A lot can happen in watches in a month. August saw notable releases by everything from small and budget-oriented brands to some of the most striking models of the year from the Swiss and Japanese big boys. Seiko once again had some of the standout drops, with several collections featuring stunning dials you won’t want to miss — several of which are U.S. special editions. On the budget end, there are playful Coke x Timex watches and G-Shock’s “CasiOak” watches in new colors, as well as with metal bezels. Find those, collabs between Oris and Hodinkee as well as Habring2 and Massena Lab and much more in the roundup below.
MVMT Blacktop 8 Year Anniversary Edition
CourtesyMVMT has come a very long way in its eight short years of existence. Round numbers might be more common for watch brand anniversaries, but this one is kind of justified by a cool design. You might simply see it as an interesting take on something like a “panda dial” motif, highlighting the chronograph subdials, but it in fact is based on a billiards 8 ball — and nearly the same diameter at a bold 47mm.
Price: $250
Hodinkee Logan Perlon Straps
HODINKEEPerlon is the king of cool, breathable summer straps. Hodinkee knows it and so does their editor Logan Baker for whom this newest strap is named (in the amusing tradition of calling straps after its employees). It’s of the high quality Hodinkee straps are known for, comes in ten solid colors and is affordable as any Perlon should be.
Price: $20
Raven Airfield Watch
CourtesyMicrobrand OG Raven’s latest watch brings a generally military feel with its aviation-inspired tool watch called the Airfield. With three dial variations and choices of three-hand only or day/date window variations, it features an automatic Seiko movement and a nice size at 40mm. It’s available now for pre-order at $100 off the final price of $700.
Price: $600
Tutima M2 Seven Seas S
CourtesyGerman brand Tutima’s M2 is one of the most distinctive and coolest chronograph tool watches around, and the company has built multiple collections around it. In its three-hand dive watch form as the M2 Seven Seas, it’s nominally smaller (by 2mm) and more wearable at 44mm that its larger cousin, and new versions introduce strikingly colorful dials with a smoked execution. Pretty cool, if you ask us.
Price: $1,900+
Marloe Solent
CourtesyScottish watch company Marloe caught our eye with an affordable, automatic Morar dive watch, and the nautical theme continues with their latest release, the Solent. The concept is based on sailing and each of the two variants features cool yellow highlights set against either black or white dials. They’re powered by the solid Miyota 9039 automatic movements and measure 42mm wide.
Price: $420
Casio G-Shock GA-2100 Watches
CourtesyThe “CasiOak” (’cause it’s a G-Shock with an octagonal bezel like the iconic Royal Oak) is one of the hottest watches of the last couple years. Variations of it have continued to flow and often sell out, the latest of which are (according to G-Central) three solid colorways of sandy tan, all white with a black dial and a purple one with an unfortunately legibility-impaired black-on-black dial and hands.
Price: $99
Mondaine EVO2 Automatic
CourtesyWhat could be more Swiss than the design of the clocks found in the nation’s train stations contained in wristwatch form and powered by a Swiss automatic movement? Mondaine has long made a range of these Official Swiss Railways watches, but the automatic version has now received refinements to its case in a new version that maintains the iconic Bauhaus dial that design fans are sure to love.
Price: $720
IWC Portofino 39
CourtesyLove the elegant profile of IWC’s dressy chronograph but prefer a small case size? Your day has come. The new IWC Portofino 39 is — you guessed it — 39mm in diameter, and comes in a steel case outfitted with either a black, green, or silver-plated dial. Paired to an alligator leather strap, each features an “up-down” chronograph layout with a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and a running seconds counter at 6 o’clock.
Price: $5,600
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Ti 230
CourtesyIf you can’t get your hands on a Royal Oak or a Nautilus, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato is cut from the same cloth. In celebrating their 230th anniversary, GP has released two new Laureato Absolute models in titanium: Available with either a blue or grey dial, the Laureato Absolute Ti 230 comes on the GP Rubber Alloy strap and features a crown encircled with a rubber ring. (The blue variant will be sold exclusively by watch retailer Wempe for one month in its ten boutiques.)
Price: $9,300
Suunto Core Alpha Stealth
CourtesyNeed some serious, stealthy military tech in a smartwatch? Look no further than the Suunto Core Alpha Stealth. It’s got a red light mode for night vision goggle compatibility (seriously!) and features altimeter, barometer and compass modes as well as weather insights. Paired to a textile strap, it notably does not feature geolocation such as GPS, so you don’t have to worry about compromising OPSEC. (Maybe get a different Suunto model if you’re a civilian, to be honest.)
Price: $299
Casio G-Shock GA2200
CourtesyYou know the drill: The GA2200 packs so much tech that you can barely believe the price. Carbon Core Guard case? Check. Double LED super illuminator? Check. 3-year battery? Check. 5 daily alarms plus world time plus interchangeable bands? Check, check, check. Get it in all black, black with a grey case and turquoise accents, or in a bright orange case with black and orange accents.
Price: $120-$130
Tracksmith x Wind Vintage Stopwatch Collection
CourtesyCoolest drop of the week, if you ask me. This specially curated collection from vintage watch dealer extraordinaire and iconic running brand Tracksmith features 11 vintage mechanical stopwatches from the mid-20th century. From relatively simple counters from obscure brands to mechanical marvels, such as a wild split seconds stopwatch signed Abercrombie & Fitch and made by Heuer, these midcentury marvels are sure to elicit joy in the horophile or track and field enthusiast. Each comes in a customized Wind Vintage x Tracksmith leather pouch.
