Practically speaking, most folks don’t have much use for tool watches. At least, not when it comes to their original intended purposes. How many people do you know diving to the depths of the oceans, flying experimental aircrafts or timing laps in a racecar?
And yet, as watch enthusiasts, we still pine for purpose-built timepieces that were created in the crucible of adventure. We want watches that can be put through the wringer, even if said wringer is nowhere near where we hang our hat each day.
Then again, you can use a dive bezel to time your laundry, track a workout with a chronograph or use a slide-rule bezel to figure out what tip to leave your server at a restaurant. And you might just feel a little more interesting for doing so.
Below, you’ll find some of the best new tool watches that have been released this year. So have a look and maybe you’ll discover your next adventure partner (or laundry partner, no judgment).
CitizenSponsored Product
Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T
The Promaster Skyhawk A-T, available in an exclusive rose gold and black colorway, is the latest to join the Promaster Air category.
FortisFortis Novonaut AMADEE-24
Fortis has a decades-long history as a space-faring watch brand (its Cosmonaut Chronograph was the Omega Speedmaster equivalent for Russia’s NASA counterpart, Roscosmos), so it makes perfect sense the company would release a watch destined for Mars. This tough chrono features a unique communications delay bezel for timing those long transmissions to and from the red planet, and its in-house automatic movement has literally been tested in space to ensure it’s up to the task of interplanetary travel.
RolexRolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR
A more demure GMT-Master II, the GRNR swaps out the bright colors of its brethren for a subdued black and gray Cerachrom bezel, while its green dial text and GMT hand recall Rolex’s original all-black ceramic GMT from two decades ago.
MINGMING 37.09 Bluefin
MING has never made a typical watch, so it makes sense that the Malaysian brand’s take on a dive watch would be just as out there as the rest of its lineup. Instead of featuring a traditional dive bezel, the 37.09 Bluefin has its timing scale printed on the dial itself, while the indices remain stationary as a Hyceram luminous ring on the underside of the sapphire crystal. Turn the crown at 4 o’clock and the entire dial rotates, giving you a unique (and very cool) way to track your dive.
Ulysse NardinUlysse Nardin Diver Net OPS
One of the most extreme military-style divers around, Ulysse Nardin’s rugged Diver Net OPS also happens to be the “most sustainable sports watch with a manufacture movement on the market” thanks to a case made from a mix of 95-percent recycled steel, upcycled fishing nets and Carbonium, UN’s proprietary carbon fiber composite made from airplane manufacturing scraps. That’s right, this dive watch contains airplane parts.
Bell & RossBell & Ross BR 03 Diver
Bell & Ross’s revamped square-cased dive watch gets a ceramic insert, a more legible dial, a more streamlined rubber strap and an improved automatic movement to become a seriously compelling option for anyone looking for an unorthodox diver.
LuminoxLuminox Pacific Diver Automatic
The first automatic version in Luminox’s Pacific Diver series is a legitimate entry-level luxury contender thanks to a ceramic bezel insert, a Sellita movement, 200m of water resistance and tritium-powered Luminox Light Technology. It has to be considered one of the most competitive entries in the sub-$1,500 dive watch market.
DoxaDoxa Sub 200T
A scaled-down version of the iconic Doxa Sub 300 dive watch, the Sub 200T is svelte, thin and compact, offering up Doxa’s signature unique and brash styling to a wider variety of wrists.
SeikoSeiko Marinemaster SLA079
Following up the rebirth of the Marinemaster name as a smaller, leaner dive watch last year, Seiko returns the cult classic to its roots by bringing us a bigger and badder Marinemaster in 2024. This year’s version clocks in at 42.6mm across and once again boasts a 300-meter depth rating.
Christopher WardChristopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite
Four years after becoming the first brand to produce a true Super Compressor dive watch case in 50 years, Christopher Ward has launched a new Super Compressor that brings in another forgotten dive watch feature of yesteryear: a colorful decompression timer dial. The “Elite” watch also gets a new COSC-certified movement for good measure.
