Best Minimalist Watches | Our Top Picks For 2024

A great watch with a minimalist design is meant to keep only what you need in order to tell the time, while getting rid of almost everything else. If you’re into the absolute bare minimum you need for time telling, you might find yourself drawn to these pieces. At most, you’ll get a date complication. Sometimes, minimalist watches even lack a seconds hand.

In my experience I’ve always found that these watches tend to look dressier because of the close association between analog time only watches and dress watches. But the simple minimalist design doesn’t mean these watches can’t be beautiful. The lack of complications often means a thinner watch. The simple design means they are more versatile in regard to your style and should have a place in most people’s watch collection.

Below you’ll find my favorite minimalist watches. You’ll find examples from Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, and Scotland. All of these countries have employed their own unique perspective on the minimalist watch motif, which means you have a lot of wonderful options to explore.

Skagen Signatur (SKW6578, SKW6374, SKW6899)

Like the Jorn, the Skagen Signatur keeps it simple on the dial side with being a three-hander, no-date watch with thin indices and minimal branding in the form of “SKAGEN DENMARK”. The Signatur can be separated by being 1mm smaller in diameter, 2ATM less in water resistance, and with thicker baton style hands and 5-minute indices notated.

The lugs protruding straight out from the case help identify this watch as a more dressy option alongside it’s specifications. At 7mm thin, this watch is great for the office and will slide under any shirt sleeve, but should be excluded from more sporting activities.

Skagen Jorn (SKW6546, SKW6552, SKW6422)

Owned by the Fossil group, Skagen keeps the same affordability of its parent company but with a more rock-solid identity of minimalism. You won’t find anything too far outside their design language of airy dials, simple hands, and conservative branding. Skagen knows who they are and they stick with that. The Jorn furthers these themes as a three hander, no-date watch, with hour and minute hands that almost match the indices perfectly.

One glance might not be good enough to tell the time as the hands can look monotonous within the dial, but that aides in an understated minimalist look. At 41mm and with 5ATM of water resistance, this watch may look big on most wrists and won’t be able to get wet, but for someone looking for a simple watch to keep high and dry, consider the Skagen Jorn.

Skagen Grenen Solar Halo (SKW3086)

Sometimes, futuristic looking watches can look complicated with all the bells and whistles cluttering the dial (Citizen Campanola comes to mind), but that isn’t the case with the Grene Solar Halo which succeeds in being space-agey and simple. The watch has a clever hand set where the hour hand is on a rotating disk, and the minute hand is a vibrant pop of orange.

The hooded lugs make the metal band integrate seamlessly into the case and the branding is covertly disguised in the minute track as “SKAGEN DENMARK SOLAR POWERED”. The lug situation will make this watch anything but a “strap monster”, so strap-lovers beware, but at 37mm this watch will meet somewhere in the middle of under-state and loud, an area I like to call “cool”.

Timex Marlin (TW2R47900, TW2V44600, TW2U83200)

If you haven’t been handed down your grandfather’s Timex Marlin, it is time you end the lack of tradition and pick one up for yourself. These timeless watches will be as relevant in 60 years as they were 60 years ago and can be passed down or kept for yourself. With sizes varying from 34mm in diameter and upwards, there is a Malin for everyone.

With modern ones having automatic movements, they can get up to 13mm in thickness (which isn’t cohesive with the vintage styling), but the watch can be forgiven with the multitude of dial options. My favorite is the California Dial with the mix of Roman and Arabic Numerals. With 50 meters of water resistance you can’t go swimming with this Marlin, but I doubt your grandfather swam with his either.

Mondaine Railway Minimalist Watches

Inspired by Swiss, railway clocks, Mondaine is a 1 for 1 of those time telling devices on your wrist. While that may sound straight forward enough, Mondaine has done something that I have never seen across the entire industry – lume, on the back of the hands. Now, whether or not that is optimal for the luminescence getting excited enough to glow – I am not sure, but I am sure that this timepiece looks unique amongst the other Bauhaus watches.

Stark, black baton hands with a lollipop pop of red for the seconds makes the watch incredibly inviting and fun. It would be great on many wrists across different age groups even. And with a myriad of sizes from 23mm in diameter to 42mm in diameter, Mondaine hopes to do so.

