Tested: The Best Watch Rolls & Cases for Travel

The best way to break something you love is by traveling with it. Whether you’re doing something as simple as heading to work or going out on a long vacation – the likelihood of things breaking or getting lost on the way goes way up.

For watch enthusiasts, one of the best ways to protect timepieces from being scratched or broken is by throwing them in a travel watch roll or case. These simple canvas or leather rolls and boxes provide solid organization as well as protection from scratches on the crystal or dings on the case. But more than just satisfying a utilitarian need, these units are often crafted finely enough to be worthy of appreciation in their own right. Whether you’re a budding watch collector who only aspires to have enough watches to justify a traveling case, or a seasoned enthusiast looking for something new to throw in their carry-on – we’ve tested the best watch rolls and cases for you.

How We Tested

When traveling with your watches, a case or roll is a no-brainer. We looked high and low for the best options to test for this guide, weeding out what we did and didn’t want in a travel pouch. (We even went so far as to have a 10-watch travel case originally, but then realized that was kinda crazy.) To make our shortlist, we went to some of our favorite watch accessory brands, paying attention to size, material, practicality, aesthetic, and any other extra features.

For testing, we literally used each watch case inside and out, checking out how they looked and felt, and seeing how well our watches fit inside (or how they didn’t). Our results and findings are detailed below.

What to Look For

Material: If you’re storing your roll or case inside of a backpack or bag, you’ll likely want to look for both interior and exterior materials that will hold up to repeated drops. Hard-shelled cases are optimal if you’re worried about another bag crushing yours. As for watch rolls, which have the potential of being more stylish and lightweight than their counterparts, you’re options will likely be either leather or canvas. Make sure you either sandwich these between piles of clothing or keep them on your person where you can make sure it doesn’t get crushed. As for interior materials, they will almost always be something soft like suede or satin.

Capacity: Most people only wear a couple of different timepieces per trip. However, you may want to have some options, especially if you’re not sure what type of outings you’ll embark upon in your new destination. If you’re planning on wearing a watch at all times, remember that you can add 1 to the roll or case’s capacity.

Watch Size: If you’re a fan of wider or thicker watches, make sure the roll or case you’re purchasing can accommodate those girthy timepieces. Certain units can handle just about any size watch, but others cap out much lower.

WATCHPOD Single-Watch Travel Case

Best for Cheap Watches: Just because you’re a wristwatch enthusiast doesn’t mean the watches in your actual collection are worth thousands of dollars. If you’re more Casio than Cartier, you should opt for the WATCHPOD Travel Case, a budget-friendly zippered pouch that will work perfectly when stowing your alternate timepiece in your carry-on. Not particular with its form, the case holds any watch up to 50mm, including smartwatches, inside of its crush-proof ballistic 1,680D nylon exterior. If you want to test out the idea of a travel watch case, this one’s for you. The company also has 2-, 3-, and 6-watch options, all using the same enclosure methods.

The Good

If you’re just rolling with a single extra watch on your trip (on top of the one you’ll be traveling with on your wrist), the WATCHPOD Travel Case is the de facto choice. Sure, it’s cheap at just $15 but it will be difficult to justify spending loads more on a pricier alternative. This pouch holds just one watch but does so really well. It might not be the most stylish offering around but there’s some serious intention with its design. First, you have the aforementioned 1,680D ballistic nylon shell, which speaks for itself; this thing isn’t getting penetrated. The zipper also functions rather gracefully. I had no issues here at all.

I liked the shape of the case, with a larger front side to accommodate the size difference between most bracelets and their cases. In other words, the case side goes in front, which is also ideal since if the zipper does happen to come open, the band will be the first thing touched by external elements. Also, the interior indents allow for matching indents on the outside, which double as finger-thumb grooves that make this easy to hold.

The Not So Good

Because the WATCHPOD holds an array of watch sizes –– essentially anything’s on the table –– the inside can have a lot of room. Upon shaking the case itself, the watch inside would rattle around a lot, no matter what size watch I put inside. I mitigated this issue by sticking one of the foam pads inside. These were included in shipping and doubled as extra watch padding. However, the material of these aren’t great and I was dubious about using them. Likewise, the velvet lining on the interior didn’t feel as soft as other options but also isn’t a bad version of this material for the price you’re paying. I just probably wouldn’t stick my Rolex inside.

