‘Sports watch’ has become something of a catch-all category for timepieces lately. Some, such as dive watches or chronographs, have particular functions designed to help with specific recreations, while others adhere to more general guidelines. Typically a tougher-than-usual construction and increased water resistance gains entry to the group. As a well-populated arena, sports watches can be found at every price point, from six-figure pieces crafted by elite manufactures to more affordable models built to soak up any punishment you throw their way. If you’re on a USD2,000 budget, you can find yourself the perfect blend of robust performance and some seriously stylish aesthetics.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith – When the Heuer brand was taken over by Techniques d’Avant Garde in 1985, becoming TAG Heuer in the process, the Formula 1 collection was the first result of the merger – and its runaway success saved the company. Today, those fun, colourful debutantes have been reimagined in a series of 10 limited-edition watches, co-engineered with renowned streetwear brand Kith. Their compact 35mm cases are exact replicas of the originals, upgraded with modern materials such as high-performance arnite plastic bodies and sapphire crystals. Water-resistant to 200m, these bright and punchy, tough-as-nails classics are wonderful 1980s throwbacks.
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DOXA SUB 200T – Doxa is one of the great names in dive watches. Their first, the SUB 300T from 1967, introduced a host of features that now epitomise the brand: the flared, cushion-shaped case, the ‘beads-of-rice’ bracelet, the signature orange dial and the bezel housing both a 60-minute scale and a No-Decompression dive chart. The new SUB 200T includes all these elements, but in a more manageable 39mm diameter. Additionally, you can now choose from 14 different colour schemes and have the option of a rubber strap, too. A 1960s design landmark reimagined.
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Omega X Swatch BioCeramic MoonSwatch – When the Omega X Swatch BioCeramic Moonswatch launched in 2022, it caused a buzz even the watch world had rarely seen. Queues formed for miles at boutiques, with countless thousands of collectors desperate to secure this collaboration between two of the biggest names in the business. You can see why. A genuine homage to the most iconic chronograph ever, Omega’s Speedmaster Professional, given an irreverent twist by Swatch and sold for USD260?! Sign us up! There are 11 different versions, one for every planet plus the sun and moon, all with their own distinctive colour scheme. One of the biggest things to happen to the industry in recent years, bar none.
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Nomadic Maraí 401 – If you want the best value for money, it often pays to head to the young startups – and Belfast-based Nomadic is no exception. Their Maraí 401 is a 200m-rated dive watch with a high-tech ceramic bezel and world-class Swiss movement. Drawing on Belfast’s legendary shipbuilding past, look closely and you’ll see the seconds hand is bright yellow in honour of the famous Harland and Wolff dock cranes that dominate the skyline. The watch’s name is taken from the Irish for ‘seafarer’, with the 401 relating to the RMS Titanic itself – the 401st ship built in the city.
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Luminox Bear Grylls Survival Master – There are adventure watches, and then there are adventure watches! Survival expert, TV presenter and ex-SAS trooper Bear Grylls teamed with military favourite Luminox in 2020 to produce a collection of models designed for… just about anything. The Survival Master 3740 is the latest, a 45mm chronograph made from indestructible CARBONOX with a unidirectional bezel, SOS Morse Code reminder on the dial, and a detachable compass on the strap. Integration of Luminox’s patented Light Technology means the watch can be read in the darkest conditions, and the caseback is inscribed with Bear’s motto, ‘Never Give Up’. The ideal partner for the toughest missions.
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Casio G-Shock GBD-H2000 – No list of sports watches is complete without an entry from G-Shock. In production since 1983, the GBD-H2000 from 2023 may be the most advanced yet. A sport/smartwatch hybrid, it includes sensors to monitor your fitness and activity, whether walking, cycling, swimming or at the gym, along with heart rate and blood oxygen measurement, a magnetometer, barometer, thermos-sensor, a GPS and lots more. It will even alert you to incoming text messages. Simple to operate and equipped with solar charging, it has everything you need in one stylish package.
