4 Best Watch Brands To Wear if You Don’t Want To Go Digital in 2023
With cell phones so easily accessible in most of our back pockets, it can be hard to find time to strap a watch to your wrist these days. With our time being mostly digital, Adding a watch to your daily kit is more often for style or aesthetic than for practical use.
Did I strike a chord with you there? Good. I didn’t really mean that. I am fighting hard in my daily life to resist the complete technological takeover that runs our day-to-day.
Analog is alive and healthy, but there is merit to adding a watch for the look of it, too. As fall is in full swing and colder months are not too far in the future, It’s a great time to start thinking about a daily driver that compliments the layers we’ve been looking forward to putting on after a hot summer. That’s why we put together a short guide featuring our picks for the 4 best watch brands to wear if you don’t want to go digital in 2023.
What Makes a Good Watch
What makes a great watch, though? As a long-time fanboy in the heritage goods space, I’m usually first and foremost looking for a watch that speaks to a classic, foolproof design. Similar to traditional navy-style tattoo art, there’s a reason why some designs and styles have survived the test of time: they have never stopped working for us. Ironic to search for a watch that is TIMELESS, but puns must be forgiven in the search for the right timepiece.
Oftentimes, this translates on the design side to mean something simple. I’m looking for trustworthy mechanics, bold metals, intentional textures, and a strap that either holds steady for a lifetime or increases in patina over time and use.
It’s not hard to find a good piece within these perimeters, but it’s the extra attention to detail and functionality that separates my top picks from what you’d find behind the glass counter at the big box store.
With fall and winter style in mind, I want to put a few watch brands on your radar (as well as my favorite of their offerings) that stand out to me as best-in-class options to go along with sweaters and jackets in the cold months.
It’s also worth noting that a classy watch is a great option for gifts as we inch closer to Black Friday and the start of the holiday season. Buckle in and start the clock!
The 4 Best Watch Brands To Wear if You Don’t Want To Go Digital
Nordgreen
Nordgreen is a name I’ve had cross into my periphery a few times since they entered the market in 2017. From a design perspective, Nordgreen nods to the rich Scandinavian history of timekeeping, which speaks directly to what I’m looking for. In their words, they’re marrying “purpose and functionality with the timeless aesthetic appeal.” Bingo.
This fall, Nordgreen has released a Fall/Winter collection that embodies the idea of “Tactile Reminiscence.” Otherwise defined as using the sense of touch to create long-lasting memories. This phenomenon most intimately comes to me through smell or taste (the smell of a lit candle or cookies in the oven ring a bell?) but applying this concept to touch is both fresh and unique while feeling comfortable and close to your own personal experience.
Here are a few watches from their most recent collection that jump out to me:
Best Buy The Pioneer model is just about everything I’d expect from a watch that I would plan to hand down to my grandchildren. A modern and minimalist take on the classic chronograph, the Pioneer unclutters what we’re used to in digital timekeeping and returns to the roots of vintage watches from years past. A bonus perk when it comes to the Pioneer model is that despite the refined appearance, the Pioneer is truly designed to live up to an active lifestyle. With 10 ATM water resistance, you’re good in the water, and domed sapphire glass protects the dial from whatever may come close to it, while also adding a layer of depth to the frontal design that adds a modern flare to a silhouette that has stood the test of time. The Pioneer also employs a Japanese quartz movement system for long-lasting precision. The real beauty in the Pioneer, though, is the attention to detail when it comes to Nordgreen’s inspiration for their latest collection. The domed glass creates a tactile experience I haven’t experienced at such extremes, balanced by the rigid edges of the included watch strap. I see this paired elegantly in semi-formal attire – perhaps for a late fall wedding, holiday gathering, or academic affair if that’s your speed. That being said, the Pioneer is just as well suited for daily use, blending in nicely with a rugged wardrobe revolving around sweaters, flannels, dark denim, and hearty boots. Use code NEXTLUXURY to get an extra 10% off your purchase! Nordgreen is currently running Black Friday deals of up to 30% off their watches.The Nordgreen Pioneer
The Unika timepiece is equally as inspiring as the Pioneer model but with a completely different aesthetic. Truthfully, I had the same response to the sleek, minimal design of the Unika that I initially did with lace-to-toe boots: I was not sure that I’d ever feel like that was a right fit for me until I flipped the switch in my mind. Skinny in nature, I find that the Unika calls extra attention and embellishment to the tattoos on my arms that have cost me thousands over the years. That is always appreciated. It is also ironic that my thoughts followed the outlined path above, as the inspiration for the Unika revolves around the idea of celebrating open-minded beauty. Only figures that I open my own mind. With each design element rooted in a different story, it’s worth celebrating. The tactile experience really shines in Nordgreen’s decision to embed discrete crystals in the functional dials. Pulling a physical experience into an otherwise mindless activity when it comes to your watch is a surefire set-up for creating the tactile expectation and memory outlined in their design brief for this collection. Outside of this function, the Unika is all about balance – pay attention to the form of the crown, which appears slightly different from each perspective. Appearing simultaneously playful while grounded at the same time, this one has really caught my eye. While we have your attention on all things Nordgreen – with the holidays coming up, you should sneak a peek at their recent men’s and women’s jewelry collections. Utilizing the same approach as their signature watches, you’ll find something for everyone on your list – both bold and subtle styles for all occasions. Use code NEXTLUXURY to get an extra 10% off your purchase! Nordgreen is currently running Black Friday deals of up to 30% off their watches.The Nordgreen Unika
Throne Watches
Watches are all about time, and the current collections available from Throne Watches deeply resonate with me on the axis of time and place. Both in aesthetics and inspiration, Throne’s watches speak clearly to me of a pre-pandemic world before the onset of digital marketing as we know it today. Mixing the grit of a few guys in Brooklyn trying to piece it together with heritage design aspects that have tracked with success over the course of modern history.
My favorite from their collection is the classic Fragment S1, which ties back to my initial dreams of finding a watch destined for future generations as much as my own.
Shinola
Shinola has been a huge name in watches for a long, long time. Their track record is hard to beat, on top of a refined approach to construction after many years in the business.
While bigger isn’t always better, it can be helpful to know that a wristwatch purchase comes backed up with a good historical track record. That being said, a Shinola piece comes with a price tag, so I’d be looking for either a really solid daily driver or perhaps something to commemorate a special occasion.
It’s hard to pick favorites from their expansive catalog, but the sharp green tones found in their 47mm Runwell model have caught my eye for a long time. This is one of Shinola’s flagship styles, they’re manufactured in Detroit with parts imported from Switzerland, among other places.
Vortic Watch Co.
The header of the Vortic Watches website reads “America wasn’t assembled. It was built.” Vortic, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, bridges the gap between art and function by building one-of-a-kind timepieces here in the United States.
Their unique works of art stem from the idea that the watchmakers of the olden days had it right. Of course, a piece like this comes at a price as well, but I’ve found that taking a look at their collection has helped to jump my memory closer toward the vintage-inspired silhouette of my eventual dreams. It’s hard to pick a favorite here as each piece is one of one. You should look for yourself and see what inspiration you find.
Watch Round-Up Complete
Yeehaw! From a few corners of the world, we’ve put you in front of a handful of best-in-class watch brands to consider for the upcoming holiday season and for falls and winters to come. What’s your pick?
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