The best pocket watches for men are one of the most classic and dapper things that you could add to your jewelry collection. They add flair to any gentleman’s outfit, and the classic, timeless appearance makes you look like a total boss.
Everything from the embodied symbols on their covers to the style of their casings can tell you a lot about the person wearing them. The timeless elegance and flair of men’s pocket watches have made them among the most popular pieces of jewelry among men who like the ‘classy’ look.
10 Pocket Watches for Men that are Timeless Classics
Since their invention in the early 16th century, many brands have found new ways of tapping into this market by making unique, elegantly-styled men’s pocket watches of competitive prices. Unfortunately, only a few of these brands make quality pocket watches.
If you are looking to upgrade your collection or make your first purchase, read on as we review ten of the best men’s pocket watches on the market. The watches on this list will help you up your style with genuine articles and prove to the world how much of a boss you are.
1. Gotham Men’s Silver-Tone 17 Pocket Watch GWC14050S
Source: gothamwatch.com
A pocket watch should not just tell time. It should also make a statement with an allure of classic elegance and sophistication. That is precisely what you get with the Gotham Men’s Silver-Tone 17 Jewel Mechanical Double Cover Pocket Watch. Its elegant 17 jewel, silver polished, double cover design makes it a perfect timepiece for your collection and a great gift.
This timepiece is crafted from brass with a mineral glass dial window. Both its anterior and posterior covers unclutter to reveal a 17 jewel mechanical movement, so you not only get to show off its amazing looks but also get a chance to see what is going on under the hood.
Another cool feature on this pocket watch is the deluxe 15-inch curb link chain. The link chain comes with spring attachment so you can attach it to your belt loop and take your outfit to a whole other level.
Everything about this classic timepiece is fantastic, from its internal components the sport 17 jewels to its silver-tone double covers. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty from Gotham and a beautiful gift package with a polishing cloth, making it rank among the best pocket watch for guys.
2. Charles-Hubert Paris 3565 Stainless Steel Pocket Watch
Source: charleshubert.com
If you are a pocket watch lover, then you’ve definitely come across the name Charles-Hubert. Charles-Hubert is known for its timeless timepieces, which in some cases, are considered antiques. This men’s pocket watch from Charles-Hubert premium collection features an engravable stainless steel casing with a matching silver curb chain. The case houses a 17 jewel mechanical hand-wind movement design that is shock protected, so you don’t have to worry about damaging its internal components in case you drop it.
The elegant stainless steel casing is 14mm thick and has a diameter of 47mm, so it is small enough to fit into your pocket effortlessly and big enough for everybody to see when you hang it. This stylish pocket watch for guys comes with a limited lifetime warranty from Charles-Hubert that coves you against any mechanical defects.
3. Patek Philippe 973J Open-face Pocket Watch
Source: patek.com
Whether you are a pocket watch enthusiast, or just want to add a new watch to your collection, you should take a look at this pocket watch for guys from Patek Philippe. The Patek Philippe 973J Open-face Pocket Watch is covered in a gold case that also features a yellow-gold chain. It has a black lacquered dial with black roman numerals. In fact, the aesthetic appeal of this design is the first thing you’ll notice when you take a look at this front pocket watch for gentlemen.
Although it is not waterproof, the casing on this pocket watch is both humidity and dustproof, thus giving you optimum durability free from dust and moisture damage. Its simple design, along with its golden color makes it suitable for any gentleman out there who appreciates an elegant look without too much flair. It is one of the best pocket watches for men who prefer simple elegance.
4. Stührling Vintage 6053 Hand-wind 47mm Skeleton Pocket Watch
Source: stuhrling.com
Watching the internal mechanisms of a mechanical watch is deeply satisfying. Now, imagine if you had a pocket watch that allows you to see its internal components without having to open it up.
The Stührling Vintage 6053 Hand-wind 47mm Skeleton front Pocket Watch for gentlemen comes in a partially see-through design with Breguet-style hands and printed Roman numerals. That, along with its polished rounded bezel with a step design, gives it a combination of a techy yet classic look.
This pocket watch features a classic onion push/pull style crown along with Krystina crystals on its back and front. Its 19-jewel mechanical movement can work for up to 30 hours straight without requiring to be wound up again, making it super convenient for long, busy trips. It is also waterproof up to a depth of 30 meteres/100 feet, so you don’t have to worry about damaging it when you drop it in water or take a dip in the pool.
