Every year, we post our “best everyday watches” of the year (2018, 2019). While the list changes a bit each year, the reality is that the watches I consider the best everyday or go-anywhere-do-anything watches are stalwarts of that brand’s collection. They are models that have been in the catalog for years, and will continue to be — sure, brands might add a new color way or a new movement, but the watches remain familiar.

Especially in 2020, when watch shows have been cancelled and releases delayed, there might not be as many new watches to feature as in years past. So this year, we’re featuring the best new watches and new releases. Head to those lists from 2018 or 2019 if you want some of our tips on go-to, everyday classics. If you’re looking for something new or just want to see what brands have released in 2020, you’re in the right place. There’s a little something for everyone here, with watches from $200 to almost $100,000.

What is an everyday watch?

A reminder: there are no real requirements for an everyday watch besides general durability and comfort. We’re talking about watches that can be dressed up or dressed down. Watches that look as good with a suit as they do alongside a t-shirt and jeans. Lume and water resistance are nice, but not necessary. An everyday wearer can come on a bracelet or strap, as long as it sits comfortably on the wrist. And while we’re willing to pay good money for a watch we’re going to be wearing every day, we can’t spend so much that we feel we have to baby it through every door jamb.

Let me also caveat this list by saying that, with the ongoing pandemic, I haven’t seen some of these watches in person. I generally try to reserve judgment on watches until I’ve had the chance to handle them, but these are some of the watches I’m most excited about based on spec sheets, photos, and Instagram hype. Without further ado, some of the best watches of 2020.

The best new watches of 2020 that you can wear every day

Seiko 5 Sports (fixed bezel)

I wrote about this watch when it was released, calling it the “most important watch of 2020.” Allright, that might have been headline-grabbing hyperbole, but the sentiment remains. The Seiko 5 ushers so many into the hobby, so it’s important that a solid, value-driven Seiko 5 exists. As I wrote in my review:

At first glance, the new Seiko 5 Sports is perfect: the dimensions are right in a goldilocks range; the dial is austere but exquisitely executed; the smooth bezel is attractive without being garish. Especially important: It pops on Instagram, with the look of a watch multiple times its $275 price tag. Sure, there are some details to quibble with: The oyster-style bracelet, with just two micro-adjustments, seems like an afterthought. But, these complaints largely miss the point: This is a watch for the masses, with features newcomers need and details enthusiasts will love.

The Seiko 5 always has been — and always will be — the entry point into watches. With a new model that hits all the “everyday watch” specs so admirably, I’m excited to see what Seiko has in store next for the Seiko 5 Sports line.

The easiest way to find a model of the new Seiko 5 Sports SRPE line is to check Amazon: the most popular are the SRPE53 (blue dial on bracelet); SRPE55 (black dial on bracelet); and SRPE51 (grey dial on bracelet)

IWC Portugeiser Chronograph

If the Seiko 5 Sports is an entry point at a few hundred bucks, the IWC Portugeiser is something like the entry point for a few thousand bucks, perfect for baby bankers looking to blow their first bonus on something besides cocaine and Coachella tickets.

In 2020, IWC came through with perhaps the most important update in the recent history of the line: an in-house chronograph caliber. IWC announced the line will now use the brand’s 69000 series of chronograph movements, and at a price that’s just as good as the line has always been ($7,950 in steel). Last year, I featured the IWC Mark XVIII (specifically calling out the “Spitfire” edition as an exciting new option) — the Portugeiser Chronograph is another classic, pilot’s-inspired model from the brand.

Listen, we make a bit too big of a deal about “in-house” calibers — just give me a quality, reliable movement and I don’t necessarily care who made it — but it’s certainly important to make consumers feel like they’re getting something special too. The introduction of the IWC caliber 69355 to the Portugieser chronograph line feels like that. The steel model is offered in either blue or silver dial variations; both are timeless. The model’s design is just one of the most classic around, so it’s nice to see IWC re-committing to making sure it’s a real value at under $10,000. With water resistance of 30 meters and no lume, it misses some of the everyday watch traits I’d otherwise look for, but the guts of this one give it a pass.

For more, visit IWC

Tudor Black Bay 58 - Navy Blue

The big one. It felt like Instagram broke for a couple days in early July when it became clear Tudor was going to release a new Black Bay 58 in “Navy Blue”, and then hypebeasts raced to post their wristys all over the Gram. My feed was a wall of Navy Blue for 48-72 hours. And honestly, I didn’t mind. Hype aside, it’s just a great watch. At $3,700 retail, this watch offers more value than a Happy Meal. The specs read more like a wish list: 39mm diameter, manufacture caliber MT5402 (COSC, 70-hour power reserve), 200m water resistance, domed sapphire crystal, aluminum bezel, and the most beautiful blue outside of the Caribbean Sea.