ZenithGP100 Winner
Zenith Defy Revival A3648
A faithful remake of one of Zenith’s very first dive watches from 1969, the Revival A3648 maintains the original’s overall design, 37mm case size and even its robust 600m water resistance, but sees some upgrades in the form of a trio of sapphire crystals and modern luxury-level finishing.
MontblancMontblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810
The first dive watch imbued with Montblanc’s 0 Oxygen technology, this Iced Sea has had all oxygen from within the watch to improve performance in extreme environments. That’s a good thing, since it’s water resistant to 4,810m — the inverted height of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.
RolexGP100 WINNER
Rolex Deepsea Yellow Gold
Rolex kicked off the debut of the Deepsea as its own standalone line with this beast of watch. It features a bracelet and case made from 18-karat gold, with the caseback and helium escape valve in titanium to withstand the pressures associated with its 3,900m depth rating.
PaneraiGP100 Winner
Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID
A breakthrough innovation in the world of mechanical watches, Panerai’s 500m-capable dive watch in the brand’s new Ti-Ceramitech material (a fusion of titanium and ceramic) features a tiny generator inside its movement that transforms stored mechanical energy into electrical light, giving you lasting ultra-bright illumination at the press of a button without the use of a battery or traditional electronics.
OrisOris Aquis Date Calibre 400
Oris’s latest version of it flagship dive watch features a thinner case, a color-matched date wheel and the in-house Calibre 400 movement with its 5-day power reserve and 10-year warranty.
The James Brand x TimexGP100 Winnwe
Timex x The James Brand x Titanium GMT
In a seriously impressive collab that basically no one saw coming, Timex and The James Brand teamed up to bring us one of the best affordable GMTs on the market. With a titanium case and bracelet, sapphire sandwich construction, 200m water resistance, Super-LumiNova lume and a “true” GMT automatic movement, this sharp-looking watch fills out a spec sheet like nothing else in its price bracket.
TAG HeuerTAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date
TAG Heuer has spent the past few generations adding more refinements to its flagship diver, and this year it may have finally perfected it. The latest and greatest Aquaracer is now fully competitive against its luxury dive watch brethren thanks to an engraved wave dial, a smaller case, better finishing throughout and a new COSC-certified manufacture movement with an 80-hour power reserve.
LonginesGP100 Winner
Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium
Longines updated its already great Spirit Zulu Time 39 with a version made of Grade 5 titanium, making the watch lighter and more premium-feeling than ever. The new GMT also marks the debut of a bi-color ceramic bezel insert for the Zulu Time, adding another luxurious touch. With these upgrades, Longines’ latest travel watch feels destined to duke it out with Tudor’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight GMT for the title of Best GMT of the Year.
HamiltonHamilton Khaki Field Quartz
Hamilton vastly improved the most affordable version of its iconic field watch while also somehow making it cheaper. Available in two smaller sizes — crowd-pleasing 38mm or historically accurate 33mm — the new Khaki Field Quartz also gets a cleaned-up dial with a slight retro vibe thanks to the ’80s-inspired “Khaki” logo at 6 o’clock.
ZenithZenith Defy Extreme Diver
Zenith’s first dive watch in 20 years is thoroughly modern and highly impressive. The watch features a quick-release bracelet system (it comes with a bracelet and two straps), a snappy bezel is crafted entirely from ceramic — no insert here — and it’s one of the only dive watches powered by a high-beat automatic movement.
TudorGP100 Winner
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight GMT
The Black Bay 58 GMT is compact and thin, loaded with features like the quick-adjust T-fit clasp on both the bracelet and rubber strap options, and boasts METAS certification as a Master Chronometer.
