The Best Watches of 2019

Published May 16, 2019 12:00AM

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Automatic Blue Rubber ($1,095)

In the 1950s, Zodiac was one of the first companies to make a purpose-built diving watch. The Super Sea Wolf hearkens back to the original with its distinctive bezel markings and dial script. The colors stand out in ocean murk, and the timing ring helps ensure you don’t stay down too long.

Bremont Supermarine Type 300 ($4,095)

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more precise timepiece. This British diving watch has a mechanical movement that’s 99.994 percent accurate over 24 hours. Its self-winding motor is housed in a stainless-steel case that’s rated down to 300 meters and, like the Zodiac, features a timing ring for clocking dives or just a parking meter.

Nixon Ascender Sport ($200)

A moon-phase display and a date ring are frivolities on the slim dress timepieces they often adorn. But they make sense on the Ascender Sport, a rugged watch with a burly rubber strap and murdered-out steel case that’s water-resistant to 100 meters.

Luminox Atacama Field Automatic 1907.NF ($890)

Luminox made its name on the 24-hour visibility of its watch faces, courtesy of tiny tubes filled with glowing tritium gas. Despite the tech, the Atacama Field looks like a classic military timekeeper, with an olive drab textile strap, 200-meter water resistance, and a self-winding mechanical movement.

Citizen Promaster Tsuno Chronograph Racer ($795)

Modern timepieces needn’t be digital. This one draws inspiration from a 1973 Citizen, but it’s altogether 21st century, with solar charging, a 12-hour stopwatch, and an alarm. The leather strap’s red stitching hints at the Tsuno’s racing heritage.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Professional Diver Titanium ($750)

Victorinox tortures the watches in its I.N.O.X. line with 130 different tests, like exposing them to extreme temperatures and running them over with a tank. As a result, the Professional Diver is the toughest timepiece here. The paracord strap can be unfurled for use in an emergency, and the hypoallergenic, corrosion-resistant titanium case is waterproof to 200 meters.