As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, our wardrobes naturally shift to lighter, more comfortable attire. This seasonal transition also offers the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate your wristwear. The ideal summer watch isn’t just about style; it’s about functionality, comfort, and resilience in the face of summer’s unique challenges. With this in mind, here are our top 5 Summer watches as well as, what to look for in the perfect summer timepiece.
But what are the key ingredients for the perfect summer watch? Durability, water resistance and comfort are important, as are legibility, colour and versatility, perhaps you don’t need all of these for a watch to qualify, but one common denominator is colour. Vibrant dial colours, playful designs, and bold accents can add a splash of fun to your summer wardrobe. Don’t be afraid to choose something that reflects the lively and carefree spirit of the season. So ditch those metal bracelets, grab a rubber or sailcloth strap and add some colour to your collection, failing that, you could choose from one of our top 5 summer watches.
Tissot Sideral S Powermatic 80
The Tissot Sidereal came to fruition way back in 1969, when the brand designed the first precision watch with an armoured case in fibreglass and Swedish steel. Fast forward to 2023, when this hit the scene with some major differences. Gone was the steel and carbon fibre case, in its place a modern forged carbon composite, built to not only save weight but add to the overall looks of the watch.
The 41mm tonneau carbon case has a black PVD unidirectional steel bezel, which offers a decent 300m of water resistance. The dial comes equipped with a regatta gauge represented by a green and red-coloured sector, plus five-minute countdown markings on the bezel. The regatta gauge is filled with Super-LumiNova®, as are the baton-shaped hands. The red seconds hand with a signed counterbalance adds a nice touch.
There are 3 colour variants, yellow, red and blue, which are all perfect for the warmer days and priced at £960.00 offers great value.
Photo Credit – Tissot
Photo Credit – Tissot
Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite
Photo Credit – Christopher Ward
When Christopher Ward dropped this a few days ago, it grabbed my attention from the get-go. Their second Super-Compressor watch is adorned with colour showing a detailed de-compression scale, which helps you calculate stops before a deepsea dive. A superbly finished 41mm brushed case, with minor polishing on the case bevel and outer bezel, gives this a modern feel on an vintage-inspired design.
Featuring dual crowns, the upper for adjusting the internal rotating bezel, the other at 3 o’clock for adjusting the time. The clear case back has a large steel ‘coin’ deep-stamped with the original super compressor logo of Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA). The glass box crystal, adds to the vintage look and feel of the watch.
There are 2 variants, the first, with a pair of FKM rubber straps at £1,395.00 or with the bracelet at £1,520.00. Both have the exceptional value that Christopher Ward offers with all their watches.
Photo Credit – Christopher Ward
Doxa Sub 300 Professional
Photo Credit – Doxa
Photo Credit – Doxa
Doxa first bought us the Sub 300 back in 1967, and now 57 years later the newer updated version (bought out in 2020), still looks relevant in these modern times. The overall case design remains the same and the Professional version in Orange, could arguably be the ideal summer watch. It ticks many of the boxes to make this a worthy option for the summer months.
With a 42.5mm stainless steel classic barrel-styled case, these watches stand on their own. With multi-directional brushing on the case, contrasting with the near mirror-polished finish on the dive watch’s bezel, crown, and the inner links of its bracelet, these have great appeal. The dial is quite simple, featuring a regular three-hand set, a date window at 3 o’clock, bar indices at every hour, and a generous application of Super-LumiNova.
The orange FKM matching strap has a folding clasp with an added divers extension. At £2,550.00 and a choice of 7 colours, there will be something to suit most appetites, especially with the brighter Divingstar, Aquamarine and White Pearl options
Zenith Defy Extreme Diver
Photo Credit – Zenith
My penultimate choice of top 5 summer watches, is from Zenith, the Defy Extreme Diver. Definitely, one of the most stylish on offer today with its bang-on-trend design and overall allure. The 42.5mm angular titanium case offers a whopping 600m of water resistance and is almost fully brushed to boot. The dodecahedral rotating ceramic bezel is fully lumed, as are the huge baton indices and hands, aiding legibility in low light.
The oversized crown is flanked by guards to keep it safe. Its highlight for me is the dial, with its outer orange ring and embossed star pattern. The date sits comfortably at 3 and powering this is the robust El Primero movement offering up to 60 hours of power reserve. Not forgetting the helium escape valve
The Defy Extreme also has a quick change strap system, allowing you to swap the straps with ease, which is ideal, as it comes with 2 straps and a bracelet. At £10,200.00, this is obviously a higher price than the others, but this is an exceptional piece and a great-looking watch, so apart from the higher price, a real favourite.
Photo Credit – Zenith
TAG Heuer Carrer Chronograph Skipper
Last up in my top 5 summer watches is from TAG Heuer, the Carrera Chronograph Skipper in rose gold. The Skipper was originally made between 1968 and 1983 and was designed solely as a Regatta timer, for those boaty lovers. The chronograph has a 15-minute regatta pre-start counter, divided into three five-minute segments, each in a different colour. Vivid orange to alert the crew to the final five minutes, green represents the colour of the boat’s rigging, and light teal in the middle.
The 39mm 18K 5N rose gold case with matching accents, is nothing short of sublime and the “Glass Box” crystal, adds that extra touch of exuberance, that we’ve seen in other Carrara models. Flipping it over unveils a display case back showing off the In-House Heuer 02 movement, which offers 80 hours of power reserve.
At £18,750.00 may be on the high side for many, but is really worth a look, should your budget allow it. There is a steel version available too at a much more grounded £6,200.00, but personally, I don’t think it has the same appeal.
Photo Credit – Tag Heuer
Photo Credit – Tag Heuer
My Thoughts
Summer is a time for change, as we set aside our winter clothes and bring forward lighter, more colorful outfits. With this in mind, adopting a similar approach with watches makes colour a key consideration. There are plenty of options available at every price point, so whether any of my top 5 summer watches resonate with you or not, be sure to add some colour to your collection.
A simple strap change can make a big difference, so swap out the bracelet and get a variety of bold straps. Match your strap to the colour of your outfit, and suddenly, that monochromatic watch with the black dial has a new lease on life. Your watch will take on a different character with each strap change. Surprise yourself and add some colour to your summer.
For More Articles and Reviews, Click HERE
You might also like
Leave A Reply