Our Picks – The Top 20 Watches of 2020
2020 – The year that has left its mark forever. But thank goodness we’ve had an excellent array of watches to distract us from the harsh realities this year has thrown at us. We have looked at all of the watches we’ve had the pleasure to write about this year and come up with our list of the 20 best watches of 2020. Read all the way to the end for the overall best watch of 2020.
Most Creative – MB&F Horological Machine N°10 – Bulldog
“When it comes to watches likes the MB&F Horological Machine N°10 ‘Bulldog’, it’s difficult to fully appreciate them without actually wearing them. I reckon the same is true for most independent brands. The ‘Bulldog’ is too artistic, futuristic, almost an idiosyncratic talent of pure mechanical genius. ” Read on for full review
Most Culturally Inclusive – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar
“Primarily for the Middle-Eastern market that abides by the Hijri calendar I would say, but frankly it’s for anyone who appreciates fine watchmaking. It’s a beauty that offers something different. And mechanically impressive at the same time. Also, the timepiece is adorned with contextual references to the Middle East and Islam.” Read on for full review…
Best Affordable Swiss Watch – Christopher Ward C65 Sandstorm
“This year Christopher Ward has been like a sandstorm, releasing hard-hitting timepieces one after the other. No matter what your tastes or horological collection direction maybe, they seem to have something for everyone. You can run, you can hide, but you can’t escape Christopher Ward in 2020.” Read on for full review…
Best Dial – Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint
“While the dial of the new Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint may have been inspired by plane and watch drawings, in essence, in its soul, to me it is reminiscent of everything that’s to do with design and creativity; it is these blueprints that form the foundations of the finished products and architecture that people get to see. ” Read on for full review…
Best GMT – Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
“The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time has seen its share of commentary since it was first unleashed onto the world back in 2015. So will the new version make waves? Depending on who you ask, the answer will vary. But for those who have the funds for it, it is perhaps the definition of the ultimate daily wearable high-end luxury GMT watch.” Read on for full review…
Best Ladies Watch – Vacheron Constantin Heure Romantique
“The most striking feature is the Art Nouveau inspired case design, that’s both timeless and elegant. Such is the charm that it reminds me of some ancient paintings with queens and princesses leisurely flirting away their time, wearing jewellery like this. Like a flower about to bloom, it brings a sense of joy, one that is embodied in its graceful volutes, flowing curves and arabesques inspired by nature. The next best part? It’s not a quartz powered watch.” Read on for full review…
Best Customisable Watch – Undone Basecamp
“For a fraction of a price of what the watchmaking industry can charge for customisation, if at all they let you tinker with it, now anyone can create a similar timepiece, and that’s the beauty we are talking about today.” Read on for full review…
Best Hybrid Watch – Bausele Vintage 2.0
“There is something chilled out, laid back about Bausele watches, perhaps because they are born out of a land that epitomises the “no worries” vibe. Serious when needed, and casual fun otherwise, the Bausele Vintage 2.0 is a no frills, no unnecessary fluff watch, that displays just the pure essence of time mixed with the cool of stealth smart tech.” Read on for full review…
Best Collection – Rolex Oyster Perpetual
“Three stunning new features rule this release: first, the bright, stunning colours. Second, the new generation Oyster Perpetual model has a Chromalight display, where the hands and hour markers are coated or filled with a luminescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow in dark conditions. And last but not the least, the new, bigger size of 41mm.” Read on for full review…
Best Daily Wear Watch – Omega Constellation Gents’ Collection 41
“My favourite version features a beautiful silk-embossed rhodium-grey dial. The way its watch face is integrated with the case is a wonderful study in the execution of a monochromatic look. The polished black ceramic bezel with Roman numerals in Liquidmetal™ co-exist in harmony with the metal claws at 3 and 9’o clock.” Read on for full review…
Best Celebration Watch – Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref 6007A-001
“The new Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref 6007A-001 has a lot going for it, but namely due to the following it will leave its stamp on the 2020 watch scene: it’s a limited edition release in steel from a member of the watch ‘Holy Trinity’ and is launched in celebration of the completion of the new Patek Philippe manufacture production building in Plan-les-Ouates (Geneva).” Read on for full review…
Best Complication Watch – Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer
“JLC introduced the world to the idea of Memovox in the late 1940s, and since then, the alarm complication is perhaps one of the most useful of all complications, while remaining surprisingly rare in horology. I mean look at all the chronograph watches out there. Or the dive watch with the rotating bezels. But alarm wristwatches, well they still are a rarity. Even more rare is a GMT with an alarm.” Read on for full review…
Best Collaboration – Red LM101 MB&F x H. Moser
“Collaborations in the watch industry and nothing new. Hodinkee x watch are a plenty. Swatch is a master of these, and has had various collaborations in the past such as Keith Haring. Or JLC and Ferdinand Hodler. Or Revolution x Zenith like the El Primero A3818 Revival ‘Cover Girl’. Or the Breitling Premier Bentley Mulliner Limited Edition to name a few. But collaborations between two technically competing independent watch brands — both fighting for a select, niche client base— are few and far between. To take a page out of H. Moser & Cie’s marketing, they are very rare indeed.” Read on for full review…
Most Groundbreaking – Piaget Altiplano Ultimate
“The degree of thinness of this watch means that even the method of indicating the time had to be re-thought. Instead of having a dial and two hands placed on top of a bridge, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept features a dial that lies beneath it, thus providing protection from any contact with the strong but wafer-thin crystal should it be momentarily deformed in an impact.” Read on for full review…
Best Under-the-radar Watch – Grand Seiko SBGR321
“Suited For: Those who understand that there’s more to the world of fine watchmaking beyond the shores of Europe. And more importantly, for those who can appreciate the plethora of minute details that make GS timepieces stand out from the crowd.” Read on for full review…
Best Limited Edition – Breitling Top Time
“If you spot this in the wild, the dial will make you pause and just look, keeping you transfixed in its beauty. The concentric circled sub-dials spin such a wonderful visual effect against the black ‘mask’ that it’s something that will be truly appreciated by all watch enthusiasts.” Read on for full review…
Best Horological Masterpiece – Greubel Forsey QP à Équation
“Even if I ignore all the complications on this watch, and simply strip the watch face of everything but the hours and minutes hands, the gold on brown look is a winner. This watch would still be one of the most eye-catching watches of 2020. Now throw in the 12 to 15 — depends on how you count — complications in the mix, and what you have is one hell of a watch.” Read on for full review…
Best Chronograph – H. Moser & Cie Streamliner
“In my opinion this ‘Batman’ is the perfect answer to the other ‘Batman’, the Rolex GMT-Master II ref.126710BLNR. The beauty of this release is that it can go on being a superhero alongside Rolex’s iconic version; both these watches are distinctive and do not necessarily ‘eat into’ each other’s market or style. ” Read on for full review…
Best Dive Watch – MING 18.01 H41
“A watch futuristic and cool enough to feature in the world of TRON, the new MING 18.01 H41 is the diver of the present and the future.” Read on for full review…
Best Overall Watch of 2020 – Tudor Black Bay 58 ‘Navy Blue’
“As I said, it ticks all the boxes: for purists who appreciate the idea of the new watch retaining the characteristic proportions of the 1950s; for people on a budget restraints; for perusers of vintage style watches; or for folks with smaller wrist sizes”. Read on for full review…
And that rounds up our top 20 watches of 2020 – we’d love to hear what your top 20 watches of 2020 were and whether or not you agree with our picks. And also, Happy New Year to all of our readers and supporters!
