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(Inga Hendrickson)

The Best Watches of 2020

Timepieces that check all the boxes

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Nixon Yellow Jacket Patrol ($250)

watches
(Courtesy Nixon)

Nixon’s new Yellow Jacket line nicely blends ruggedness with striking design. In the scaled-down Patrol, the company pushes back against its often oversize, overbuilt instincts with an attractive, restrained 100-meter-­water-resistant watch.

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Shinola The Duck (from $650)

watches
(Courtesy Shinola)

Detroit-based Shinola has made its best-looking watch in years. The surfer-vibe Duck boasts 200-meter water resistance, a burly steel case, and a dependable Argonite 713 quartz movement. It comes in four styles, each with bright Super-LumiNova markers.

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Bertucci A-4T Super Yankee Illuminated ($445)

watches
(Courtesy Bertucci)

For years, Bertucci has nailed the field-watch concept: simple, lightweight, tough. A new Swiss-made, lithium-powered, gold-­plated jeweled movement provides superior ­accuracy; the 44-milimeter titanium unibody design is much burlier than it looks; and water resistance to 200 meters doubles that of its other models.

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Bia Rosie Dive ($175)

watches
(Courtesy Bia)

Bia, a new marque from California ­watchmaker Time Concepts, designs with active women in mind, rather than simply downsizing men’s versions. The quartz Rosie Dive is tough, colorful, and water-resistant to 200 meters. Ten minutes of light exposure is enough to keep the illumination bright for ten hours.

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Aquadive Bathysphere 100 GMT ($1,990)

watches
(Courtesy Aquadive)

Serious scuba enthusiasts should consider splurging for a purpose-built automatic dive watch like this one. To begin with, it’s rated to 1,000 meters. For a model so thin—­machined from German 316L surgical stainless steel—that’s an impressive feat. Plus, the timing ring on the bezel could be a lifesaver if your dive computer falters.

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Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium ($775)

watches
(Courtesy Tissot)

Based on a 1960s design, the classic Gentleman is a handsome luxury automatic at a price below its competitors. Featuring 100-meter water resistance, along with ­burnished steel on the case and bracelet, it’s that rare piece you can wear convincingly with a suit or boardshorts.

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From Summer 2020 Buyer’s Guide Lead Photo: Inga Hendrickson

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