The 15 Best Titanium Watches For Everyday Wear in 2022

Traditionally, wristwatches have been divided into two broad categories. Dress watches, made from precious metals like gold and platinum, and sports watches, made from stainless steel. But in more recent years, stainless steel’s lofty perch as king of the sports watch materials has come under threat from a lighter and stronger upstart: titanium. Titanium watches have been gaining in popularity over the past few years thanks to advances in technology that make them more practical, and the best titanium watches of today may make you think twice about purchasing another steel watch.

Titanium struggled, for a while, to achieve mainstream acceptance among watchmakers thanks to the material’s high production costs, lack of luster, and easy scratchability when compared to stainless steel. But recent advancements have largely left those worries in the past, as they have reduced some of titanium’s drawbacks to help make its considerable advantages over steel shine through even more. So read on to discover all you need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of titanium as a watch material, and then discover the 15 best titanium watches on the market at a wide range of prices.

The Good: The most obvious advantage of titanium is its light weight. Titanium weighs around half as much as stainless steel, meaning it feels considerably lighter and more comfortable on the wrist. It’s also stronger than steel pound-for-pound — titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any known metal — so it can match steel’s durability in a lighter-weight package. Win-win. Titanium also possesses very strong anti-corrosion properties that are much better than steel’s, as it’s almost impossible to make titanium rust. Those anti-corrosion properties play into titanium’s classification as hypoallergenic and non-toxic, as it does not react to the human body. This makes it the ideal metal to be worn against the skin, as does its lower thermal conductivity, which makes titanium feel less cold or hot than steel during temperature changes.

The Not So Good: Titanium is a lot more expensive to produce than stainless steel, so if you’re a watchmaker operating on a budget or looking to maximize your profits, titanium probably isn’t the way to go. Titanium is also much softer than steel, making it easier to scratch. An untreated titanium watch will look worn much more quickly than a steel one, but modern coatings and alloys seen in some of the watches below are solving this issue by actually making titanium harder than steel. Another drawback is that titanium is arguably less attractive than stainless steel. It doesn’t take to polish or intricate finishing as well as steel, which is why you often see titanium watches with matte or blasted finishes. Finally, the lightness of titanium — normally a positive — is considered by some watch enthusiasts to be a negative, as they associate the light weight with low quality. This is, of course, a misconception, but it’s still something to be aware of.

Bertucci A-2T Original Classic

If you’re looking for a lightweight beater that offers a classic and rugged military aesthetic, strong reliability, and well-tested durability, then you can’t go wrong with our budget pick. About as utilitarian as it gets, this fan-favorite field watch probably won’t win you any beauty contests, but thanks to its 200m water resistance, integrated “unbreakable” titanium spring bars, and unibody construction, it will take as much punishment as you’re willing to put it through. And since it only costs around $130, you might as well put it through a lot.

Purchase: $130

RZE Endeavour

Microbrand RZE only makes titanium watches, and they do it extremely well. Living up to their slogan “Assembled For Adventure,” their Endeavour dive watch has a case and bracelet made of full titanium that’s been coated with the brand’s proprietary UltraHex coating that makes it around 8x harder to scratch than stainless steel, solving the biggest issue of titanium watches. Of course, the watch’s bi-color Super-LumiNova lume, 200m VITON gasket-backed water resistance, and sapphire crystal don’t hurt the adventure-readiness of the watch, either.

Purchase: $419

Citizen Super Titanium Armor Chronograph

No company is more associated with titanium watches than Citizen, and with good reason. The Japanese brand invented the segment with the X-8 Chronometer way back in 1970, before anyone else was even dreaming of using the material in a watch. And they’re still innovating today with their Super Titanium, which combines Citizen’s proprietary titanium alloy with Duratect surface-hardening technology, resulting in a highly scratch-resistant material. This stylish and modern integrated bracelet Eco-Drive chronograph utilizes the material and features a unique rotating bezel that can be used to hide or reveal the chronograph pushers and crown.

Purchase: $520

Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto

The Hamilton Khaki Field is the prototypical field watch, having been in use in some form or another since World War II when it was on the wrists of American servicemen. You’d think that such a time-tested design couldn’t be improved upon, but you’d be wrong. Now fashioned in a full titanium case and bracelet, this version of the Khaki Field offers everything you love about the classic original but in a far lighter package.

Purchase: $995

Mido Ocean Star 200 Titanium

The Ocean Star is the flagship diver of underrated Swiss brand Mido and it comes in a number of variations, including a GMT, a chronograph, and a vintage-style diver. But our favorite has to be the titanium version. It looks killer on the curved-end orange rubber strap (though a titanium bracelet version is also available) that plays against the anthracite dial and bezel’s orange accents, and the watch’s ETA C07.621 movement boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve.

Purchase: $1,000+

Christopher Ward C60 Elite GMT 1000

Christopher Ward made their name by making luxury watches more attainable, but the C60 Elite GMT is almost too good for the money. This titanium diver features — deep breath — a fully-lumed ceramic dive bezel, an inner 24-hour bezel, a helium escape valve, 1,000m water resistance, a 3.4mm-thick sapphire caseback, and a chronometer-certified automatic GMT movement. It is a ton of watch for the money, but it’s so lightweight you’d never know it.

