The 9 Best Men’s Watches For Wearing This Summer

Different seasons call for different types of gear — which is pretty obvious for certain categories. For instance, you’d never want to wear a puffy waterproof parka in the middle of July, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. Similarly, flip-flops can put you on the fast track to frostbite if you wear them in the dead of winter.

There are other categories of gear, however, where their seasonal appropriateness is much less apparent. Watches are one such category. To be fair, most watches can be worn year-round without too much trouble. But if you really want to make the most of this genre of style accessory, you’ll want to look a little closer at your choices. For instance, summer is finally in full swing and, as such, we’ve collected these impressive and seasonally-appropriate timepieces that range from colorful automatic pieces to rugged tool watches to ones with supreme underwater capability. These are the best summer watches for men.

What Is a Summer Watch?

As you’ll see, the perfect summer watch can mean multiple things. If you’re into exploring the great outdoors, a lightweight, rugged tool watch may be your timepiece of choice. However, if you’re a beachgoer, you’ll want something colorful, and with diving capability. There are some models that do well to balance these elements, which are listed below.

What to Look for In a Summer Watch

Straps: When picking out a watch for the summer, you’ll want to choose strap materials that can endure the heat, and allow you to do so in the process. Materials like leather can be sweaty since they stick to your skin. Look for metals like steel or titanium, or comfortable materials like a stretchy rubber or a soft textile. The latter of which will also allow for some expansion and contraction as your wrist swells slightly in hotter climates.

Case Diameter: This will be of personal preference, but wider timepieces may dig into your wrist or hand during more rigorous activities. Unless you like big watches, stick to models that range from 36mm to 40mm.

Weight: Tangentially to diameter, the weight of the watch can have an impact on comfort during the hotter months. In terms of case materials, stainless steel doesn’t need to be avoided, as they’re very durable, but you can opt for materials such as titanium or carbon fiber if possible, which are significantly more lightweight.

Colors: Again, this will come down to personal preference and usage, but don’t be afraid to have some fun with your watch this season. This is the time of year to wear teals, oranges, and yellows. However, if you’re looking for something with a bit more versatility for nighttime wear, you can pick understated hues like blue or green.

Dive Capability: Summertime is synonymous with spending time in the water. If you’re thinking of going into the ocean or a pool, you may want a timepiece that has at least 100m of water resistance. While certain pieces may go up to 200m or 300m, it won’t be necessary to find something that capable.

GMT: If you enjoy traveling for the summer, you may want to invest in a quality travel GMT watch that can handle multiple time zones at once so you can always keep track of the time of where you are and where you’re headed.

Seiko 5 Sports SRPK33

A few months back, Seiko debuted a new, smaller version of its 5 Sports dive watch. Available in four colorways, including the more playful teal and orange versions, the timepiece dropped the case size from 42.5mm — which was too big and forced many fans to opt for smaller offerings from other brands — to a very reasonable and wearable 38mm. Most of the other specs remained the same since the Japanese watchmaker replaced its beloved SKX with the 5 Sports, a new entry-level automatic diver. This includes the 100m water resistance, the unidirectional bezel with an elapsed time scale of 60 minutes, the in-house caliber 4R36 movement, and, most importantly, the fair price tag.

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical

It may be so that one of the most iconic field watches on the planet sits with a price tag of just over $500. Debuting in 2017, Hamilton’s Khaki Field Watch range was inspired by the Pennsylvania-based brand’s history of watchmaking during World War II — the company had completely shut down civilian production for some time to exclusively make watches for the war effort. More specifically, the Khaki Field Watch is a direct successor to Hamilton’s GG-W-113 but with modern mechanics. Sporting a NATO strap that will serve you well on your most rugged summer adventures, this timepiece wears nicely at 38mm and features a matte steel case, triangle indices, and numerals up to 24 hours.

For a deeper dive, read our Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical watch review.

Tissot Sideral S Powermatic 80

Before they came out some weeks back, few had expected Tissot to drop perhaps the best summer watch we had seen in a while. Revived in striking yet playful yellow, red, and blue colorways, the Sideral S has a history that dates back to the 1970s. The first watch to ever be made of fiberglass, thus allowing for unique color play, the Sideral S was a divergence from the typical “dad watch” that had filled the space by that time. With this new reissue, Tissot has swapped the fiberglass on the cushion-shaped case for a more practical forged carbon, which works its way around the stainless steel inner case. Despite being 46.5mm in diameter, it’s a measly 3oz in weight. Other features include a 300m dive rating, 80 hours of power reserve, and a regatta countdown scale on the dial.

