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Our Guide to the 8 Best Kinetic Watches in 2021

Learn a little more about kinetic watches and our guide to some of the best currently available.

Our world is constantly connected and always-on. When was the last time you turned your smartphone off? It’s probably been a while.

However, when it comes to an always-on smartwatch screen, do they always work for you when you need them? Do they work a little too well with the motion of your wrist and consequently turn on randomly? Sometimes they take some adjusting and getting used to. So we have to ask ourselves, what happened to simply looking at a watch to see the time?

Automatic, self-wound, or kinetic watches certainly offer precision from their minute inner parts. They’re not connected to anything, so you can enjoy freedom from batteries and chargers when wearing one. Something an Apple Watch user can only dream of!

The difference between automatic and kinetic watches

A swinging rotor powers both kinds; however, the significant difference is that automatic watches store power in a spring, whereas kinetic watches store it in a capacitor. Furthermore, Kinetic watches get their energy from the natural movement of your wrist, which generates electricity. Therefore, these are energy-saving timepieces that can store power for months at a time.

Seiko kinetic watches

In 1986, we saw the first Seiko kinetic prototype introduced to the market and marketed initially as an automatic watch (which isn’t untrue, but as we’ve mentioned above, there is a difference). Two years later, the first commercial kinetic watch was released and, in 1991, became known as Seiko Kinetic watches. Today, they still dominate the market for this particular kind of watch, so you’ll notice there are a lot of Seiko models on this list of the best kinetic watches. Now you know why!

Without further ado, let’s look at the 8 best kinetic watches in 2021.

Men’s Seiko 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch

Now you know that a kinetic watch gets its power from the movement of your arm throughout the day. So you’d be right to expect it to be comfortable. You certainly don’t need to opt for a silicone band for this.

Seiko Men's SNK805 Seiko 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch with Green Canvas

Military-inspired timepiece featuring green dial, luminous accents, and day/date functions.Case...
Automatic movement with analog display; Hardlex crystal
Features green nylon strap with buckle closure. When setting the minute hand of a quartz watch,...

Take the SNK805, for example. It has a khaki green NATO strap that offers good breathability and takes to the shape of your wrist. Pure comfort. This is in addition to a 37mm stainless steel case.

Furthermore, it has a green dial to match the band. On the face, you’ll find a date window at the three position, a second, minute and hour hand, Arabic numerals and 5-minute markers.

Worth noting, this watch also offers 30m water-resistance.

You can buy this watch for around $90.

Invicta Unisex Pro Diver Stainless Steel Automatic Watch

If you’re into diving, this unisex offering from Invicta is the perfect companion. Whilst you will need to use a dive computer, it’s always good to have an infallible back-up.

Invicta Men's Pro Diver 40mm Stainless Steel Automatic Watch, Silver (Model: 8926OB)

Stainless steel case 40mm diameter x 14mm thick, Exhibition case back, Black dial, Luminous hands...
Japanese 24 jewel automatic movement, NH35A Caliber, Assembled in Malaysia, watch weight: 155 grams
Stainless steel band, 210mm L x 20mm W, Band is adjustable by adding/removing links, Fold over...

The 40mm stainless steel case on the 8926OB has a rotating bezel and chronograph that will certainly come in handy. As well as luminous hands on a black face for ultimate readability. What’s more, it offers water-resistance up to 200m.

Again, this watch is around $90, which is a bargain for a dive watch. Read more about the Invicta brand here.

Seiko Kinetic Perpetual Novak Djokovic Special Edition

Back to Seiko for the SNP149P2. We put this special edition piece on here purely for the looks; above all, it’s absolutely breathtaking.

Seiko Premier Kinetic Perpetual Novak Djokovic Special Edition SNP149P2

Movement Kinetic (Automatic Winding)
Caliber 7D56
Water Resistant 100 Meter

Each dial on the face reflects a condition Djokovic faces in his quest to become a tennis legend. These being two sub-dials; one for tracking the hour and the other for the month, a date window and

Inside it has, you guessed it, a kinetic movement with analogue display.

However, this special addition is on the more expensive side at around $600.

Raconteur Hemingway Automatic

This timepiece is a vintage-inspired piece from a Swedish brand, so naturally, it offers a minimalist beauty. Dark but clean. You can even choose from a range of deliciously dark leather straps, which you can change to suit your mood.

You get a 40mm stainless steel case with a polished finish and a sapphire crystal dome for ultimate protection.

Inside is a Japanese Miyota 821 self-winding movement, offering a 45-hour power reserve.

You can pick this up for $270.

MVMT Men’s Analog Watch Chronograph

If you like minimalism, you’ll love this. In fact, at a glance, it looks like the face offers nothing, but look again!

This watch has a 45mm brushed stainless steel case, sandstone leather wristband and hardened glass dome.

