In the collecting world today, there’s an ocean of interest around dive watches of all shapes and forms, from the extremes of the Omega Ploprof to the more restrained iconic Rolex Submariner. In this tide of options and similarity, it’s nearly impossible for a newcomer to stand apart from the crowd—yet I’ve found that the Longines HydroConquest GMT does just that, in a subtle but endearing manner that sets it charmingly apart from both the flights of travel watches and waves of dive watches that surround it. Its tool-like but elegant nature makes it a great everyday wear, coupled with intense functionality.

History

As it turns out, Longines as a brand has perhaps the strongest link to GMT watches as a whole, which makes the HydroConquest GMT a particularly compelling piece thanks to the historical legacy that it plays a part in. The first watch ever to feature two time zones was a Longines pocket watch made in 1911, and they would continue this travel-focused trend with the first GMT wristwatches in 1925.

Longines today has continued their emphasis on GMT and travel watches with several different collections featuring this complication, including the Spirit Zulu Time GMT, the Master Collection GMT, and finally, the HydroConquest GMT.

Important to note as well is that the HydroConquest GMT is a modification of the original HydroConquest line, which is the standard Longines dive watch. Overall, I see it as an upgrade to go from the original dive watch functionality to maintaining all those aquatic features with the addition of the GMT function. As a whole, this is a spectacular watch on its own that also stands within a broad historical context of advanced development in GMT functions by Longines.

Case

The HydroConquest GMT is nothing if not a purpose-built tool, and its simple steel case reflects that in every way. One of the first design details to catch my eye upon first seeing it was the large sloping crown guards. Crown guards can easily stand out harshly against the rest of the design if they’re added as an afterthought to protect the vulnerable crown. In this case (pun intended), it’s clear that Longines very intentionally included them as a part of the design, as they flow very seamlessly into the case itself and clearly reference the shape of the lugs. They’re also quite restrained and don’t block the usage of the crown itself for winding.

As a whole, the case is uniformly brushed, a very muted effect that adds to the tool-like nature of the piece. This is set in contrast with the few places where a high polish has been applied—namely, the crown and the bezel.

While I’m always a sucker for a healthy dose of visual contrast in different polishing finishes, the choice to set the crown and bezel apart with high polishing does come with consequences. Both of these areas are the places you’ll touch most when interacting with the watch, and the high polish makes them quite a bit slipperier than if they were simply brushed. As such, it can at times be difficult to use these features. That said, the crown does have an extremely smooth winding action, so it won’t require much effort beyond keeping your fingers firmly on it as you wind.

The sapphire crystal is flat and rather simple, but it is also heavily tool-built and utilitarian thanks to the toughness provided by the sapphire. Furthermore, it is coated with several layers both outside and inside with anti-reflective coating, which provides for extreme legibility in almost any situation, even in direct sunlight.

The case itself comes in two sizes depending on the model—some models offer both, and others are available only in one of the two sizes. The options are 41mm and 43mm in diameter, neither one of which is overly large for a tool watch of this nature.

All options are 12.9mm thick—which frankly is not bad at all for a complicated watch such as this! Important to note as well is that the smaller models have a 21mm lug-to-lug measurement for adding replacement straps, while the larger ones are at 22mm. It will certainly be easier to find straps at the more even 22mm measurement, but those with smaller wrists may find the choice of a lesser diameter much more compelling.

The bezel closely matches the dial for each model and as such can be colored or monochromatic. It’s highly polished, which produces a lovely shine against the brushed finish on the case. As a dive bezel rather than a typical GMT bezel—this is, after all, the HydroConquest collection—it is equipped with a 60-minute scale where every five minutes is marked as well as the individual minutes up to 15.

The bezel is unidirectionally rotating to prevent it from accidentally skipping backwards. It’s a great touch that adds functionality whether you intend to use it for diving or just to time how long your casserole should be in the oven.

In all, it’s certainly not a case that is immediately striking as excessively beautiful or dazzling. It’s a tool, just like the rest of the watch, and from the toughness of the steel to the extra crown guards to the coated sapphire crystal, it does its job remarkably well—and even with a touch of elegance.

Dial

With the dial, we get into the real variation in the HydroConquest GMT family. Each dial features a variety of indices to help easily distinguish between the hours—a triangle at 12:00, circles at 6:00 and 9:00, and rectangular markers to fill in all the rest. Note that the 3:00 date window means that there is no marker at this position. The hands are a curious shape, and the hour hand has a certain diamond structure which fits well with the overall theme of shape indices. The GMT hand, likewise, is a simple and legible arrow.

The dial color matches with the bezel on any variant of the HydroConquest GMT, from the colored ones to those which are more plain. A gentle sunburst finish has been applied, allowing for better legibility in the way it captures light as well as another touch of elegance in elevating this watch above a fully utilitarian presentation. The minute track and date window are rendered in the same color as the lume on the indices and hands, which is present in copious amounts for extremely high legibility in low-light situations. In the green and brown dial models, this lume is in a rich cream color meant to evoke the patina of older tritium-lumed dive watches. All models glow a brilliant blue at night, which for me is evocative of the ocean depths as well as being an interesting choice considering that most lume options today are typically green.

The 24-hour GMT track is present only around the dial rehaut and does include a color differentiation between the 12-hour intervals of day and night. Naturally, this is meant to be paired with the GMT hand, which is so long it nearly touches the rehaut for maximum legibility. Unfortunately, the rehaut is rather slim, and I’ve found it can be quite difficult to reference in many situations. That said, I think that with enough use it will become intuitive for any user to determine the GMT hour even without a glance at the rehaut, since it is simply a 24-hour scale and as such there are two hour markings per hour on the dial. Even if this doesn’t become intuitive, it is still a simple matter to reference the rehaut—only it will take an extra moment of attention.

Ultimately, the HydroConquest GMT dial is a key element to tying the watch all together, presenting uniformity with the bezel and adding a delightful boost of charm and refinement to an otherwise utilitarian watch.