And sure, you should probably go with the steel bracelet (mock rivets be damned), but the Tudor cloth strap and new “soft touch” strap are also great OEM options that don’t seem to get the respect they deserve. In short, this isn’t just the best everyday watch of 2020, it’s one of the best of the last decade-plus. The Black Bay 58 “Navy Blue” has a bit more of a modern feel as compared to the original Black Bay 58, providing the perfect counter point in Tudor’s dive watch line up. Last year, I featured the OG Black Bay 58 in the round up of the best everyday watches. The truth is, you can’t go wrong with either.

For more, visit Tudor

TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Edition

TAG Heuer started the year strong, announcing the “TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition” back at Dubai Watch Week in January. It’s a modern interpretation of the Carrera 2447S, one of the most classic chronographs of all time, Heuer or not.

For this limited edition model, TAG Heuer has bumped the case size up to 39mm, added a domed sapphire crystal, and added the new Heuer caliber 02. There’s also a display case back, showing off the rotor that’s engraved to honor Heuer’s 160th anniversary. Priced at $6,450 and limited to 1860 pieces, it offers a real modern alternative to the classic 2447 model that collectors lust after. Also, if you’re looking for some more color, the “Montreal Edition” is the perfect alternative to the sleek, silver “S” inspired model.

More impressive, the 160th Anniversary Edition has 100m of water resistance, and some Luminova to make it a true everyday proposition. Chronographs are so popular, it’s nice to see an example that’s a real go-anywhere-do-anything model that you can just strap on and go, but that’s still got the vintage inspiration and heritage that makes enthusiasts swoon.

Dan Henry 1937

Speaking of heritage and vintage inspiration. For a few years now, Dan Henry has just been killing it, making watches that are inspired by some of the most iconic timepieces of the last century. The 1937 Dress Chronograph might be the best yet, drawing inspiration from early chronographs from the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. Let’s be honest, many collectors can only aspire to these vintage chronographs, and if we are lucky enough to purchase one, they’re often fragile pieces, perhaps more worthy of a museum than a wrist.

The Dan Henry 1937 is not that. Powered by a Seiko Mecaquartz movement, sporting 100m of water resistance, and measuring 38mm by 12.7mm in thickness, it’s a watch that looks just as fashionable today as it did in the middle of the last century. The silver sector dial version is perhaps the most attractive of the brand’s four dial offerings, with a two-tone, silver look that’s just iconic. It was in fashion 100 years ago, and it’ll be in fashion in another 100 years. And with the modern specs you’d expect for an everyday watch, you can actually wear this one.

Oh, and did I mention it’s just $270? Just buy one already.

For more, visit Dan Henry

Cartier Santos Dumont XL

I was thrilled when Cartier re-introduced the iconic Santos model back in 2019. Widely hailed as the “first men’s wristwatch,” it’s one of the most important and historic models around (by the way, it’s led to huge interest in the vintage Cartier Santos). For some hardcore “purists” though, the new Santos-Dumont lacked one thing: a mechanical movement. No longer.

In 2020, Cartier introduced the Santos-Dumont XL, a larger version for the model line. The new model measures 46.6mm x 34mm, with a thickness of 7.5mm. Importantly, it features a new hand-wound mechanical movement, the Cartier 430MC. It’s a modified Piaget 430P, a movement from the ultra-thin pioneers that’s been around for 20-plus years. While dubbed the “XL”, the Santos-Dumont’s size can still be handled by most wrists.

Cartier is offering the XL in three metals: an all-steel version, an 18k pink gold version, and a two-tone version with an 18k pink gold bezel. Of course, for our everyday watch purposes, the steel is the most enticing.

It’s a more classically-styled option compared to some of the other options on this list. But, let’s not forget that the Santos-Dumont is the “original” pilot’s watch, designed by Louis Cartier for his airborne friend Alberto Santos-Dumont. It’s a sports watch at heart, and in a watch landscape often defined by big, bold designs, sometimes it takes a classically styled option like a Cartier to really stand out.

For more, visit Cartier

Patek Philippe Reference 6007A

Anytime Patek Philippe releases a watch in steel, it’s news. This year, they released the Patek Philippe Reference 6007A-001. It’s a limited edition of 1,000 pieces to celebrate the opening of the brand’s new building in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. In some ways, it feels like a continuation of the Reference 5212 Weekly Calendar the brand released last year — another steel model in a Calatrava-style case that was a departure from the Nautilus. Here, Patek throws a blue dial inside the case, with an interesting cross-hatching pattern that’s appeared a few times previously in the brand’s catalog.