You’ll see three sub-dials on the matte black dial; a 60-second timer, 30-minute timer and a 24-hour clock, plus black hour and minute hands with blue accents from the second and dial hands. Look even closer, and you’ll see a small calendar window.

You can purchase this watch for around $150.

See our guide on MVMT watches, here.

Bulova Men’s Automatic

Another stunning design. The 98A179 from Bulova has a gunmetal case that lets you see the workings of the watch as it moves, which is pretty cool.

Reduced Price

Bulova Men's Automatic-self-Wind Watch with Stainless-Steel Strap, Grey, 27 (Model: 98A179)

From the Automatic Collection
New Sport style in gunmetal IP stainless steel case
Automatic-self-wind Movement. Mineral crystal

A larger 46mm stainless steel case with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protection and 100m water-resistance.

The black face offers luminous seconds, minutes and hours with a solitary Roman numeral for 12 and an open balance wheel.

This watch has it all; function, beauty and quality.

$270

Check out more Bulova watches for men, here.

Seiko Japanese Quartz Black Analog Watch

Back to Seiko for the final two on our list of the best kinetic watches. The SKA649 is a kinetic Japanese Quartz movement and will keep going for six months between charges.

Seiko Men's SKA649 Analog Display Japanese Quartz Black Watch

Kinetic movement
6 month power reserve
Japanese-quartz movement

It offers a minimalist design with unique style.

Offering a black ion-plated 45mm stainless steel case with a matching bezel. This watch has luminous skeleton hands and offers simple hour and minute markers. At the 3 position, you’ll find the date. This is all protected by a Hardlex crystal, which is scratch-resistant. As you might guess, the case back is transparent, offering a look into the inner workings of the piece.

$180.

Seiko Prospex

Finally, we get to the Seiko SUN023P1. This is a big 47mm dive watch developed to withstand professional-level activities underwater. As such, it offers 200m water-resistance.

This watch has a crowded face, but with that, it offers functionality. When you press the right button at the 2 position, it causes the second hand to move and tell you how much power reserve is left (luckily, in months). Interestingly, there’s a fourth, blue hand which shows the time in 24-hour format.

The bezel offers a lume in the form of a dot and generally has big bold blue and orange accents. All in all, probably not the one for the office, but certainly for those outdoor enthusiasts who like their watches to make a statement.

Around $500.

Kinetic Watches Conclusion

You’ve reached the end of our list of the 8 best kinetic watches for 2021. We’ve covered a range of budgets and styles, so hopefully, you’ve been inspired!

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

Best Swedish Watch Brands 2021

Swedish watch brands have found it more difficult than their Scandinavian siblings to grab fame in the watchmaking industry. However, there is some momentum gaining.

Sweden homes some up-and-coming brands you should look out for. They offer just as much style. We’re going to dive into the best Swedish watch brands to look out for in 2021; we think you’ll be amazed at how they all offer something unique whilst honouring the traditional Scandinavian style.

Halda

The first Swedish watch brand we are going to look at is Halda, and they boast a colourful history. They were founded in the late 1880s in Sweden by a chap called Henning Hammarlund. He had some extensive horological training, which he used to develop pocket watches, producing his first in 1889. Unsurprisingly, they were a total hit, and he won awards for his work at the World’s Fair in Chicago of 1889. Sadly, the need for pocket watches died out after WWI, and his company went into liquidation.

Now you might be wondering why we’re talking about the history of this brand? This Swedish watch brand came back to life under the new name Halda and is again proving itself in the watch industry.

Halda combines traditional craftsmanship with modern tech. The brand makes three models: Trackmaster, Race Pilot and Space Discovery (approved by NASA); three high-performance watches. If you like highly-precise watches with the ability to serve the intense demands of very clever people, you’ll want to check these two models out.

Prices range from $9,000 to $32,000.

Bravur

Bravur is a brand founded by two friends in Stockholm in 2011. They agreed on three priorities; high-quality, great design and catering to those living an urban lifestyle.

The brand offers Quartz and automatic movements on the inside and a simple but elegant design on the outside. The automatic range is a little more retro in style, but both stay true to Scandinavian minimalism. For most models, you can also change the strap if you’d like.

They try to use as many locally-sourced materials and parts as possible. Design work is done in-house at their headquarters in Sweden. Every part of their watches are made both exclusively and in limited quantities.

Bravur watches are designed to be everyday watches that will last many, many years.

The Quartz range costs $565 upward whereas the automatics will cost you closer to $1,300.

BOOM

You might guess from the name, but BOOM is a more fun option on this Swedish watch brands list. It comes directly from the fashion world when the founder, Niklas Dahlgren, wanted to offer people a new way to interact with their watches.

He created an interactive system that allows customers to create their own timepieces. Literally, you put this Swedish watch together yourself (though this takes seconds and doesn’t require any specialist knowledge). Choose your own case, strap, dial and bezel for starters. Pick from 3 sizes, 36mm, 41mm or 44mm and take it from there.