Movement

The HydroConquest GMT features the Caliber L884.5, a powerful and accurate GMT movement. What’s important to note, first of all, is that this movement is not in-house. It’s based on the ETA A31.411, and this version of it was not developed by Longines but by ETA. That said, it is exclusive for Longines’ use, so it is at least relatively special to Longines. It’s also clear that in this case the line between in-house and not in-house is rather blurred, as both Longines and ETA are part of the Swatch Group. It’s more like in-neighborhood if not in-house.

The L844.5 is identical to the caliber L844.4 GMT movement used in the Longines Spirit Zulu Time. However, the L844.4 is sent out by Longines to be certified by COSC for accuracy, which means that as these movements are identical, the L844.5 can also be regulated to COSC standards, despite not receiving an official certification. This means that collectors can get a watch with all the prestigious accuracy of a COSC-certified mechanical wonder with none of the price hike that often comes with sending movements out for this certification. I personally find that this is a more than satisfactory trade-off, as COSC certification is truly just a label meant to express the accuracy that wearers will be able to notice anyways.

The Caliber L844 is truly a spectacular movement. It has everything you could ask for from a hardcore traveler’s watch or an advanced dive watch: 300 meters of water resistance, 72 hours of power reserve, and hacking seconds for accurate time setting. It beats at the rather curious rate of 25,200 bph, which is 3.5 beats per second.

The final key detail to note is the L844 has a “true” or “traveler’s” GMT function. This means that the hour hand can be set independently of the others by pulling the crown out to one stop. This means that when traveling the GMT hand can be set to home time and the hour hand can easily be reset to whatever time zone you happen to be in, which allows for very easy and accessible use. Note however that since the one-stop position is taken by the independent hour hand, there is no way to independently change the date apart from rotating the hands. This isn’t a major issue, but it can get a little annoying if you find yourself having to make a big change. In that case, shame on you anyways for not wearing your lovely watch for so long!

Straps

Depending on the specific model you purchase, the HydroConquest GMT collection has a variety of options: rubber, NATO fabric, or a metal bracelet. Of these options, I find the bracelet the most attractive—it adds to the sporty look of the watch in a classy way that a different material can’t quite accomplish. However, it all really depends on what sort of look you’re searching for, and the NATO and rubber are also sporty options that are very versatile and can also add to the overall color palette of the watch, making it a little brighter and more showy.

The bracelet in particular is interesting and while it’s always nice to have an integrated bracelet with a sports watch, I find Longines’ bracelet not quite up to my tastes. It’s strictly utilitarian, just like the rest of the watch, and some will appreciate this visual continuity. To accomplish this utilitarian spirit, Longines finished the entire bracelet in a simple brushing, making it continuous with the case. In my eyes, this makes it a little visually uninteresting, as it’s entirely uniform and there’s no contrasting areas of polish. Again, it’s a choice focused on continuity and utilitarianism above all—people using this watch as it was designed will hardly be interested in having it extra polished when that could be so easily scratched!—and I respect the choice in this respect, even though I do find myself longing for just a touch more shine.

The bracelet, apart from its finishing, has a likewise simple construction. It features a push button clasp which cleanly and easily snaps and releases. Overall, as a tool, it leaves nothing to be desired.

On-Wrist Experience

The Longines HydroConquest GMT is a fantastic companion on any adventure, whether it’s to the office, the depths of the sea, or across the world. That strictly utilitarian nature that Longines strives so hard to push further absolutely shines in many circumstances, especially for those who find themselves living especially adventurous lifestyles.

As I mentioned before, I’m a big fan of the green and brown dial options. I find the colors involved just the right amount of subdued and the way the colors work with the cream lume is a positively delightful combo. I’m also particularly partial to the black dial with orange highlights in a way that I would never have expected as it’s such a monochromatic watch as a whole—yet those orange highlights provide just the right pop of color to make it playful in a simple but effortlessly cool manner.

Having multiple strap options for a watch like this is an absolute must. Each different strap provides a totally different look for the HydroConquest GMT in a way that any true fan of the watch would positively drool over. The bracelet is sporty but classy, while the NATO is inherently adventurous and the rubber takes the sportiness to another level. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try it on a leather strap for slightly dressier occasions. Just don’t try to take it to a black tie event!

Price & Availability

The HydroConquest GMT is not a limited edition, so it’ll remain available for a long time. It can be purchased via Longines’ website or in-store, or via Exquisite Timepieces.

Each watch is at a different price point depending on the strap it comes with. NATO strap options are the least expensive at $2,675, while rubber is a slight premium at $2,775 and bracelet at $2,975. Again, I believe the added price of the steel bracelet is a worthwhile price, but it’s also understandable if you prefer the look of the NATO or rubber, which both are a nice touch. For versatility, consider ordering a model on the bracelet and then adding another strap as an option to your purchase.

Conclusion

It’s clearly not for nothing that the HydroConquest GMT enjoys a serious following among dedicated collectors as well as among the general public. Its variety of color options coupled with extreme functionality and relatively affordable price are all wildly endearing characteristics, and any discerning collector would be remiss to pass this one up.

Grand Seiko is the definition of refined horological beauty and elegance. Known for their spectacular Zaratsu polishing and dials that evoke the natural wonders of the Japanese landscape, this watchmaker far too often goes relatively overlooked compared to others around its price point. 

Their latest release, the SBGJ265, is a spectacular new watch that for me checks all the boxes of the expected Grand Seiko design language while presenting a novel complication and appearance. Bearing both date and GMT complications thanks to the mechanical Caliber 9S86 that beats away inside, it allows its wearer to elegantly track two time zones at once, accentuating this useful information with a beautiful form that never disappoints.

