5 Accessible, Colourful and Robust Watches Ready for your Summer Trips

End of July, the sun is out, temperatures are rising and the sea is blue… This is the time of the year when a high-end dress watch doesn’t make much sense. Unless you’ll spend your holidays reading books in an air-conditioned library (no judgment, if that’s your thing), most of us will spend time next to a beach or a pool. And for that, nothing can beat the practicality and appeal of a fun, colourful and robust watch. And for multiple reasons, there’s no need to break the bank to enjoy what we call summer watches. Here are 5 recently introduced models to pick up right before the summer break. 

Certina DS Super PH1000M STC Edition

First presented last year in black or orange, the Certina DS Super PH1000M made quite an impression on the team, with its combination of 1970s design, retro elements with modern construction, a list of specs that makes it a highly capable dive watch, and a truly reasonable price. It comes back this year in a special edition benefitting the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy. Apart from the good cause, there’s also good looks with a new sea-blue colour scheme – on the dial and bezel – with orange accents to bring just that dosage of fun. This 1,000m water-resistant watch also features a HEV and a clever safety system for the rotating bezel, and is powered by the capable Powermatic 80 movement. All of that for just north of EUR 1,000…

Quick facts: 43.50mm x 14.15mm steel case – sapphire crystal, rotating aluminium bezel – 1,000m water-resistant – sea-blue dial with orange accents – ETA Powermatic 80, automatic, 3Hz, 80h power reserve – rubber strap – special, non-limited edition – EUR 1,035

Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 40mm

While usually associated with cinema and military watches, Hamilton also carries a collection of respectable sports, aquatic-oriented watches under the Khaki Navy Scuba collection. The latest additions to the range are all about colours, ranging from orange, pink and the present yellow version – a colour that is found on the dial and the strap, perfect for summer. This 40mm adventure watch – the 100m WR doesn’t really make it a true dive watch – comes fully equipped, nicely finished and incorporates the powerful calibre H-10 with 80h power reserve. The price, just below 900 euros, makes it a no-brainer.

Quick facts: 40mm x 12.95mm steel case – sapphire crystal, rotating aluminium bezel – 100m water-resistant – black dial with yellow minutes ring – ETA Powermatic 80, automatic, 3Hz, 80h power reserve – yellow rubber strap – (also available in orange and pink) – EUR 895

Mido Ocean Star 39

With this Ocean Star 39, Swiss brand Mido presents a watch that’s not only stylish but also compact and surprisingly thin. At 39mm in diameter and 46mm in length, it brings a cool retro vibe but mostly, it’s only 10.5mm in thickness, while boasting a 200m water-resistance. The dial is quite original, with its undulating motif and vertical gradient effect, ranging from black to blue – also found on the bezel. A black-grey edition is also available, for a more discreet look. Inside is a great movement, an evolution of the ETA 2892, with an extended power reserve of 72 hours. It’s worn on a steel bracelet with a diving extension and comes at a very reasonable price, just below 1,200 euros.

Quick facts: 39mm x 10.5mm steel case – sapphire crystal, rotating aluminium bezel – 200m water-resistant – Embossed dial with undulating motif, vertical gradient effect from black to blue – Mido Caliber 72, automatic, 3.5Hz, 72h power reserve – steel bracelet (also available in grey-black and sand-toned) – EUR 1,190

Nomos Club Campus Endless Blue

If diving isn’t your thing, and if you prefer a cocktail on a terrasse, then the latest Nomos Club Campus will solve your summer watch problems. Following the yearly tradition, the 2024 editions are presented in bright red or, as presented here, in “Endless Blue” with a bit of a Tiffany vibe. Robust enough for a jump in the pool (100m water-resistance), the effortlessly cool vibe comes from the combination of colours, the California-style dial and the overall slim, compact case with an in-house hand-wound movement inside. The 38.5mm model you can see here might be a bit long on the wrist for some, but you can also get it in 36mm. And at 1,400 euros, the price feels more than right.

Quick facts: 38.5mm x 8.5mm steel case – sapphire crystal – 100m water-resistant – matte bright blue dial – calibre Alpha, in-house, hand-wound, 3Hz, 43h power reserve – vegan velour velvet grey strap (also available in 36mm) – EUR 1,400

Seiko Prospex Diver 200m Samurai SRPL11

One of the most famous of all Seiko dive watches, the Samurai has changed this year, being drastically revamped and redesigned. More compact, more wearable, with a 41.7mm diameter, the Samurai has become a bit softer, and less aggressive than in the past but still retains very decent diving capacities. It’s all much sleeker than in the past, with redesigned scales and markers, but still a Hardlex crystal on top (sapphire would make it complete). And while you’ll have the choice of a classic black dial and bezel, Seiko released the SRPL11 with a truly cool burgundy colour scheme, for a bit of fun in the sun. Some liked the evolution, making this icon a bit more mainstream… Hardcore fans might prefer the old one.

Quick facts: 41.7mm x 12.3mm steel case – Hardlex crystal, rotating aluminium bezel – 200m water-resistant – matte burgundy dial – calibre 4R35, in-house, automatic, 3Hz, 41h power reserve – steel bracelet (also available in black) – EUR 650