These watches are all Quartz and, technically-speaking, are pretty basic. The idea behind them is choice and customisation.

Ready-made watches are much cheaper, around $100 and up.

Boxes to make your own watch are more expensive at around $300.

Daniel Wellington

Daniel Wellington watches have an instantly-recognisable design; they’re slim and elegant. Most typically, you’ll see a nylon NATO strap; however, you can also get metal or leather straps.

All models offer a round face, the DW logo just below the 12 position, and you’ll never see Arabic numerals. There are no complications, not even a second hand.

The founder, Filip Tysander, met a British gentleman whilst on a round-the-world trip. This gentleman had a penchant for vintage watches, and Tysander became obsessed with his style. This gentleman’s name was Daniel Wellington, and the brand was founded in 2011 after Tysander began making watches to honour Daniel’s unforgettable style.

Prices are budget-friendly, ranging from $100 – $300.

Sjöö Sandström

Sjöö Sandström came about in the mid-late 1980s. Sjöö and Sandström were Swedish watch enthusiasts and engineers. They knew how to design and construct a high-end timepiece. As such, they worked together to create a small company based on expert craftsmanship and established design.

Their first timepiece, the Automatic S1 was launched in 1993 and their work since then has earned them a spot in the best Swedish watch brands for 2021.

Though you’ll find the parts and movements are from Switzerland, the design, construction, quality control and marketing are still rooted in Stockholm.

In their collections, you’ll only find round dials. Though there is a face design for everyone, be it uncluttered and simple hour markers to more complications like a date window, a digital timer window. You can get chronograph models and much more.

Prices float around $675.

GoS

GoS is an acronym for the founders’ surnames, Gustafsson and Sjogren. Their unique partnership produced some incredibly hand-forged Damascus steel watches. Every GoS watch is unique as this forging process leaves its own pattern on the watch case.

Their designs have a nod to the Vikings, and they are mystical-looking indeed. No numbers, no complications. Just a second, minute and hour hand to allow for the almost alive and flowing pattern on the face to be seen. GoS watches look like no other brand you’ve ever seen.

Each watch is a unique piece, and you’re part of the process, so you must enquire about the specific model within a collection you’re interested in so they can discuss manufacturing it.

You get what you pay for, as prices are around $11,800.

Epoch Stockholm

Remember Sjöö and Sandström? In 2001 they sold their company to start a new Swedish watch brand with a different focus. Originally, their watches were high-end and had the price tag to show for it. So they began making quality watches for a much lower cost.

Epoch watches cost around $600 – $1,500.

You still get the glorious design, Swiss movements and careful craftsmanship. They make models for men and women, all from their workshop in Stockholm.

They offer four collections: President, First Lady, Jubilee Gold and Automatic Calendar.

Knut Gadd

Knut Gadd has roots in design and entrepreneurship. Inspired by a long line of sophisticated lovers of style, the Knud Gadd brand is dedicated to vintage-inspired watches of beauty.

The men’s ranges are the Cult Chrono and Cult Diver, Decagon (which features an unusual hexagon dial) and Arctic Circle.

All the women’s watches feature the hexagon dial and various materials, colours and strap options.

All models have a quartz movement.

Prices are sub $250.

Larsson and Jennings

This brand is quite similar to Daniel Wellington. Larsson and Jennings is a fashion-conscious Swedish watch brand offering slim watches, uncluttered dials and Quartz movements for men and women.

Worth noting that this is the first brand on the list so far to offer a rectangular watch, and if you like that style, we’ve got more suggestions for you in our article here.

You can get a beautiful metal watch that looks far more expensive than what it is. The watches are all under $200.

Miró

Miró offers minimalist elegance sat on a supple leather strap and protection from sapphire crystal. Founded in 2021, the brand is younger than most on this list of Swedish watch brands, but they’re already growing rapidly and globally.

Joan Miró hugely inspires the brand, and its whole aesthetic is an ode to the designer. They feel a watch should do more than tell time; it should make a statement.

The brand does not release new watches every season; they believe in taking the time to create something new and release it when it’s ready.

These slimline, round face and simple watches come in beautifully-contrasting colours in materials of your choice.

The whole range is under $175.

VERK Watches

VERK also do not stray from Swedish minimalism. Here we get Swedish design and German manufacturing inside.

Currently, there are just two collections to choose from; the ETT, which is their best-seller and the TVÅ, which features a one-handed 24-hour face. Amusingly, ETT and TVÅ mean ‘one’ and ‘two’ in Swedish.

They cost under $200.

TRIWA

TRIWA means “transforming the industry of watches”. It’s an independent Swedish watch brand from Stockholm, founded around 2007.

This brand has a core focus on creative and playful watches; they love to help you show off your individuality. As such, no two watches are the same. You can get metal bracelets, leather and silicone and nylon straps. Different faces to suit your style and needs, from matte black to pearlised. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek nod to Trump on the ‘Comb-Over.