History

The SBGJ265 is a watch deeply rooted in history, as it is part of Grand Seiko’s Heritage Collection. Its case design is inspired by that of the 44GS, which in many ways is the first true Grand Seiko. Even today, I find it still has a compelling and modern silhouette. Others had borne the brand name before it, but it was with the 44GS that Grand Seiko truly solidified their design language and key principles: first, that flat surfaces and two-dimensional curves only will be used on the case; secondly, all flat surfaces will be as wide as possible on the case, dial, and hands for maximum legibility and polish; and finally, every surface should be mirror-polished and distortion-free. When handling a new watch by Grand Seiko, these are some of the key tenets that any discerning buyer should look for and appreciate.

When it came out in 1967, the 44GS was revolutionary. It was the most accurate mechanical movement at its beat rate—5 Hz, or 18,000 bph, a standard rate for mechanical watches—and was the first to bear the characteristic Grand Seiko Zaratsu polish. Note that the standard rate of this watch is actually the most remarkable part of its accuracy, as typically high-beat mechanisms are much more accurate. I find it particularly compelling that Grand Seiko accomplished stunning accuracy with a relatively simple lower-beat movement. As I briefly touched on in the design language, this involves using very sharply faceted flat surfaces polished to a clear and bright mirrored shine in the case, hands, and indexes. Applying Zaratsu polish is an extremely difficult task that takes watchmakers months to learn: it involves holding the case to a spinning sandpaper disk and feeling, rather than seeing, when it is finished. The exact right amount of pressure at a precise angle must be applied and the watch is removed from the polishing disk when the watchmaker feels that it is done. Incredibly, the temperature of the piece due to friction, the pressure applied, the angle of application, the balance of the polish must all be perfectly determined through the watchmaker’s sensitive fingertips. The result of all this work is nothing short of spectacular: balanced flat surfaces that glow like fireworks in bright lights.

Case

The SBGJ265’s 40 mm by 14 mm case is molded directly after that of the 44GS, bearing nearly the same shape, facets, and polish. I love this alignment to such an important heritage piece—it provides a sense of grounding in the brand’s collection and creates a deeper meaning for the piece. The broad flat surfaces angle to a precise and razor-sharp angle together in a way that plays beautifully with shifting light. Thanks to the sharp angles, shadows are often created on one mirrored surface while the other one brightly gleams, establishing a beautiful visual contrast.

The mirrored polish is positively radiant thanks to Grand Seiko’s proprietary Ever-Brilliant Steel, a new alloy of steel. It’s anti-corrosive and is 1.7 times more resistant to pitting than steel used in other high-end watches. Moreover, it has a particular whitish gleam that appears much more like white gold or other precious metals than that of normal steel. Essentially, this means that the spectacular Zaratsu polishing of the watch will last longer and shine more brilliantly, all while providing a lustrous material for the case.

Apart from the case structure itself, the watch also sports a double-domed crystal. This clearly adds a significant excess of thickness to the watch, potentially making it more difficult to pair with a shirt cuff or to pass off as a more casual-wear watch. That said, I do think the dome of the crystal adds an undeniable vintage charm, and to a watch whose design inspiration is clearly solely vintage-based, the choice does add significant flair. As I look at the watch, I also think the double-domed crystal really contributes to the silhouette, as it enables for a smoother flow between the case band and the top of the watch compared to a typical flat crystal. For many, it’s a choice that could go either way: some will be fans of the silhouette and vintage flair, and others will not be fond of the added thickness. I fall in the former camp.

Finally, take note of the crown, which following Grand Seiko’s design principles is slightly recessed. This adds comfort and ease of wear while also remaining accessible for winding should the user wish to manually wind it rather than utilizing the automatic function.

Dial

Any discussion of a new Grand Seiko watch would be greatly remiss to neglect a thorough discussion of the spectacular dial that adorns it. The SBGJ265 displays a shimmering black dial with a sunburst—or soleil, as the Swiss call it—finish that captures light at any angle. Grand Seiko, not being content to merely accept a conventional dial finishing as the majority of the industry does it, has greatly stepped up their game with this new peculiar method of finishing it. Standard sunburst finishing uses straight lines that extend the entire radius of the dial, providing a very uniform surface. GS, however, created a very uneven surface that appears to have been created with a large number of shallow microengravings. This creates an effect that, on a macro scale, captures all the gleam and shine of a sunburst, while when closely examined presents an irregular pattern that feels very close to the scene it’s meant to capture: the grooves of Mount Iwate, which can be seen from the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi where the watch is made. While with some Grand Seiko dials I often struggle to see the comparison between the inspiration and the dial execution, I do find that in this case the dial greatly captures mountainous crags and crevices.

Floating above the richly textured dial are the beautifully faceted hour and minute hands which scintillate with light as the watch turns and moves. The baton indexes likewise are highly faceted, which according to Grand Seiko greatly helps their legibility in low-light situations, where they’re able to capture even the faintest glimmer of light and reveal themselves in the darkness. The 12 o’clock position bears a doubled set of indexes, which is another of GS’s established design principles. They’re truly remarkable and serve to add yet another dimension to the dial’s shine and glimmer.

The GMT hand, rendered in a warm yellow, creates a delightful profile of visual contrast, as it is not faceted like the other hands but rather flat and rather mattely finished. It pairs well with the text “GMT” on the dial that is in the same color, so both of which provide accenting touches of contrast that draw the eye. I personally love this extra note of contrast with the yellow-gold color that pops from the rest of the dial but without being too intrusive or clashing. As a final note, the 24-hour GMT scale itself can be found discreetly surrounding the dial on the chapter ring, quietly placed nearly out of sight so that it can be used whenever needed with a glance of the eyes.

One of the key principles of Grand Seiko’s design is to never use a complete black or white, for Japanese design loves to explore the variations of light and shadow. This dial is no different: even though it is black in dull lighting conditions, it truly comes alive with new colors and glimmers as light plays over it. Depending on the light, it can appear as a silver or even a dark brown color where the light strikes it. Important to note is that these colors are mainly revealed where the light plays on the sunburst, leaving the rest of the dial to contrast with it in its normal rich black.

