroit. It’s also the favorite brand of former president Barack Obama. One of the comeback stories that are the backstory of Detroit’s rise from the ashes, Shinola much like Braun has a diverse collection of sports watches, casual watches and stylish watches for men of every humor. The prices are fair and respectable.

The line of Shinola watches we’ve become most intimate are the stylish and sporty 41mm Runwell Chrono. They sit in the $700 to $800 bracket, styled with tan leather bands and stainless steel cases that offset an Argonite 5021 Quartz movement. You can buy it on Amazon for $613.75.

FOSSIL 

Fossil is a mainstay of affordable watch culture. With its diverse collection that includes wearables, casual, mechanical and sport; it defines its brand with an unstoppable resolve to marry quality and accessibility. The mechanical watches are so painstakingly rendered and aesthetically inviting we are amazed that they still are affordable. The sports watches are ready for the wear and tear of adventure, never wincing at any offroad weekend warrior madness their owners might put them through.

The Rutherford Three Hand Day Date models are stylish and simple with leather band and understated white dial. And while many of the minimalist watches we see on the market are fairly steep in price, the Rutherford goes for $115. Fossil’s beast of a sports watch the Grant Sport Luggage Leather Watch is multipurpose, able to juggle the hard rigors of sport with the cadences of dressing up. And it goes for $235.

We’ve probably most gushed over Fossil’s offering of smartwatches and wearables. The Q Grant Stainless Steel Hybrid Smartwatch combines all of those stellar elements that form Fossil’s DNA. Then it goes a step further by using the latest in smart tech to keep it forward-thinking. You can buy it on Amazon for $215.