Verdict: For saving money without compromising quality, WATCHPOD’s Single-Watch Travel Case is the perfect solution, especially if you’re just traveling with one extra watch. The exterior is made of an incredibly tough ballistic nylon material plus the zipper enclosure gave us no issues. This pouch features a thoughtful design all the way around, except we did notice that versatile interior size meant that watches would rattle around a bit too much. However, the included padding served as an ad hoc solution.

Capra Watch Roll

Best Roll for Accessories: You might be the type of person who simply wants to select your handful of watches for your upcoming vacation. That’s perfectly fine. However, to truly expand your range of style, you’ll want to grab a watch roll that allows you to store some extra straps and adjustment tools to give you plenty of options on your trip. Going swimming? You can throw on a NATO fabric strap. Have a fancy dinner planned? Swap to a classy leather band. To help you store all your accessories, Capra’s Watch Roll features a zippered side pouch for storage, which is far better than the typical hidden rear pouch that other watch rolls tend to have. Also, the brand lets you customize your roll, choosing the interior lining and size.

The Good

Compared to other leather watch rolls, the well-priced Capra is the archetypal example. It’s beautifully made, looks classy, and has an interior to match the outside. We went with the suede lining for the interior, although linen is also available. The suede is also affixed to the top of the roll, covering the tops of the four watches, which not only provides additional protection for the dials sticking out but allows you to access a watch, say, on the far right without exposing the ones on the left. Also, the accessories pocket is just the right size for a few straps and long enough for a spring bar tool. I like the extra aesthetic touch of making the compartment pseudo-hidden, meaning a leather flap covers almost the entirety of the opening, save for the very top where the zipper sticks out.

Upon closing the roll back up, I liked how it didn’t matter exactly how tight or loose it was since the belt was long enough and the fastening loop was attached to the belt itself.

The Not So Good

The accessories zipper is a bit stiff but I suppose that’s a good thing, in case you have small pieces inside. And while I’m quibbling, the fastening loop is admittedly narrow, making it somewhat of a struggle to thread the belt through. Likewise, the belt is very long and sticks out a significant amount on the other side.

There’s an opportunity for scratching with the stitched seam on the inside top of the pockets themselves. The backs of the interior are lined with soft suede but the front is simply leather. I actually opted to put in my watches facing backwards to preclude any incidental contact against the front and the crystals. It’s also important to note that most watch rolls will struggle with fitting non-flat-lay watches. Fortunately, most watches are, in fact, flat-lay.

Verdict: Handsome inside and out, the Capra Watch Roll is a fantastic leather option with a customizable lining and size. We loved the perfectly-sized accessories pouch and the suede cover flap to go along with our interior. However, we do wish the front side of the pockets were lined as well, even though this was easily rectified. Compact, affordable, and attractive, the Capra might be the most quintessential leather watch roll available.

Windup Watch Shop Hexagon Watch Tube

Best Hybrid Case: The benefits of a watch case can often outweigh its cons, but with the Hexagon Watch Tube, you can have your cake and eat it too. Pairing the compactness of a watch roll with the durability of a case, it fits up to three timepieces inside of its attractive nylon housing — available in one of four colorways — that snaps closed. On the inside, the watches don’t rest flat, like they’re required to be able to do in order to fit inside of a roll. Rather, you place them around microsuede pillows that can be removed one at a time. If that’s not enough, the hexagonal shape makes it optimal for resting on your countertop because it won’t roll off.

The Good

If you want the best of both worlds, get yourself this Hexagon Watch Tube from the Windup Watch Shop. Like we said, the unique shape keeps things compact while preventing it from rolling off a countertop if you choose to display it as such. Likewise, the hexagonal structure also creates a sort of shock barrier for your watches, with space between the pillows and the cover so they’re not making contact. I loved how the four segments that peel off of the tube when opened up have tiny padding in each section, protecting your watches even further no matter how you have them oriented inside (e.g., dial in or dial out). My watches felt incredibly secure inside, especially once the snap buttons were locked in.

I initially thought it would be difficult to snap the buttons on blindly when closing the tube back up, but this wasn’t the case with strap watches. However, the bracelet watches gave me some problems since I couldn’t adjust how flush they fit around each pillow inside. This roll is also an attractive option, available in four stylish exteriors paired with a high-quality interior lining that feels thoughtfully constructed. I also noticed that I could remove the watches without undoing the straps entirely if situated correctly on the pillow, which is a big plus when trying to save some time.

