Rank: | Photo: | Model: | Rating: | More Info: |
#1 |  | BEST OVERALL Victorinox Chronograph Watch | ||
#2 |  | Victorinox Stainless Steel Watch | ||
#3 |  | Movado Swiss Quartz Ion-Plated | ||
#4 |  | Wenger Urban Metropolitan New | ||
#5 |  | Alpina Sport Watch |
If you want to buy a quality watch, you’ll likely look for some specific features. These include how sophisticated the watch looks and if it offers protection against the elements as well as wear and tear. Swiss watches are the epitome of quality!
What makes Swiss watches so special? These watches are known to be of a better quality as compared to other watches, for various reasons. For example, they use durable metal gears and are crafted by hand.
If you’re looking for a Swiss watch, you have many choices available to you. To help make the process easier, here’s our guide to the best Swiss watches: stay on trend and on time.
Best Swiss Watches – Reviews & Buying guide for 2021
Best Overall: Victorinox Chronograph Watch
This dual-toned watch with silver and gold looks luxurious, but it has other benefits you’ll enjoy making the most of, so let’s check them out.
Pros
- This watch has a stainless steel bracelet that makes it look both classy and classic.
- You’ll be able to wear it casually or to formal events, as it’s the perfect watch to grab and go whenever you want to add a dash of luxury to your appearance. This also makes Victorinox one of the best Swiss watch brands to own.
- This watch has a chronograph (which is a stopwatch) and a tachymeter (which is used to measure speed according to the time traveled over a specific distance) in its designs. This makes it so much more versatile than a standard watch.
- If you’re susceptible to skin allergies, you’ll appreciate that the stainless steel in this watch is high-grade and hypoallergenic.
- This watch has analog quartz movement. Quartz movements are much more accurate than mechanical ones, so you’ll be guaranteed punctuality when wearing this watch.
- It has a unidirectional rotating bezel. This is a feature most commonly found on diving watches. It measures your diving time and the bezel only rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, ensuring your safety when diving. You can wear this watch safely at underwater depths of 100 meters.
- That also means this watch is safe for use in water, whether you’re lounging around by the pool or you’re at the beach.
- Looking at your watch to check the time in bright light is easy with this watch, thanks to its anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
- The caseback is resistant to scratches.
- You can purchase this watch with a stainless steel bracelet or a leather strap. Or both, if you want greater versatility depending on where you’re going and what you’re wearing! Based on all its features, this is certainly one of the best Swiss watches for the money.
Cons
- Some people who have purchased the watch with a blue dial have reported that the color looks more purple than blue.
- Others have mentioned experiencing issues with the chronograph marker, stating that it’s misaligned.
Runner Up: Victorinox Stainless Steel Watch
If you want a watch that’s more modern than classic, this Victorinox men’s watch is worth considering. Let’s check it out and see what features it has to offer.
Pros
- This is a round watch that has a white dial with a date window and red enamel topring. It’s classy yet super-stylish!
- It comes with a 43mm plastic case and a mineral dial windsor. Mineral watches are less expensive than those made of sapphire.
- It makes use of Swiss quartz movement and has an analog display.
- The dial contains luminescent hands and hour markers, which makes it easy to tell the time wherever you are. This feature also adds to the contemporary style of the watch, making this one of the best Swiss watches to have in your collection.
- The band of the watch is made of woven nylon, and it has a buckle closure.
- This watch is water-resistant – you can wear it safely when diving or swimming, provided you don’t go deeper than 100 meters, which makes it one of the best Swiss dive watches to invest in if you’re regularly in the water.
- It’s built to be durable and people who have purchased this watch have echoed that feature, saying that they dropped the watch a few times and it didn’t get scratched or scuffed. So, while it looks fashionable, it’s also rugged enough for daily wear.
Cons
- You might want to exercise caution when using this watch in wet environments. Some people who have purchased it have complained about it fogging up in high-humidity conditions.
Alternative: Movado Swiss Quartz Ion-Plated
If you’re looking for a dressy watch that looks luxurious, you’ll love this one by Movado, and it’s one of the best Swiss watches under 1000 dollars. Let’s see why it makes our list.
Pros
- This watch has a yellow gold ion-plated stainless steel case, so it’s both beautiful and durable.
- It has a gold-toned dial and a yellow gold ion-plated stainless steel mesh bracelet, both of which add a splash of modern luxury.
- Its quartz movement ensures that you’ll always stay on time. This also reduces the watch maintenance because it will always remain reliable.
- This watch is scratch-resistant, thanks to how it’s made with K1 mineral crystal. This, which is a feature found on the best value Swiss watches, is more resistant to scuffs and scratches as compared to regular mineral crystals.