The range is really sensational and all under $200.

Tusenö Göteborg

An even younger brand, starting only 6 years ago by another group of Swedish watch lovers. They began by crowdfunding and became the most funded in the site’s history.

Today, they offer three lines; the First 42, First 48 and Blackwater for men and women. Mostly, you’ll find a mecha-quartz or hybrid movement known for reliability. They use high-quality materials like stainless steel and sapphire crystal. You’re also able to quickly change the band on many models if you want to change your look.

TID Watches

Finally, we get to TID. Another young brand (2012) created in the name of fun. In this collection, you’ll find unique Swedish watches that stand out.

They’ve numbered their collections from one to four. One was made to reduce a watch down to only the bare essentials. Two adds to that with better quality materials, including sapphire glass and has a 10ATM water-proof rating. Three is based on durable and lightweight plastics with a classic look in various colours (including a transparent case). Finally, four has a more heritage vibe with the signature TID look.

Prices float around $210.

Conclusion

This list of the best Swedish watch brands to look out for in 2021 covers everything from smaller, more affordable and fun designs to totally bespoke luxury watches made to your exact expectations. It’s quite interesting what this country has to prove, and there’s no denying that they’re bringing the big guns.

If you’d like to know more about traditional and affordable Swiss automatic watches, head to our article here.

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

How good is the new Garmin Enduro (2021)?

On February 16th (2021), the Garmin Enduro was released. A serious sports watch for serious runners.

We’re going to have a look at the Garmin Enduro and compare it to both the Garmin Fenix 6 and Fenix 6 Pro Solar along the way.

These are some of the best sportswatches on the market in 2021, so let’s take a look.

Garmin Enduro, Ultraperformance Multisport GPS Watch, Solar Charging, Battery Life Up to 80 Hours in GPS Mode,...

Power Glass solar charging lens harvests the sun’s energy, giving you more power and time between...
Power manager and battery saver modes allow you to toggle sensors on and off to extend battery life...
Rugged, lightweight design features an always-on 1.4” display and steel or DLC-coated titanium...

Design

You’d be right in thinking the Garmin Enduro and Garmin Fenix 6 have an identical build. However, the Enduro does have a 0.1-inch bigger screen. You get the same chunky 51mm case and a 14.9mm strap.

The Garmin Enduro offers a new UltraFit nylon strap. The watch itself has green and yellow accents instead of the red you typically see on the Fenix range. It comes in two colours which are essentially either light or dark grey (carbon or steel).

The Enduro, Fenix 6 and Fenix 6 Pro Solar are all waterproof to 100m. Perfect for showers, rain and surface swimming.

Features

The Garmin Enduro doesn’t stray too far from older Garmin watches; in fact, the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar offers more. You get music streaming and third-party app integration, and more storage with the latter. Apart from this, you’ll hardly notice any differences, especially with the sports modes.

At first glance, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar offers more balance between function and smart features. However, the Enduro isn’t trying to be anything other than an endurance watch (as you’ll likely have guessed by the name). This is a hint toward its superpower.

The Fenix 6 is the cheapest of the lot, but it’s a bit like comparing the Apple Series 6 and the Apple SE. As the latter is a lighter version of the former, the same situation can be said here. The downside of the Fenix 6 is that it doesn’t have a solar panel. Apart from that, it’s like a lighter version of the Enduro.

As for storage, the official line is that the Enduro and Fenix 6 have the same 64Mb memory. However, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar offers 32GB.

Which is about right as neither the Fenix 6 or Enduro offer music support.

Garmin fenix 6 Pro Solar, Solar-Powered Multisport GPS Watch, Advanced Training Features and Data, Black with...

Solar Powered Multisport GPS Watch with large 1.4 inches display (36% larger than previous fenix...
Train with a rugged yet sophisticated Watch, featuring on 1.3 inches display and a titanium,...
Track surfing sessions with a new dedicated activity profile, and even use Surfline Sessions, which...

Display and Connectivity

The Garmin Enduro offers a 1.4-inch 280 x 280 display, whereas the Fenix 6 Pro Solar is 1.3-inches with 240 x 240. Both are reasonably low resolution.

Both models have both Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, meaning you can get smart notifications delivered to your wrist as well as connecting various pieces of fitness equipment (if they’re Garmin, all the better for your user experience).

However, a standout difference is that the Fenix 6 Pro Solar also offers wifi, making it slightly smarter.

Battery Life

Here we come to the best part about the Enduro. As you probably guessed by the name, battery life is a huge selling part. You can get between 70 and 80 hours when using constant GPS, or up to 95 days using expedition GPS mode. Though, as it’s a solar-powered watch, the obvious point to make is that you need strong and consistent sunlight to achieve this power.

Enduro VS Fenix 6 battery life

If you use the Garmin Enduro in normal smartwatch mode, it’ll go on for up to 50 days. There is no other smartwatch on the market in 2021 that comes even a fraction close to that. We can hear Apple Watch users wincing.