Movement

Within the SBGJ265 beats a movement that is vintage-inspired but powerfully avant-garde in execution. The spectacular in-house Caliber 9S86 was introduced in 2014 as an evolution of the 9S85, to which it added a GMT function. It’s also automatic but can be manually-wound and sports a power reserve of a remarkable 55 hours.

The Caliber 9S86 is a marvel of accuracy, beating at 10 Hz or 36,000 beats per hour at a precision of +5/-3 seconds per day. The higher number of beats provides for greater precision, as the escapement is made to function far more quickly and deviations are easily averaged out. Normally, the accuracy of high-beat movements comes with a trade-off: the greater torque that’s needed to power such a movement is usually highly wearing on the watch’s gears. That said, each gear in the 9S86 is carefully hand-polished by GS craftsmen to reduce friction to the lowest possible point, thereby nearly eliminating the wear that would be caused by extra torque as the gears mesh seamlessly and with no scrape or grind. Having lightly studied the famous watchmaker George Daniels’ notes on the importance of having a high polish to reduce friction, I think this is a great solution that will really serve to reduce the problems of a high-beat mechanism while providing all the advantages.

Thanks to a specialized technology called Micro-Electronic-Mechanical Systems, or MEMS for short, the components of the caliber can be machined down to tolerances of a thousandth of a millimeter. Furthermore, several parts can be made lighter, such as the escape wheel, which is 5% lighter, and the pallet fork, which is 25% lighter. Reducing their weight also reduces their inertia, allowing them to accelerate and decelerate more rapidly with less drain on the power supply. Temperature compensation is also present through the inclusion of an extra arm in the balance wheel, which ensures that the caliber will not vary much with temperature changes.

All mechanical Grand Seiko movements are produced at the new Studio Shizukuishi, which is a beautiful architectural structure that follows Grand Seiko’s principle of appreciating nature by seamlessly integrating itself into its environment. It is here that presumably the GS dial-makers can look up and admire as their inspiration the beautiful snowy head of Mt. Iwate as they craft the dial meant to represent its rich craggy grooves. Here as well every part of the construction process of the movement occurs—from production to assembly to adjustment and finishing, all is done entirely in-house.

Straps

The SBGJ265 comes naturally on a bracelet but can be easily swapped out for a 19mm strap as the wearer wishes thanks to its drilled lugs. However, I find the bracelet exquisitely made and very beautiful in polish, and it would be wise to keep it on. Most of the bracelet bears a brushed finish, but it’s not pronounced or harsh on the eyes as these often can be. It gleams with a polish all its own. The brushed finish on the exterior links as well as the heart of the interior link contrasts nicely with two stripes of mirror polish executed on the interior link. The links themselves are gently rounded to give the impression of flowing down to the bottom of the wrist, where a simple push-button clasp provides a gently tactile experience in removing or putting on the watch.

Important to note as well is that the bracelet does not have micro-adjustments, meaning it may be more difficult for some wearers to find a perfect fit for their wrist. That said, it does have both half-links and full-links that are removable for a very close approximation that will ensure that most wearers find a comfortable and pleasant snugness.

On-Wrist Experience

The watch wears delightfully well on the wrist, firmly placed in the category of a go-anywhere, do-anything watch. Its 40mm diameter means it can be comfortably worn by a wide variety of wrist sizes. Thanks to its refined black dial,I’ve found the watch to be quite classy, and can be worn for dressy occasions. However, because of its double-domed sapphire crystal, it would be wise to mainly retain it for sportier ones. When paired with a suit, consider swapping out the strap for black leather, for an additional elegant touch. Whatever event you’re attending, do try not to keep such an exquisite dial hidden away under a dress cuff for the whole evening!

The ergonomic bracelet design as well as the slightly recessed crown provide for a comfortable wearing experience, and the restrained nature of the watch’s design means it can be paired with almost any outfit. Try, for example, anything from a polo and jeans to a regular office wearer alongside a dress shirt and chinos. The watch in itself is the sort of elegant accessory that dresses up any outfit and gives a touch of Zaratsu sparkle to even an otherwise drab ensemble. At 14 mm thick, it’s not too large to draw excessive attention or to rattle around on the wrist.

On top of the watch’s comfortable and refined wrist presence, the movement’s precision is a powerful advantage—especially considering that, after all, a wristwatch’s true purpose is to supply the time. Thanks to the automatic winding, it rarely needs to be reset if worn regularly enough, and the natural precision of the 9S86 means the watch can be continually depended on to time precision events or just to ensure that you arrive at your next meeting on time—whatever time zone you happen to be in for the moment.

From direct sunlight to the fluorescent lights of the board room, the watch’s dial captures it all and reflects it in a surprisingly wide variety of hues and brightness. Depending on the angle, the color of the light, and more, the beauty of this dial will continue to reveal itself in new and varied ways.

Price & Availability

The SBGJ265 is not a limited edition, so Grand Seiko is clearly planning on keeping it around as a strong listing in their collection that will hopefully last for years to come. It’s likely that it will only ever be replaced if they release a similar model, perhaps another GMT or one with a similar dial, and in this case they might retire it. For now, however, it remains fully available for the foreseeable future.

At a retail price of $7,500, it certainly will make a dent in your wallet, but it’s also quite an excellent price considering its competition in the sub-$10,000 range. At its price point, there is almost no competition quite like it—high-beat GMTs with such spectacular dials are incredibly hard to come by. Grand Seiko is a master of offering truly spectacular value at a given price and the SBGJ265 is no exception.

This watch can be purchased from Grand Seiko boutiques online or in stores, or from Exquisite Timepieces where we have listings for both new at retail and pre-owned for the reduced price of $5,500.