Cons
- This watch is water-resistant, and you can safely wear it to depths of 30 meters. But that’s quite a bit less than other watches in our guide.
- Although it’s water-resistant, chances are you won’t want to wear such a luxurious watch when going snorkeling or scuba diving.
- Unlike some other luxury watches we’ve reviewed in this buying guide, this one doesn’t come in a range of colors.
Alternative: Wenger Urban Metropolitan New
If you’re looking for the best Swiss watch for everyday use, this one by Wenger is a hot contender. Here’s why it’s one of the best Swiss watches under 500 dollars.
Pros
- This Swiss watch has a sapphire-coated mineral crystal for durability and strength.
- It’s got luminous hands so that you’ll find it easy to tell the time in any condition.
- Another feature of this watch that makes it easy to read the time is its large numbers.
- It’s built with a genuine leather strap to further make it resistant to wear and tear while offering comfort.
- This watch is water-resistant and you can safely wear it at depths of 100 meters. It’s said to be fine for water activities such as snorkeling and swimming, but you shouldn’t risk wearing it when diving.
- People who have purchased this watch have commented that it’s both lightweight and comfortable to wear. It’s one of the best Swiss quartz watches for everyday use.
Cons
- You might not like that this watch has thick lugs. These bend outwards a bit and add extra weight to the watch. However, whether or not you like them will come down to your personal preferences. They certainly contribute to making the watch stronger.
Alternative: Alpina Sport Watch
This watch forms part of the Alpiner Connection, which is a throwback to Alpina watches of the 1950s that were focused on reliability, exceptional Swiss finishes, and clean shapes.
Let’s see what it has to offer.
Pros
- This watch is a sports model that shares what other Alpiner watches boast: it is resistant to shocks and impact, as well as water, and it’s also anti-magnetic.
- It’s made out of stainless steel to be tough and durable.
- There’s a window at the six o’clock point that has a white date wheel. This watch has some other nice details, such as Alpina’s signature triangle that decorates the second hand. If you like watches with great attention to fine details, then this is the one to buy.
- The watch’s movements are AL-240 quartz. This is a three-hand movement that has 45-month battery life.
- To make the watch resistant to scratches, Alpina designed it with sapphire instead of mineral crystal. Sapphire is usually found on very expensive watches, so it’s a nice touch here.
- It’s perfect for people with thin wrists who want a more narrow design. This watch is slim and sleek.
- It’s water-resistant up to depths of 100 meters.
Cons
- Some people who have purchased this watch have reported that its lume is not as bright as they would have liked.
Swiss Watches FAQ
If you’re interested in buying a new watch, you might wonder if you should choose a Swiss watch.
These are popular, as we’ve touched on in the intro to this guide, but let’s explore more information about Swiss watches.
Are Swiss-made watches the best?
If you’re looking for a quality watch, you should steer towards Swiss watches. These are considered to be better than other watches for a variety of reasons.
It’s interesting to note that a watch is only called Swiss if it meets specific conditions. Here are some standards that have to be met in order for a watch to get the “Swiss made” label:
- The watch must have been manufactured in Switzerland.
- It must have Swiss movement which is cased up in Switzerland. “Cased up” refers to techniques to test if the watch will be resistant to various elements, and these need to be followed.
- A minimum of 60 percent of the manufacturing costs to make the watch need to have been achieved in Switzerland.
- The watch manufacturer must inspect the watch in Switzerland.
Let’s explore some reasons why Swiss-made watches are considered to be the gold standard.
- Swiss watches make use of metal gears. These can be serviced, which increases the lifespan of the watches, and are made by hand.
- The watches’ link pins and other components are made with durable, strong materials, instead of plastic that is found in regular watches.
- Swiss watches are usually made with 316L surgical steel. This is high-grade steel that’s resistant to damage, and wear and tear. They are also naturally hypoallergenic, which is great for you if you suffer from metal allergies.
- Swiss watches are usually designed with sapphire crystals, which makes them durable and resistant to scratches. This is what also makes them ideal for wearing every day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Swiss watches are built to last, and because they contain materials of excellent quality this ensures that they can be repaired and even have their damaged parts replaced. This is why Swiss watches can last for generations.
- Swiss watches look luxurious. This is as a result of their high-quality materials and excellent craftsmanship.
What watch brands are made in Switzerland?
There are many watch brands made in Switzerland. To give you an idea of the best ones, here’s a list of Swiss watch brands that are the most popular and prestigious.
Rolex
Who doesn’t know Rolex? This brand is highly popular and renowned all over the world as making some of the best Swiss watches.
In 2018, Rolex made over 5 billion Swiss francs and sold an estimated 950,000 watches. That’s nearly one million watches in just one year!