The specs are pretty much in the goldilocks range, measuring 40mm x 9mm. It’s got water resistance of 30 meters, and is powered by Patek’s automatic caliber 324 SC, beating at 28,800 bph. Like with anything Patek does, the watch has been met with strong opinions on both sides. Whatever your thoughts, it’s nice to see the brand experimenting and doing something new. What’s more, with these specs, it fits firmly in the “everyday watch” category — an historic brand making a watch for the modern age is something worth celebrating in itself.

For more, visit Patek

Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster

Nivada, also referred to as a Nivada Grenchen or distributed under the Corton name in the United States, was one of many Swiss watch companies that met its demise during the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s. Its vintage catalog is beloved by collectors today, so the re-introduction of the brand was met with great joy in 2020 (if not a little trepidation — don’t besmirch a good name! They screamed). The vintage brand’s chronographs are its most sought after models, namely the Chronomaster. It’s a big, bold chronograph with as much information packed on the dial and bezel as you’ll see this side of a Breitling Navitimer.

For the brand’s re-launch, it’s drawn inspiration from the vintage Chronomaster, releasing the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver. A watch befitting of its name, it’s got it all: diving bezel, a chronograph and two sub dials, and an outer tachymeter scale. Nivada Grenchen is offering the model with either a manual or automatic movement, both using Selitta SW-510 movements. The manual movement is about 2mm thinner, measuring 38mm x 14.25mm in thickness (the automatic measures 16.25mm thick).

Prices are utterly reasonable: starting at $1,750 for the manual and $1,950 for the automatic. A true tool watch, it’s got 100m of water resistance, SuperLuminova, and a sapphire crystal. For those looking for a true vintage-inspired watch from an historic Swiss brand that they can rock everyday, it’s hard to beat the re-launched Chronomaster from Nivada Grenchen.

For more, visit Nivada Grenchen Official

Oak & Oscar Olmsted

I always leave one spot in these “everyday watch” roundups for a microbrand. And, it’s always one of the most difficult spots to fill: microbrands really specialize in making solid, everyday timepieces for people who want a watch they can actually wear. Typically powered by ETA, Selitta or Miyota movements, featuring decent water resistance, and distinct yet classically inspired designs, there is a lot to explore.

This time, my Chicago bias got the best of me. I love Oak & Oscar’s design aesthetic, and when they released a 38mm “field watch” in late 2019, I fell over myself to grab one. The Olmsted is 38mm, features 100m of water resistance (and a screw down crown!), and has a unique sandwich dial with the brand’s own typeface that is just [chef’s kiss]. What’s more, for this release, Oak & Oscar introduced their first bracelet, and they killed it: you can tell they took inspiration from some of the best bracelets around — old Speedmaster bracelets, the Rolex Oyster bracelet, and those from expensive sports watches like the Royal Oak — but made it something all their own. Inside ticks ole reliable, the ETA 2892, a movement that runs forever and is easy to service (not to worry, Oak & Oscar will help take care of that headache for you). Price is $1,575 on bracelet. To me, this is just an all-American, all day, everyday watch.

For more visit Oak & Oscar

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

I mean, why not? This is a watch that, upon seeing, isn’t hard to just “get”. For 2020’s addition to Vacheron Constantin’s QP line, they’ve introduced a beautiful blue dial Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. The blue gives the model a bit of a sportier look (as compared to the previous silver iteration), and feels true to the Overseas’s lineage as a sports watch. Vacheron offers a blue alligator or a blue rubber strap, allowing you to dress the watch up or down. For some reason, the Overseas doesn’t get as much love as some of its sports watch brethren, but for the money, it’s really hard to argue with. This is the 2020 release that, when I first saw it, made my jaw drop the most. To interpret a classic sports watch into something that’s this unique and elegant, while still feeling sporty at its core, is enough to give you hope in the future of mechanical watchmaking and design.

For a complicated perpetual calendar, the specs are wild: 41mm diameter and a striking 8.1mm in thickness. There’s also lume and water resistance to 50m, making this the perfect “everyday” perpetual calendar, as much as using those two words together isn’t a contradiction in terms.

It’s powered by Vacheron’s superlative caliber 1120 QP/1, which features a 40-hour power reserve and measures a whopping 4.05mm thick. All that for $74,000.

For more, visit Vacheron Constantin