And just as quickly as the blog boys descended upon Baselworld a week ago, they were gone. Now all were left with are a few great watches, a bunch of press releases, and a few more names on the local Rolex AD’s waitlist. Here’s 10 of our favorite everyday watches from Baselworld 2019.
Let’s take a look at the best everyday watches from Baselworld 2019
Admittedly, it’s difficult to tell when all we have are a few photos and a spec sheet, but these are the watches I’m most excited to see in the metal.
Patek Phillipe Ref. 5212A Weekly Calendar
When Patek Phillipe releases a new stainless steel watch with a new complication, you know it’s going to steal the show. The Ref. 5212A introduces the weekly calendar complication, which uses a pointer hand to tell you the week number, between 1 and 53.
Given that the Ref .5711 Nautilus in stainless steel is perhaps the hottest watch in the world, and the stainless steel Aquanaut has seen a serve in popularity — no doubt absorbing some of that excess Ref. 5711 demand — it’s nice to see Patek give consumers another stainless steel, everyday watch option. It’s still a $30,000 Calatrava, but the non-precious metal case and OEM taupe strap make it more casual than business. Anything stainless steel from Patek is pretty much a grail “everyday watch” if you ask me.
Price: $29,500
For more, visit Patek Phillipe
Nomos Duo Collection
Nomos Duo collection (from left): Orion, Tangente, Tetra, Ludwig.
In our brief history of Nomos Glashutte, we mention that since the brand’s launch in 1989-90, its collection has been based around four classic models: the Tangente, Orion, Ludwig, and Tetra. Each model is perfectly worthy of “everyday” status. Affordable and minimal, usually Nomos’ yearly releases are slight variations on this four classics. Typically this means adding some color, a new movement, case size, or some other twist to bring the watch up a notch every year. This year, Nomos went the other way, stripping the models down to their essentials. What you’re left with is four elegant two-handers (no more seconds hands), with beautiful gold hands and accents. The round watches measure 33mm, while the Tetra is 27.5mm.
While Nomos’ sizes usually occupy the 35-36mm territory that’s a perfect “unisex watch” sweet spot, these will be women’s watches in most instances. It’s good to see a brand taking time to make respectful women’s watches — the movement inside is the Alpha.2, a twist on Nomos’ standard time-only Alpha movement.
Nomos also released the Club Sport Neomatik and Tangente Sport— both legit, 42mm dive watches — but I’m less excited about these. They looks great in press photos, but the shots I’ve seen of it on wrist look awkward. Both the Tangente and the Club have long, thin lugs, and that just doesn’t work well with a 42mm case. All the blog boy wrist shots from Baselworld seem to show the lugs popping far over the wrist.
Price: $1,380-$1,660
For more, visit Nomos’ website
Monta Atlas GMT
Monta is doing everything right. It’s a St. Louis, Mo.-based microbrand, brought to you by the guys who also thought up Everest Bands (high-quality after-market straps and bands for Rolexes). Their latest release, the Monta GMT, is another hit. It comes in three dial colors (the “Monta blue”, pictured, seems to show best in photos).
The Monta Atlas GMT measures 38.5mm in diameter and is powered by a Selitta SW330 automatic movement. It’s hard to argue with a sub-$2000 GMT. These guys are making a ton of great affordable, moderately-sized watches right now. Pretty much all are worth a look if you’re looking for your next everyday watch.
Price: $1,420 (strap); $1,615 (bracelet)
For more, visit Monta’s website
Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000V (Black Aged IP Treatment)
The entire Casio G-Shock Full Metal collection has been a resounding success, and this one might be the best yet. The metal case and bracelet has been treated with a black ion plating (IP) technique that gives it an amazing weathered, rough look that works so well with the classic G-Shock form. What’s more, it’s got some cool smartphone link functions — world time, alarm, calendar, and reminder setting — without overdoing it.
Price: $1,000
For more, visit G-Shock
Seiko Presage SPB095 and SPB093
Seiko did some pretty good things at Baselworld this year (not to mention Grand Seiko, more on them below). My favorite are the new releases from the Presage line, which continues to offer some of the best value around. Yes, the new SPB095 and SPB093 sit on the dressier end of the “everyday watch” spectrum, but with prices under $2,000, you don’t have to feel guilty about beating them around a little bit. These new releases have beautiful Arita porcelain dials. Arita porcelain is a highly sought-after variety of porcelain originating from the town of Arita in southwest Japan. Arita porcelain is known for the slight blue tinge to its color, which you’ll see reflected in these dials.