This is also the collection that features the iconic Mondaine Stop2Go timepiece, however availability on that one seems to be limited. Additionally, the restocking efforts seems to be minimal. So if you love the design, one of the other Railway collection pieces will do just fine.

Tissot Everytime 40mm (T143.410.11.041.00)

At 40mm, and a short lug-to-lug, this watch will fit just about everyone. The straight lugs protrude from the case and harken back to a more classical era, while the fume green dial nods to more recent trends (there are also silver and deep blue dial options available). The thin, polished indices and thin leaf-style hands will perform well in low light environments by catching the light, but don’t expect any luminescence here.

The Everytime is a dressy watch and should be worn as such. The Milanese steel mesh bracelet has quick release functionality which is a thankful addition by Tissot because this watch will look great on just about any black or brown leather strap.

Citizen Stiletto (AR3110-52E, EG6016-58A, EG6013-56A)

For all intents and purposes, Citizen’s Stiletto line are eco-drive, two hand, dress watches that are either round or square shaped. Don’t spend too much time wondering how they relate to the women’s shoe because you won’t find a connection – the watches are most definitely unisex.

39mm in diameter for the round case and with a sleek, integrated bracelet, this watch will fit on every wrist well. The rectangular model has a thickness of just 5mm which is freakishly thin, even for a quartz. The bracelet with all the tight gaps might nip your arm hair, but sometimes looking great has its sacrifices.

Unimatic Modello Due U2 Classic – UC2

Case Size:	38.5mm x 47.5mm x 12.7mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	Seiko NH35 (automatic movement)
Power Reserve:	41 Hours
Accuracy:	+40/-20 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$400

Based in Italy, Unimatic does away with big brand logos, excessive lines of text, and honestly, original design, but that can be forgiven because the watches look great. For instance, the stainless steel cushion case of the UC2 looks familiar, the lume plots seem similar, and the hands do not look peculiar, but all these characteristics have been inspired by the best watches in the world.

At 38.5mm in diameter, this automatic watch will be the favored size for many and with a whopping 300 meters of water resistance, you’ll be able to wear it doing anything. You may want to change out the nylon strap for something a little more comfortable but that will be easy with a 22mm spacing between the lugs. This Unimatic will be attractive to anyone who wants a watch at the crossroads where Tudor meets CWC.

Citizen Tsuyosa Collection (NJ0150, NJ0151)

The Citizen Tsuyosa might look like it is hopping on the integrated-bracelet, sports watch craze bandwagon, but no – it’s driving it. It’s an automatic, 40mm, Japanese watch with lume, a cyclops date, and a sunburst dial with, of course, a bracelet that seamlessly transitions into the case. The downside of these bracelets is you’ll be hard pressed to find a strap that can fit on the watch (there will have to be enough demand for someone to make it), but that’s fine because the current bracelet resembles a President bracelet which is one of the best.

50 meteres of water resistance will be enough to make this splash proof and if you are brave enough it can be surface swimmable. With the plethora of colors, I’d be surprised if you don’t find one you like.

Movado Museum Classic Minimalist Watches

Movado has created a design identity with their enlarged dot at the 12 o’clock and their otherwise sterile dial. Their hands are typically dauphine or stick style with no lume which will place these watches in the dressy category. These watches are great picks for anyone who is only on the periphery of the watch hobby; Movado is a household name along with Rolex. You shouldn’t be surprised if those are the only brands someone may know.

The Museum Classic line includes quartz, quartz chronographs, and automatics featuring a date. The watch could have improved in its water resistance by increasing it to 50 meters, but with how dressy this line of watches is, 30 meters will do just fine.

Braun Gents BN0278 Automatic

With splashes of color, Braun takes what would be a very monochromatic analog dial and spruces it up a bit. The yellow seconds hand and the shallow red arrow pointing at the date window above the six are a welcoming addition to an already very interesting watch. With its hooded, downturned lugs, the rubber strap integrates seamlessly into the case.

An NH35 powers this Gent just like so many other watches in this price range. At $600, you’ll have to choose between Braun and microbrands (whose futures aren’t promised at times), but Braun will undoubtedly be around to see the end of the 5-year warranty. Two things I wish were different on this watch: replace the NH35 with a Sellita/ETA movement, and use the more scratch resistant sapphire crystal on the caseback that also keeps your wrist cooler.

