Watches for Men: GQ Guide to Watches

Watches for Men: GQ Guide to Watches

It is easier than ever to buy great watches for men. There’s more information about watches in the form of thriving communities on the internet and Instagram. New, covetable pieces launch with alarming regularity. There is near-universal acceptance of the idea that buying a vintage men’s watch is as smart a choice—stylistically, financially, and spiritually—as buying one fresh off the assembly line. And there are simply more doors and stores and webshops and IG accounts where you can buy your next grail.

But it’s also for precisely those reasons that buying a watch can feel harder than it’s ever been. How am I supposed to choose between a Datejust and a Speedmaster? What counts as a good investment? Do I really need to know the difference between quartz and mechanical watches? For the beginner, it can often seem like there’s just too much information about years and references and movements to make a smart call.

We’re happy to say: that’s not really the case. Yes, buying a killer watch should be a little daunting—but only because you’re spending a not insignificant amount of your hard-earned money, not because it’s hard to figure out what you like, or why you like it, or whether you’re being scammed on your way to securing it.

So GQ has assembled this guide to buying watches. If you’re looking for your first, we’ve got you covered. And if you’re just looking for your next—well, we’ve got that, too.

The First Choice You Have to Make

From a 30,000 foot view, watches can be broken down into two broad categories: dress and sports watches. Or, as a brand like Rolex calls them: classic versus professional pieces. There are exceptions to each category, but dress watches are typically slim in profile, made with fine materials, and usually outfitted with a leather strap. A sports watch, meanwhile, usually comes in steel with a matching steel bracelet, rubber band, or a fabric strap. (Like the military-born NATO strap—but more on that later.)

An archetypal sports watch: Omega’s legendary Speedmaster.

The greatest variation comes within the sport watch category. There’s a reason these watches are known as “professional” in Rolex parlance: they are designed to aid specific vocations. Within sports watches, there are dive, pilots, and field watches as well as those made for racing and navigating the open sea. Richard Mille makes luxury sports watches that look like cool gadgets, cost ten times as much as their predecessors, and are light enough to be worn by Rafeal Nadal during the French Open. The idea of what constitutes a sports or dress watch is constantly changing, though. The Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso was originally designed for polo players, but is now a red carpet fixture for folks like Jay-Z. So don’t take these distinctions as rule of law—just go with the watch that appeals most to you.

Hermes has exclusive $699 AirTag Travel Tag, $570 iPhone 12 MagSafe case

The luxury leather brand Hermes has introduced a fourth option in its AirTag accessory range, one that is only available from the company’s own store, along with a new leather iPhone 12 case.As part of Apple’s AirTag launch, a raft of accessories were also announced, giving consumers many different ways to carry around the tracking device This included Hermes, which currently offers three options through Apple’s online retail site.However, Hermes' own store offers one more AirTag option that isn’t available from Apple, and can only be bought directly. As spotted by Robb Report, Hermes sells the AirTag Travel Tag Like its other variants, the Hermes AirTag Travel Tag is a leather holder for an AirTag, which is supplied complete with an exclusive etching of the Clou de Selle signature. However, rather than just holding the AirTag, the Travel Tag also includes a windowed section to add contact details that are visible, similar to other tags used for suitcases while on the move.Made from Fawn Barenia calfskin, the Travel Tag shows the AirTag at the rear, with the metal engraving clearly visible.The Apple AirTag Hermes Travel Tag costs $699, including the AirTag itself, and is available for preorder with shipments starting from April 29.The Hermes-exclusive tag is the most expensive version produced by Hermes. The variants sold by Apple are cheaper, with the Bag Charm priced at $299, the Key Ring for $349, and the Luggage Tag for $449.At the same time, Hermes has also made available a leather case for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro . The Bolduc Case with MagSafe is a Fawn Barenia calfskin case that is claimed to offer robust protection for the iPhone.Snapping into place on the iPhone with embedded magnets, it supports MagSafe and is compatible with both Apple’s charging accessories and standard Qi chargers, like other cases.On the back is the “Bolduc” hot stamp, which is said to refer to the “iconic ribbon wrapped around Hermes orange boxes.“Available for preorder with shipments set to start from April 27, the case is priced at $570.The case and AirTag accessories join a new Apple Watch band style that launched on April 20

An Apple Watch ‘Explorer’ edition is a great idea (and not because adventurers need it)

The latest rumour about the Apple Watch Series 7 is that Apple is planning to release a more “rugged” version, perhaps alongside the regular version (expected later in 2021) or perhaps early in 2022.