The Not So Good

My first major complaint is a bit more glaring. My bracelet watches had some trouble fitting around the pillows because of their fixed sizing. My wrist is about 7″ around, so keep that in mind. But I’d say this would be an issue for wearers with 8-inch wrists as well. As I mentioned, this case isn’t as great for bracelet watches as it is for adjustable straps, especially when packed all the way full; it became difficult to close.

Also, when it came to taking the pillows out of the case, there was quite a lot of resistance. While this is a good thing for keeping your watches intact, it did require me to lean on the timepieces on either side for support. This led to me incidentally smudging the crystals over the dials but I suppose could have worse consequences.

Verdict: Sporting the compactness of a watch roll with the durability of a travel case, the Windup Watch Shop’s Hexagon Watch Tube is the best of both worlds, employing high-end yet attractive materials both inside and out. Kept secure with the help of interior padding and secure snap buttons, your watches will fit better inside if they’re equipped with adjustable straps rather than fixed bracelets. However, if you can manage the former, this will be a welcomed addition to any classy travel loadout.

Bezelhold The Hat-Trick

Best for Small Wrists: If you have a small wrist then the circumference of your band will also be smaller. The problem is, not every pillow is made to fit these. And many watch cases have pretty firm pillows that can’t even compress if you want them to. That’s why Bezelhold, who has several attractive travel case options, made The Hat-Trick, which holds a trio of timepieces and features pillows that compress so you can fit your bands regardless of size. A popular choice among Rolex owners, the case is built with a genuine leather exterior, a velvet interior with a beautiful color chosen to accentuate your watches, and even rose gold snap buttons.

The Good

Before I get into the benefits of the Bezelhold Hat Trick, I should mention just how pretty this case is. At the $200+ price point, it’s competing with the legendary Wolf watch cases, and does just fine in this regard. I love the pebbling of the exterior leather more than I do on any other case I tested, plus the inside has some really pretty wine-colored lining, rose gold-colored snap buttons, and a branded patch that looks super classy.

You remove the interior pillows via snap buttons as well, which sounds much more difficult than it was. I actually loved this method much more than the slotted pillows of other cases for just how fast I can take these out. Putting them back in is also a cinch, albeit takes an extra few moments. There’s also ample room above the dial for protection, which is nice.

Something cool I noticed with the Hat Trick due to its flat-laying structure, is the ability to remove the middle pillow and use that section for storage. This is great for bringing along extra straps or even rings and other valuables. You can’t do this on, say, the Hexagon Tube above because of how wide it opens up and how it opens facing the front; all of the stuff inside would fall to the floor.

The Not So Good

On the surface, the Hat Trick might seem very similar to the Hexagon Tube from Windup Watch Shop, but the angular option does some things that this case doesn’t. For one, the Hat Trick doesn’t display your watches very well. You also can’t remove your watches without unbuttoning the pillows –– albeit this method is much easier to do than the side locks on the Hexagon.

Like the Hexagon Tube, however, the Hat Trick struggled with bracelet watches below about 8″. The pillows did compress a bit better than the former but they were also wider in circumference. As I mentioned, the pillows take some extra beats to put back inside, but I found myself getting faster at this the more I used them.

Verdict: Perhaps the most elegant-looking case we tested, the Bezelhold Hat Trick fits a trio of watches in a compact design. It utilizes snap button pillows, which are great for getting watches out quickly and efficiently, even if they take an extra moment to put back inside. Not as great with smaller-sized fixed bracelet watches, the pillows do compress fairly well. We also loved how you could theoretically remove the central pillow to use the compartment for storage. At $220, this competes with the similarly-priced Wolf Roadster pretty darn well.

Wolf Roadster Watch Roll

Best Upgrade Case: When it comes to watch winders and other forms of watch storage, Wolf is the de facto king of the space, but for good reason. When you focus so obsessively on one goal, you’re going to beat out the competition almost every time. Housing three watches at a time, the Roadster Watch Roll is just one of many from the brand but is the best bet in terms of style and function. Paying homage to British luxury cars, the roll-case hybrid sports a pebble vegan leather exterior and diamond satin lining on the inside. Each timepiece is paired with one of the brand’s patented Watch Guards. And if you enjoy traveling with more than just watches, the secret, patent-pending jewelry capsule can fit rings, cufflinks, and other smaller objects.