If you love the minimal aesthetic of the Braun Gent design but are looking for more affordable prices, the AW150 and the BN0211 would be excellent choices.

Junghans Max Bill Collection

The Junghans Max Bill utilizes the correct amount of matter in negative space to make the dial feel expansive. Thin indices, quaint numerals, and monochromatic dials are the hallmark from Swiss-born, German trained designer, Max Bill. Having studied at the Bauhaus school of design in Dessau, Germany, Max imparts his design wisdom on these watches that may fly under the radar. Their simple dials and sleek cases will slip under the cuff and are understated to the point where they may go unnoticed by many.

But for those watch collectors who know, this is a classic watch design that changed modern watchmaking as we know it. If you don’t mind a timepiece that doesn’t turn heads in a gawking manner (that may be exactly what you want), the Max Bill will be a great addition to your collection. They are tastefully offered in with both white dial and black dial varieties with (generally) a traditional stainless steel case (however there are some PVD coated gold and rose gold options as well).

Hanhart Pioneer Silva (782.250-8010, 782.210-8010)

Case Size:	38mm x 43mm x 10mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	Sellita SW200 (automatic movement)
Power Reserve:	38 hours
Accuracy:	+/-12 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$980

Updated from the original Hanhart Kal36/39, the Hanhart Pioneer Silva is somewhere between a vintage re-issue and a vintage inspired wristwatch (since it isn’t exactly a 1 for 1 copy). Instead of small seconds that can be seen on the vintage watch, the modern Pioneer Silva has center seconds with an automatic movement and a Milanaise mesh bracelet option. Like the original, Hanhart utilizes vacuous space for a clean design and supreme legibility.

The logo is taken right off of the Kal36/39 for plenty of added character, and with 50 meters of water resistance, you don’t really have to worry where this style of watch goes. This can be a great every day watch that can be styled up or down with NATO straps, leather straps, or the bracelet it comes on.

Nomos Glashutte Ludwig (235, 236, 226)

Case Size:	35mm x 48mm x 6.5mm (multiple other sizes available)
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	In-house Alpha caliber (manual movement)
Power Reserve:	43 hours
Accuracy:	+/-10 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price Range:	$1380 – $4000

The Nomos Ludwig, at first glance, looks exactly like the Tangente but with roman numerals in place of Arabic numerals, but there are some other differences which will make the Ludwig wear and feel drastically different.

First, the lugs of the Ludwig are sleek and straight compared to the angular downturn of the Tangente’s (which will hug the wrist slightly more). Second, the stainless steel case of the Tangente is cylindrical with sheer sides that will make it feel and appear taller on the wrist, while the Ludwig’s case narrows towards the caseback making it feel smaller on the wrist and appear thinner. Specifications-wise, it will be a tough decision between these two watches, but subjectively, one will speak to you more.

Seiko Presage (SPB111)

Case Size:	40.5mm x 47.8mm x 12.4mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	6R35 (automatic movement)
Power Reserve:	70 hours
Accuracy:	+25 /- 15 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$1400

If you have ever considered the Seiko Alpinist but felt the compass bezel and cyclops were a bit unnecessary: First, you aren’t the only one, and second, you should consider this Presage SPB111. The forest green dial and brown crocodile strap might mimic the colors of the Pacific Northwest, but this automatic watch would do equally well at any place and time.

With this watch being in the Presage line, you will get a signed crown (whew!, thank you Seiko), a 6R35 movement, a limited edition of 2000 pieces, and an enamel dial. The dial material is most likely why this watch retails at $1400, but you will have to decide if you’d like to spend just $1000 more for an entry level Grand Seiko.

Nomos Glashutte Tangente (132, 101)

Case Size:	35mm x 45mm x 6.5mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	In-house Alpha caliber (manual movement)
Power Reserve:	43 hours
Accuracy:	+/-10 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price Range:	$1500 – $4900

Nomos Glashütte, another watch brand that uses Bauhaus style designs, comes in at a more luxurious price but can still be considered “entry-level” amongst its peers. Their hand-wound Alpha caliber may have similar architecture that you’ve seen with other hand-wind movements, but they are appropriately decorated and are handsome.

