Round-UpEthos Watch Awards: Men’s Watches of 2016

2016 was the year for some of the most spectacular and innovative watches for men coming to India. This year alone, Ethos saw over 10,000 unique watches from 61 brands come to Indian shores! Whilst we sit back and reflect on all that came and went, our panel of six watch experts had a tough time picking the best of the year, considering there were so many watches to choose from. From Panerai’s new Carbotech that created a buzz around the globe, to TAG Heuer’s first wearable and the new Cosmograph Daytona from Rolex, the list was long and it was a task to shortlist just a few (we could only choose 22). Nonetheless, our jury has made their choice, based on popularity, breath-taking designs, value for money and never seen before innovations in timepieces.

Here are 2016’s undisputed best men’s watches:

1. Watch of the Year – Carl F. Bucherer TravelTec II:

The TravelTec II is our overall winner for the year because it has so much to offer which the world hasn’t seen before A triple time zone watch with a certified chronometer chronograph. The Traveltec 2 has a rotating inner bezel operated by the revolutionary bi-directional mono-pusher allowing you to switch between three time zones just by the push of the button.  The watch is further enhanced with the see through case window located on the side of the watch which allows you to see the mono-pusher and the movement at work. When switching through time zones the hour hand disengages from the movement but the minutes and second hands continue to work. It re-engages once the desired timezone is reached allowing the accuracy of time to be maintained.  The sapphire crystal integrates a magnifying lens over the date.

There’s a reason why the Traveltec has been loved and used by businessmen and travelers for over 10 years. The Traveltec 2 comes in Gold & Steel with various dial and strap combinations.

You can read more about this award-winning watch on the link below:

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2. Baume & Mercier Shelby Cobra – Limited Edition:

This watch celebrates one of the greatest stories of motorsports. The world’s most decorated and successful racing personality, Carrol Shelby’s legacy and the history of the legendary Shelby Cobra  is captured to perfection in this limited edition timepiece. It features a cobra seconds hand and other hands inspired by the steering of the Original Shelby Cobra. Extended Chrono pushers, subtle racing strips across the dial and a see-through case back that carries the number of the Shelby cobra which won the grueling Sebring race in 1963 make this watch a piece of automotive history that you can carry on your wrist. The Yellow and black colors of this watch have been inspired by the colors of the original cobra. It comes with an interchangeable leather and rubber strap(made from the tire of the Cobra). The Shelby Cobra also makes it to our list because apart from its great looks, the watch is powered by one of the most accurate chronograph movements in the world – the caliber Valjoux 7753.

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3. Raymond Weil Maestro Beatles:

A daunting task for the musically inspired watch brand, that went on to be  a runaway success around the world. The Raymond Weil Maestro Beatles watch was easily the most loved watch of the year. With little references like the 13-album dial that takes you through the journey of The Beatles, the black hands, and indexes that replicate the iconic black tie worn by the band and the smoked see-through sapphire crystal case back with the trademark ‘Beatles’ Logo. Creating a watch for the most famous band was going to be a tough task for Raymond Weil but the Limited edition Maestro Beatles completely did justice to the most famous band in the world.

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4. Frederique Constant Worldtimer:

Frederique Constant made the ideal traveler’s watch which is not only accessible for most, but ridiculously easy to use at the same time. The watch is built in such a manner that all of the settings (the time, date and the world time) are accomplished via the crown – which means you need no additionals adjustments or pushers to do the job for you. Simply choose the city that represents your home time zone at the 12 o’ clock position and then the in-house built FC-718 automatic movement does the rest. It lets you read the current time under every city via the rotating 24-hour disc. There’s a day-night ring as well that helps you to know whether it is night or day in a particular city. The case back of this watch steals the show as well with a polished and detailed movement on full display. The blue jewels and gold rotor and brushed steel look give a spectacular display of the inner workings of the watch.

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5. Corum Admiral’s Cup Legend 42:

Classic Corum with the same dodecagonal case and timeless design, brought to life with a brilliant new blue and white dial and 12 colorful flags of the international code of naval signals. The Admiral’s cup is a high-quality watch loved and adored for so many years and the 2016  Admiral’s Cup Legend did complete justice to the iconic watch. Notable differences being the slightly larger naval flags around the dial.

6. Drive de Cartier by Cartier:

La Maison had its own genie in the bottle for this year with the Drive de Cartier. A watch that checked all boxes for men, with a retro-ish design, slim case, Roman numerals, sword hands and the fine flinqué guilloché finish we’ve seen from Cartier numerous times before. Whilst remaining true to the brand’s original design DNA, Cartier successfully delivered a modern men’s watch that struck a perfect balance between formal and casual, i.e., a watch one can carry off with a suit as well as casuals. Summarized: an ideal watch for any man.

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