In an age of excess, many people are coming to appreciate the philosophy of minimalism. Both a design movement and a way of life, minimalism is all about doing more with less. People who have chosen to be minimalists forego buying a lot of products and unnecessary things to live with only the bare essentials; what they need and nothing more. Maybe they do it for environmental or financial reasons, or maybe they just appreciate a clutter-free existence.
For those guys whose style favors simplicity over flash, these minimalist watches will sure to be a welcome addition to any man’s wardrobe. The following curated list is roughly in order of budget, starting with the most affordable and working our way up to luxury.
So without further ado, here are our picks for the best minimalist watches for men you can currently buy online.
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Best Minimalist Watches For Men
Nordgreen Philosopher
The first watch on our list to ponder is the Philosopher, from the Danish watch brand, Nordgreen. Designed by Jakob Wagner, the Nordgreen Philosopher collection exudes a Scandinavian design that’s undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing. You may choose from a 36mm or a 40mm case made of polished stainless steel. The inner dial comes in paper-like white while the outer base is grooved and indices in matte stainless steel.
One of the tiny details you would notice is the base that’s wider than the face that’s meant to encourage you to look towards the center. Another unique aspect is the asymmetric second hand. It also features a date window at the 3 o’clock position. If you’re a fan of minimalist design, you’ll want to check out other best sellers by Nordgreen.
Solios – The Solar White
The Solar White watch by Solios is has a very clean look: a sleek white dial Stainless steel hypoallergenic case and minimalist hands, indices and minute markers. The watch comes with your choice of different colored metal mesh and Eco-Vegan Leather.
Available in 36mm and 40mm sizes as well as a “Mini” option for small wrists. Just two hours of sun can power this solar watch for up to six months—a Solios watch also only needs one battery in its lifetime. It’s also made with sustainable materials and has a low carbon footprint.
Solios is a Montreal-based watch brand whose goal is to create sustainable and innovative watches that reduce the harm done to the environment. Learn more about the brand here.
Timex Weekender Fairfield
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The Fairfield Collection from Timex also features a minimalist dial with only stick hands and bar hour markers on a white watch face. It is encased in a 41mm silver-tone frame, covered with a mineral crystal dial window. It is equipped with quartz movement and features Indiglo night light so you can still tell time even in the dark.
If you also want to showcase a hint of creativity or a sudden burst of color, its double-layer nylon slip-thru strap will allow you to do just that. All you have to do is swap in another nylon strap that fits your mood (or outfit) for the day.
Orient 2nd Gen Bambino Version III
Unlike the previous one, this Version III from the second generation of Orient Bambino goes for a modern, sleek, and formal style.
On its dial are three regular hands for the analog display and clean, vertical lines for the hour and second markers. At the 3 o’clock position, you’ll see the date window. The remarkable detail, however, is its domed mineral crystal window. It also uses a Swiss Automatic movement with approximately 40 hours of reserve power. The band is made of leather and uses a buckle clasp. Read more about Orient Bambino watches here and why they are such a classic dress watch.
The timepiece is water-resistant up to 30 meters and is covered by a one-year USA warranty.
Fossil: The Minimalist
Another brand you may also consider is Fossil (check out our brand review here). The brand offers a wide range of simple yet sophisticated-looking watches in its Minimalist Collection.
The watch models from the said collection feature a big watch face in a 44mm case that makes it easily readable. Most are three-hand models, although there are also two-hand models, such as the two-hand black leather watch shown here. The collection is also versatile when it comes to straps. You may swap it with other 22mm leather, stainless steel, or commuter leather straps, whichever you prefer.
Also, to give you more choices, the Fossil Minimalist Collection also offers moonphase watch, chronograph, and even hybrid smartwatches.
Victorinox Alliance
Now, let’s showcase a Swiss model, the Victorinox Alliance. You’ll immediately notice that this one is made primarily of stainless steel – from the case to the bracelet. The black analog display uses silver indices and two silver hands powered by Swiss-quartz movement. As a cover is an anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
It only weighs 5.4 ounces and is water-resistant up to 330 feet.
