The term ‘sports watches’ no longer just describes a sporty looking timepiece you’ll flex on your wrist, but won’t go near any kind of gym equipment or body of water with in fear of damaging it. Sports watches are increasingly made for sports and meant to be worn while you’re making those gains (as Rafa Nadal can attest).
But trust us, you don’t need to go for a smartwatch. “Wearing a nice sports watch instead of a smart watch to the gym can provide a significant boost in morale during a workout,” says Matthew Catellier, founder of WatchReviewBlog. “Instead of a rather characterless watch on your wrist, you can have something refined and with personality to motivate you when checking the time between reps.” And, your sports watch won’t bother you with texts or calls.
Catellier says he takes a fairly pragmatic approach when it comes to wearing a watch during exercise. “I generally lean towards something that’s robust, comfortable, and feature-filled.”
Here are our favourite sporty flexes right now.
A trusty G is a must-have, and no, it doesn’t have to be chunky. “This is a watch with an extremely robust resin case, easy-to-operate timing functions and very light overall,” says Catellier. “It also happens to have one of the smaller and slimmer case sizes from the Casio G-Shock lineup, making it exceptionally comfortable for any kind of activity.” £135. At g-shock.co.uk
An iconic watch for good reason. “And part of that reason is due to its ‘do it all’ capabilities; a workout session or quick game of water sports will not faze it. The blue parachrom hairspring within the movement allows for great shock resistance, which is a nice bonus. The timing bezel is also an additional feature that can be useful during a workout,” says Catellier. £14,200. At watches-of-switzerland.co.uk
“Doxa is a relatively niche watch brand but well known to watch enthusiasts,” says Catellier. “The Sub 200 on a rubber strap is a fantastic active wear watch with some heritage design flare. It happens to be one of the most well built and meticulously crafted watches I’ve handled at its accessible price point — it would make an ideal gym watch that doubles as a connoisseurs’ statement piece.” £1,050. At doxawatches.com
Be the avant-garde one on the tennis court, if you have the budget. We might not immediately think of hitting a tennis ball with a $125,000 timepiece (according to Hodinkee) from Swiss independent brand DeBethune, but Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula certainly do it as brand ambassadors. The model is sweat and shock resistant (it’s apparently ‘torture-tested’, OK), and with such limited numbers produced, we’ll just take their word for it. POA. At debethune.ch
Just imagine glancing at a tourbillon on your wrist when you’re on the court or waiting for the chest press machine. “When I think of sports watches, what comes to mind is Richard Mille and Rafael Nadal,” says Jackie Ho, founder of the watch club Watch Ho & Co. All of Richard Mille’s Rafael Nadal pieces are designed to withstand tremendous shocks, including the new super-lightweight model he flexed at this year’s French Open. POA. At richardmille.com
“This is a newish brand, about a year old,” says Ho about his recommendation from Singapore-based Atelier Holgur. Its signature model is the Frømand (“frogman” in Danish), a stylish jet black dive watch. For under £10k, you get a versatile titanium timepiece featuring a skeletonised movement by Swiss luxury brand Schwartz Etienne. Indie and sporty, with a luxe touch. CHF9,850. At atelier-holgur.com
This will take you from the trails to the club. “When I’m going running or hiking, I wear this,” says Ho, “and also to go clubbing.” The design, created in collaboration with SJX Watches, is based on a model from 1969 with a poker chip-like pattern. “The case is made of sandblasted titanium, it’s great size and the whole strap lights up with lume,” which can indeed come handy at the club. £8,300. At zenith-watches.com
A fresh new look for this fun and inexpensive favourite among watch collectors. Launched in 1963, it was Japan’s first automatic day-date timepiece, and was super popular at the time thanks to its shock and water resistance — and it still is. The revamped Seiko Sports 5 models recently launched are giving Rolex Explorer vibes, and the good thing is, you probably won’t have to be on a waiting list. From £250. At seikoboutique.co.uk
We love when a watch comes with a bit of a story. The Tudor Pelagos FXD was developed for the Marine Nationale (French Navy), and the titanium case and fabric strap make this dive watch super lightweight. While it’s designed for underwater navigation, it’s so light and comfortable that it’s the kind of watch you’ll wear all summer. And bonus: people are going mad for its lume. £3,590. At tudorwatch.com
This one is both suitable for working out and a dressed up evening. The prototypical racing chronograph design screams sports, but its timelessness makes it super elegant for a night out. Whether or not you use its features to time your workouts, at least you’ll have something nice to look at on your wrist. £5,400. At tagheuer.com