Even the cheapest Fenix 6 will give you 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 48 if you disable everything but the essentials.

On the other hand, the solar panel on the Fenix 6 Pro Solar boosts this to around 54 days in smartwatch mode and 36 days in expedition GPS mode.

So if you’re here looking for a long-lasting sportswatch, the Enduro is calling your name.

For further comparison with smartwatches, even the best on the market right now like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 doesn’t last more than a couple of days. The Apple Watch 6 won’t give you more than 17-18 hours. Even less sophisticated (and therefore less battery-draining) trackers like the Mi Band can only offer around a month using just the bare necessities.

Is the Garmin Enduro worth the money?

Now you know a little more about these watches, the decision on which is the best is entirely up to you.

As for the new Garmin Enduro, if you want beastly battery life and you’re a hardcore ultrarunner, this is the perfect device for you. If you’re too focused on your trail to worry about distractions like music, the lack of storage won’t bother you either.

The middle man here is the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar. Where it offers better onboard storage and music streaming, it lacks battery life. So if entertainment on the go is important to you, this is your best choice.

Finally, if budget is an issue, the Garmin Fenix 6 is going to be your best friend. The hit you take here is the onboard storage and battery life (which, let’s be realistic, are still phenomenal compared to Fitbit, Samsung and Apple).

At nearly $800 for the Enduro and the Fenix 6 Pro Solar, it’s worth considering your requirements carefully.

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

Baume and Mercier Watches – Luxury and Affordability in 1

Baume and Mercier have been in business for nearly 200 years, earning a place in the most prestigious watch collections alongside brands like Cartier, A. Lange and Shone and Montblanc. And so today, we’re going to deliver you a detailed Baume and Mercier watch review.

Is a Baume and Mercier watch worth the money?

If you’re investing in a luxury watch, you’ll be wondering if Baume and Mercier watches are worth the money. Luckily, luxury can be affordable. And this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice functionality, either! Baume and Mercier watches are the perfect balance between high-end quality and function at a cost-accessible price. So yes, they are truly worth the money.

People who’ve bought Baume and Mercier watches comment that the make, materials, design and functionality run in competition with the more prestigious brands. You can easily compare a Baume and Mercier to a Cartier watch, which is many more times more expensive.

Baume and Mercier watches tend to have automatic mechanical movements inside and vintage-looking designs. The brand’s mission is to push itself to develop contemporary timepieces continually.

What’s interesting is that the brand also puts more emphasis on its more basic mechanical and Quartz movement watches over the more sophisticated automatic offerings. The reason being, some wearers had issues with their automatic watches, and they learned from this that they should prioritise what they’re good at.

Nonetheless, Baume and Mercier are still compared to brands like TAG Heuer, Oris, Cartier and Swiss-made watches like Omega and Tissot.

Baume and Mercier prices

Regardless of how luxurious the watches are, don’t be fooled into thinking that the price tag will be out of your range. Baume and Mercier have been making stylish models for under $1,000 for some time, known as their ‘My Classima’ range.

Baume and Mercier Watch Collections

Baume and Mercier sit in the category of brands that proudly produce their watches in-house, which means right from starting a design on paper to testing the final product for accuracy. All of this is centralised in Switzerland.

When it comes to the design and development of the watches, this happens in Geneva, at the brand’s HQ. Assembly and production happen in workshops spread across the Swiss Jura. The brand exclusively hires experts to ensure Swiss excellence prevails.

The watches have a unique movement, design, features, style, dial sizes bands and materials.

Let’s have a look at the Baume and Mercier collections.

Clifton Baumatic Collection

The Clifton Baumatic range is a popular collection as these timepieces contain the new Baumatic movement. It’s a self-winding movement with a power reserve ranging from 48 to 120 hours, depending on the model. The collection, as a whole, requires very little maintenance and the brand say once every 7 years will suffice.

Baume et Mercier Clifton Baumatic Automatic White Dial Men's Watch 10398

Model 10398

This collection is highly accurate. It has a traditional rounded face with either a gold or stainless steel case. There’s a sub-collection within the Clifton Baumatic range that comes with a blue dial and either an alligator leather or stainless steel strap.

This collection is best suited as a dress watch for men; however, some models offer a sportier look with a modern design. They come in various bold colours such as orange and blue with matching accents.

Inside you’ll find either a Quartz or automatic movement. You can choose from different sized dials, but the brand logo always appears at the 12 position.

You can pick up a watch in this range for around $2,500.

Classima Collection

The Classima has a reputation for being extremely versatile. The best part is they cost under $1,000. They’re reliable Quartz watches, and these are the examples of lower-priced watches that rival high-end watches over three times the price. The Classima collection launched in 2016 and their designs have been making waves and adding diversity to the Baume and Mercier range.

