14 Watches That Make Seriously Great Father’s Day Gifts

A classic watch for a classic guy. The Khaki Field Expedition is the quintessential field watch. Rich history of American craftsmanship, purpose-driven aesthetics, functional compass bezel (even if I can’t figure out how to use it for the life of me), and in the last few years available with the always practical NATO strap. It’s an ideal watch for the horologist, who’ll appreciate the history, the movement, and the exhibition case back. It’s also an ideal watch for a dad who doesn’t care about specs but just wants one really good watch he can wear to anything. Win-win, guaranteed all-star gift.

I’m an unabashed Citizen fan. The Promaster “Fugu” is my favorite watch in the $500 range and the Japanese brand’s Eco-Drive offerings are even more affordable. The Promaster Sea Eco-Drive is almost criminally underpriced for the watch that you get. We’re talking an emerald green dial with a matching unidirectional 60-minute bezel, 200 meter depth rating, and a stainless steel bracelet for well under $300. This is a great gift for the practically driven, classic dive watch fan. And if the green dial is too swervy for your dad, the black and the blue are both excellent choices.

Good doesn’t always mean expensive. A big ole dive watch isn’t appropriate for every occasion or every guy. Simpler can be better. Like this under $100 life-proof G-Shock. It treads the line between classic G-Shock aesthetics and little Casio reference. A watch equally appropriate for a man who never thinks about watches or who is always thinking about watches, Schrödinger’s timepiece of no taste or good taste. And, hot take, it pairs better with a suit than sneakers do. Keep your shoes formal and let your watch carry the high-low combo.

If he’s not a G-Shock man, he may be an Ironman. A Timex Ironman that is, even if he’s not logging an insane amount of weekend mileage. As the world grows wary of increased technocracy-driven smart designs, there’s a simple nostalgia to the ’90s tech, dad fit watch. Turns out they were right all along. You don’t need a phone on your wrist, just a stopwatch and an alarm clock and a 100-lap memory to boot. I also like the orange accents here. If your dad is Midwestern frugal and would object to a gift over $100, this scaled-back version also plays

Shinola’s Duck Watch references ’60s and ’70s skin divers, which sounds dirty, but really is just a term for smaller, less depth-rated dive watches and the culture of free diving and spearfishing around them. That’s a reductive explanation that some watch nerds will quibble with, but it’ll serve us for now. The two important things to take away are 1) there was a magazine of the same name that you can find on eBay and 2) Shinola’s modern version is a killer watch. I have this one in Canary Yellow, but I recently borrowed the new Mallard Brown colorway for a photo shoot, and I love it. Hated to send it back. In the sun, the dial turns almost iridescent, like the titular duck’s feathers. It's battery-powered, water-resistant, and not fussy at all. Just like your dad.

[Editor’s note: The Mallard Brown colorway is currently out of stock, so for the time being we will direct you to the Canary]

Let’s get fancy. But let’s get fancy with purpose. More on Rolexes soon, but I think Panerai makes the most exciting watches in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. I realize that’s a large range, one encompassing the price of a decent motorcycle or a used Camry, but I’m talking luxury Swiss-made watches here. This is the tip of the iceberg. Panerai has design panache and exquisite movements, a design that’s not too “look at me” but still far enough outside the classic mold that it demands a second look. It’s not a watch for everyone, but man, those who will love it will love it immensely.

Recently, I hosted a friend and fellow style writer for a will-not-be-named rival publication at the Detroit headquarters of T-shirt maker Soft Goods MFG. He had a couple of enviable pieces (understated Nitty-gritty corduroy jacket, Paraboot derbys, perfectly faded vintage Levi’s), but I kept looking at his watch, an Unimatic Quattro. In the interest of individuality and in my own love of a good suede, I’m suggesting this Todd Snyder collab as your Father’s Day gift. It’s Unimatic with a twist, Italian design with an Americana POV, like spaghetti western for your wrist. Clint Eastwood fans rejoice.

Timex and J. Crew’s recent trout-forward collab watch sold out in an instant. Unfortunately, before I could get my hands on one. But there are other options for the outdoorsy dad. Especially one who cares about stopping forest fires. This Vero Smokey the Bear option toes the line between campy and classy with aplomb. It’ll look good chopping wood or a little Wes Anderson-y at the lodge with a glass of bourbon in hand, telling stories about the trout that got away.

Yes, Garmin has high-tech golf watches, but your dad is an analog guy. So is this charming Vaer pre-order, a U.S. watchmaker coming into its own right here in the States. The Fairway GMT transforms a steel-bezel GMT platform into an analog scoring system for those chasing par. It has a putting-green colored dial and customizable strap options. And it’s a novelty complication without looking like a novelty watch, which is rare to find in the world.

Tag can get a bad rap in the watch-collecting community, but ignore the critics. Especially if your dad is a racing enthusiast. TAG Heuer has a long history in F1 and Grand Prix, and it looks as much at home in the cockpit of a fancy Brad Pitt-piloted car as it does in the fan stands or the sports bar. If you want to step it up a level, the Monaco is a luxury take on a race-day watch—all European angles and rich leather.

This is the only pilot’s watch on the list and for good reason. It’s the most handsome pilot’s watch on the market. Marathon developed these in partnership with the Kelly Air Force Base in 1986 and specced it out to withstand high-altitude flight, or even an ejection. If you’re in the market for a classic pilot’s chronograph, Bremont makes the best one. But if you (or your dad) are in the market for a no-frills, all-style, practically designed pilot's watch, the Marathon Arctic Navigator is your ticket.

Your dad may be a Rolex Pepsi guy, but you’re on a non-Swiss-made budget. I’ll let you in on a secret: Seiko makes a pretty damn good approximation. I particularly like that this one is PADI co-branded, automatic, and has a 200-meter depth rating. Even better, it’s under $500.

For my money, Doxa makes some of the most interesting dive watches out there. Is this on the recommended Father’s Day list because I’d really love if someone took the hint and bought one for me? Hard to say. What’s easy to say is that the orange dial Doxa Sub 200T is a showstopper. It’s got a slightly smaller profile and more interesting silhouette than the original 200, but still retains the necessary details, like its unidirectional rotating bezel with its integrated U.S. Navy no-decompression limit table. No rules on whether that’s used underwater or just at the dinner table, either. It’s good to know how long to cook a steak for.

I’m always reluctant to include a Rolex on a gift guide because it’s the obvious choice, the first port of call for someone with cash to spend and a person they really love. You’re likely not reading a gift list recommendation if you’re buying your dad a Rolex. You’re just buying him a Rolex. Yet, I’m including one here because it’s not a new Rolex. It’s a vintage one. It’s a more intentional gift, and I’m living in the glory days of online watch reselling. Certified resale sites like Bezel or other vendors vetted by Rolex’s own certified pre-owned program offer a huge range. Sure, Paul Newman’s old Daytona is likely out of budget range, but there’s something about a vintage Rolex that carries some soul. Gifting one gifts a legacy, one that, if you’re lucky, might come back to you someday.