Dad’s and watches go together like, well, dad’s and watches. With Father’s Day just around the corner here, here are our top picks for some wristwear to put a smile on any parent enthusiast’s face.
Q Timex Continental GMT
Celebrating its 170th anniversary last year, there’s no doubt Timex has some bangers in the old vault. In 2019, the brand relaunched the quartz-powered sub-$300 Q retro line that has become a bestseller. Starting with a single diver, the latest entry is the 39-millimetre Continental GMT taking inspiration from 1970s West Hollywood.
Wearing either a black dial and stainless-steel H-link bracelet or a silver dial and a Tropic-style rubber strap, the brushed steel case, polished edges, faceted hour markers, lollipop seconds hand and sleek 6 o’clock GMT window give the timepiece a distinctive look. The slim nine-millimetre case thickness is versatile, and a date complication at 3 o’clock adds a touch of extra practicality.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Last updated in 2020, Rolex’s entry level — and the first model the company ever introduced — Oyster Perpetual is reintroduced featuring a trio of matte pastel dials perfect for the season. Also available in lavender on the OP 28 and beige on the 36, the 41 receives a stunning pistachio colour that is a different take on green synonymous with the brand.
The finish isn’t the only thing new to the 41-millimetre variant: the largest example of the range receives a slimmer clasp and Oystersteel case for increased comfort and better aesthetics on-wrist. Both this and the 36 continue to utilize calibre 2232, compared to calibre 2232 in the 28. As always, all OPs have a Twinlock winding crown and a water resistance of 100 metres.
Alpina Diver Extreme Automatic
No buyer’s guide is complete without a proper diver on the list. The robust Alpina Diver Extreme lives up to its name boasting a ceramic unidirectional serrated bezel to help mitigate impacts and scratches, luminous white indicates, hands and date window against a textured black brass dial for maximum readability, screw-down knurled crown, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a 300-metre water resistance rating.
A Swiss-made 25-jewel AL-525 movement provides a power reserve of 38 hours, and the stainless steel caseback is engraved with the Seastrong collection and Alpina logos as well as “1883 Geneve.” A silver-tone push-button deployment-clasp bracelet finishes off the package.
Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Power Reserve Big Date
Moon phase watches are all the rage right now, and this watch with a mouthful of a name takes the genre to new heights. Not only does the 6 o’clock aperture display the current lunar phase, but there’s also a date window between 2 and 3 o’clock and a power reserve indicator on the opposite side. The latter shows exactly how much of the massive 50 hours of stored energy is remaining.
The generous runtime is courtesy of Frederique Constant’s 31st in-house cailbre, the FC-735, which is partially exposed at the rear. Housed in a 40-millimetre stainless steel case, consumers can choose between a white or blue sunray dial complemented by a blue-contrast-stitched leather strap.