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GQ Recommends
You were never going to use all those complications anyway.
By Jeremy Freed
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The best minimalist watches for men do a lot with a little. At its essence, minimalism dictates that when an object’s form follows its function, beauty is the inevitable result. Since its beginnings at the Bauhaus school of the 1920s, minimalism has been one of the defining movements of 20th-century aesthetics, influencing everything from the roofline of the Porsche 911 to the steel and glass towers of the NYC skyline to every Apple product since the original iPod. And, like the most timeless designs from Jil Sander and Helmut Lang, the best minimalist watches for men are masterclasses in the power of restraint.
In fact, some of the most iconic watches of all time were designed by horologists with visibly minimalist bents. And fortunately for your bank balance, plenty of those iconic tickers also happen to be some of the most affordable. No shade against big, chunky, complicated timepieces that offer barometric readings or a Swiss bank vault’s worth of precious stones, of course, but just as there’s a place for a black turtleneck in every closet, there’s a lot to be said for adding one of these pared-down watches to the rotation. Sometimes, less really is more.
1/19
Swatch
New Gent Biosourced White Rebel Quartz Watch
Spooky season may be over, but this ghost-like watch will look great all year long.
2/19
Timex
Timex x Todd Snyder Blackout Expedition North Watch
An opus in black from one of America's foremost menswear talents, and the perfect complement to hiking boots and a puffer jacket.
3/19
Hamilton
American Classic Intra-Matic Auto 42mm Watch
Midcentury design was all about clean lines, sleek silhouettes, and modern materials, an aesthetic captured to a tee by this vintage-inspired Hamilton.
4/19
Skagen
Jorn Watch
With a dial the color of the moody North Atlantic and a set of barely-there hands, this Scandinavian-designed watch offers all the refinement of a mid-century teak credenza at a fraction of the cost.
5/19
Timex
Easy Reader Watch
Launched in 1977 with the tagline, “The NEW watch with the BIG numbers,” the Easy Reader’s oversized Arabic numerals made it stand out from the more stylized watches of the day. It may not be new any more, but its big, legible dial still stands out in 2022.
6/19
MVMT
Airhawk Pilot Bracelet Watch
This moody chronograph updates the classic pilot's watch for the 21st century with a streetwear-approved monochrome design.
7/19
Unimatic
UC4 Watch
This stripped-down version of a classic dive watch isn't just among the best examples of Italian minimalist design since Armani—it's one of the most affordable.
8/19
Tissot
Everytime Mesh Strap Watch
Minimalism is all about precision details, and this squeaky-clean ticker from one of Switzerland's most respected brands nails them all.
9/19
Adidas
Graphite Resin Strap Watch
It's far too easy to amass a closet full of classic Adidas kicks in dozens of color combinations. Fortunately, this black-on-black ticker will go with all of them.
10/19
Fossil
Minimalist Chronograph Watch
It does what the name says—and quite tastefully, at that.
11/19
Project Watches
Bauhaus Steel Watch
A tribute to the legendary design school, and a reminder that primary colors and geometric shapes are always in style.
13/19
Braun
Two-Hand Watch
From its simple black and white color scheme to its Helvetica numerals, this timepiece is a nod to the oeuvre of legendary Braun designer Dieter Rams.
14/19
Daniel Wellington
Sheffield Watch
This Swedish brand launched in the early 2010s with a stable of simple, high-quality quartz watches. Fortunately, after selling millions of units over the last decade, they’ve been smart enough not to mess with the formula.
16/19
Movado
Museum Watch
Nathan Horwitt was among the first wave of designers to embrace the minimalist aesthetic when he created this genre-defining design in 1947. More than half a century later, it still looks ahead of its time.
17/19
Orient
Bambino Watch
You won’t find a better deal on an automatic watch than this, or—thanks to its clean, numeral-free dial—a more versatile daily driver.
18/19
Citizen
Quartz Watch
Think minimalism and bling can’t play nice? This swanky gold Citizen begs to differ.
19/19
Mondaine
Classic Gents Watch
Alongside alphorns, Roger Federer, and fondue, the Swiss Railways clock, with its red seconds hand inspired by a train signal, is one of the alpine nation’s most enduring symbols. Created in the early 1950s, and now enshrined in design museums worldwide, consider it a first-class ticket to enduring style.
Jeremy Freed is a writer for GQ Recommends, where he covers all things horological (a.k.a. watches). Jeremy discovered the world of watches as the editor of a Canadian men’s magazine, and has spent the last decade trying to understand what makes them continue to inspire such passion and desire in... Read more
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