Conclusion

Rarely are vintage-inspired modern releases executed with such elegance and such a deft touch in recalling past editions. The SBGJ265’s vintage design is directly called back from a remarkably historical model, the 44GS, and married with an all-new dial and function to present an end product simultaneously old and new, classic and cutting-edge. For those who are longtime fans of Grand Seiko or for those who are searching for perfectly-executed elegance, the SBGJ265 is a watch not to be overlooked. It’s truly one of the most wonderful pieces that I’ve had the opportunity to consider, in terms of value, heritage, elegance, and technical achievements.

For those dedicated to running, a good watch is a must-have. The capabilities a good smartwatch can bring make the training process infinitely easier, such as dictating the proper time to rest and keeping track of athletic performance. 

The very best running watches are far more than a typical smartwatch: they’re purpose-built for people like you. Dedicated runners looking to take things to the next level or looking to do what they do better. 

So, if you’re curious about the very best watches that could take your running up a notch, read on because here are 10 of the most spectacular running watches.

Running Watches: A Surprising History

Before we get into the top 10 running watches, let’s examine a quick breakdown of their origins, which are surprisingly fascinating. There are multiple different historical developments that can be pointed to as the precursor of the modern running watch. 

Among these, it would be easy for me to indicate the chronograph, or stopwatch, as the ultimate predecessor of running watches. After all, stopwatches are the key to timing races, and before the advent of wearable GPS, runners would turn to digital chronographs to help them prepare for races.

Personally, I think the running watch has an even more interesting start: the pedometer, made by watchmakers in the era of the famous Abraham-Louis Breguet, one of the greatest watchmakers of all time. 

These pedometers were designed as step counters, primarily to determine how quickly army troops were marching. Their capability to measure movement speed is strongly reminiscent of modern GPS running watches, and I find the parallels between this development and future running watches particularly compelling.

In all, I’m sure that both the chronograph and pedometer played a role in developing the modern running watch into what it is today. 

Modern smartwatches are so far removed from these mechanical wonders that we often find almost no parallels at all—but it’s important to remember that everything here in the present is firmly grounded in the past and that even the design of these smartwatches comes directly from that of wristwatches which have continued for a century.

The 10 Best Watches for Runners

Without further ado, let’s get right into it! Each watch is, of course, at a different price point and a different level of accessibility, so the “ranking” is naturally not strictly objective. To this end, the ranking will mostly ignore price and list watches based on their attributes and qualities.

10. Garmin Forerunner 55

The Forerunner 55 is the classic entry-level offering from Garmin that, in terms of price, beats every other watch listed here at just $200. The Forerunner 55 still features many of Garmin’s trademarks, such as personalized running plans, GPS tracking, and overall health and wellness reports. 

It also offers a massive two-week battery life, which is absolutely stunning for the watch’s size and price. While its presentation and style aren’t quite as elegant as some of its competitors, it features some very advanced technical features for a reduced price, making it a powerful option from Garmin.

9. Fitbit Sense 2

Following up on the theme of affordability, the Fitbit Sense 2 is a great option for the more casual runner. At a retail of $250, it’s much more inexpensive than the other watches discussed here and focuses on a very overall depiction of your health. A major emphasis of the watch’s attributes, for example, is measuring and managing stress. The watch automatically detects periods of elevated stress and suggests methods for coping with them.

Unfortunately, most of the fitness features that the Sense 2 supplies are only accessible with Fitbit Premium. With Fitbit Premium, however, I find that the watch really comes alive. You gain access to many features that are found in watches at a much higher price point, such as a Daily Readiness Score and a workout library that also includes mindfulness sessions.

8. Garmin Forerunner 265

Another entry-level beauty, the Forerunner 265 features almost all of the advanced running features one would expect from Garmin at a reduced price. The sharp AMOLED touchscreen display is large and easily accessible. Garmin Coach plans and a Morning Report also ensure that runners will always know what lies ahead and be able to train effectively as they prepare for their next race. Multi-band GPS and SatIQ maps round out the functionality of this little stunner by Garmin.

For its price of $450, the Forerunner 265 is a remarkable watch with some very considerable capabilities despite not being quite at the level of its siblings, like the 965. That said, it’s a watch that stands at a solid middle-ground in affordability and makes no compromises in its performance.

7. Coros Pace 3

The Coros Pace 3 is easily one of the best entry-level running watches. Small, lightweight, and built entirely of plastic, it has a reduced wrist presence that includes multi-band GPS with a very advanced optical heart rate sensor. It also has a long battery life, with 24 days of continuous use.

Even for a lower-priced watch, the Pace 3 has countless running analytics, such as training load, running performance, and aerobic endurance, among many others. It also supports third-party apps like Strava and Apple Fitness. In all, it’s good for dedicated runners at an entry-level price of $230.

6. Coros Vertix 2

With the Coros Vertix 2, we enter firmly into the camp of purpose-built athletic smartwatches with a wide variety of helpful features. It’s designed for adventures, so it’s the most applicable to trail runners. However, it is still a very strong option for runners of all kinds. I

ts extremely powerful GPS system is actually not limited to GPS but rather to all five positioning satellite systems simultaneously—including GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, and Beidou. As such, whether you’re deep in the jungle or between the skyscrapers of the urban jungle, the Vertix 2 is almost guaranteed to pinpoint your run with precision. Global offline mapping means you can track your position no matter where you find yourself.

The battery life is absolutely stunning—39 days of normal non-GPS use—and the touchscreen is easy to interface with, as the crown can be rotated to move the screen and pushed to trigger specific functions.

Whether you’re an adventurer or a runner who appreciates precision and accuracy, the Vertix 2 is a spectacular watch for the price of $700.

5. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Perhaps the clearest competitor to the Apple Watch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a formidable versatile smartwatch that provides an excellent holistic overview of your health and wellness. 

Standout features include the integration of Galaxy AI, which greatly enhances your workouts by providing recommendations and other functions, such as the opportunity to race yourself and push your own limits.

I find it most compelling that the Galaxy Watch Ultra displays not only the standard biological functions like heart rate but also seeks to capture an even better snapshot of your health through the inclusion of a dietary function, the AGEs index. Sleep, exercise, and diet are all combined here to present a complete picture of health that few other watches are able to present.