Omega
This is another well-known watch brand. Omega has been known to perform as one of the best watch brands in the entire watch industry.
These watches are known as being some of the best in the entire world, and this brand has been in operation for 170 years.
Cartier
Just like their watches, the Cartier brand seems to be a timeless force to be reckoned with in the watch industry.
The great thing about Cartier watches is that many of them maintain their value and can end up being worth more when sold on the pre-owned market than when they were first bought, which is incredible.
If you’re looking for a luxury watch that has all the expensive, luxurious components money can buy, then you’ll want a Cartier watch.
Tissot
You’ve probably heard of Tissot, another well-known Swiss watch brand. This is a brand that’s a bit more accessible for members of the general public, which is why it’s so praised.
Tissot is sold all over the world and is considered to be a leader in the traditional Switch watch industry. It’s said to export around four million watches per year.
Tissot has an interesting history – it was the watch brand that brought the first pocket watch to the market that was mass-produced, as well as the world’s first pocket watch that had two time zones.
Both of these milestones occurred in 1853.
Tag Heuer
If you love sports watches, you’ll love Tag Heuer. This brand of luxury Swiss watches is all about innovation, sports timing, and ultra-fast mechanical chronographs.
What’s great about this brand is that it focuses on slightly more affordable prices, so it’s more accessible to a trendier, younger crowd than some other luxury watches that might feel completely out of reach for that market.
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe is surely proud to be the owner of one of the most expensive watches that were ever sold at a worldwide auction – the Grandmaster Chime, which was sold for $31.19 million dollars in 2019!
This luxury watch brand has a solid reputation for making watches that are of the highest quality. What makes it such a valuable watch brand is that it has unrivaled expertise in many elements of the watchmaking process.
It’s no wonder why it’s considered to be one of the biggest Rolex rivals in the world.
Other Swiss watches include Longines, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Tudor, Wolf, and Hublot.
Is it cheaper to buy Swiss watches in Switzerland?
When purchasing a Swiss watch, you might wonder if it’s less expensive to buy one in Switzerland.
Although you might assume that going to the location where the watches are made would mean that you could find them at cheaper prices, this isn’t necessarily the case.
This is because there will always be costs that need to be considered.
Here are some factors that you should bear in mind which could affect the price of Swiss watches, even if you’re buying them in Switzerland.
- Currency fluctuations. Switzerland makes use of the Swiss franc, not the Euro. The Swiss franc tends to fluctuate a lot more than the Euro, so if you purchase a Swiss watch in Switzerland when the Swiss franc is doing well you will end up paying more money for the watch.
- Customs duty. This is important to consider because it could increase the cost of your purchase. Of course, the general rule is to declare your foreign purchases, but every country will have its own rules and regulations related to customs duty. Basically, it’s a myth to think that buying things abroad will make you avoid having to pay tax on it.
- Trip costs. If you’re hoping to buy a watch in Switzerland when you’re traveling there, that could help you to make the most of your time in the country. But, consider that you might not actually be saving money because of all the other costs that are associated with your travels, such as when it comes to flight and accommodation expenses.
- Purchasing limited edition watches. If you want to buy a special, limited-edition watch, it’s worth bearing in mind that this could come at a higher price and that cost might not be influenced by the location where you purchase it.
It’s important to consider the above-mentioned factors as purchasing a luxury item isn’t always as cut and dry as one would expect.
Why Swiss watches are costly?
Swiss watches are globally praised for their high standard of quality and designs that blend functionality and beauty. Their components are detailed and intricate, and this contributes to why they’re so expensive.
There’s also the topic of innovation. Swiss watches have a long history of innovation that continues today, and part of this innovation is their complex movements.
The watch components have been refined over many decades to perfect them.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes Swiss timepieces so expensive.
- It takes a long time to perfect watch movements. These don’t take days or months but years to make and perfect so that they will last for generations to come.
- There’s a high demand for the watches. The long production time of Swiss watches is combined with the high demand for them, which causes their prices to increase.
- They make use of quality components. The best of the best materials are used to make Swiss watches. This is what makes these watches so luxurious, after all, and it makes sense that you get what you pay for.
- They have a luxury image. Swiss watches are so well-known for being luxurious and this reputation is what makes watch enthusiasts willing to pay so much for the watches. The high price tag attached to these luxury watches is seen by many as a sign that the watches are worthy.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in buying a new watch, you should focus on purchasing one that’s made with quality in mind.
This is where Swiss watches come in because of how they provide beautiful and exceptionally crafted accessories.
In this article, we’ve provided you with five types of stunning and innovative Swiss watches so that you can find the perfect one to compliment your lifestyle.
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