Baume et Mercier Classima Blue Dial Mens Leather Watch MOA10324

Model 10324

Classima watches come in three models; a slender 31mm with either a bracelet or blue leather strap, a 36.5mm with the same strap options and a larger 40mm with bracelet or black strap.

They’re all made from stainless steel.

As we’ve covered, prices float around $1,000.

Promesse Watches

The Promesse range is for women who like a dainty aesthetic. Again, you’ll find automatic and Quartz movements inside these small to medium-sized dials.

Baume & Mercier Women's BMMOA10159 Promesse Analog Display Quartz Two Tone Watch

Silver drape guilloche dial with rose gold-tone hands and index hour markers
Stainless steel case with a two-tone (silver-tone and rose gold-plated) stainless steel bracelet
Quartz movement

What’s iconic about the brand is its famous oval bezel on a round dial. And the Promesse collection is a nod to this history, dating back to the 1970s. This is somehow one of the brand’s most modern designs with a vintage feel – not an easy balance to strike.

You can find this range between $1,500 – $3,000.

Hampton Collection

Finally, we reach the Hampton collection. It is identifiable from its rectangular dial. It’s right to say this particular collection appeals greatly to those who like to collect vintage watches. The design has everything you’d want from a retro offering.

Baume & Mercier Hampton Rectangular 10048

Inside you’ll find either a self-winding mechanical or Quartz movement. There will be Arabic numerals on the dial, and the women’s versions come complete with diamonds. There’s variety in the strap offering, in either steel or leather.

In particular, the Hamilton Collection design is clear and uncluttered, which gives these rectangular watches a classic look.

Another fantastic range that you can easily find for well under $1,000. Typically around $850.

If you do like the vintage look, check out our article on the best rectangular watches for men in 2021, here.

Conclusion

Watch collectors see Baume and Mercier having a place within the top 25 luxury watch brands globally. This speaks volumes about the quality of their collections, including the design and mechanics. Considering there are countless brands in this area, reaching the top 25 is quite something. Almost 200 years of development has paid off.

If we compare Baume and Mercier to the likes of Hamilton, the two are directly comparable in terms of quality, but the former offers a much more accessible price range.

Baume and Merica’s range has so much diversity from vintage to modern designs, all offering different designs, materials and movements. They range from sporty looks to dress watches.

As buyers and collectors demand more value for their money, Baume and Mercier offer both a beautiful look and technically-impressive movements at a reasonable price level. Our final word in this Baume and Mercier Watch Review is that their watches are certainly a triple threat!

Why not check out our introduction to 10 Top Luxury Men’s Watch Brands?

If you enjoy our content, follow us on social media for our latest post updates

Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

Best Men’s Rectangular Watches for 2021

Thankfully, watches come in all shapes and sizes to suit your style: Square, oval, round and even some wildly sci-fi-looking ones. Though if you think of the word ‘watch’, your mind probably presents a picture of a rounded watch, right? But did you know that one of the first wristwatches ever made, the Cartier Santos, was actually rectangular?

Today we’re going to look at ten of the best rectangular watches for men.

Cartier

Santos 100

We have to cover the Santos first. It’s the oldest wristwatch in Cartier’s collection, having been released in 1978. Since that, it’s grown to become one of the brand’s most recognised and desired rectangular watches.

Reduced Price

Cartier Midsize W20106X8 Santos 100 Automatic Leather Watch

Swiss Made watch with Cartier Calibre 076 Swiss-automatic movement; Functions without a battery;...
Scratch-resistant-sapphire crystal; Case diameter: 32 mm
Solid square stainless steel case with genuine black alligator leather strap

Within the collection, there are two models: the Dumont and the 100.

We’re focussing on the 100. On the whole, it’s bigger and heavier than its sibling. You can get it in either stainless steel or gold, and it comes with Cartier’s trademark seven-sided crown.

Given this is a luxury watch, in-house build movement would be expected; however, this would increase the price of a watch already around $10,000. Inside, you’ll find a highly-successful Rolex ETA 2892 automatic movement.

Cartier

Tank

Sticking with Cartier, the Tank was developed back in 1917 and has held a permanent position in the Cartier collection. The first Tank was called the Normale, and this followed the most famous Tank, the Louise Carter. The LC has a rounder and smoother lines than the Normal and has also been a permanent fixture in the Tank collection since its release.

Cartier Men's W1529756 Tank Louis 18kt Yellow Gold Watch

18kt yellow gold case
18kt yellow gold circular grained crown set with a sapphire cabochon
Brown alligator strap with 18kt yellow gold ardillon buckle

Cartier Tank watches have been seen on the likes of Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and even kings and queens.

There are six models in this collection today:

Américaine
Anglaise
Française
MC
Solo
Louis Cartier

Though with all the variations of each, you’ll find over 50 options to choose from.

Read our full review of the Cartier Tank range, here.

