After more than 21 hours of research and testing, one of the best luxury watches you can buy today is the TAG Heuer Men’s ‘Formula 1’ Swiss Quartz. This dress watch has a built-in tachometer, a 200mm water resistance rating, and a super-accurate Swiss-quartz movement, which offers a high level of accuracy to the tune of +/- 15 seconds a month.
Choosing the best luxury watches could mean the difference between looking fresh in a new suit or striking out heavy. Our evaluation focused on quartz vs. automatic movement, glass, power source, type of watch, strap quality, and durability, including water resistance. We also focused on auxiliary features such as removable bands and built-in tachometers to measure speed (in relation to time). Keep reading to learn more about the TAG Heuer Men’s ‘Formula 1’ Swiss Quartz Luxury Watch and five others that made the grade.
Top 6 Best Luxury Watches
#1 TAG Heuer Men’s ‘Formula 1’ Swiss Quartz Luxury Watch
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This makes the top of our luxury watch brands list, great for people who want to measure speed and time with a built-in tachometer and three subdials for elapsed seconds, minutes, and hours.
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- Best luxury watch brand
- Water resistance up to 200m & built-in tachometer
- High accuracy (uses Swiss-quartz movement) & strong glass
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- Bracelet edges are sharp
- A bit heavy
- Slightly oversized numbers may not suit some people
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We love this battery-powered luxury watch for its various layer designs and subdials. This luxury watch is stunningly accurate, using Swiss-quartz movement which guarantees accuracy to roughly 15 seconds per month. It is also water-resistant up to 200m with a sapphire crystal glass dial window, which is extremely scratch-resistant and twice as hard as standard glass.A 43mm case diameter makes it fit well on most averaged sized wrists without appearing overly large.
This luxury watch includes a tachymeter scale on its outer bezel, which allows users to track their speed. Kudos for being one of the best watch brands in the world. Alternatively, if you’re in the market for a woman’s watch, take a look at the best smartwatch for women.
#2 Seiko Men’s SSC139 Excelsior Gunmetal and Silver-Tone Stainless Steel Solar Luxury Watch
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This luxury watch uses solar power with a 6-month reserve. It is a perfect choice for people who want a low maintenance watch that is easy to charge with any light source.
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- Great for men
- No batteries needed
- 100m water resistance & 3-year warranty
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- Feels heavy
- Alarm may not be loud enough for some people
- Not as durable as sapphire glass
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Thanks to this luxury watch’s solar-powered battery, you do not need to worry about replacing it every year, unlike traditional quartz watches. And nor will you have to wind it. This watch uses V172 movement, which offers outstanding accuracy to roughly +/- 20 seconds per year. With a 6 month reserve (the amount of time solar power is retained), you do not need to worry about replacing batteries. Though it powers well, its Hardlex dial window glass is not as scratch-resistant as our #1 pick Tag Hauer’s sapphire crystal, so we do not recommend it while playing sports.
This luxury watch comes with a 43mm stainless steel case and three subdials – 60-second, 60-minute, and 24-hours. These sub-dials are very useful in tracking time elapsed with any activity, such as a race or cooking a steak. We also appreciate a generous three-year warranty that protects against any defects in manufacturing. This watch will have your kids begging for their own, so while you’re at it check out the best smartwatch for kids.
#3 Michael Kors Men’s Slim Runway Luxury Watch
Award: BEST FOR MEN
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is one of the best watches for men, featuring an ultra-slim profile and a minimalist analog face. It is a great choice for men who prefer a simpler dress watch with no frills like sub-dials.
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- Lightweight and comfortable
- No batteries needed
- Water-resistant up to 50m
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- Face may be too big for some people
- May be harder to read indoors & not scratch-resistant
- The band could be better quality
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Unlike our first two picks, this battery-powered luxury watch carries a minimalist face with a simple sunray. Consider it a nice, unassuming dress watch slim enough to wear under your sleeve cuffs.Three dial hands capture the hour, minute, and second, which tick pretty smoothly. A fold-over push release also unlocks the bracelet very quickly, making it very easy to slip on and remove.
Although we like this watch’s 50m water resistance (great for bathing and swimming), its mineral glass dial window is not as scratch resistant as our first two picks. In case of any material or manufacturing defects, it also comes with a 2-year warranty, which matches most warranties on this list. Another stunning watch worth checking out is the German company A. Lange & Söhne’s Luxury Watch in White Gold with Deep Blue Dial. If you’re a die hard Apple fan, try one of the best apple watches instead.
#4 Gucci SYNC XXL Swiss Quartz Luxury Watch
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Award: MOST DURABLE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is one of the best men’s luxury watches, featuring a sapphire crystal dial window and a durable rubber band. It is a fine choice for people who plan on exposing it to constant wear and tear.
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- Great men’s luxury watch
- Scratch-resistant glass
- 2-year warranty
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- Watch face may be too small for some people
- Small date window
- No alarm
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Our favorite feature with this battery-powered luxury watch is its scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal dial window, which protects the dial. Its rubber band material feels pretty thick and holds well on your wrist, with a water resistance depth up to 50m. This makes it OK to wear while swimming or in the shower.
