The Best Automatic Watch for Everyday Wear: 6 Things That Matter
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The best everyday watch is the one you put on every morning without thinking, and that copes with whatever the day brings: the office, the school run, the beach, a dinner. For an automatic, that comes down to six things.
1. A size you forget you're wearing
For most wrists, 36mm to 40mm and under about 13mm thick. It slides under a cuff, doesn't catch on doorframes, and looks right with a T-shirt or a jacket. Check the lug to lug length, not just the diameter.
2. Real water resistance
100m at the very least, so rain, washing up and an unplanned swim are non-events. 200m with a screw-down crown if you are often near water.
3. Sapphire crystal
An everyday watch gets knocked against desks and doorframes. Sapphire is close to scratch proof; mineral glass is not.
4. A bracelet, or quick-release straps
A steel bracelet goes with everything and survives sweat and water. Quick-release spring bars let you swap to a fabric or rubber strap for the weekend in seconds.
5. A dial you can read at a glance
Strong contrast and good luminous material. If you have to search for the hands, it will annoy you within a week.
6. A movement any watchmaker can service
An everyday watch will be worn for years. A widely used calibre, such as the Sellita SW200-1 or a Miyota or Seiko movement, means easy, affordable servicing anywhere. Hacking seconds and hand-winding make daily life easier. See SW200 vs NH35 vs Miyota.
Which style makes the best daily watch?
- A dive watch on a bracelet is the most versatile, from the beach to the boardroom.
- A field watch is the most comfortable and the easiest to read.
- A pilot watch suits bigger wrists and aviation lovers.
Ours, as examples: the Elemental (40mm, integrated bracelet, 200m, Swiss automatic), the 125 Field (38mm, 100m, two straps in the box) and the Air Force 5th Generation (42mm, 200m, in stock now).
Before you buy: diver, field or pilot? and where you can and can't wear an automatic.