When it comes to men’s jewelry, there isn’t much that jives with a work environment. But where metal bracelets and diamond studs fail, watches succeed. Slapping a fresh timepiece on your wrist for the office is functional, stylish, and professional. We’ll skip the watches that cost more than your car and give you a few (reasonably) affordable options that look good and are office ready.
Shinola Canfield
Shinola’s timepieces have been praised since their inception, but The Canfield might be the finest yet. Unlike the Shinola watches that came before it, The Canfield is assembled through the front. This top loaded case construction allows for a beautiful open viewing area that allows you to take in the simplistic beauty of the watch. Complete with diamond-cut hands, a ridged coin-like edge, and wire lugs, The Canfield is a stunning, sophisticated timepiece from a company that knows how to do stunning and sophisticated.
$650
Void PKG01
The PKG01 from Void looks like it was designed by Dieter Rams for Braun. If you like clean, functional design, it’s calling for your wrist. The slim timepiece is minimal and eye-catching. The stainless steel case houses a Japanese Miyota movement and the face is highlighted by the second hand’s red dot, which brings just a bit of color into the mix.
$185
Luminox Dress Field
Luminox makes watches for the Navy SEALs. Now that might suggest to you that their watches are a bit too rugged for your workplace, and in most cases you’d be correct, but their new Dress Field watch is an exception. Sure it’s water resistant to 200 meters and built to take a beating, but the Dress Field watch looks more suited for an executive than a member of the special forces. Part of that is thanks to the brown leather strap. Part of it is the clean watch face that’s devoid of bells and whistles. It’s the same Swiss quality with Luminox’s classic self-powered illumination that the brand is known for, but now it’s in a package that says corner office, not clandestine operation.
$600
T1.1 Watch
It can be hard to find a unique watch that’s still professional. Go too funky and unique and you look like a kid playing dress up. So how do you get some personality on your wrist during the workweek? Answer: the T1.1 Watch. Made by LTHR Supply, the watch displays the time in a unique way, with a series of rotating dials and a viewing section that looks like the end of a paperclip. Still, for all its originality, the T1.1 Watch still feels very much like a fine timepiece suited for the office. It’s available in a few different color combinations, all of which are appropriate for the daily grind.
$228
Swatch Sistem Boreal
A Swatch? You mean one of those colorful, plastic watches I wore back in grade school? Well, yes and no. Yes, we’re recommending a Swatch, but no, we’re not recommending a neon green number you slap on before the bus arrives. Swatch, if you haven’t been paying attention, has released a line of timepieces for those adults who grew up with the brand. Instead of plastic, there are leather bands and stainless steel. All the Sistem51 watches are nice, but our pick is the Sistem Boreal, a maritime compass-inspired watch with a sun-brushed blue dial. The open case back allows you to view the inner workings of the timepiece and the stainless steel bracelet jives with your shirt and tie. This is not the Swatch you remember.
$215
Squarestreet SQ31 Aluminum Watch
Minimal watches are a dime a dozen these days. We’re not complaining, we happen to like the clean look of a minimal watch, but what about the guy who needs a little something more without going overboard with bells and whistles. Allow us to suggest the SQ31 Aluminum Watch from Squarestreet. Unlike some minimal watches, you can actually tell the time by looking at it! While that sounds ridiculous, some watches have stripped so much from the face that we need a minute to find out if it’s time for lunch. That said, the SQ31 doesn’t go overboard with features, and the aluminum alloy body allows it to remain incredibly lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh down your wrist like some 50mm monstrosity.
$275
bulbul Ore 06
If you were one of the guys who scoffed at the “there are too many minimal watches” comment in the Squarestreet watch copy, this is probably more your speed. The Ore 06 from bulbul is as minimal as minimal gets—and we love it. No numbers. No second hand. No date window. The Ore 06 features two hands and nothing else. It’s brutally minimal. We really dig the blue band slip, which brings a dose of color to the otherwise restrained timepiece.
$339
Breda Zapf
Watches can be very expensive things. They can cost more than a new car. They can put a serious dent in your child’s college fund. For some men, that’s okay, but for others, they’d rather spend their money elsewhere. If you’re in the latter category, but still want a good-looking timepiece that isn’t a complete piece of junk, consider the Breda Zapf. The contrast stitching on the band is an eye-catching touch, as is the colorful second hand that sweeps around the simple face. It’s no Rolex, but it looks damn good and you can still afford lunch after you buy it.
$80
