Nixon Yellow Jacket Patrol ($250)
Nixon’s new Yellow Jacket line nicely blends ruggedness with striking design. In the scaled-down Patrol, the company pushes back against its often oversize, overbuilt instincts with an attractive, restrained 100-meter-water-resistant watch.
Shinola The Duck (from $650)
Detroit-based Shinola has made its best-looking watch in years. The surfer-vibe Duck boasts 200-meter water resistance, a burly steel case, and a dependable Argonite 713 quartz movement. It comes in four styles, each with bright Super-LumiNova markers.
Bertucci A-4T Super Yankee Illuminated ($445)
For years, Bertucci has nailed the field-watch concept: simple, lightweight, tough. A new Swiss-made, lithium-powered, gold-plated jeweled movement provides superior accuracy; the 44-milimeter titanium unibody design is much burlier than it looks; and water resistance to 200 meters doubles that of its other models.
Bia Rosie Dive ($175)
Bia, a new marque from California watchmaker Time Concepts, designs with active women in mind, rather than simply downsizing men’s versions. The quartz Rosie Dive is tough, colorful, and water-resistant to 200 meters. Ten minutes of light exposure is enough to keep the illumination bright for ten hours.
Aquadive Bathysphere 100 GMT ($1,990)
Serious scuba enthusiasts should consider splurging for a purpose-built automatic dive watch like this one. To begin with, it’s rated to 1,000 meters. For a model so thin—machined from German 316L surgical stainless steel—that’s an impressive feat. Plus, the timing ring on the bezel could be a lifesaver if your dive computer falters.
Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium ($775)
Based on a 1960s design, the classic Gentleman is a handsome luxury automatic at a price below its competitors. Featuring 100-meter water resistance, along with burnished steel on the case and bracelet, it’s that rare piece you can wear convincingly with a suit or boardshorts.