Citizen Eco-Drive Axiom
Read Amazon Reviews | Citizenwatch
The Citizen Eco-Drive Axiom Watch takes minimalism to another level. On its black dial, you’ll only see the slim hour and minute hands, a date window at 3 o’clock, a 12 o’clock bar marker, and the Citizen Eco-Drive brand underneath. It is encased in a 40mm stainless steel and covered by a mineral dial window. The watch uses a quartz movement, and since it is an Eco-Drive timepiece, it doesn’t really need a battery for it is primarily powered by light energy. (Know more about the Citizen Eco-Drive here.)
The 23mm band is also black and is made of leather calfskin and is equipped with a tang buckle clasp at the end.
MVMT Revolver
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Similar to Fossil, MVMT also offers an entire collection of minimalist watches. It is the MVMT Revolver Collection.
Its sleek design features two-hand models on either black, white, grey, bronze, nude, or navy blue dial. The watch face also showcases hour markers, the MVMT logo at 12 o’clock, and a minimalist chronograph at the bottom center portion.
You can also choose whether a casual or professional-looking timepiece since their straps can either be stainless steel or leather. Regardless, all models are durable and water-resistant up to 50 meters. More so, they are even covered by a two-year guarantee.
Triwa Midnight Falken
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For the Triwa Midnight Falken, minimalist means all black (well, almost)! Perhaps the only part that’s not black is its stick hands that come in white. Otherwise, even the logo, case, and crown are black. The 38mm case is made of stainless steel, while the 20mm black strap is made of leather and with black buckle closure. It uses the Citizen Miyota movement and is rated 5 ATM in terms of water resistance.
Triwa also offers a two-year guarantee for this timepiece.
Stührling Original Horween Leather Watch
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Another minimalist watch to go with your casual or business wear is the Stührling Original Horween Leather Watch. This timepiece particularly boasts of its Horween handcrafted leather strap that promises comfortability the more it’s worn.
On the dial is a balanced combination of modern and vintage styles. The pie-pan white dial is marked vintage accents and is designed with two subdials. Covering it is a domed Krysterna crystal, and the Japanese quartz movement was used. The timepiece is also water-resistant for 165 feet. Check out Stührling’s other minimalist collections here.
Bulova Classic Dress Watch (98H51)
The Bulova 98H51 comes from the brand’s classic collection that’s designed to be aesthetically timeless. One subtle detail is the pearlized patterned white dial marked with rose gold accents and hands. It also has a simple date window at 3 o’clock position. It comes with a 37mm stainless steel case with 5.9mm thickness and a mineral dial window. Its analog display is powered by a Japanese quartz movement.
For the strap, it uses brown leather that’s Croco-embossed and with buckle closure. The watch is also water-resistant to 30 meters.
Guess Gold-Tone Diamond Dial Watch
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From all-black, now we have an all-gold watch. The Guess Gold-Tone Diamond Dial Watch is a minimalist yet elegant-looking watch with its gold-tone dial, gold-tone stainless steel case, and gold-tone mesh bracelet.
The dial features a three-hand analog display with diamond markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions. It is covered by a durable crystal window and uses the Japanese quartz movement. The 19mm mesh bracelet then comes with a pilot buckle. And the overall timepiece is water-resistant up to 165 feet.
Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield Watch
The Classic Sheffield Watch from Daniel Wellington exudes a sophisticated look with its minimalist black style.
It’s 36mm black dial is marked with bar hour markers and minute indices along with the two slim hands powered by a Japanese quartz movement. The 6mm-think case is made of 316L stainless steel, and its water resistance is rated up to 3 ATM. The classy black strap, on the other hand, is made of genuine Italian leather.
Overall, the Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield Watch will look perfectly fine either with a casual or professional outfit.
Fossil The Essentialist – FS5471
Fossil The Essentialist – FS5471 comes with a 42mm round stainless steel case and a 22mm strap. Its dial is white and has a three-hand analog display that uses a quartz movement. The strap is black and made of genuine leather.
