Our Favorite Watches for Summer 2025

Our Favorite Watches for Summer 2025

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of summer. You know what that means: it’s time to talk summer watches.

We’re not really sure when the “Summer Watch” concept began in earnest, but every year, the community’s thoughts collectively turn to seasonally appropriate watches for the hot and sticky months. Are summer watches a watch media invention? It’s possible. But there’s no denying that some watches just work better in the warmer, sunnier weather. We’d never say you can’t wear a precious metal watch dress watch on a glossy leather strap in the middle of July, but somehow we all seem to know that a lightweight diver on a rubber strap just makes more sense.

Here then, are the watches we anticipate getting the most time on our wrists this summer. Feel free to chime in in the comments below to let us know what you expect to be wearing most as the summer heat sets in.

Devin Pennypacker

A go-to summer watch could really only mean one thing to me, it’s dive watch season. Truthfully, it’s always dive watch season for me, but at least during this time of year, I have some justification. More likely than not, if you run into me this summer baking like a lizard on the beach, jumping through the cold waves like a child, or taking in some fresh air, prolonging my time in the park, I’ll most likely be wearing my Omega Planet Ocean 2200.50. I am sure I just shocked everyone with that out-of-character pick. 

Sure, I could have selected any dive watch from my collection as my summer pick, though, for whatever reason, the Planet Ocean remains the one I reach for. So far, it’s been my companion during plunging into both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the same week, it crashed into 9 feet of foam during my first surfing attempts, and played photo prop atop my striped beach towel and latest WM Brown magazine. The watch makes me feel like a rough and tumble adventurer, like a scruffy Daniel Craig reluctantly putting on a suit knowing full well it’s going to get scratched and dirty. Worn loose on the wrist so the bracelet has just enough room to provide the proper jangle, it will collect the powerful UV rays, displaying a proper glow as dusk sets in. 

Equal parts romantic and pragmatic, the useful details of this particular model cannot be overlooked. Despite being designed as a dive countdown timer, the dive bezel can be helpful in almost every summertime activity. You can track your time to turn over, ensuring you’re evenly tan without the burned bottom. You can use it to mark tidal or wave patterns when looking to catch a surf or cast a line. Perhaps it’s best used to count the minutes between each spiked spritz, achieving appropriate social lubrication and dehydration. Every summer watch should have crucial timing capabilities.

It goes without saying at this point, but I enjoy my time in or on the water, meaning water resistance is very important to me. The PO, thankfully, has plenty. There will certainly be no instance in which I find myself at a great depth, much to the chagrin of the helium escape valve, let alone deeper than the rated 600 meters. My particular model also has the added benefit of having been outfitted with the updated clasp. Micro adjustment is critical for my ever-swelling wrist, often changing a full link size depending on the given temps. In every way, it’s a tool that fits the bill and can play the part, lying in wait for the next random bit of adventure that summer beckons. 

Alec Dent

Nobody wants to spend summer indoors. It’s the time for pools and beaches, boat rides and surfboards, making it the perfect time to turn your desk diver into a real diver — or, at least, a pool diver. My go-to summer watch is my Zodiac Super Sea Wolf made in collaboration with Rowing Blazers and Harry’s Bar. With 200m of water resistance, it’s ready for any summer activity I could get up to, real or hypothetical. 

Summer is supposed to be bright and happy, and the vibrant green dial of my Super Sea Wolf and the yellow, red, and light blue touches on the Zodiac and Harry’s Bar logos make the watch feel right at home alongside a bathing suit. The jubilee bracelet the watch comes on gleams in the sunlight in an eye-catching way and prevents the diver from looking too industrial. 

Summer is fun. So is this watch. What more can I say?

Elodie Townsend

I’m not usually one for digital watches—at least I haven’t been since I officially retired from my athletic career eight years ago. But even I can’t deny the appeal of the hearty, handy, and ever-handsome G-SHOCK. But not just any G-SHOCK, of course. I had to pick one that was special in some way, and tied to another love of mine: video games. Though most of my gaming favorites come from the PlayStation 2 and PC gaming golden age of the early 2000s, I hold a very special place in my heart for the 1994 Super Nintendo cult classic Earthbound, or Mother 2 as it was known in its home country of Japan. So, when Casio announced their collaboration with Hobonichi to create a Mother edition G-Shock in early 2022, I knew I had to have it. 

A year later, I had one on my wrist. By most accounts, it’s a standard GW-M5610U model, including such G-Shock fan-favorite features as Multiband 6, Tough Solar, and 200 meter water resistance. I care most about the tiny Mother details, though, most namely the classic series “Earth” logo ringed by Shigesato Ito’s name etched onto the caseback, and the iconic pixel art “SMAAAAASH!!” text in blue and Mother logo in gold on the face. These are the sole details, along with the collectible tin case, that mark it as a special version of the GW-M5610U, and it’s the subtlety that makes it desirable to me. As a summer watch, I want to toss it on my wrist to go on late night city adventures, hang out with my dogs, hike with my RC cars, and not worry about my watch. The fact that it’s actually a nod to the greatest SNES game of all time (do NOT come for me, Nintendo fans, a real gamer is talking) is just icing on the cake. 