At around $450, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is considerably less expensive than its competitors, and I find it to be a very attractive option for runners seeking a versatile everyday watch.

4. Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch is far and away the most iconic smartwatch of all time, and for good reason. Yet it wasn’t until the Ultra 2 that Apple developed a powerful purpose-built athletic watch that competes with brands like Garmin and Polar while still providing all of the characteristic Apple Watch functionality. I find that this combination of everyday and athletic utility makes the Apple Watch a strong, versatile pick.

Much like other athletic smartwatches, the Ultra 2 uses a wide variety of biosensors to display all the biological information a runner could ask for, from sleep tracking to heart and respiratory rates.

Where the Ultra 2 really sets itself apart, beyond the versatility of the rest of its everyday features, is in accessibility. When running, trying to use a small touchscreen is far from easy, and the Ultra 2 has been designed so that specific easy gestures are linked to various functions, allowing for much better accessibility. 

It also features a large programmable Action Button that can trigger a variety of functions. At $799, the Ultra 2 is a shade more expensive than its direct competitors, but the added price comes with greatly improved versatility and use.

3. Polar Vantage 3

The Polar Vantage 3 is built from the ground up as a watch for serious runners and athletes, and its technical characteristics show that very clearly. One of its key qualities is the wide array of biosensors that it bears. Thanks to the bright AMOLED screen, runners can easily see ECG, blood oxygen saturation, skin temperature, optical heart rate, and more. 

The Vantage 3 also has a 129% faster CPU than the Vantage 2, which greatly boosts every feature—from its 150+ profiles for different sports activities to the multi-band GPS system. At just a hair under $600, it’s clearly set up to compete with others like the Garmin Forerunner 965, and it certainly puts up quite a fight.

2. Garmin Forerunner 965

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a brilliant middle-ground runner’s watch that couples spectacular functionality to a much more affordable price than others like the MARQ Athlete Gen 2. 

At just shy of $600, the Forerunner provides all of the Garmin capabilities one could hope for, from custom Garmin Coach training programs to built-in maps with an accurate multi-band GPS, all of which are displayed on a stunning bright AMOLED screen.

That said, the Forerunner 965 changed very little from its immediate predecessor, the 955, apart from the new AMOLED screen and the tough titanium bezel. In this instance, I think it would be best to hesitate to purchase this one. 

The 965 was released in March 2023, and as it didn’t change much from the 955, the next evolution of this watch could be a considerable step up. That said, it is still a remarkable watch for its price and one well worth a purchase.

1. Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 – Carbon Edition

You couldn’t possibly ask for anything more than what this watch provides. The list of features on Garmin’s website is almost too long to list out here, so if this one is compelling to you, you’ll have to do a bit of research on your own. For now, I’ll dive into the very best features, especially those specific to runners.

The Carbon Edition features a case machined from 130 layers of fused carbon fiber, which provides both an incredibly rugged and avant-garde look along with a delightful lightness of presence on the wrist that is highly durable. 

The watch’s hardware is far from disappointing: it provides VO2 Max and recovery time on the bezel, along with a massive suite of features for athletes of all sorts in its built-in functions. 

Runners will want to target the Endurance Score, which reveals your ability to sustain prolonged exercise, as well as Running Power, Training Status, and PacePro Technology, all of which are helpful tools mid-exercise in perfecting your workouts. A final key feature to note is the Morning Report, displayed once you awake, indicating your readiness for physical activity.

At a retail of $2,950, these great features won’t come cheap, but for the dedicated runner, it may be well worth the price.

Conclusion

There are countless spectacular running smartwatches on the market today, and it’s difficult to narrow them down to just 10 of the best picks. Each one offers its own special features that set it apart from its competitors. Each one of these speaks to me in its own way, and I find each one really remarkable for its features and technological accomplishments. I hope that you, too, found the one that speaks to you here.

To the world of wristwatches, the age-old adage that you get what you pay for is particularly pertinent. Exceptional works of horological beauty with spectacular dials and advanced complications come with equally exceptional price tags, reserving them for the lucky few who can afford such masterpieces. For the most part, only a few more inexpensive timepieces are able to distinguish themselves—many pieces by Tudor, for example, or some of the entry-level Cartier tanks. 

The Grand Seiko SBGN027, in my opinion, is the latest addition to this latter group of remarkable and affordable timepieces. Though it bears a movement of the often-disdained quartz type, the watch is truly an exceptional work for a relatively affordable price. It is one of those watchmaking masterpieces which appear quiet and simple on the exterior and on the inside reveal themselves to be utterly spectacular, a point at which the GMT complication it bears can only hint. I firmly believe that this beautiful, technically advanced piece of craftsmanship deserves a place in every discerning collector’s box, and for those who seek one watch for every occasion, the SBGN027 is one of the finest that can be earned.

A Keystone of Quartz Watchmaking History

Released in November 2022, the SBGN027 is a relatively recent watch that continues the line of Caliber 9F watches introduced by Grand Seiko back in 1993. Since then, the caliber has continued to evolve and develop into the true powerhouse that it is today.

Frankly, the Caliber 9F is truly spectacular, as I’ll explore even more below. The SBGN027 joins a long heritage of wonderful quartz watches through this line, making it one of the heirs to a powerful legacy. It’s important to recall that Seiko were the very first to introduce quartz in watchmaking form through their Astron model and in many ways they have not ceased to push the boundaries of what’s possible. While I’ll save the technical exploration of the Caliber 9F’s merits for later on, the SBGN027 is joining a legacy that began with the very first Seiko quartz in the 1970s and since 1993 has been made into something wonderful.

In terms of structure and layout, the watch very clearly follows established Grand Seiko design language, positioning itself perfectly as an entry-level piece that screams the Japanese maison’s well-known elegance. It features spectacular polishing that makes it absolutely radiant with light and a similar case structure to many of their other pieces. In everything, the SBGN027 reveals itself as a keystone of entry-level Grand Seiko pieces that are truly integrated into the brand’s already-stunning offerings.