Christopher WardGP100 Winner
Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière
Christopher Ward has come up with an unexpected version of its flagship Trident dive watch that’s unlike anything we’ve seen from the brand before … or any brand, really. The new diver is CW’s lightest and thinnest yet, with a Grade 2 titanium case and bracelet. The 41mm case measures just 10.85mm thin, while the new bracelet boasts a 6.5mm taper and an improved push-button micro-adjust clasp. Under the hood is a COSC-certified Sellita SW300 automatic movement, while the case gets a new helium escape valve and a fully-lumed ceramic bezel. But the real star of the show is the dial. All of the indices, the logo, and most of the handset are made from Globolight; solid blocks of ceramic lume usually seen on higher-end watch brands like Moser. CW says the lume glows twice as brightly as any other Trident, and since the standard Trident 300 was already one of the brightest divers around, that’s saying something.
OmegaGP100 Winner
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional White
A clean twist on the classic Moonwatch, this version of Omega’s “Sapphire Sandwich” swaps out the printed matte black dial for a lacquered white dial with applied black indices and red accents.
BlancpainGP100 WINNER
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm
After nearly two decades of only being available as a 45mm behemoth in Blancpain’s permanent collection, the brand released a smaller 42mm version of its flagship Fifty Fathoms Automatique in a more wearable 42mm size. Available in red gold or ultra-tough Grade 23 titanium, the more compact version of the iconic diver is still powered by the impressive in-house Cal. 1315 movement with its five-day power reserve.
BreitlingBreitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter
To celebrate 25 years since the first non-stop balloon trip around the world, Breitling released this special version of the Aerospace. The titanium, orange-dial watch not only features the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo on the dial but also includes a piece of the actual balloon itself, visible behind a sapphire caseback.
SeikoSeiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch SPB453
A 2024 update to Seiko’s popular 2020 line of 1965-inspired dive watches, the SPB453 and its stablemates the SPB451 and SPB455 have smaller, thinner cases, higher water resistance and an increased power reserve over their predecessors.
CertinaCertina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80
An update to Certina’s previous Powermatic 80-powered GMT, this version — which comes in Pepsi and two-tone variants in addition to the black and green — features a smaller and more wearable case size, a more traditional GMT design and an external sapphire bezel.
LuminoxLuminox Atacama Field 1960 Series
Inspired by the field watches of the mid-century but modernized for today’s expectations, this rugged field watch features an oversized case crafted from Luminox’s lightweight but tough Carbonox material, always-on tritium gas tube luminescence and a sand-textured dial inspired by its eponymous desert.
TimexTimex Q Timex Reissue 1971 Velocity
Timex continues to mine its 1970s past to great effect via its popular Q line. The Velocity is a modern reissue of a very sporty 1971 Timex, complete with a timing bezel and a motorsports-inspired checkered flag motif on the dial to go along with the bold burnt-orange seconds hand.
Nodus x RavenNodus x Raven TrailTrekker
A collab between two American microbrands, the TrailTrekker features a mix of DLC and Cerakote coatings for added durability and is powered by an automatic traveler-style GMT movment.
MidoMido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition
Following up on its 2022 collab with Hodinkee, Mido released its own non-limited, 40mm GMT version of the Ocean Star GMT. It’s powered by the same 80-hour, traveler GMT ETA movement as the Hodinkee version but features different styling cues, a striking blue color, and it comes on a more traditional bracelet.
Ollech & WajsOllech & Wajs Rallychron
Conceived as a tribute to the Golden Era of motorsports and loosely based on Ollech & Wajs’s own racing chronos and rally timers from the 1960s and ’70s, this retro automatic chronograph features tributes to some of the world’s most iconic racetracks on its black PVD-coated bezel.
FratelloRZE × Fratello Resolute Pro Contour
Titanium tool watch maker RZE linked up with Dutch watch publication Fratello for this inspired take on its Resolute Pro. Like all RZE watches, it’s crafted from titanium with a proprietary anti-scratch coating called UltraHex, but the topography-like dial made from forged carbon is exclusive to this edition.