Farer AquaMatic Thurso

You can really pick a handful of watches from Farer as solid pieces to wear for the summer. After all, the British watchmaker is really the king of color. However, the Farer really set a new standard with its AquaMatic line — more specifically the Thurso variant, which plays with teal and orange to infuse your ensemble with some tropical flavor. Available with either an orange NATO strap, a teal rubber strap, or a stainless steel bracelet, the Thurso sports a striking teal-colored sports bezel with luminous aluminum inserts. With 200m of water resistance, the 38.5mm stainless steel case surrounds the whitish silver dial with an orange minute ring. Powered by a Swiss Sellita SW220-1 automatic movement, the three-hand watch is accompanied by a day-date display.

DOXA SUB 300 Professional

Underwater explorers from Jacques Cousteau to Clive Cussler have been faithful fans of DOXA’s SUB watches, which debuted in 1967 and marked the first time a purpose-based diver was available to the general public. DOXA’s contemporary models take a lot of inspiration from the originals, both in design and performance. The SUB 300 Professional taps the original’s 42.5mm barrel-style case made from marine-grade 316L stainless steel and features the Swiss brand’s patented bezel system, which consists of an outer rotating bezel with the depth displayed in meters and an inner fixed bezel with the time displayed in minutes. From an aesthetic standpoint, the orange dial against the burly steel case and black bezel make this one of the finest summer divers you can find.

For a deeper dive, read our DOXA SUB 300 Professional watch review.

NOMOS Glashutte Ahoi Atlantik

NOMOS Glashutte’s Ahoi Atlantik may not be the obvious choice for a summer watch, but upon further investigation, you may be disappointed you hadn’t discovered this minimalist piece sooner. Known for its Bauhaus-inspired dress watches, the German watchmaker took a risk with its sea-themed Ahoi diver line, and it paid off. The waterproof textile strap makes it great for adventuring, as does the 200m of depth resistance and crown guards. Powered by the NOMOS-manufactured DUW 5001 automatic movement, the stainless steel watch keeps its second counter in the subdial at the 6 o’clock spot. Truly versatile, the Ahoi Atlantik is 40mm in diameter, with a 36mm neomatik version, and sports clean lines and accessible colors that allow it to accompany you to the beach and then out to dinner later. 

For a deeper dive, read our NOMOS Glashutte Ahoi Atlantik watch review.

Tudor Pelagos 39

If you’re wanting a traditional dive watch for your summer ensemble, look no further than Tudor’s Pelagos 39. Although the heritage-inspired model (along with the Black Bay) made its debut in 2012 as a nod to its history of making timepieces for the French and U.S. navies from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, fans of the watch took issue with the cumbersome 42mm case size. Tudor listened and responded with the Pelagos 39, a much more wearable, yet still robust, tool watch at 39mm. While the Swiss brand reduced the water resistance from 500m to 200m, this model is still more than capable of being taken underwater, if that’s what you’re using it for (the recreational dive limit is only 130m). Both practical and stylish, the timepiece also sports a grade 2 titanium case and bracelet, which houses the manufacturer-caliber MT5400 automatic movement and has a versatile wardrobe function, able to accompany you on just about any outing this season.

For a deeper dive, read our Tudor Pelagos 39 watch review.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M

Debuting in 1948 to honor the brand’s 100th anniversary, the Seamaster still remains arguably the most important dive watch in history. And as other watch lines have fallen by the wayside or gone in and out of production, OMEGA’s flagship timepiece is now celebrating its 75th anniversary. With its own fair share of iterations since it was first released in 1993, the Diver 300M is the de facto face of the series. Powered by OMEGA’s Co‑Axial Master Chronometer Caliber 8800, the standard version of the model is this stainless steel version with a blue dial that sports a wave motif and a matching blue ceramic bezel. At 42mm, the watch comes with a steel bracelet and a timeless aesthetic that can go with any outfit and any occasion.

For a deeper dive, read our Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch review.

Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Watch

If we had to pick a single sport that best encapsulates the spirit of summer, it would obviously have to be surfing. Dating back to ancient Polynesian cultures, modern surfing has become a staple of Western life — especially amongst those in California and Hawaii — and there are even watches tied directly to the surf culture of years passed. That includes the Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 you see here, which is actually a tribute to an original watch from 1957. Along with its gorgeous throwback minimalist styling, this watch boasts an automatic movement, a 100m water-resistant stainless steel case, a mesh band, luminous markings, and more. It’s even available in a number of different versions, so you can find the one right for you and your style this summer.

The Best Blue Dial Watches

If color’s your thing, check out our guide to the best blue dial watches available right now.