Color choices of midnight blue and white dials give separate personalities with a plethora of leather straps that would work with it. The small seconds hand floats around the subdial at 6 and it will be pleasing to give it life with a few winds (which will be necessary to do every 43 or so hours). The dimensions on this stainless steel case would be a great fit for smaller wrists and for youthful professionals that like to have a little fun with their style.

Rado True Thinline Les Coulers

Case Size:	39mm x 43.5mm x 5mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	ETA 282.002 (quartz movement)
Battery Life:	3 Years
Accuracy:	+ /- 10 seconds per month
Hand Winding	No
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$2100

Narrowly beating out the Citizen Stiletto on this list for thinnest watch, the True Thinline Les Coulers from Rado is not simple in name but is simplified in design. You can choose from a complete palette of bold colors from vivid primaries to neutral earth tones, however, once you pick the color you want, you better love it because it covers the entire watch. The hands, logo, indices, case, and crown will all match, so this watch is good for someone wanting it mainly as an accessory, or someone who is rough on their watches.

The high-tech ceramic case, titanium hardware, and sapphire crystal are all scratch resistant. The pricetag for this quartz watch seems very high for what it is, and with all those scratch resistant materials, I would look for this watch on the ore-owned market, because it will look brand new still.

anOrdain Model 1 (Vitreous Enamel Dials)

Case Size:	41mm x 50mm x 11mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	Sellita SW210 (manual movement)
Power Reserve:	42 Hours
Accuracy:	+/-12 to +/- 30 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$2159 – $2550

There is a waitlist for the anOrdain Model 1, but not in a false-scarcity, elitist sense. AnOrdain simply can’t make watches fast enough. These watches are high-quality and highly sought after due to their minimalist dials that are enameled with great colors. Despite the 12 hour enameling process making the dial two to three times thicker than an average dial, anOrdain keeps the Model 1 at just 11mm in thickness.

The hands are unique and not lumed, (making this a dressier piece), and the arabic numerals skipping every other indice creates a pleasant and balanced void. “New Hands; Old Crafts” engraved on the screw down caseback could refer to the interesting hour and minutes hands, or it could be that the 3,500 year old technique of enameling has found a welcoming new home at Glasgow’s anOrdain.

There are three sizes available: Small (35mm), Medium (38mm), and Large (41mm).

Grand Seiko SBGX261 and SBGX263

Case Size:	37mm x 44.6mm x 10mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	9F62 (quartz movement)
Battery Life:	3 Years
Accuracy:	+/- 10 seconds per year
Hand Winding	No
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$2200

The Grand Seiko SBGX261 and SBGX263 are minimalist watches due to the fact that you couldn’t possibly refine them any further. Anything you may want to add to the watch would be unnecessary; anything you might want to take away would be a hindrance. Form meets function with this Grand Seiko, and at 37mm in diameter, it will fit on everyone’s wrist.

The lug width being 19mm will upset most strap connoisseurs, but that can possibly be forgiven because the three link style bracelet integrates seamlessly into the case (unlike most of Seiko’s offerings). Also, the lack of lume will make these watches more dressy and less sporty, but the 100 meters of water resistance ensures it can go anywhere by day.

Sinn 1739 Collection

Case Size:	39mm x 45mm x 9.1mm
Crystal:	Sapphire crystal
Movement:	Sellita SW300-1 (automatic movement)
Power Reserve:	42 hours
Accuracy:	+ /- 10 seconds per day
Hand Winding	Yes
Hacking	Yes
Price:	$2800

The 1739 collection is what you get if you were to ask a professional tool watch company to make a dress watch. They might reluctantly agree to do it… and knock it out of the park. At 39mm in diameter, 9.1mm thick, no lume on the dial, and with a supple calfskin brown or black leather strap you might think you are looking at your run-of-the-mill classy dress watch, but that is not the Sinn way.

Sinn crafted this watch with 100 meters water resistance (because who wouldn’t want to dive with a leather strap), two sapphire crystals with AR coating on both front and back, and an antimagnetic hairspring. All of a sudden, this watch is starting to sound like a James Bond accessory.