Griffin Bartsch

Raise your hand if you’ve made an impulse watch purchase at any time in the last six months. Those of you with your arms in the air, thank you for your honesty; as for the rest of you, do yourself the favor of heading over to the Timex website and ordering the new Timex Q Continental GMT. I don’t think it’s all that bold to say that the Timex Q line has been one of the absolute success stories of the last five (alright, technically six) years — if nothing else, they’ve been undeniably popular.

I’ve owned a handful of Timex Qs since they were introduced in 2019, but honestly, I’ve never found them particularly impressive. Until now, that is. The Timex Q Continental GMT is a real step forward in the line. One of my big gripes with past Timex Qs has been that everything about them feels a little… cheap. It’s not really a fair complaint on my part; these are, for the most part, genuinely inexpensive watches, and they do offer a lot of watch for the money, but the Continental GMT feels like a definite step up. The touch points and finishing are noticeably improved, the look is refined, and the watch wears great. Basically, it’s the Timex Q I’ve been waiting for.

If you’ve been reading Worn & Wound for a minute or two, you might remember that last summer I chose my vintage Rolex Datejust as the perfect summer watch, and I stand by that pick. If you can only have ONE watch for a whole summer, there is no better choice than a 36mm oyster-cased watch from Rolex or Tudor, but let’s be honest, how many of us are getting through the summer wearing only one watch? Summer is the perfect time to wear what you want and just have fun with it, so while I’ll be wearing my Datejust a ton this summer, I think the Q Continental GMT is going to see plenty of wrist time too.

Christoph McNeill 

A “summertime” watch to me is simple, one that I can grab-and-go and not worry about while I’m wearing it. As a watch guy who mainly collects and wears vintage watches, I find that during the summer months I tend to gravitate towards one of my few modern watches on a daily basis. This summer I anticipate wearing my Tornek-Rayville TR-660 (made by MKII) the most. 

The TR-660 is a modern ‘homage’ to the iconic vintage military masterpiece, the TR-900. It has many of the design queues of the original, but is of course modern and one that I can wear daily without stress. Of course, if I had an original TR-900, that is probably all I would ever wear regardless, but that is a pipe dream that is not ever likely to come true unless I win the PowerBall. So, back to the TR-660. The 40mm case is a perfect size, not a knuckle-dragger but not dainty either. The military style dial with white hands is easy to read, and the no-date design is of course my preferred look. It has a sapphire diver’s bezel insert that gives it the old-school acrylic insert feel but with the modern sturdiness. I have my TR-660 on the OEM rubber strap, which is slim and comfortable.

Summer can get a little hotter where I live (central CA coast), and we love to be outdoors when we can. Days at the pool or taking a dip in the Pacific Ocean (when I’m brave enough for the cold!), walking/hiking on local trails or playing golf on my day off are all things I love to do, and the TR-660 is the perfect companion. It’s especially suited for golf for me, as most of my other modern watches are of the larger persuasion. The smaller size and slim rubber strap make for a more comfortable golf watch. Hey, my game is bad enough on its own, I don’t need anything external to mess up my swing! The TR-660 is equally at home drinking a pint of your favorite beer during happy hour as well, or just chilling on the couch.

While I still enjoy wearing my various vintage watches and other modern pieces, I just find that my go-to watch when I don’t want to think about my watch is the TR-660. It’s a great watch that is well built and very well priced. They tend to be sold out on the Tornek-Rayville website, but with an MSRP a little under $1,000, they can occasionally be found used on the various sales boards for a great price.

Meg Tocci 

Summer 2025 is shaping up to be the season of the G-SHOCK. Specifically, the GWM5610: everyone’s favorite little square. I received this watch as a gift for my birthday at the end of April, and it’s left my wrist very sparingly so far. Something tells me the summer will be no different.

 I’m not heavily influenced by seasonality in my watch choices. My daily picks are often centered around practicality or simply what will bring me the most joy to wear. However, there are a few things I find myself appreciating more during the summer: 1) water resistance, 2) ease of time-setting, and 3) lightness on the wrist. I don’t live near a lot of water, so I’m often not thinking of WR from a submersion perspective. But I associate high water resistance with robustness more generally, and it also gives me some peace of mind for Colorado’s notorious late-afternoon thunderstorms (which happen for the duration of the summer). 

 During this season, I’m often also looking for something quartz. I can appreciate the routine of setting a mechanical watch each day, but the summer is filled with many moments of needing a grab-and-go option. If “morning person” exists at one end of the spectrum, I’m at the other. Yet, aforementioned Colorado thunderstorms mean I have to do any outdoor activities in the earlier parts of the day. If I have to be up, out the door, and at a trailhead before I’m fully conscious, a radio-controlled option like the GWM5610 is an act of self-care. 