It also comes with a 12-inch stainless steel chain that you can attach to your coat or belt loop.
5. Tissot Savonnette Pocket Watch
Source: tissotwatches.com
If you are a fan of genuine Swiss craftsmanship, then you should check out this pocket watch from Tissot Savonnette. It has a pretty simple design, but what makes it stand out is its solid stainless steel construction. It also features a stainless steel curb chain that is also available in brass.
This simple front pocket watch for gentlemen has roman numerals on its face. That, along with a width of 48.5 inches and a thickness of only 10.2 inches, adds a bit of elegance to its simplicity. The quartz-powered movement gives you a very long usage time and eliminates the need to rewind it every time you want to use it, as in the case of mechanical watches.
Its dress watch style design makes it suitable for fancy occasions, and the fact that it is water-resistant up to a depth of 30 meters is a big plus.
6. IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition Pocket Watch
Source: iwc.com
If you are a fan of classic antique watches, you’d better check this one out. The IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition Pocket Watch is a tribute to the Pallweber edition stopwatch for their 150th anniversary. This pocket watch is a limited edition, with only 50 pieces ever built. It features an 18-carat gold case. Both the dial and display disks are white, with a lacquered finish.
Just like in the original model, the digital display windows are labeled as ‘hours’ and ‘minutes.’ However, several advancements were made to the original design, including the use of a separate wheel train with its own barrel on the display disks. This improvement ensures uninterrupted power supply to the main wheel train, thus guaranteeing precision and a 60-hour power reserve.
This pocket watch has a diameter of 52mm and a height of 14.2mm, making it big enough to stand up on your outfit while not making too much noise. The see-through sapphire back has a convex shape and an antireflective coating on both sides that facilitates a clear view from any angle. It is also water-resistant up to 3 bars, making it quite durable.
Its antique value and along with its classic elegant design makes it an excellent addition to your collection. It also looks pretty fancy so you can wear it on the most lavish occasions and still stand out.
7. Omega Olympic Pocket Watch 1932
Source: omegawatches.com
Yet another antique timepiece brought back to life. The Omega Olympic Pocket Watch brings back one of the most popular pocket watches of the 1930s, the 1932 pocket chronograph. Like our previous pick, this is a limited edition, with only 100 pieces made, so you’d better buy yours soon before they run out of stock.
It is made of an 18-carat white gold cover with a white dial that has a small seconds’ dial, a central chronograph hand, a 30-minute recorder, and a split-seconds hand. When you take a look at its back cover, you will notice that it is stamped with a five-ring logo of the Olympic games the back cover opens up to reveal the OMEGA 3889 mechanical caliber.
The high-performance mechanical winding mechanism can power the pocket watch for up to 32 hours. It also comes with a 5-year warranty that covers any damage or mechanical defect.
8. Gotham Men’s Silver-Tone Mechanical Pocket Watch with Built-In Stand GWC14055SB
Source: gothamwatch.com
Now let’s take a break from the classics and get back to our modern-day, elegant pocket watches. The Gotham GWC14055SB shares a lot of similarities with the Gotham GWC14050S.
It features a highly polished silver brass case with an in-built stand, an open center that reveals a 17 jewel mechanical movement, a black textured dial with black Roman numerals, and front and back scratch-resistant mineral crystals. It also has a deluxe 15-inch curb link chain with a spring-ring and blue cobalt hands. Its wide case diameter of 51mm reveals its beautiful design and makes the display easier to read.
Like all Gotham, premium pocket watches, this model comes in a stylish gift package and a limited lifetime warranty. It also comes with a cleaning cloth to help you keep your pocket watch clean and shiny.
9. Patek Philippe 980G Hunter-case Pocket Watch
Source: patek.com
When it comes to pocket watches for guys, Patek Philippe is one of the most trusted brands for premium, high-quality products. They are known for their high-end watchmaking artistry, and the aesthetic finesse of their products remains a source of fascination, even after many decades in operation. This pocket watch is powered by a wound mechanical movement. The dial design is pretty impressive, too, with silvery opaline with golden Breguet style minerals.
The outer casing is made of white gold with a detachable white gold chain. The 48mm wide casing is dustproof, so the internal components of this pocket watch don’t get damaged, even if you spend most of your time in dusty environments.