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Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite – One of watchmaking’s most successful disruptors, Christopher Ward is a British brand distinguished by their superb quality timepieces at surprisingly affordable prices. Among their latest is a striking diver with a far-out ‘70s aura. Compressor watches have spring-loaded casebacks, making them more water-resistant the deeper they go, and Ward’s C65 is a shining example. As well as being a super handy feature, the blue-and-orange decompression scale on the dial gives the watch a real pop. Safe down to 150m and driven by a top-quality Swiss movement, the Super Compressor Elite is a retro winner.
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Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Broad Arrow Manual 86007M – The full name of this exceptional modern reissue – Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver – tells you just how versatile an adventurer’s companion it was designed to be. It manages to pack a mechanical stopwatch, yachting timer, a GMT complication and a dive bezel all into one handsome 38mm case. Oh, and it tells the time, too. Basically, it’s the closest the 1960s got to a smartwatch, and is one of the most faithful examples of a vintage archetype brought right up to date.
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Farer Carnegie Titanium – The watch industry is seeing a very welcome resurgence of colourful models, and the Carnegie from Farer’s Chrono-Sport collection is a definite standout. Named after UK Olympian David Carnegie, the bronze dial symbolises the medal he won at the 1928 Winter Games, while the ice blue bezel represents the fearsome Cresta Run on which he did it. A nostalgically styled chronograph in a thoroughly modern 41mm titanium case, it has a lightness and strength to match its good looks.
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Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SFJ001 – Springs wind down and batteries die, but the sun is forever. Seiko, kings of sports timers, introduced the Speedtimer SFJ001 in 2023, complete with funky sci-fi aesthetics and a solar-powered quartz movement capable of measuring down to 1/100th second. The four-dials-in-one design features a regular time-telling face, along with three others to time seconds, tenths and hundredths. Everything is operated with the pushers jutting out of the 42mm case, and the black-on-white Panda set-up ensures excellent contrast and readability. A quirky take on a very useful complication.
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Tissot Sideral S Powermatic 80 – Tissot has brought us some of the most vibrant watches around with their Sideral collection. The impossible-to-miss trio come in bright red, blue or yellow, all with quick-release bracelets and ‘70s-esque tonneau-shape cases, and all featuring both 300m water resistance and a regatta countdown – making them the ideal waterman’s timepiece. Each is made from a super-light forged carbon/steel mix, and inside, a Powermatic movement gives an incredible 80-hour power reserve. Upbeat and groovy, the Sideral series is destined for good times.
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Hamilton Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO Auto Titanium – Part watch, part movie star, the Hamilton BeLOWZERO has appeared in a string of Hollywood blockbusters including Predators, The Martian, Tenet and Central Intelligence. And with the timepiece’s commanding wrist presence and formidable talents, it was perfect casting. The 46mm case and enormous dial markers ensure it’s unmissable on-screen, and its incredible 1,000m water-resistance guarantees it’s more than tough enough to handle any activity. Yet despite its size, this titanium ultimate dive watch weighs just 129g. The latest version comes with some startlingly yellow accents – meaning it steals even more of the spotlight than usual.
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Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver Automatic – It’s not easy for a dive watch to stand out, but Zodiac’s Super Sea Wolf range manages it with no trouble at all. Loved by hardcore enthusiasts for their build quality, awesome styling and amazing value, the Sea Wolves are good down to 200m and come in a number of variations – a particular favourite being the iconic blue and orange ‘Gulf colourway’. An authentic, vintage-influenced tool watch, the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf is a genuine performer.
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Longines Hydroconquest Automatic – Another brand prizing value for money above all else, Longines is the oldest registered watchmaker in the world. With that sort of heritage, they obviously know how to make superb timepieces, and their Hydroconquest line is a case in point. A tough, no-nonsense 300m diver, with huge numerals and faultless engineering, this is about as robust and legible as you can get. Available in a vast range of metals, colours and sizes, automatic or quartz movements, fitted with bracelets or rubber straps, there’s something for everyone. And very few manufacturers offer more for less.
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Sinn 105 St Sa – A minimalist, multifunctional marvel, the 105 collection from German sports watch specialists Sinn are as crisp as freshly laundered sheets and a delight to wear. The 41mm St Sa model is an austere double-calendar piece available with black or white dials and a symmetrically vertical day/date display. Highest of high contrast, the starkness of the faces is tempered with a splash of orange from the seconds hand. Bare-boned and brilliant, this is industrial design at its cleanest.
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