Baume Mercier

Hampton

Baume and Mercier is a well-known luxury watch brand. Their Hamptom model is probably one of the most iconic. They offer round collections, called Clifton and Classima; however, you’re here to read about the best men’s rectangular watches, and that’s the Hampton. It’s perfect for men on a budget of around $3,500 that enjoy the alternative look of sophisticated, rectangular watches.

Baume & Mercier Hampton Automatic Chronograph, Ref. 10032 Watch, in House Movement with Jumping 30-Minute...

The fully integrated vertical clutch delivers high precision to the chronograph operation, resulting...
The six-pillar column wheel controls the chronograph function with precision. When the top pusher is...
the Ref. 10032 features a jumping 30-minute counter. In most chronograph models, the chronograph's...

The Hampton has a fixed stainless steel bezel. It offers a silver dial with matching hands and hour markers. You’re given Arabic numerals at the 6 and 12 positions and minute markers on the outer rim. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protects the dial, and it has a pull-push crown and unique transparent case on the back.

This is an analogue watch with a 2671 calibre automatic movement. It has a power reserve of up to 38 hours. The sophisticated look is completed with an alligator leather wristband.

NOMOS

Tetra

This is a high-end German-engineered watch. In fact, the Nomos Tetra is an also award-winning watch. It’s the rectangular watches version of the brand’s much-loved Tangente, with different typography. The Tetra is now a collection in its own right, which comes in various sizes with different in-house movements. It’s very thin for a mechanical watch, and it has delicate lugs to match its dainty nature.

Nomos Tetra Neomatik Automatic Midnight Blue Dial Watch 422

It’s not as famous as the likes of the Santos or Tank, but if you like a minimalist style, you’ll love this.

Prices start from around $1,700.

Vacheron Constantin

Historiques Ultra Fine 1968

This watch is a baby in comparison to the above, being released in 2021. However, it was created as a celebration of the original Vacheron Constantin, which came out in 1968. It has a lot of fine details, particularly noticeable on the dial and case.

The movement is shared with their Constantin 222. This is an ultra-thin movement, a calibre 920, designed but never used by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Piguet also uses this movement in their Royal Oak Ultra Thin. All in all, this watch is only 5.5mm thick.

Check out our article on the best ultra-thin watches for men, including the Royal Oak, here.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Reverso Ultra Thin

This is another very popular rectangular watch. It’s actually reversible, which was a very modern development in 1931 when it was created. The purpose was aimed at polo players who wanted to protect their watches whilst playing.

The Reverso is not actually in production today, but it’s one of the most iconic from the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand. There was a commemoration model released in 2011 to mark the 80th birthday of the watch. This is an ultra-thin watch paying ode to its original version.

It comes in different versions, from quartz to self-winding, in many colours and materials, from the case to the strap.

You can buy a 2011 version at around $4,500 but the range goes well beyond $16,000.

Patek Philippe

Gondolo

Another reasonably new watch, the Gondolo, came out in 1993. It’s Patek Philippe’s offering of an art deco rectangular watch with strong lines and geometric simplicity.

As such, the design is eye-catching and unique. It has a rectangular manually-wound movement inside and a small sub-dial on the face for seconds.

You’ll have to do some research into the rich history of Petek Philippe watches, and you’ll understand the $11,000 and up price tags.

TAG Heuer

Monaco

TAG Heuer was responsible for one of the original automatic chronograph calibres, which they put inside their Carrera, Autavia, and Monaco watches. The latter is still considered a sports chronograph that found fame when worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans.

Reduced Price

TAG Heuer Men's 'Monaco' Swiss Automatic Stainless Steel and Leather Dress Watch, Color:Black (Model:...

Stainless steel case with a black leather strap. Fixed bezel. 'denim' blue dial with red hands and...
Date display at the 6 o'clock position. Chronograph - sub-dials displaying: two - 60 second and 30...
Swiss-automatic Movement

Designed to make an impression, this is a performance watch. The Monaco is made of polished stainless steel with a blue dial and dial chronograph sub-dials, with a subtle date display window and bold red hands.

It’s powered by a dependable calibre 11 automatic movement and offers a 40-hour power reserve and 100m water-resistance.

If you’re looking for something with more tech from Tag Heuer, then read more about their smartwatch here.

A Lange and Söhne

Cabaret

This watch hasn’t been in production for some time, but it’s worth noting if we’re looking at the best men’s rectangular watches.

A. Lange & Söhne is known for producing phenomenal watches. All worthy of love and attention from watch collectors.

Inevitably, some watches eventually are forgotten, regardless of their exquisite characteristics, and the Cabaret is one of them. Released in 1997, it’s a delicious rectangular watch carrying a vintage aesthetic. In fact, a rectangular watch in itself is relatively unusual for Lange.

Unlike other brands, Lange constructed a new movement for this watch with German engineering.

You might find a secondhand one for around $25,000.

Bell and Ross

Br03

Bell and Ross is a reasonably young brand compared to others on this list, but they found true success with their BR01 rectangular collection.