10. Stührling Consul 979 Automatic 48mm Skeleton
Source: stuhrling.com
This watches design screams elegance and flair. The beautiful engravings on the front cover, along with the skeletonized display, blend in perfectly to create this masterpiece. The 48mm wide case houses a display that features printed Arabic markers and Fleur De Lys hands. These two come together to create a beautiful and unique design that is sure to wow anyone looking at your watch.
Like the other pocket watches on our list, this one also comes with a 12-inch link chain with a belt hook for easier use.
What are the best pocket watch brands?
In the pocket watch industry, some of the best brands have been in operation for decades and have vast experience in pocket watch craftsmanship.
Some of the best brands to look out for are:
- Patek Philippe
- Vacheron Constantin
- Lange & Söhne
- Rolex
- Audemars Piguet
All the brands that we have listed above produce premium quality men’s pocket watches made of the best materials. Unfortunately, you might need to dig a little deeper into your pockets for some of them.
Do they still make men’s pocket watches?
Pocket watches were invented in the 16th century, and their popularity grew tremendously, especially in Europe and Paris. The invention of wristwatches caused a significant decrease in pocket watch demand, causing some of the companies to switch to manufacturing wristwatches instead.
However, there are still many brands out there manufacturing men’s pocket watches. Not much has changed in terms of their design. They still make them in classic elegant designs. In fact, you might even mistake a modern model to an antique model due to the vast similarity between the two.
Are pocket watches valuable?
When you compare the value of modern pocket watches to older models, you realize that the older models often cost more. This is because older models were handcrafted from silver and gold and lined with precious gemstones.
On the other hand, most modern pockets are made on a production line, which significantly reduces the cost of manufacturing. Material-wise, higher-end modern pocket watches are made from expensive materials like gold, silver, and brass.
The value of a pocket watch is determined by its materials, craftsmanship, and antique value. If you want to invest in a pocket watch, it is advisable to go for an antique model since their value appreciates.
How long does a pocket watch last?
Mechanical pocket watches are made in such a way that they last over 24 hours on a single full wind of the mainspring. Some of the best pocket watches for men models last over 30 hours. However, if your watch has a damaged or worn out mainspring, it may not last as long.
Some modern pocket watches also run on batteries and have a lifetime of a few years before the battery needs replacement.
What should I look for when buying a pocket watch?
1. Case material
The best pocket watches for men are mostly made of gold, aluminum, silver, titanium, stainless steel, or brass. You could go with any of these materials, and your watch would still be good.
However, since you are investing in a pricey item, and I imagine you’d want it to last long, it is best to go with high-quality, durable materials like stainless steel and titanium. These types of materials can withstand rigorous use and don’t get scratched easily.
2. Watch crystal/lens/window
Pocket watch lenses usually come in three types.
- Mineral glass
- Acrylic
- Sapphire crystal
Sapphire crystal is found in the best pocket watches for men. It is the hardest of the three and can resist moderate accidental damage, scratches, and scuffs.
Mineral glass is not as expensive as sapphire crystal and is therefore found in moderately priced pocket watches. Although not as hard as sapphire crystal, mineral glass can also resist scratches and scuffs, but it can break if the watch is dropped too hard.
Acrylic is by far the worst choice when it comes to pocket watch lenses. It gets scratches easily and also has the highest chance of breakage in case the watch is dropped. It is found on the cheapest but best pocket watches for men.
3. Open face vs. closed case (hunter face)
Pocket watches come in two different types: open face and closed face.
Open face pocket watches lack a protective cover over the crystal. This makes it much easier and quicker to check the time since you don’t have to open it. However, they come with a disadvantage in that the crystal is more exposed and more prone to damage.
Closed case (hunter case) pocket watches have a protective cover over the crystal and must be opened to read the time. They come in two types:
- Full case
- Half center
Full case pocket watches have covers on both the front and back. They, therefore, protect both the crystal and the gear access on the back. On the other hand, half-center pocket watches feature a cut-out window that enables you to read the time without opening the case entirely.
Ready to get your own pocket watch?
Pocket watches have been around for centuries, and they will continue to be by the look of things. They blend in well with any gentleman’s attire and add a bit of flair and elegance to the outfit.
In the article, we have reviewed ten of the best pocket watches for men. We have featured some of the best brands on the market, so you are assured of quality. We have also mixed up the older, antique models with modern designs to give you a measure of comparison and abundance of choices.
If you had any questions regarding the best pocket watches for me while reading the article, we hope that we have answered them towards the end of the guide. You can, however, contact us if you have any further questions.