YemaYema Flygraf Flieger French Air Force
Developed in collaboration with the French Air and Space Force, this pilot’s watch is a modern interpretation of the classic Flieger watches of the 1940s. With a titanium case and an in-house automatic movement, the watch offers a lot of value for the money — but that perfectly incorporated date window might be our favorite feature.
RevolutionSinn x Revolution 155 S Bright Star Tegiment
Sinn and watch magazine Revolution came together for this ultra-tough take on the classic 155 pilot’s chronograph. For the first time ever, the watch has been rendered in an all-black finish and given a sapphire crystal. It’s also crafted from Sinn’s super-hard Tegimented steel for incredible durability.
BalticBaltic Hermétique Glacier
A limited edition of Baltic’s ultra-classy Hermétique field watch, the Glacier edition — available in both white and black — features an undulating, textured dial inspired by glacial ice.
SeikoSeiko Astron GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph
Powered by Seiko’s caliber 5X83, this watch is packed to the gills with tech. It’s Seiko’s first GPS solar watch to feature both chronograph and dual-time functions, and the brand says it’s the highest-performing Astron caliber ever. The rest of the watch is impressive as well, combining a sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel with a titanium case and bracelet.
Tornek-RayvilleTornek-Rayville Type 7B “Blakjak”
Tornek-Rayville’s reimagining of an obscure military-issue watch from the mid-’90s swaps the original’s quartz movement for an automatic, trades the tritium lume for Super-LumiNova and upgrades the mineral crystal to sapphire, but otherwise maintains its ancestor’s utilitarian design and bulletproof build.
SinnSinn 103 Classic 12 H
The previous record holder for “best-looking Sinn ever” was the 103 Classic 12, a reverse panda chrono released as a limited edition back in 2021. But a new challenger for the crown has emerged in this new rendition of the same watch, now outfitted in a ’70s-inspired brown, cream and orange colorway as part of a collab with German watch magazine Armbanduhren.
BremontBremont Bamford Aurora
Bamford and Bremont joined forces for this striking GMT based on the latter’s Supermarine GMT. Inspired by the Northern Lights, the watch has an ethereal glow thanks to generous helpings of bright-green emitting Super-LumiNova on the hands, sandwich dial and 24-hour sapphire bezel.
YemaYema Superman Slim CMM.20
Powered by Yema’s in-house CMM.20 micro-rotor automatic calibre, the Superman Slim is the only affordable dive watch on the market with this movement type — making it ideal for those looking to stand out from the crowd.
TissotTissot PR516 Mechanical
A modern reissue of a Tissot chronograph from 1970, the PR516 is a rare, Swiss-made, hand-wound chronograph for under $2,000. It combines retro styling with impressive water resistance, a dual-function (and dual-color) tachymeter/pulsometer bezel and pleasantly restrained dimensions of 41mm across and 13.7mm thick.
NorqainNorqain Adventure Sport Chrono 44 Limited Edition
This limited-edition version of Norqain’s Adventure Sport Chrono puts a colorful spin on the trademark Norqain pattern dial, coloring it a bright cerulean blue with a color-matched date wheel and adding black subdials to match the black DLC stainless steel case. The use of a Sellita-based movement in place of one of Norqain’s manufacture calibers also makes the watch more affordable than you might think.
ZenithZenith El Primero Chronomaster Sport Titanium
Another twist on Zenith’s bestselling Chronomaster Sport platform, this version sees the sporting chronograph get a case and bracelet made from matte titanium for a low-key and lightweight style.
SinnSinn U50 S L
For this special limited version of Sinn’s U50 dive watch, the German brand paired a black PVD Tegimented German submarine steel case with a fully-lumed dial. But since this is Sinn, the dial is more over-engineered than you think. Rather than using typical luminous paint, the lume was forged into a ceramic disc which was then fused onto the metal base dial, resulting in bonkers luminosity.
UnimaticUnimatic Modello Cinque
After first releasing a version of the Modello Cinque as a limited edition collab with Massena Lab, Unimatic released the 36mm dive-capable field watch on its own in two colorways. But, in typical Unimatic fashion, both are still limited editions.