In terms of water resistance, the timepiece is rated at 5 ATMs, making it suitable for leisure swimming, but not for snorkeling or diving.
Skagen Holst Casual Watch (Model: SKW6449)
The Skagen Holst Casual Watch comes with a three-hand analog display and two subdials on the watch face powered by a Japanese quartz movement. The Skagen logo is then strategically positioned at 3 o’clock. The blue dial is also designed with silver-tone markers and hands and uses a mineral dial window.
The band, moreover, is made of genuine brown leather and uses buckle closure. You may also swap it with other 21mm Skagen bands. The timepiece is water-resistant to 165 feet.
MVMT Minimalist Vintage Watch
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With MVMT Minimalist Vintage, you have a wide array of options for the color combination of the dial, case, and strap. Regardless, all its models feature a classic minimalist style beginning with a three-hand analog display and a date window at 3 o’clock position. These are powered by the Miyota quartz movement.
The case is made of brushed stainless steel and measures 45mm in diameter and 9mm in thickness. The glass window is made of mineral crystal, while the strap is leather and easily interchangeable.
It’s also durable enough, rated at 3 ATM in terms of water resistance. It is even covered with a two-year guarantee.
Michael Kors Slim Runway Watch (MK8507)
The Michael Kors Slim Runway Watch is a simple yet classy and sophisticated timepiece from a well-known luxury brand. Its dial is pretty basic, with a three-hand analog display, hour markers, and the brand name at 12 o’clock position. It boasts of a 9mm-thick case that’s 42mm in diameter and made on stainless steel. Its 21mm bracelet is also made of stainless steel and comes with a deployment clasp.
As a whole, it weighs only 5.76 ounces and is water-resistant up to 165 feet.
Casio Men’s Black Resin Watch (MQ24-1E)
The Casio MQ24-1E for men sports a black silicone band with a buckle clasp at the end. The watch dial is also black with only gold hour and minute indices and gold stick hands. The case is made of resin and comes with black stationary resin bezel. Covering the watch face is also a resin glass window. The simple gold-on-black combination is a casual and classy combination that also helps you tell time easily. This model uses a quartz movement and is water-resistant.
Fossil – The Commuter Chrono (Model: FS5402)
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The Commuter Chrono watch from Fossil is a simple minimalist timepiece that will suit your everyday or casual wear.
Its dial showcases an analog display that uses three hands, three sub-dials for the chronograph, and a date window by the 3 o’clock position with the brand name beside it. For the markers, it has bars for the hours and short indices for the seconds. For the movement, the timepiece is equipped with quartz movement. The band, on the other hand, measures 22mm and is made of leather. It uses a tang buckle clasp to keep it in place.
In terms of water resistance, the watch may be used for a quick swim as it is resistant up to 50 meters.
Mondaine Classic Quartz (A660.30314.16SBB)
Mondaine A660.30314.16SBB from the brand’s SBB collection also aims for the sleek modern style with the touch of Swiss craftsmanship. Similar to other Mondaine timepieces, this one is patterned after the iconic Swiss railway station design marked with the red second hand. The analog display is powered by a Swiss quartz movement.
Its stainless steel case measures 36mm in diameter and 8 mm in thickness. For the band, it uses 18mm artificial leather with a red lining.
Bulova Classic Watch (96B104)
The Bulova 96B104 is designed with a silver patterned dial with a three-hand analog display, simple bar markers, and a date window at the 3 o’clock position. Powering these is a Japanese quartz movement. All these are encased in a 37mm stainless steel and covered with a mineral dial window. It is also water-resistant to 30 meters. It comes with a 20mm black calfskin leather that’s croc-textured and uses a tang buckle closure.
It boasts of being shock-resistant and is covered by a three-year global warranty from Bulova.
Khaki Navy Pioneer Small Second Auto (H78455543)
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The Hamilton HML-H78455543 showcases a large navy blue dial with big white Arabic numerals for the hour. For the minutes, it has smaller numerals and an outer track. For second-tracking, it has a sunray subdial by 6 o’clock position. It also has a date window at 3 o’clock. Powering the watch is a Swiss automatic movement.