Purchase: $1,850+

Longines Avigation BigEye

Longines has been making moves lately, digging through their extensive and impressive archives to create some head-turning modern-day reissues. And this pilot’s chronograph is one of their best efforts yet. Based on an obscure reference from the 1930s, this modern chronograph is crafted from premium grade 5 titanium and features a stunning blue gradient “petroleum” dial with painted Arabic numerals. But the most distinctive feature is the “big eye” 30-minute chrono register at 3 o’clock, a lovely vintage touch that isn’t seen too often these days.

Purchase: $3,225

Tudor Pelagos

Tudor’s feature-packed modern diver is somewhat of an unsung hero in the brand’s collection, often taking a backseat to the popular vintage-style Black Bay. But don’t sleep on the Pelagos, as this is easily one of the best divers under five grand. Loaded with tech, the COSC-certified Pelagos has a fully-lumed ceramic bezel, full titanium case and bracelet, helium escape valve, 500m water resistance, and a patented in-clasp bracelet extension system that is among the best quick-adjust systems in the industry. Oh, and it looks awesome.

Purchase: $4,575

Grand Seiko “Snowflake”

Nobody finishes titanium like Grand Seiko. Their craftsmen’s acclaimed Zaratsu finishing process is able to make their scratch-resistant high-intensity titanium look better than most other companies’ stainless steel watches, and the Snowflake is arguably the best-known and most-beloved model the brand makes. With an intricately-finished dial made to evoke the snow-peaked mountains outside the company’s Japanese studio, a hybrid Spring Drive movement that combines quartz accuracy with mechanical energy generation, and a blued steel seconds hand that features a perfect sweep, few watches can match the Snowflake’s serene beauty.

Purchase: $5,800

Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Titanium

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: A titanium worldtimer. And not just any worldtimer, but Montblanc’s ingenious Geosphere that tracks both the northern and southern hemispheres. With the watch industry based mainly in Switzerland and Japan, most worldtimers only feature the northern hemisphere. But Montblanc opts not to ignore our friends south of the equator with their two-globe movement. And while other Geospheres feature a vintage aesthetic, this sporty version is refreshingly modern with its grade 5 titanium case, lumed globes and ceramic compass bezel, and a gorgeous deep blue dial.

Purchase: $6,100+

Oris Big Crown ProPilot X

Released in 2019, this halo model is likely the most impressive watch that independent Swiss company Oris has ever made. With a full titanium case and bracelet, the watch houses the brand’s in-house Calibre 115 movement that features an impressive 10-day power reserve thanks to a massive mainspring that is uniquely visible through the skeletonized dial. Also impressive is the aviation belt-inspired “LIFT” folding clasp, which adds a whimsical touch of engineering ingenuity to this industrial-looking pilot’s watch.

Purchase: $7,200

Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 007 Edition “No Time To Die”

This will be the next watch worn by James Bond, provided that No Time to Die ever actually gets released, that is. But regardless of whether or not this special Seamaster ever ends up adorning the wrist of 007 on the big screen, it’s still worth a serious look. Blending elements from the iconic “Bond” Seamaster with mid-century vintage touches, the full titanium watch features a generously-domed sapphire crystal, yellowed fauxtina lume all over that somehow glows blue, a tropical brown aluminum dial and bezel, and an absolutely killer titanium mesh bracelet. And, like all modern Seamasters, it’s a METAS-certified Master Chronometer.

Purchase: $9,200

IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium

Rather than turning to a coating to solve the issue of titanium’s scratchability, the mad scientists in Schaffhausen decided to create an entirely new material. This pilot’s chronograph is made from IWC’s proprietary Ceratanium, a material that combines the low weight of titanium with the hardness of ceramic. The result is an incredibly light and durable watch that’s ready for anything, including the timing of two simultaneous events thanks to its spilt-seconds automatic chronograph function.

Purchase: $14,600

Zenith Defy Extreme

Zenith’s Defy line was already the place for the brand to experiment with their most daring designs, but now they’ve quite literally taken that strategy to the extreme. The Defy Extreme is a tough, angular beast that lives up to its name with a case and bracelet made of brushed or microblasted titanium, integrated crown and pusher protection, and 200m water resistance. The integrated titanium bracelet features a quick-change system and can be quickly replaced with the included rubber or velcro straps to suit your environment, all while Zenith’s venerated El Primero 21 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph automatic movement beats away inside.

Purchase: $18,000+

Richard Mille RM 11-05

In just a few short years, 20-year-old Swiss brand Richard Mille has risen from relative obscurity to become one of the hottest watchmakers on the planet. The RM 11-05 offers the style and ingenuity that have become the brand’s hallmarks, with a case made from proprietary gray Cermet material — a blend of titanium and ceramic that’s less dense than titanium and nearly as hard as diamond. The caseback, screws, and crown are all titanium; the dial is sapphire; and the movement is just absurd: its baseplate and bridges are made of grade 5 titanium and it features an annual calendar, a flyback chronograph, and a GMT. So that’s what $215K gets you, huh?

Purchase: $215,000

The 20 Best Outdoor Watches For Men

If scoping out all of these lightweight watches has put you in the mood for adventure, then be sure to check out our list of the best outdoor watches on the market. There, you’ll find a selection of rough-and-tumble watches that will take whatever you throw at them and kindly ask for more, all while looking great and working flawlessly.