Case: Spectacular Polishing at an Affordable Price

Grand Seiko is world-renowned for spectacular cases and the SBGN027, despite its reduced price, is no exception to their high hand-finished standards. The stainless steel case features a relatively muted visual profile with less contrast compared to some of their other pieces for an overall more subdued appearance that still displays extreme craftsmanship. The flanks of the case feature GS’s signature Zaratsu finishing, which produces mirror-polished surfaces polished by hand that positively gleam with light. Each Zaratsu-finished face is designed to be as broad and flat as possible, which not only makes the polish more exceptional and radiant in capturing light but also makes the task of applying the finish far more difficult, as it must be evenly performed over a large surface. Zaratsu finishing is an extremely advanced technique that young GS watchmakers must spend quite some time mastering. The case is held to a rapidly spinning sandpaper disk to polish it, which is unlike the buffing wheels used by most other high-end watchmakers. The watchmaker cannot see the polish being applied and must rather feel through their fingertips when the piece is completed by the temperature of friction and the pressure they apply. In all, it’s a difficult process that produces a magnificent result. The tops of the watch’s lugs are hairline-finished, another signature Grand Seiko technique that means first applying a Zaratsu polish, then very gently brushing the area of the watch with lower-grit sandpaper to provide a gently brushed look. Again, this provides a hint of visual contrast between the soft hairline and the Zaratsu that is not too harsh or striking. Finally, the case is an average 39 mm in diameter by 12.3 mm thick, which provides a subdued and thin profile. The case’s shape itself is gentle and elegant, with strong broad lugs that flow into the roundness of the bezel and case ring. 

The bezel carries a typical GMT 24-hour scale, which when rotated actually enables the user to track a third time zone beyond simply the second one that the GMT hand bears. This is done by rotating the bezel so that the scale matches the offset from normal time. For example, for a time zone one hour ahead of the time indicated by the GMT hand, simply rotate the bezel so that the 24 is above 1:00. The bezel itself is mutedly finished with the same gentle satin hairline finishing that merges well into the polishing of the lugs.

Personally, I find the placement of the crown at 4:00 to be a somewhat disappointing move by Grand Seiko. The crown is semi-recessed and so is set practically up against one of the lugs, which limits its access and prevents an easy setting experience. That said, as a quartz watch the time won’t need to be set very often, and in those cases the crown will be pulled out to do so, which of course provides much more access. The crown also follows the placement of the date window (see more on that later) and, frankly, does allow for more of a sporty look by moving it to a lesser-used position. As such, while it is not directly to my tastes, it could certainly be seen well by many collectors as a contrarian and sporty choice.

As a final note, the watch bears a double-domed crystal, which adds some extra thickness but can also serve to visually reduce the profile of the watch itself by adding a visual line that gently curves up from the flanks of the watch to a rounded top. As such, the watch is made more visually elegant at the cost of some extra thickness, which is not a concern given the 12.3mm thickness of the watch body and the sporty nature of the piece itself.

Dial: Distilled Grand Seiko Elegance

Grand Seiko is a watchmaker known for their magnificent dials, and the SBGN027 is no different. Like the rest of the watch, it is subdued but perfectly executed, and no corners were cut in its production compared to any of their other watches.

In most lights, the dial is a very rich and deep black, but under brighter lighting it reveals itself to have a faint sunburst pattern applied that makes it gleam with a lighter gray and even slightly brownish tone in those areas where it radially captures the light. The black dial contributes to the monochromatic palette of the rest of the watch and also gives it more of a formal appearance, making it a true go-anywhere watch that serves a sporty purpose but can also be paired with more dressy attire.

Both the hands and the applied indices are brushed on the top and bear high-polished Zaratsu finishing on their flanks, which I find creates a beautiful visual continuity between the rest of the watch—recalling the hairline finish on the tops of the lugs and the Zaratsu polish on the flanks of the case. This subtle feature truly melds the dial into the rest of the watch. It’s an extremely elegant touch that I’m very fond of by Grand Seiko.

The dial also features Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite paint instead of standard Swiss Super-LumiNova. It’s applied in limited amounts, only at 3, 6, 9, and 12, and on the hands. According to Seiko, LumiBrite is improved in nearly every way over standard lume—it absorbs more light energy, charges more quickly (full charge in just 10 minutes of exposure to sunlight!), glows more intensely, and lasts for longer. It’s another sporty and functional touch that I find quite compelling.

The GMT hand contrasts highly from the others in finishing and structure. It’s longer and thinner, of course, but also visually appears lighter in color and has a less-exaggerated polish than the other hands. It also carries LumiBrite paint at the tip of the arrow, and matches well with the dial signature of the logo in its tone and brightness as well as with the 24-hour GMT scale on the rehaut.

Finally, I also find the placement of the date window at 4:00 a very interesting and somewhat disappointing touch. If anything could work well with the 4:00 crown, it would be the date window—it does help the crown feel more integrated into the design of the watch as both match. However, I would frankly prefer to find each one at 3:00. That said, it’s clear that Grand Seiko didn’t want to shorten the beautifully-polished 3:00 marker by placing the date window there, so the 4:00 placement does make sense in this context. Overall, it’s an ambiguous choice—some will love it, and some will hate it. Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder!

Movement: A Quartz Wonder

With a normal quartz watch, the movement description would be short and mostly negative. After all, mechanical movements are always preferred to quartz ones, right? In this case, I strongly disagree. The Caliber 9F86 is the equal in almost every regard of the craftsmanship that goes into a mechanical movement, and it simply must not be seen as lacking in any way in the comparison to a mechanical movement.