The 40mm case is made of stainless steel and on it is an anti-reflective sapphire dial window. The stationary bezel notably features a coin edge for additional detail. Another accent is the contrast stitch on the brown calfskin leather strap. This timepiece is suitable for swimming and snorkeling as it is water-resistant to 100 meters.
Junghans Max Bill (Model: 041/4461.04)
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Junghans also offer another sleek and professional-looking watch with the Junghans Max Bill Watch. Its dial is technically silver, although it seems to vary depending on the light, causing it to look white oftentimes. The details on the dial also complement perfectly because they’re small and simple yet precise. It has numerals for the hour and five-minute marks and short vertical lines for the second markers. There are also luminescent dots by the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock marks, and a date window at 3 o’clock. The movement used is Japanese quartz.
For the materials, mainly the 38mm case is made of stainless steel and it is 8mm thick. The stationary bezel is stainless steel while the dial window is made of plastic. The calfskin leather band measures 22mm comes with a buckle clasp.
This timepiece weighs only 1.28 ounces and is water-resistant for 100 feet.
Laco Munster Swiss Automatic (861748)
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If you’re going for a casual-minimalist look and budget is not much of an issue, then the Laco Munster Pilot watch might suit you. As a pilot watch, its prints are quite large – with bold hour numbers and second indices. Its hands are thermal blued that make them easily readable when dark. It also boasts of its Swiss ETA 2824-2 self-winding automatic movement.
The case is an engraved solid stainless steel, while the display window is a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The 20mm brown strap is made of leather and comes with rivets and a buckle clasp. The whole timepiece is water-resistant for 50 meters and is covered by a two-year warranty.
Movado Museum Classic (Model 607219)
The Movado Museum Classic takes minimalism to a modern and stylish approach. Its iconic black Museum dial features only the bare essentials – a silver-toned dot at 12 o’clock and two matching hands that use Swiss quartz movement. Even its mesh bracelet adds to the overall sophistication of the timepiece.
It also promises durability with its stainless steel case and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass window. More so, it is covered by the manufacturer’s two-year warranty.
Movado Men’s Bold – 3600260
The Movado Men’s Bold – 3600260 is a classy and stylish silver-toned watch. It features a 44mm stainless steel case, silver mesh bracelet, silver-toned dial, and on it are matching sunray dot and two hands. It uses Swiss quartz movement for precise and reliable timekeeping. Also, it uses K1 mineral crystal glass that’s more durable, scratch-resistant, and shatter-resistant than other materials ordinarily used.
The timepiece is rated 3 ATM for its water resistance and is covered by Movado’s two-year limited warranty.
TSOVET Swiss NM110010-02
TSOVET Swiss NM110010-02 has the signature TSOVET design that features geometrical elements around its silver dial. It also has a three-hand analog display that uses Japanese quartz movement. Notably, its date window is positioned between the 4 and 5 o’clock position.
The case is made of aerospace-grade 316L matte stainless steel with a coin edge for additional detail. The dial window uses mineral glass while the black band is made of rubber.
Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles
Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles is another great option for a men’s dress watch. On its large silver dial are three grey-toned hands along with the index hour markers. Although for 6 and 12 o’clock, it uses large numerals. By the outer rim, you’ll also see smaller minute markers. It also features a date window by the 6 o’clock position. These are powered by the Swiss automatic movement.
The 42mm case is made of stainless steel, and the dial window is an anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. More so, the black strap is made of croc-textured leather.
Junghans Max Bill Automatic
The Junghans Max Bill Automatic is a sleek and sophisticated timepiece that features a gold PVD stainless steel case and stationary bezel with a light brown calfskin leather strap. Elegantly complimenting these color accents is the silver-toned dial with gold-plated hands. It also has index hour markers and shorter minute markers by the outer rim. There’s also a date display window at the 3 o’clock position. Another impressive aspect is the movement used for this timepiece – the Junghans calibre J8001.1 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve.