Price: $190-$590
Timex x Coca-Cola Unity Collection
CourtesyTimex has partnered with Coca-Cola to mark 50 years since its famous 1971 commercial with the “I want to buy the world a Coke” song. Available soon, several new watches will feature appropriately rainbow and hippy-inspired Coca-Cola motifs, including a version of the digital T80 (shown), analog Timex Standard and the sporty Q Timex.
Price: ~$70+
Oris Big Crown ProPilot Okavango Air Rescue
CourtesyOne of Oris’s newest collaboration projects sees the brand partner with the charitable organization Okavango Air Rescue, which provides medical care by aircraft in Botswana. The limited-edition watch that highlights the mission and celebrates its 10-year anniversary is a version of Oris’s Big Crown Propilot model, featuring a green dial with a texture meant to reference grass in the Okavango Delta where the charity operates.
Price: $2,500
Bravur Grand Tour La Vuelta
CourtesySwedish microbrand Bravur recently began branching out from comparatively simpler watches into automatic chronographs with its Grand Tour series themed on cycling. The final model to be introduced in the limited collection is called La Vuelta, a 38.2mm chronograph with a colorful and contemporary feel and a Swiss automatic movement inside.
Price: $2,450
Oris x Hodinkee Divers Sixty-Five Caliber 400
CourtesyJust as Oris has been on a roll with limited editions and collabs, so has Hodinkee. Now the two have together released a special version of the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Caliber 400 featuring a khaki-colored dial and, of course, Oris’s Caliber 400 in-house automatic movement.
Price: $3,800
Luminox Commando Raider
CourtesyAlways tough, outd00r-ready and military in style, Luminox’s Commando series watches get a bright “Night Vision Green” treatment in the new Raider watches. Available on a black rubber strap or a green one to match the bezel, this is 46mm of pure, legible, functional, quartz badassery.
Price: $595
Berd Vay’e Galaxy Collection Sculptures
CourtesyThe horologically inspired Berd Vay’e makes art out of vintage watch components suspended in a type of high-quality acrylic called Lucite — kind of like bugs in amber. Many of their three-dimensional creations feature gears and general watch flotsam randomly or evenly suspended within different shapes, but the Galaxy collection groups them into planet-like orbs.
Price: On request
Marathon X J.Crew Pilot’s Navigator
CourtesyOutfitter of militaries Marathon Watch Company has teamed up with global apparel powerhouse J.Crew on a limited-edition collab version of its Pilot’s Navigator watch. It’s going to be a serious piece of gear built to survive active duty all while simultaneously sporting J.Crew’s signature sartorial style to match your polo shirt. With a quartz movement, it’s reasonably affordable, too.
Price: $380
Christoper Ward C60 #Tide
CourtesyPartnering with a company using reclaimed ocean plastic to create watch straps and more, British watchmaker Christopher Ward has introduced its latest dive watch to highlight its collection of sustainable straps made from the material. In the brand’s C60 collection, it features a cool wave-pattern on its semi-transparent dial with plenty of lume and, of course, an ocean plastic strap.
Price: $1,095
Seiko Prospex Seigaiha
CourtesySeiko has bombarded us with killer watch releases this week, like this killer trio of green Grand Seiko dress watches. On the sportier side are two new high-end automatic dive watches in the Prospex collection the brand together calls Seigaiha in reference to the familiar Japanese wave pattern that features on both dials, one in blue and the other in a burgundy red.
Price: $3,200+
Grand Seiko Heritage
CourtesyGrand Seiko’s announcements this week also included a pair of watches in its Heritage collection with dial featuring a texture inspired by wood grain. The SLGA008 model has an 18k rose gold case and a Spring Drive movement, while the reference SLGH007 is in platinum with a hi-beat automatic movement. Each is limited to 140 examples.
Price: $49,000 (SLGA008); $59,000 (SLGH007)
Casio G-Shock GM2100
CourtesyG-Shock’s GA2100 series is a bonafide phenomenon, regularly selling out and earning the nickname “CasiOak” thanks to its octagonal bezel that is reminiscent of the famous Royal Oak. Now it joins other popular series with the honor of a metal bezel in the GM2100 (with an “M” for metal) series. It comes in several colorways (mostly already sold out) already, and you can bet more will follow.
Price: $200-$220
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere UltraBlack
CourtesyMontblanc released a collection of products with a dark theme it’s calling UltraBlack. It includes a pen, headphones, bags and a mean-looking version of its 1858 Geosphere GMT/worldtime watch. Thankfully, they didn’t go the “blackout” route and rather seem to have maintained contrast and legibility. Only 858 examples will be produced.
Price: $6,900
Habring2 x Massena Lab Erwin Lab 03
CourtesyThe first watch to be officially chronometer certified by HSNY‘s exciting new program is a collaboration watch produced by Habring2 with design input from Massena Lab. Inside is one of the best-value in-house movements you’ll find, produced in Austria and featuring a “dead seconds” complication in which the seconds hand jumps like in a quartz watch despite being entirely mechanical. The beautiful guilloche dial is produced in Los Angeles by independent watchmaker J.N. Shapiro.
Price: $9,495
Nivada Antarctic Spider
CourtesyNot for arachnophobes, Nivada is bringing back the Antarctic Spider watch. It’s not inspired by Antarctic sea spiders, but rather lives in the brand’s Antarctic collection of dress-style but adventure-themed watches, and it might be the coolest version yet. It gets its name from the radial lines on its silver sunburst dial in combination with all vertically oriented indices — which may, at a glance, look like an arachnid clinging to your wrist. It features a Swiss automatic movement and will be available for preorder soon.
Price: $726