The Best Summer Watches To Level Up Your Wristwear This Season

The perfect summer watch is one that’s stylish, adventure-ready, and — most of all — fun. Whether it’s a sporty timepiece with a colourful dial or a driver’s watch inspired by motorsports, there are plenty of options in the category for 2022. This is not the time to be pigeonholed into a particular category — dive watches, dress watches, pilot watches, or whatever it may be, the right summer watch is the one that sings to you in some form or fashion.

12 Colourful Ways To Level Up Your Wristwear

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12 Colourful Ways To Level Up Your Wristwear

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From our latest Summer issue, we’ve compiled an eclectic assortment of timepieces that have caught our eye recently. Ranging from entry-level to luxe legacy houses, there’s a little something for everyone in this list.

Oris Propilot X Calibre 400

oris propilot X calibre 400

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A recent addition to Oris’ push towards in-house manufacture calibers, the Propilot X Calibre 400 arrived in three dial colours this past spring, including the pink (perhaps salmon) dial seen here. Despite carrying a 5-day power reserve, the new self-winding movement is compact enough to fit into a 39mm diameter case. Packed into a titanium case and fitted on a very comfortable bracelet, the new release is shockingly lightweight. ($5,400)

Breitling Top Time Ford Mustang

breitling top time mustang

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Breitling continues to lean into the world of what they call “Neo Retro” styling, and we’re here for it. The Classic Cars subset of the Top Time collection feels like it’s straight out of the ’60s, and it just works. The Mustang reference feels best suited to a particularly specific variant of the American muscle legend — the green and black Bullitt Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in the best cinematic car chase scene of all time. ($6,600)

IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 41

IWC Pilot chronograph

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After levelling up in size over the last decade, IWC recently returned to a more compact version of its classic Pilot Chronograph with the new IW3881 reference. A modest 41mm in diameter, it’s sized for daily wear on any wrist size, and a new quick-change strap system affords its wearer the ability to alternate between metal bracelet and other strap options in a hurry. ($9,850)

Rolex Day-Date 40

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A watch so serious and yet so casual — those in the know are aware that an ice blue dial from Rolex can only mean one thing; its case and bracelet are made of platinum. These days any Rolex can be picked out of a crowd by many, but this particular reference still has a bit of stealth to it. (price on request)

Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto

hamilton khaki field titanium auto

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The Hamilton Khaki Field has a lengthy history, dating back to it being a military issue watch in the US for many decades. The collection has expanded quite a bit in the last few decades, bringing a bit more colour and playfulness to an otherwise task-focused timepiece. This latest version is cased in titanium, and its self-winding movement delivers a power reserve of 80 hours — well above industry standard. ($1,140)

Seiko Prospex SPEEDTIMER SRQ035

seiko chronograph

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A little more subdued, the Seiko Prospex SRQ035 is a clean and classic motorsport-themed chronograph with a bit of added character — notably its oversized pushers and crown, but also the peculiar choice of indices and numerals on the dial. It’s a high quality build from the brand, and very much a “if you know you know” sort of piece. ($4,150)

Tissot T-Race MotoGP Automatic Chronograph 2022 Limited Edition

Tissot T-Race MotoGP Automatic Chronograph 2022

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Sticking with the motorsport vibe a touch longer, Tissot is a longstanding partner of MotoGP — the motorcycle equivalent of Formula 1 — and each year brings a new limited edition MotoGP Chronograph. This year’s rendition adds an integrated bracelet to the mix, as well as a flat screwed-down bezel with a pattern resembling a vented brake rotor. ($925)

Nomos Club Campus Deep Pink

nomos club deep pink

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Circling back to color, few brands have been executing what we call “perfectly playful” as well as Nomos Glashütte over the last couple of years. This Deep Pink reference is no exception, bringing rich colour contrasted by white indices and a small pop of orange to indicate running seconds. It’s a simple watch that screams summer fun, and they’re exceptionally well built considering their retail price. ($1,740)

Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver

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The Captain Cook diver lineup has been a popular one at Rado lately, and there’s little surprise that it got the ceramic case and bracelet treatment in 2022. The brand has long been a specialist in the material, and where other brands leverage titanium or precious metals, Rado continues to pursue advancements in ceramics. A ceramic tool watch is a novelty, and still something you don’t come across often. ($4,600)

Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

Glashutte-Original-Spezialist-SeaQ-Panorama-Date-3

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While not a brand typically known for dive watches, Glashütte Original’s foray into the category has proven quite successful. The pairing of traditional German watchmaking and finishing, in combination with robust specifications makes for a compelling alternative to the usual suspects of the dive watch category. ($15,200)

Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Azzuro Chronograph

chopard mille miglia

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Back to classic motorsport as we round out the category, Chopard has a longstanding relationship as the title partner of the Mille Miglia classic car rally in Italy, and each year expands on its chronograph collection of the same name. This year’s edition is the GTS Azzuro — a bright blue 44mm unit with big wrist presence and loads of personality. ($10,380)

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

rolex daytona

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The Rolex Daytona is an unquestionable legend in horological lore, but while many have been busy clambering for the steel references with ceramic bezels, two-tone watches have been busy making a somewhat dramatic comeback. The ’80s are back in other avenues as well, but in the last year or two many brands have been going back to the world of steel and gold. Meanwhile, this bi-metal offering never left the Rolex catalog. ($21,150)

Feature Photography: Michael Kazimierczuk

Prop Styling: Zach Noftall

Styling: Haley Dach

Photography Assistant: Ethan Allen

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Summer Style