That’s according to a report from Bloomberg, which says some inside Apple have dubbed this the “Explorer Edition”, and that it offers “extra impact-resistance and protection in the vein of Casio’s G-Shock watches”. This feels like a great move to me for two reasons, one of which is good for me, and one is good for Apple.

First, let’s talk about why Apple would do it. The Bloomberg report says that the new model will be “aimed at athletes, hikers and others who use the device in more extreme environments”. I would be surprised if this is its primary purpose. I certainly think it’s being designed for the parameters that extreme sports lovers would want, in terms of its damage resistance, waterproofing and so on. And I bet there’s of people like that at Apple, because it’s that kind of place, and some are undoubtedly working on this watch and making it exactly what they want it to be.

However. The extreme sports market is not exactly massive. Apple has no problem catering to niches, but it would probably rather cater to larger groups who can really move the ol' profit needle. You know what group is large and loves to wear watches made for extreme conditions even though they won’t ever push them to those conditions? Men.

Think of some of the most iconic watches of all time; Rolex Submariner, made for diving; TAG Heuer Monaco, made for motorsport time tracking; Omega Speedmaster, worn to space. Think of the people who wore them: Connery as Bond, Steve McQueen, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Think of the G-Shock itself, mentioned above – an icon of toughness since its introduction nearly 40 years ago.

People buy these watches – or more more affordable models that evoke them – because it’s fun to think that you might need their extreme features one day. Because to wear one with your business suit implies that you might unbutton your shirt to reveal a wingsuit at the end of the day, and you’ll basejump your way home. These watches are cool because what they were built to do is cool, and to wear them feels like you’re dialling into that. They’re a little act of rebellion against the mundanity of everyday life.

I have noticed that most people I know with an Apple Watch are women. This is just anecdotal, and I have no idea how closely it reflects Apple’s own sales figures – and I’m certain that one factor is that Apple is one of very few smartwatch makers focusing on women’s sizes. I know men with smartwatches that aren’t Apple Watches, but very few women (and those few women all have Fitbit watches).

So I wonder if an Apple Watch Explorers Edition would aim to appeal largely to people who like a rugged look, and who don’t feel like Apple’s current range of options really scratches that itch – even the titanium model. And I think it could sell like water-resistant hotcakes for that reason, regardless of whether it’s actually any good for free climbing or whatever.

You want a bit of this iconic tough design in your Apple Watch, don’t you? (Image credit: G-Shock)

Variety is the spice of life

That’s the part that’s good for Apple. But I’m not someone who covets a tough watch. I’m just someone who’s starting to wish that the Apple Watch included more variety than it does now, and this could be a great positive sign for that, if it happens.

The Apple Watch comes in three materials with eight different colours, two sizes and [checks notes] I’m seeing here… one billion different band options per year? Sounds about right.

Yet after these years of basically the same design, I do find myself look at wonderful regular watches with various different shapes and flourishes to their cases, and wishing for something new on the Apple Watch (which I refuse to switch from, to be clear).

A version with some G-Shock DNA in it would surely have to mix up the design a little – moreso than the Apple Watch Nike or Hermes editions, which just include special bands and watch faces. I’m hoping that if Apple cracks the dam holding other designs back with this rugged watch, new looks might start to flow. I doubt we’ll see a version with a round screen or anything extreme like that, but I would love to see Apple play with some chamfering or dual-tone cases or other cosmetic changes.

Maybe this whole thing is just something someone in Cupertino was playing with and will never see the light of day – but I think there’s a good chance of Apple going for it, and I hope it’s just the start.