Men’s watches – how to choose the right one
When choosing a men’s watch, start with three questions: where will you wear it most, what size suits your wrist and how much do you want to spend? Once these are clear, hundreds of watches narrow down to a few dozen. The movement, strap and water resistance will then help you make the final choice.
1. Start with where you will wear it
One watch does not have to suit every occasion. Think about what you usually wear and what you do during the day. The table below will point you in the right direction.
| Where you wear it | What works well | Brands in our range |
|---|---|---|
| At the office, with a shirt or suit | slim case, simple dial, leather strap or metal bracelet | Jacques Lemans, Pierre Cardin, Citizen |
| Every day, with jeans and a jacket | slightly larger case, chronograph or bolder colour | Lorus, Lee Cooper, Timberland, Guess |
| During exercise, at work or on a hike | durable case, resin strap, digital display | G-Shock, Casio digital watches |
| When watches are a hobby | distinctive design, automatic movement | Vostok Europe, Zeppelin, Aviator |
If you want one watch for everything, choose a simple watch with a metal bracelet and a light, black or dark blue dial. It will work with a shirt or a jumper. If you already know one will not be enough, also read our article on how many watches a man should own.
2. Size: consider your wrist, not just the millimetres
A watch that is too large overhangs the wrist, while one that is too small can look lost. A man with a slimmer wrist will usually suit a 38–40 mm watch, such as the Jacques Lemans N-215.1ZJ (38 mm) or Citizen Eco-Drive BM7460-88H (40 mm). If your wrist is broader and you prefer a larger watch, look at 44–46 mm models, such as Lee Cooper’s 44 mm watches or the Vostok Europe Space Race chronograph (46 mm).
We explain how to measure your wrist and why lug-to-lug length matters more than diameter in a separate guide: choosing a watch size and strap length.
3. Quartz, automatic or solar-powered
The movement affects how much attention your watch needs. In brief:
- Quartz provides accurate, low-maintenance everyday timekeeping without winding.
- An automatic watch winds its mainspring through the movement of the wearer’s arm. If the watch is not worn and its power reserve runs out, it stops. You then need to restart it and set the time again. Vostok Europe, Zeppelin and the Casio Edifice collection offer automatic watches.
- Solar power means a quartz watch charges itself using light, so regular battery changes are unnecessary. Citizen’s Eco-Drive uses both daylight and indoor light. Casio’s solar-powered models include the Edifice EFS-S650D and G-Shock GA-B2100.
For a more detailed comparison, read our article automatic, quartz or solar-powered.
4. Strap and material
A strap can change the look of the same watch more than you might expect.
- A metal bracelet creates the smartest look and works well with a suit. It usually needs to be shortened to fit the wrist.
- A leather strap is a classic choice for the office and evenings out. It is best kept out of the swimming pool.
- A silicone or resin strap suits exercise and rainy weather. It is a natural choice for G-Shock and many digital watches.
A brown leather strap looks good with a brown belt and shoes. For more advice on what to avoid, read 5 style mistakes for men.
5. Water resistance in brief
According to Casio manuals, a watch marked only “Water Resist”, without a bar rating, can withstand handwashing and rain but not swimming. A 5 bar rating also allows swimming, while 10 and 20 bar are suitable for water sports and snorkelling. An ordinary water-resistant watch is not suitable for scuba diving. Do not press buttons or turn the crown underwater. Read more in our article on watch water resistance.
6. Budget
Price does not tell the whole story, but it helps narrow the choice. The ranges below are approximate and based on our current selection.
- Starting at around €20–40: Q&Q, Lee Cooper and Lorus. These are accessories. Choose watches that match your clothes and change them to suit your mood.
- Around €90–340: Guess, Timberland, Pierre Cardin and Police. Everyday watches with their own character.
- Around €100–900: Citizen. Most of our Citizen watches are Eco-Drive models.
- Around €110 to over €1000: Vostok Europe, Zeppelin and Aviator. At this level, movements, materials and finishing become more of a focus. Aviator watches are Swiss-made, while Zeppelin belongs to POINTtec, a watch company based near Munich.
Casio deserves a category of its own. Its range includes simple retro digital watches, durable G-Shocks and metal Edifice watches inspired by motorsport. If you are considering a G-Shock, see our article on choosing a G-Shock.
If you are buying a watch as a gift
For a gift, the safest starting point is what he already wears. Look at his current watch: its size, whether the strap is leather or metal, and whether the case is silver, gold or black. Also notice whether he wears suits or sweatshirts more often. If he always wears the same watch, choose a similarly sized model with a different character, such as a sporty digital watch to complement a classic metal one.
If you are not quite sure, a gift card is a good option. Our gift cards come in values of €25, €50, €75 and €100 and are valid for one year. The recipient can then choose a watch they like.
All our watches come with a 14-day right of return (the buyer pays return postage) and a 2-year warranty. If you are deciding between two models, email us at info@kaekellad.ee and include your wrist circumference – we will help you choose. Browse the full range on our men’s watches page.