The Caliber 9F86 is truly revolutionary in terms of quartz technology. It features a list of features too long to fully exposit here: an instant date change at midnight carefully set by GS craftsmen; a built-in temperature compensation system that measures its own internal temperature and adjusts it; a sealed body so that dust and oil don’t enter the movement during a battery replacement; a special quartz regulatory system; and two more rather key details explored below.

First, the movement has much higher torque than other quartz movements, which normally require thin and light hands. I’ve found that this can cause most quartz watches to look very alike and greatly limits design choices across different watches as only a smaller variety of lighter hand styles and designs can be used. Through the use of a Twin Pulse Control Motor which allows their quartz watches to bear the exact same style of hands as all their mechanical watches, Grand Seiko was able to avoid this dangerous design pitfall. The Twin Pulse Control Motor delivers two impulses, not one, every time the second hand ticks, but these happen so quickly that it appears like just one to the naked eye. This greatly increases output torque by the rotor and allows the battery to maintain, even with relatively large and heavy hands, its astounding 3-year power reserve.

Second, the caliber 9F86 features a specially developed Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism. In most quartz watches, the seconds hand suffers from high degree of backlash—there’s a large amount of shudder and inaccuracy in its ticking, which can end up not quite centered on the marker on the minutes track or can be left to take an extra bit of time to stop shuddering and center itself on the marker. To Grand Seiko, this was utterly unacceptable and had to be corrected to meet their high standards. They introduced the Backlash Auto-Adjust Mechanism to correct this. By introducing a small hairspring—the same sort of spring used in normal mechanical balance wheels—they managed to find a solution where the seconds hand springs forward and elegantly lands precisely on the right spot with no shudder or shake. To my eyes, this is an extremely beautiful feature that makes the single ticking of a quartz-powered seconds hand even rival that of the sweep of a mechanical watch. The simple ticking that lands precisely on the right spot, seeming to fly forward and stop on a dime, is incredibly elegant and on a philosophical level can even be said to recall the concept of time marching firmly by.

Each Grand Seiko quartz movement is assembled by hand by just two craftsmen, one of whom builds the date complication and the other the rest of the movement. Even the quartz crystals are produced in-house: they’re grown and then aged for 3 months before they can be used in a watch. The caliber 9F86 also bears a magnetic-resistant plate as well as a double-thick mainplate which not only provides durability but also a little bit of extra heft, which is often a delightful quality in high-end watches that many collectors enjoy.

In my opinion, the caliber 9F86 is utterly spectacular. Sure, it’s quartz—but it has every bit all the craftsmanship and class that goes into a mechanical movement with an accuracy that outperforms any mechanical movement on the market today.

Straps

The SBGN027 comes with a three-link Oyster-like bracelet that’s elegant but also very understated. In my opinion, it’s slightly disappointing compared to some of Grand Seiko’s other bracelets, but this is also to be expected considering the price point which is greatly reduced. In fact, in this light, it’s remarkably far beyond what could be expected from its competitors. The bracelet has a simple but clean push-button clasp and the majority of the surfaces bear a subtle satin hairline finish, just like the rest of the watch. Again, the design continuity is carried forward by Zaratsu-polishing the flanks of the bracelet and having the tops hairline-finished, just like with the indices and case. I find this continuity gorgeous, but I would prefer just a touch more visual contrast on the surface of the bracelet, with perhaps a differently-polished inner link.

The watch would also be well paired with a black leather strap to provide a dressier look and greatly boost the elegance of the watch by emphasizing the refined and formal black dial. At an even 20mm between the lugs, it will be a simple matter to find a suitable strap.

The bracelet, important to note, is sized with screws, has half-links, and four micro-adjust holes. As such, it will be easy to find a perfect fit, and the bracelet’s fit will be exceptionally comfortable.

On-Wrist Experience

The SBGN027, as I’ve discussed earlier in the article, has a comfortable and subdued wrist presence thanks to the combination of a multitude of factors. The double-thick mainplate of the quartz movement provides added heft that I personally find quite appealing as a reminder of the watch’s presence—often, quartz watches are too light for my tastes, and I can go a whole day while scarcely remembering that I’m wearing a watch. The bracelet can be easily adjusted to a very snug and comfortable fit as best suits the wearer. The polishing of the case is not too harsh or flashy to draw attention and the watch can easily go relatively unnoticed by others.

The 39 mm diameter of the case means that the watch can be easily worn by a wide range of wrists, especially those with wrists between 6.25-8 inches in circumference. The thinness provided by the quartz movement means the watch can be easily slipped under a dress cuff despite its double-domed dial, and with that classy black dial, this is a situation that won’t be too uncommon. 

The watch has frankly very little competition when it comes to elegant travel pieces. Whether voyaging across time zones for business meetings, weddings, or simply vacation, the GMT function paired with the subdued and classy presence of the watch means that the SBGN027 will be a faithful companion wherever life takes you.

Price & Availability

The SBGN027 is not a limited edition, as one might expect from its affordable position in Grand Seiko’s offerings. As such, it’s likely that it’ll remain open to collectors for a long time to come, continuing to provide an entry-level access point to the very finest of Japanese watchmaking. If it is ever retired, it’s likely it will only be done to introduce a new model in its place.

At a retail price of $3,400 available from Grand Seiko boutiques or from Exquisite Timepieces, this is a watch that positions itself at a perfect level of accessibility to almost all dedicated collectors as well as being open to those who are looking for a watch to accompany them everywhere in life. I find that for its value and what is included in this spectacular piece, the price is shockingly low.

Conclusion

In all, the SBGN027 is a truly spectacular new release from Grand Seiko for its price range. While it leaves a few elements ever so slightly lacking, such as the bracelet finishing and the odd crown placement (both of which, to be fair, may be benefits in some eyes!), the SBGN027 checks an exceptional number of watchmaking boxes for its price range. From the spectacular quartz movement that bears craftsmanship far beyond that of many mechanical watches to the clever design continuity of its finishing, this is a watch that deserves a place in the collection of everyone who can appreciate fine craftsmanship, elegance, and quality.