Frederique Constant Slimline Plain Index Automatic
Another automatic watch that you can consider is the Frederique Constant Slimline Plain Index Automatic. The minimalist dial shows only the two-hand analog display, hour indices, a date window at the 3’clock position, and the brand name.
It is encased in a 40mm stainless steel that’s 8mm thick. The dial window is an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The black strap measures 20mm and is made of leather. Overall, this timepiece boasts of being shock-resistant and having the water-resistance of up to 99 feet.
Nomos Tangente Neomatik
Nomos Tangente Neomatik is a casual, slender option. The 35mm case is only 3.2mm in height. Its dial is white silver-plated with cyan blue minute markers. It is also a two-hand analog display that uses DUW 3001 caliber automatic movement with up to 43 power reserve. There’s also a subdial at 6 o’clock position for seconds tracking. More so, the strap is an 18mm Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan black with a rounded winged clasp.
Breitling Transocean Day & Date Automatic Watch
The Breitling Transocean is a day and date automatic watch. On its dial, you’ll find not only a date window at 3 o’clock position but also an arced day window at 12 o’clock. The silver dial also has silver-toned hands along with the hour indices that are also silver. It also has minute markers by the outer rim. The movement used is a self-winding automatic with a power reserve of up to 42 hours. It comes with a 43mm stainless steel case, an anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a 22mm brown leather strap, and a tang buckle clasp.
IWC Portofino Eight Days Silver Dial Men’s Watch
IWC Portofino Eight Days Watch features a 45mm stainless steel case with a silver dial and a Santoni brown croc-textured leather strap. With one glance, you can instantly recognize the elegance and sophistication of its details. Moving the two gold-toned hands is a mechanical hand-winding movement. Even the hour indices are also gold-toned and at the 12 o’clock position is a Roman numeral. The date display is at the traditional 3 o’clock position with a subdial for seconds tracking at 6 o’clock and a power reserve display at 9 o’clock. Minute markers can also be seen by the outer rim.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic True Second
Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic True Second gives you two options in terms of the strap. One comes with stainless steel while the other is black alligator leather. Yet, regardless of the strap, the Geophysic True Second offers a minimalist dial with sleek silver-toned indices as hour markers and silver-toned hands powered by an automatic self-winding movement with a 40-hour power reserve. It also has a date window display at 3 o’clock position.
More so, to show its confidence in its timepiece, Jaeger-LeCoultre offers an international limited warranty of eight years.
A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia 211.032
The A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia collection gives you a variety of combinations of color accents. Among these are white gold with a deep blue dial, pink gold with a mother-of-pearl coated dial, and white gold with a grey dial. Whichever color combination you should choose, the Saxonia gives you a sleek and stylish dial. Its color accent is uniform for the case, hour markers, and two hands making them stand out from the dial. It also has printed minute markers around the dial and a subdial at the 6 o’clock position. This timepiece from Germany uses an automatic mechanical movement with a 45-hour power reserve.
In design, minimalism is about stripping away all the extra flair and flashy elements to get down to the core product underneath. Minimalism has been embraced by architects, clothing designers, and even software engineers as a way of producing sleek designs without distracting or overly complex elements.
This philosophy has also been adopted by a number of watch creators. Over the last hundred years, the wristwatch has acquired more and more features and design elements, to the point that the latest smartwatches are essentially wearable computers. While those features are appreciated by some users, the simple beauty of a purely functional wristwatch appeals to many men. After all, the original wristwatch is one of the greatest inventions of all time.
Buying a minimalist watch doesn’t mean that you should just settle with any basic watch because even as they strip off the flairs and various details, they can still differ from one another significantly. With this post, we presented you with casual and dress watches, those with leather straps, mesh bands, and stainless steel. There are also models that feature two-hand display and others with three-hand. And of course, there are those that utilize quartz, automatic, and mechanical movements.
We know, it’s quite a long list and we hope that along the way you have found the timepiece that best suits your preference, style, and budget.
Featured Image: Josh Miller