The time-only SPB095 offers a new 6R35 caliber and 70-hour power reserve. Both watches are 40.5mm in diameter.
Price: $1,700 (SPB095); $1,900 (SPR093)
For more on the Presage, visit Seiko’s website
Besides the Presage line, Seiko also dropped some new dive watches. The LX line introduces a group of heavy-hitting dive watches to Seiko’s already popular Prospex divers. Priced between $4,000 and $6,000, they’re also another signal that Seiko is continuing to move up market. And with Seiko’s Spring Drive movement inside, these watches have the heartbeat to justify the price point. There was also the re-release of the cult-classic 6105 dive watch to get excited about.
Grand Seiko ‘Slim’ Hand-Wound
I like the limited edition 20th Anniversary of Spring Drive pieces Grand Seiko announced at Baselworld, but the real wins for me came a week earlier, when Grand Seiko announced its new Hand Wound Collection. It’s a collection of four new watches featuring a new manual-wind caliber 9S63. The watches are smaller then Grand Seiko’s previous automatic releases, all measuring 39mm x 11.6mm. The real standout is the SBGK005, a stainless steel watch with Grand Seiko’s signature “Mt. Iwate” dial, also featured on the brand’s “peacock” hi-beat GMT.
Like the Presage, this Grand Seiko sits on the dressier end of the “everyday watch” spectrum, but swap out that croc strap for something suede and you’ll be able to wear this with a jeans and t-shirt.
Price: $7,400
For more, visit Grand Seiko
Bell & Ross Military Beige
Bell & Ross released a couple cool watches with “military beige” dials this year. The BR V2-94 is a two-register chronograph that screams of vintage military inspiration. The BR V2-92 is a time- and date-only watch, measuring 41mm in diameter and water resistance to 100m. The date window between 4 and 5 looks a little odd, but there’s a lot to love about this watch: bi-directional rotating bezel, an automatic BR-Cal.302, and the option to receive it on an OEM nato or metal bracelet.
Price: $3,200 (on bracelet)
For more, visit Bell & Ross
Tudor Black Bay Bronze Grey Dial
Tudor’s Black Bay line has been a consistent source of hits for more than a few years now. This year’s best Black Bay release has to be the Tudor Black Bay Bronze with the new slate gray dial. It’s everything we love about the Black Bay line, with an interesting new dial that’s a gradient of grey emanating form the center. The dial also features 3-6-9 indices, and all the indices have gold accents, giving it that warm, gilt vintage feel. It’s got a manufacture calibre MT5601 inside that’s COSC certified and comes with 70 hours of power reserve.
For some, the 43mm measurement might be big, but it’s a true sports watch that works in any environment.
The Tudor Black Bay S&G Chrono is also a worthy pick from the brand.
Price: $4,050 (strap)
For more, visit Tudor
Citizen Caliber 0100
When you see Citizen, you probably start to think, “okay, sure, a nice everyday watch for a couple hundred bucks.” Apparently not anymore. This year, Citizen introduced the Caliber 0100, designed to be the world’s most accurate watch, with accuracy of +/-1 second per year. The Caliber 0100 autonomously calibrates time at an ultra-high accuracy of ±1 second per year internally without relying on data from radio towers or satellites. A single second measurement from this movement is exponentially more accurate than other watches, measuring each second at its most precise and authentic reading.
Citizen is releasing the watch in a limited edition white gold, and two limited edition titanium models. Okay, the price isn’t exactly “everyday watch” material by our standards, but it’s a cool technical idea, and it’s a worthy everyday pick if only because it’s the most accurate watch around.
Price: $16,800 (white gold); $7,400 (titanium)
For more, visit Citizen
Bulova Computron LED Watch
Another oddball watch to get excited about. The Bulova Computron displays the time with an angled LED display and is pure 1970s futuristic vibes. There’s a gold-plated stainless steel version, both with matching bracelets, as well as a black execution with rubber strap. They all look fun.
Price: $295 (rubber strap); $395 (metal bracelet)
For more, visit Bulova