Watches for Young Men

A great looking and functioning watch is considered to be a must for any trendy young man, and today’s market offer so many available options that it’s tough to know which models provide the most value. Fortunately, Wristcritic is here to help. When choosing a watch, there a few key qualities to look out for – the Brand, the power source, and the size. As long as we get these three right it’s hard to pick a loser.

Brand

When choosing a brand, there are a select few that have built excellent reputations for building great watches at reasonable price points. Our recommendations include Seiko, Citizen, and Bulova to name a few.

Power Source

When picking a power source, you are generally going to be choosing between battery,  light powered, or self winding. Battery is the safest bet, but any of these will usually work. The light powered watches these days work with both artificial and natural light, so unless the wearer spends all their time in a mine then it should not run out of power. The self winding models need to be worn frequently, so may not be the best choice for someone with a large rotating watch collection.

Size

Finally, on size – the average dimension for mens watches is 37mm – 39mm, but even a bit larger than that will still be a very masculine and acceptable size.

Now that we have covered the bases, here are some of our favorite watches for young men:

Citizen Men’s BM8180-03E Eco-Drive Watch

This trendy timepiece made from stainless steel features a round black dial, with a time and date window located at three o’clock. The wristband is made out of stitched canvas, keeping the whole package light and comfortable. It has a Japanese-quartz movement, and charges in both natural and indoor light. The watch is battery powered in addition to light powered, a combo that ensures that this model will keep ticking for at least 20(!) years. The case diameter is 37.2 mm, putting it on the medium/small side of men’s watches. This watch is suitable for nearly any wrist and preference, which is likely why it has over 1,600 positive reviews. It is not too large, not too small, lasts forever, and is neutral enough to be appropriate in nearly any setting.

Invicta Men’s 8926OB Pro Diver Automatic Watch for Men

This Invicta is a great fit for those who enjoy stainless steel dive watches. Invicta produces quite a few dive watch models, and have become quite adept at offering quality models at affordable prices. The design of this particular watch borrows heavily from the Rolex Submariner, at a much more affordable price. Features include a corrugated unidirectional bezel, luminous hands, and a magnified date window at three o’clock. The link bracelet is made out of stainless steel that has fold over clasp and safety closure. It’s water resistant to 200m (660ft), and includes a screw-down crown that serves as an additional insurance in case you move it by accident. The watch is powered mechanically by the movement of the wearer, and will need to be worn fairly often to keep ticking. One nice bonus here is the mineral crystal on the back case, allowing a peek into the feat of engineering within.

Seiko Men’s SKX007K Diver Automatic Watch for Young Men

 It’s hard to go wrong with a Seiko, and the brand has become one of the biggest importers in the world. This diver is a beauty with great aesthetic appeal. The lugs are brushed steel, the lume is excellent, and the second hand sweeps gracefully around the dial. The diameter is 42mm, slightly large but not enough to be ostentatious. The watch is water proof to 200 M, suitable for dive missions let alone your daily shower. The watch is automatic and will need to be worn often, but fortunately it looks great and is suitable for both the office as well as a trip to Belize.

Bulova Men’s 96B175 Precisionist Watch for Young Men

The Bulova precisionist is one of the company’s most popular models, probably because it clearly belongs on the arm of James Bond. The piece is called precisionist for a reason, and is accurate to within an astounding 10 seconds/year. The dial features chronograph measurement of hours, minutes, seconds, 1/10-seconds, 1/100-seconds and 1/1,000 seconds, as well as a calendar. Not only is it extremely functional, it is quite the looker. Big and bold at 46.6 mm, the piece is impressive and masculine. The watch is resistant to a very deep 300 M, good luck testing that depth. Needless to say you will have your work cut out getting this tank to stop working. Note that this model is also an automatic, and should be worn frequently to ensure it stays powered.

Skagen SKW6355 Watch for Young Men

As a great alternative to the Precisionist, let’s take a look at a Skagen. On the other end of the spectrum, Skagen specializes in thin, modern watches with great aesthetic. This round watch has a dark blue sunray dial, with a date window located at six o’clock and stick markers that are silver toned. The wristband is made out of suede leather, giving it an elegant, yet casual look. The minimalistic design further enhances the look of elegance, making it one of those rare watches that could be worn on any occasion. Quartz movement with a Lithium battery will keep this model powered for years to come, no matter how often it is worn.

Citizen Men’s AT8020-03L Blue Angels World A-T Eco-Drive Watch

The Blue Angels watch is a pretty popular and unique model from Citizen. It is named and styled after the elite US Navy flight squadron, and is nearly as sharp as the pilots are. The theme is not just a gimmick, and the movement is some of the most advanced you can find on the market. The atomic time keeping is radio-controlled, and automatically updates in 5 time zones and 26 world cities. These features make it one of the most accurate watches in the world. The sapphire dial is the best protection a watch can have, and the leather-synthetic dial keeps the watch light and comfortable. It is also water resistant to 660 ft., making this model a complete package and the real deal. The watch is light powered, and is long as it’s not kept in a closet should keep ticking for decades.

Tissot Men’s T0674171104100 PRS 200 Blue Chronograph Dial Watch

Tissot made a great entry into the world of Swiss watches, and this model is a great “default” watch that is hard to disappoint. The case is made out of stainless steel, and it sports a blue tachymeter bezel, a blue dial, date window located at three o’clock, three subdials, and luminous hands. The three link wristband features a deployment clasp with push button closure. It’s water resistant to 200m (330ft) and runs on quartz battery. The only potential flaw of this watch is that the movement is not easily repairable, and not many watchmakers would go through the hassle of repairing it. That said the eta movement is not known to break often.

Luminox Evo Navy Seal Blackout

Luminox originally got its feet off the ground by building watches custom made for Navy Seals, and has since developed a reputation for producing durable luminous watches with a military look. The blackout is one of their most popular models, and like most Luminox watches comes with a healthy water resistance (200 m), scratch resistant dial, and accurate swiss quartz movement. The black rubber strap will do a good job resisting natures elements, and along with the PC carbon reinforced case will keep the watch light and comfortable. This is a trendy watch that young men are into these days and is sure to impress.