The Good

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect the absolute best from Wolf, considering its reputation. And upon getting hands-on with the Roadster, I can see why people love the brand. From the faux wood end caps to the sleek leather exterior. While the inside doesn’t look as luxe as, say, the Hat Trick or Hexagon Tube, it serves a total utilitarian purpose of protecting your watches and making sure they fit. The watches wrap around a plush tube that has two dividers for separating them. Best of all, the tube fits the widest range of watch sizes among my testing units, from small fixed bracelet pieces to adjustable straps. And there was plenty of room for snapping on any clasp bracelets as well.

The tube comes out entirely, giving you a completely tactile experience when taking your watches on or off. The watches on the ends can just slide off without having to unstrap them. Likewise, I found that I was able to sneak one or two extra watches on top of the quoted “three watch max.” I did so by staggering the cases. This isn’t recommended for more fragile watches, however.

Also, the interior of the tube slides out and opens to reveal a hidden compartment with dedicated slots for rings and a tray for necklaces and the like. Pretty awesome! As the most expensive case on this list, the Roadster never feels overpriced; you get exactly what you pay for in the best way possible.

The Not So Good

The flaws are few and far between with the Roadster. I loved almost everything about it. However, I do wish the cover lid opened a bit farther when taking the interior roll out of the case. This is a minor quibble but the self-closing lid did keep getting in the way when I was using it. I also found it curious that there were two snap button options on the strap, which implies that one would close this up if the watches didn’t completely fit inside, thus exposing them to the elements outside. And while I’m on the topic, I should mention that the lid didn’t close completely flush against the outer wall, which was also pretty odd.

Verdict: Well justified as being the most expensive on this list, the Wolf Roadster proves once again why the company owns the watch case and winder categories. We loved the beautiful look of the outside and the practical interior meant to keep our watches protected. This case also fits the best range of watch sizes of any premium case we tested and has a very convenient way of giving you access to them. Lest we forget, there’s a very cool hidden compartment for rings and other small jewelry. You won’t be sorry about this purchase at all.

Watch Rolls & Cases Comparison Chart

Watch Rolls Vs. Watch Cases

Cases: While watch cases take up more room and tend to be heavier than rolls, they also serve to protect your watches much better. Often made from sturdier materials, these units will be better if you’re afraid of your timepieces getting crushed, and some of them even offer water- and dust-proof properties. Consider going with a case if you travel with more expensive or fragile watches.

Rolls: Watch rolls won’t be optimal for more rugged travel adventures, but they do offer a compact alternative to cases, able to accommodate several pieces without taking up nearly as much space. Likewise, they’re often more stylish and classy, made with attractive materials. 

Hybrids: There are also roll-type cases that are meant to be compact, usually cylindrical, and don’t require the watches to lie flat. However, these can also be a bit pricier.

Honorable Mentions

Crown & Buckle is a renowned watch strap brand but they also make a popular watch roll that fits six models. We really wanted to feature this one in this guide but the brand informed us that once this current batch is sold out, they don’t plan to make more.

Watch cases aren’t cheap, but this option from Mark and Graham ensures you can use your brand-new $200 case for traveling as well (that’s what it’s designed for). Not nearly as compact as the others here, this is still a notable box with some serious style points.

The Capra leather roll was our favorite of the bunch for its style and customization options, but this Suede Watch Roll from Convoy does essentially the same thing, and for a slightly lower price.

NANUK seems to be phasing out this 910 10-Watch Case, perhaps because of its impracticality for travel. However, if you do happen to vacation with nearly a dozen timepieces, this might be your case of choice.

While it looks really classy, this Shinola pouch also feels like it’s too pricey for a two-watch zippered case that doesn’t really do anything special. It also only fits flat-lay watches, which is a downside.

Third-party Rolex strap brand Everest makes watch rolls specifically for Rollies, which is admittedly too niche for a guide like this. These are also almost $400 which is only worth spending money on if you already have a super luxury watch.

If you like Wolf’s products and happen to be a cigar enthusiast, you’ll surely love this watch roll collab they did with publication WM Brown, featuring a super charming vintage-style plaid interior and extra room for a stogie in the middle.

Tested: The Best GMT Watches for Travel

Need some watches for your next vacation? Head over to our guide to the best GMT travel watches, where we got hands-on with our favorites.