9 of the best summer watches, from colourful beach bums to refined yacht-dwellers

Buffy Acacia

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you’re only a couple of months away from summer, and hopefully enjoying the joyful vibes of spring. Nothing tops off a sunshine season outfit than bright and colourful wristwatch, and whether you’re hiking through the hills, putting in some laps of the pool, or relaxing on the fairway, you’re going to need a solid timepiece not only to keep track of those long days, but also to do it in style. Here are our picks for the best watches for summer.

Casio G-Shock DW-5600EP

Summer is a time to be active, so picking up a watch that is basically indestructible is a great idea. Although the CasiOak is enjoying its time in the limelight, the G-Shock 5600 square shape has been a fashion icon since the ‘80s. Now, it’s available in bright, neon colours that are usually reserved for sports drinks. Not many people set out to match their watches to their Gatorade, but the DW-5600EP Energy Pack watches are a budget-friendly beast. In addition to all of the bells and whistles usually accompanied by a Casio digital module, the backlight illuminates a lightning pattern for another cheeky nod to electrolyte-fuelled beverages. Price: US$99

Seiko 5 Sports SRPK35

Some of the watches in this list are for those who like to take their summer days easy, kicking back, soaking up some rays and working on that tan. Not the Seiko SRPK35, this watch is for the ones who seldom relax. Released last year, the SRPK35 has all the details to appease the most hardcore of Seiko fans. The wearable 38mm steel case, the bright and legible dial, the functional unidirectional bezel, and a brushed finish all over, to hide that scuff you earned while rock climbing. However, if you’d prefer a NATO or rubber strap, they’re easily fitted due to the drilled lugs on the case. If you prefer your action a little wetter, the SRPK35 is water-resistant to 100 metres. The movement is an automatic 4R36, boasting a day and date function, automatic winding, hacking and hand-winding, along with a power reserve of 41 hours and a beat rate of 21,600vph. Price: US$325

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic

Zodiac has had a phenomenal lineage of dive watches, but the Super Sea Wolf Ceramic couldn’t be further away from the brand’s vintage offerings, with a blast of green, white, and orange so bright you’d swear you could smell its fruitiness. The watch itself does have some 1970s stylistic cues, however, the white ceramic-capped case transforms it into a thoroughly contemporary experience. The seafoam green dial is perfectly contrasted with the sherbet orange minute hand and minute track, and it’s all brought together by the supple rubber tropic strap in a colour-matched green. Zodiac uses STP movements owned by Fossil, its shared parent company, and the STP 1-11 is a well-respected clone of the ETA 2824-2 with some changes. The power reserve is 44 hours, with a 4Hz beat rate. Price: US$1,795, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Longines Conquest 34mm

Small wrists need to enjoy summer too, and the recent additions to the Longines Conquest catalogue make for beautiful summer watches. Not only are they 100-metres water resistant for swimming safety, but the 34mm case retains all of the sportiness you’d expect from a larger watch. If anything, it’s actually quite an authentic interpretation of a 1960s sports watch with delicious modern touches. The pale green dial is stunning with its fine sunburst brushing and neat indices, and the steel H-link bracelet shows its utilitarian side. The calibre L888.5 is visible through the sapphire caseback, showing off some nice decoration for this price point to go with its 72-hour power reserve and 25,200vph beat rate. Price: US$2,075

Doxa SUB 250 GMT Sharkhunter Vintage

Being famous for its bright orange dials, you could pick out really any Doxa Professional for this list. However, the recent release of the SUB 250 GMT has plenty of perks for summer. Not only is the GMT a great complication for travelling overseas or across state lines, but the 40mm case is wonderfully slim at just 10.85mm thick. That’s pretty impressive for a watch with 250 metres of water resistance, retaining full functionality as a dive watch, including the patented decompression scale on the bezel. The Sharkhunter Vintage dial is a nice changeup from all the brightness, going for more of a hazy sunset feel. But if that isn’t really your thing, you’ll also find summer loving with the Professional Orange, Divingstar Yellow, Aquamarine, or Sea Emerald references. Price: US$2,450, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Oris Big Crown Pointer Date

Oris seems to be overhauling its catalogue this year, but it’s not leaving behind the love of pastels and colour. It can sometimes be tricky to find brightly coloured watches that still take themselves seriously, and it’s that blend of respectable fun that makes the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date so attractive. It’s vibrant and exciting but still versatile enough to come to the office. The more affordable versions with Sellita movements can be had in dark or light blue and blinding yellow, while the in-house Calibre 403 references are ripe for summer in pastel sage or terracotta pink. Price: CHF 2,000 (Sellita), CHF 3,600 (Calibre 403)

Omega Seamaster 150M Aqua Terra Summer Blue

Omega unveiled its 75th-anniversary collection of the Seamaster featuring a new colourway across the range, aptly called “Summer Blue”, and the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M on the light blue rubber strap is arguably the summeriest of them all. The graduated blue dials get deeper and darker through the range as the depth rating increases, so with the Aqua Terra’s relatively shallow 150 metres of water resistance, this one’s the lightest hue of the collection – ideal for those summer dips in the pool. Everything else is typical Omega and Aqua Terra, with excellent build quality and finishing on the 41mm stainless-steel case. Apart from when you turn the watch over to reveal that Omega has ditched the exhibition caseback for a stamped Seamaster logo version, depicting a trident-bearing Poseidon and two seahorses, just like Omega’s 1956 original. Price: US$6,600

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G

If you’d rather splash the cash than the water in your pool, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G is one of the biggest summer flexes you could manage. Following the discontinuation of the 5164A in stainless steel, this new model is entirely cased in 18k white gold. The blue-grey opaline dial colour is definitely distinct from a Tiffany blue, which is frankly overdone these days, but it’s still totally refreshing from the deep navy blues we’re used to. The 30 metres of water resistance (and the price tag) will probably have you keeping it away from the ocean, however, the dual time display, day/night indicators, and the date coupled to local time make it a perfect watch for jet-setting and going on holiday. Price: US$64,930

T+T Timeless Pick: Studio Underd0g Pink Lem0nade

One look at this dial is enough to make your mouth water. You can practically see the condensation running down the crystal as if it were an ice-cold glass; that’s how refreshing the dial of the Studio Underd0g Pink Lem0nade is. The gradient from yellow down to pink is beautifully soft and slightly otherworldly thanks to a unique manufacturing process, and the entire thing glows bright green after dark. The 37mm case is surprisingly elegant, with sensible numerals and hands tying it together as a fun-yet-versatile watch. The Swiss Sellita SW210-1 is a manually wound movement, giving you a more physical connection with the watch as well. No matter how good it looks in photos, it also looks ten times better in the metal. Price: £800 (~US$1,000) exclusively in-store from the Time+Tide Shop