 Finally, since I’m often trying to be outside as much as I can in the summer– which means contending with some high temperatures for most of the season – I really like opting for something light. The resin cases and straps used by G-Shock are easy to adjust if needed, and don’t feel like a weight on my wrist. I’m not worried about scratches or dings either, if I get a little careless. Overall, the G-SHOCK GWM5610 helps me to think less… which is one of the best things a summer watch can do for me.

Garrett Jones 

As summer begins to roll into the city, bringing heat, humidity, and busy schedules, I find myself changing out my entire wardrobe, EDC items, and most importantly, my watches. While I might have preferred leather and fixed bracelets, I’m returning for my favorite nylon and rubber straps. This year, for the first time, I’m dedicating myself to a specific “summer” watch, one that I can reach for without hesitation as I head out the door: the Bulova Snorkel. 

While the original Snorkel collection was quite popular upon its release, I never found a colorway that resonated with me until now. Each of those original Snorkels had elements that I liked, but I wanted something just a touch different. As luck would have it, as we approached the start of Windup Watch Fair season, I had a special project come across my desk: a collection of three, limited edition Snorkels dedicated to the cities where we’ve hosted our shows. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to add the San Francisco edition to my collection, as it’s the city where I got my start with Worn & Wound.  

While this limited edition retained some of my favorite features of the original snorkels, it also added a new, bold orange dial and a custom caseback. Since the show, I’ve been playing around with different strap options: a baby blue nylon strap for a “Gulf Racing” style, a cream rubber combo that I’ve dubbed “creamsicle,” and even a black Artem hydroflex for a more subtle look.  Specs aside, I know this watch will handle anything I throw its way, and that bold orange dial is sure to turn the heads of fellow watch enthusiasts I meet along the way. 

Nathan Schultz 

As watch enthusiasts we have a talent for finding excuses to expand our watch collections. Attending an F1 race? The experience would probably be enhanced by your own personal tachymeter. Hitting the beach? Better add a 200 meter dive watch to your lineup. You know, just in case. Like these occasions that allow us to engage in some light cosplay, saying goodbye to short days and cooler temperatures provides another opportunity to match our wrists to the occasion with a season appropriate watch.

Despite the wide ranging opinions enthusiasts have on every aspect of this hobby, it’s generally agreed on that an ideal summer watch should feature pops of color, offer substantial water resistance, and look great on a rubber or nylon strap.  I’ve happily subscribed to this approach for the past few years, but the truth is, beyond the element of seasonal style (of which my typical outfit of shorts paired with Crocs with socks would indicate I lack), those qualities are arguably wants and not needs. Shirking seasonal horological customs, this summer I’ll almost exclusively be pairing my dadcore (a real and very accurate phrase I just discovered) attire with an elegant, three handed Louis Erard Heritage. I purchased this simple dress watch from the brand perhaps best known for regulators and funky collaborations this past December, and have worn it so regularly since that the ETA inside has only stopped ticking once despite its modest 38 hour power reserve.

With a push pull crown, a white honeycomb dial, and a fully polished case that is more monstrous than strap monster when on a NATO, it doesn’t check any of the typical “summer watch” boxes. But like most modern watches, the Heritage is more than well-equipped for typical summer activities, regardless of genre. I wore it without worry over a winter filled with sledding with my kids and during rainy bike rides on muddy trails this spring. With a capable 50 meters of water resistance, a robust sapphire crystal, and a bracelet that breathes better than any FKM strap I own, this unsuspecting summer watch is ready for all the sweaty wrists and unfashionable outfits I can throw at it.

Zach Kazan

The moment I took delivery of the Ming “Uni” 37.09 I knew this would be my default summer watch for 2025. I actually find myself in the camp of enthusiasts who don’t much believe in “watch seasonality,” but over the years I’ve found there’s no denying that certain watches get the nod for very practical reasons in the warmer weather. It’s quite simple, really: with the heat comes sweat, with sweat and heat comes a certain level of discomfort, and a rising urge to find air conditioning. When these factors in mind, on days when it gets particularly steamy (and the dog days of summer in New Hampshire mean 100% humidity and temps in the 90s – don’t let anyone tell you the Granite State is some kind of temperate oasis, it gets downright gross here) I need a watch that, at a minimum, won’t annoy me with an uncomfortable warm weather fit. 

The rubber strap on the Ming is its secret weapon. The way it’s built with a molded curve to hug the wrist, and the suppleness of the material, make for a fantastic combination. The Uni is also perfectly sized at 38mm and just under 13mm tall. It has a compact footprint that doesn’t get in the way. It’s also relentlessly casual, which is what you want in the summer, and what I want always (and why I’ll almost certainly wear this watch well into the fall and beyond). 

While some might prefer their summer watches to be on the flashier side, with lots of color, I like the under the radar stealthiness of the Uni. The only color to speak of (at least when it’s not lumed) is the pale orange of the first 20 minutes of the minute track, which is just enough for me. In a previous summer watches roundup, I chose the Seiko Orange Monster as the platonic ideal of the summer watch, and I like the idea that this Ming is basically the inverse of that much louder and in-your-face piece. Both have their season, I suppose, but at the moment I think I prefer the understated, sporty elegance of the Uni.

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