This luxury watch is sleek and high functionality, with a large 46mm stainless steel case and an analog display with Swiss quartz movement that is accurate to within 15 seconds a year. We also like its bright-colored markers and hands, which makes it easy to read the time. Be sure to do research before purchasing and see whether you’d prefer a Swiss quartz movement watch or mechanical movement watch, which has more moving parts. Speaking of Swiss, there’s many originally Swiss luxury brands that manufacture some stunning watches, such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Girard Perregaux, Patek Philippe, Bell & Ross, and Richard Mille. If you want more affordable and varied options, check out this list of best watches to compare.
#5 Vincero Luxury Men’s Kairos Luxury Watch
Award: EASIEST TO CUSTOMIZE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 42mm luxury watch comes with an interchangeable embossed calf leather strap and durable stainless steel casing. It is a great choice for people who want to change their straps frequently to match any dress style or occasion.
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- Durable calf leather
- Changeable leather straps
- Solid 2-year warranty
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- So-so water resistance (5 meters)
- Flimsy band
- Not scratch-resistant
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We really like this battery-powered luxury watch’s versatility. A band release back button allows users to swap different colored/styled bands to match their wardrobe. Leather bands feel very comfortable on the wrist and easily adjusted using a stainless steel closure.
This stainless steel watch comes with 316L stainless steel casing and a durable leather strap. It is also water resistant up to 5 meters deep. Note, this luxury watch uses a mineral glass dial window, which is not as scratch resistant as the sapphire crystal and Hardlex glass from previous picks. A 2-year warranty also covers in the event of any manufacturer defects. This watch will rival anything else you’d find at the best online watch store. Also, for any sports and rose gold fans, Patek Philippe has the 5711/1R Nautilus, which is a self-winding mechanical movement sports watch that embodies elegance and flair in a rose gold shade and others as well.
#6 TRIWA Falken Men’s Minimalist Luxury Watch
Award: BEST BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 38mm luxury watch comes in an ultra-slim profile (weighs only 1.76 ounces) and a smaller than average case size. It is a great choice for people with smaller than average wrists.
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- Lightest weight
- Durable leather band
- Good water resistance (50 meters)
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- No alarm
- Buckle closure not the most comfortable on skin
- Non-scratch resistant mineral glass
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Thanks to this battery powered luxury watch’s silver-plated watch hands, all markings are very easy to read. Unlike our #1 pick Tag Hauer Formula 1 and #2 pick Seiko Men’s SSC139 luxury watches with three sub-dials apiece, this one comes with a single 6 o’clock mini dial that measures seconds. Its Japanese quartz movement is also very accurate.
This luxury watch comes with a 316L stainless steel casing and a scratch-resistant mineral glass window, all good for a water resistance of 50 meters. Bonus points for being backed with a 2-year warranty which protects against any manufacturer defects for peace of mind. If you want something with a bit more tech, check here to find the best smartwatch.
How We Decided
In determining the best luxury watch to buy, we explored quartz vs. automatic movement, type of watch, strap quality, and durability. Quartz movement watches use a battery-powered oscillator to keep track of the time usually down to within an accuracy of +/- 15 seconds a month.
Automatics use wrist motion to activate the mainspring, or the watch’s “engine.” If you are all for accuracy, our #1 pick TAG Heuer Men’s ‘Formula 1’ Swiss Quartz Luxury Watch beats the pack.
The type of watch is very important. Our recommended picks fall into three categories – diving and dress watches. Diving watches are built to be submerged in deep waters, with water resistance as high as 200m. They usually carry a very durable construction with high bezels. Dress watches like our #3 pick Michael Kors Men’s Slim Runway Luxury Watch are much simpler, with thinner profiles and lack of dials and tachometers.
Strap quality should also be a consideration. The leather bands belonging to picks on our list are very durable and wear-resistant. Kudos to the Vincero Luxury Men’s Kairos Luxury Watch which allows for easy swapping of bands to match the occasion.
Lastly, durability is key. For our luxury watch brands list, we especially like mineral dial windows, known for its scratch-resistance.
Best Luxury Watch Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Diving vs. Dress Watches
Diving watches carry a more rugged construction with a 200m water resistance. Dress watches are suited for more formal occasions, designed with a much thinner profile and built to fit under your cuff. These are also generally lower priced, as they do not include frills like built-in tachometers to measure speed and sub dials for tracking seconds, minutes, and hours. - Strap Quality
We love leather and thick rubber, which is wear and tear-resistant. If they can be easily swapped like the Vincero Luxury Men’s Kairos Luxury Watch, even better. - Quartz vs. Automatic Movement
Quartz watches generally have a higher level of accuracy, known to be as accurate to within +/- 15 seconds a month using a battery-powered oscillator. They also generally tend to be cheaper. Automatic watches are powered using a person’s wrist, which activates a mainspring to work the timer. This makes it less accurate and more expensive to make. Choosing one is largely a matter of preference – style may beat accuracy and vice versa. - Glass
Our preference is for sapphire crystal glass windows, which have a strong hardness rating for scratch-resistance. Second is Hardlex, followed by mineral glass on the scale. For perspective, mineral glass ranks a 5 out of 10 on the MPHS Scale of Hardness, whereas sapphire crystal rates a 9 out of 10. Only diamonds are rated higher. - Waterproofing
We like waterproof watches rated up to 50m, which makes it hold up with light swimming and diving with no issues. This also practically eliminates showers and splashes from breaking it.