TAG HeuerTAG Heuer Carrera Dato
TAG Heuer’s back catalog is filled with quirky vintage favorites from Heuer’s mid-century heyday, and we’ve already seen the brand resurrect some recently — like the Skipper — to great acclaim through the retro-modern Glassbox platform introduced last year. Now comes the Dato, which combines a Destro date window with a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock for a unique layout. The teal dial brings it all together in gorgeous fashion.
OmegaOmega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8
The Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 Edition is a complete revamp of the original version that was released in 2018 for the 50th anniversary of the titular NASA mission. The 2024 iteration features a far more detailed image of the moon on both the front and back sides of the skeletonized movement, and the movement itself has been upgraded from the Calibre 1869 to the Calibre 3869. Both are manual wind chronographs, but the latter is a Co-Axial Master Chronometer, bringing the DSOTM more in line with other modern Omegas. Also, as a fun touch, the running seconds hand at 9 o’clock is now crafted from titanium in the shape of a Saturn V rocket like the one used on the Apollo missions.
CitizenCitizen Promaster Air GMT
Citizen knows it has a winner on its hands with its in-house Miyota 9075/9054 “true” GMT movements, which is why the Japanese brand keeps coming out with more and more watches using the bargain-priced premium engine. The Promaster Air GMT combines Citizen’s trademark knack for creating big, functional pilot’s watches with the 9054 (the el to create a do-it-all flyer … slide-rule bezel included.
HuckberryTimex x Huckberry Titanium Automatic Field Watch
A good-looking, easy-wearing field watch with a lightweight titanium case, a bulletproof automatic movement from Miyota and a dive watch-esque 200m water resistance? All for under $400? This may be the best collab Timex and Huckberry have ever come up with.
OrisOris Big Crown Pointer Date Father Time Limited Edition
Oris loves its baseball collabs, like its Hank Aaron edition or the ever-popular Roberto Clemente version, but for this watch, the independent Swiss brand teamed up with baseball’s cousin from across the pond for a cricket-themed version. The Father Time Limited Edition is a collab with London’s Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is themed after the club’s Father Time weathervane, a fixture at MCC’s home at Lord’s Cricket Ground for nearly a century. The fully bronze watch features an image of the weathervane on the caseback and includes both a matching bronze bracelet and Cervo Volante leather strap.
TAG HeuerTAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph 34
TAG Heuer’s solar-powered Aquaracer Solargraph diver has been a big hit for the brand since making its debut in 2022, and in 2024 the brand has expanded the line to be more inclusive with a 34mm version. A true unisex dive watch, the smaller size is more than a scaled-down version of the original. It has a different bezel featuring throwback rider tabs that recall some 40-year-old TAGs, along with unique dial designs like the mesmerizing textured “Polar Blue” seen here.
BulovaBulova Lunar Pilot Meteorite
Bulova’s Lunar Pilot is based on a 1971 prototype from the brand that actually went to the moon, making it a great budget alternative to the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch from both a stylistic and historical perspective. This 43.5mm premium version includes upgrades in the form of a lightweight titanium case and a dial made from a slab of meteorite.
BremontBremont x Argylle Jet
Inspired by and featured in the 2024 spy film Argylle, the Jet is based on Bremont’s U-2 pilot’s watch — a beast of a piece featuring the brand’s tough Trip-Tick case and dual-crown setup. This version also boasts black DLC coating and an argyle pattern on the dial to go along with the similarly-titled film.
ShinolaShinola Ceramic Monster Automatic
Shinola continues to increasingly churn out watches that appeal not just to its core fashion-oriented customers but to watch enthusiasts as well. Take this ceramic version of the Monster Automatic, a Sellita SW200-powered dive watch featuring a steel case plated in black ceramic. It’s a similarly innovative setup to what we saw with Zodiac’s Sea Wolf Ceramic — one of our picks for the best watches of 2023 — and allows the watch to come in at a price lower than a full ceramic version would.