Mens Bell & Ross BR03-92 Horograph Watch

The BR03 is a smaller version but has all the same design elements. It’s a modern watch with newer materials used on the dial, case, and bracelet. For example, the black matte version uses heavy rubber and anti-reflective sapphire.

Inside is an automatic movement. You’ll notice different complications on different models; for example, there is a power reserve indicator version and a date window, chronograph and GMT. It’s common to see these watches at 100m water-resistance, though this depends on the model’s materials.

You can still purchase a BRO3 today but expect prices around $3,500.

Conclusion

That’s our quick lowdown on the ten best men’s rectangular watches. If you’re a person who is looking for serious style, then a rectangular watch will definitely make a statement. If this is your price range, we recommend you head to our article on the best luxury smartwatches for men in 2021, which you can find here.

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.

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The affordable Xiaomi Mi Band 6 features and release date

The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 release date isn’t known, but we can make an educated guess that it’ll be in June if we look at their previous release patterns. But what we don’t know much about is the specification. Still, we can speculate.

Here’s what we think you can expect from the Xiaomi Mi Band 6.

Price and release date

When it comes to the price, we think around $50 is about right. Xiaomi is a budget tracker brand, and they want to stay in this corner of the market. Thought, the Mi Band 6 may be a little more expensive if it comes with onboard GPS and a larger display.

If you’re not so eager and you can’t wait for the next release, you could always check out the Xiaomi Mi Band 5, which is perfect for those on a budget, coming in at well under $50.

We think the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 will be here in time for summer. Typically, new iterations come out in June. Similarly to Apple releasing new Apple Watches like (eh hem) clockwork in September, we think this is an obvious choice for the brand. It’ll be available across Asia first, so if you’re elsewhere, give it a couple of months to reach your region.

Inside the Xiaomi Mi Band 6

Generally, people expected a lot more from the Mi Band 5 because rumour had it that there would be Alexa compatibility and an Sp02 sensor though neither happened.

The Mi Band 5 did offer some advances on its predecessor, though. For example, improved sport modes, better heart rate and sleep monitor accuracy and a couple of decent software upgrades, too.

Following the release of the Mi Band 5, Huami came out with the Amazfit Band 5 and, funnily enough, it not only looked identical but offered these two missing features.

But, we’re sure Xiaomi will have addressed this in the latest version. In fact, it’s all but confirmed already through various leaks.

Battery life

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 battery life lasts around 14 days if you have the NFC version and up to 20 otherwise. We think you’ll see a similar performance on the Mi Band 6.

Design

The Mi Band 5 was a considerable upgrade from the 4. And we can see the budget fitness tracker having a larger screen in the newest iteration, mostly because this is what happened last time. For two consecutive years, Xiaomi has increased the screen size.

Bigger displays are usually always a good thing providing it doesn’t affect the size of the case. Xiaomi found a good balance last time by reducing the bezel size. The screen will still be AMOLED, but the brightness and resolution will be better on the Mi Band 6.

So, we think there will be a bigger display. It does depend on how much more they can shave off that bezel, though. It’s still a fitness tracker, not a smartwatch. Though, the lines are becoming more blurred with every release, lately.

Some good news is that other leaks have suggested that the Mi Band 6 will have improved watch faces, in that they offer higher resolution than currently. If that doesn’t suggest a bigger screen, we’re not sure what does.

The reason the brand may not do this is to keep the cost down. As we said, they want to honour being a budget brand, and a bigger screen impacts the cost of development and is a drain on the battery, which would then need to be assessed, and so it snowballs. Perhaps, if it’s not broken, they don’t need to fix it?

Finally, we think the 50m water-resistance rating won’t change.

Onboard GPS?

Possibly, yes. Leaks suggest that there might be onboard GPS in this version, which is becoming more commonplace on fitness trackers now and benefits all sorts of people who enjoy walking, running, hiking and cycling. Consider reasonably-priced competitor trackers like the Garmin Vivosport 4 and the Fitbit Charge 4, for instance. Though, if this addition does happen, we’re not sure what will happen to the price as GPS has the potential to double the cost.

Currently, you get a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer and an optical heart rate sensor. There’s no reason these would be removed from the Mi Band 6, and you may even see some upgrades like an altimeter for tracking how many floors you’ve climbed.

Sensors?

Again, it’s possible there could be an Sp02 or even a thermometer, but these are more advanced health sensors, and suddenly the budget tracker band is looking to compete with more elite watches like the Apple Watch SE.

NFC?

We’re going with a hard maybe on contactless payments. Furthermore, even if we do see this, only those in Asia will likely benefit from it.

More sports modes?

The existing Mi Band 5 offers 19 sport modes, and we’ve read that the 6 will likely provide closer to 30. Great news for people who do HIIT, Zumba, bowling, volleyball and many other sports.

Conclusion

That’s all we know for now! We’ll be sure to review the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 after it’s official release!

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Maygen

Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.