Buying Analog Sports Watches
In a world where digital gizmos and smartwatches dominate wrists, it's time to turn back the clock and celebrate the elegant, versatile heart of timekeeping: the analog sports watch. These timeless timepieces don't require a PhD to operate but can still be loaded with features in a sophisticated package that looks great on your arm. When shopping for a watch, take a retro detour to find something surprisingly fresh. Where style meets function and timekeeping gets a touch of old-school cool, you find sports watches with analog faces.
Analog vs. Digital
Analog watches are those with traditional faces and rotating hands that point at the hour and minute of the time. That contrasts with a digital watch, which displays the time on a tiny computer screen. Due to their more traditional appearance, analog watches are often more elegant and sophisticated than their computer counterparts.
What's a Sports Watch?
The term "sports watch" is surprisingly hard to define. These timepieces tend to have a slightly more casual appearance, but many still work with dressier attire. Some sports watches have features you can use in actual sports, like heart-rate monitors or altimeters. Men’s and women’s analog watches can have both sports-enhancing capabilities but a sophisticated style. They will look great on the wrist while offering functionality for an active lifestyle. Sporty analog watches strike the perfect balance between refined appearance and sportiness.
These trusty timepieces aren't just about telling you when you're late for your meeting or how much longer you can snooze before your next gym session. Nor are they only for wearing while you scale rock faces or push your body to the limits, striving for 26.2. They're like the Swiss Army knives of the wrist world, minus the scissors so tiny they couldn't even cut in line at the DMV.
Buying a watch that's still luxurious but less delicate means you can wear it without worrying about splashes, bumps, or other misadventures. Waterproof watches for men and women don't need to be chunky digital monstrosities that look out of place anywhere people aren't breaking a sweat. If you prefer one watch to rule them all, a sporty analog watch is the sweet spot.
Wrist-aissance
Analog sports watches are having a moment. Actually, scratch that—it's more like an era, an epoch, or a full-fledged Renaissance. These versatile wonders have surged in popularity, and it's no mystery why. These beauties are timekeeping perfection: an ideal balance of form and function. Why have sporty analog watches risen to the forefront of the watch world? We are so glad you asked.
Over the decades, dress codes have become more casual. There was a time when "casual" meant wearing a leisure suit to a backyard barbeque. Swapping wool for polyester meant "chill," even if you were sweating enough to fill the backyard swimming pool. Perhaps it was due to the dehydration caused by being clad shoulder-to-bell-bottomed-toe in unnatural fibers, but unsurprisingly, standards soon eased even more.
By the end of the 80s, that same backyard party might have seen men in cut-off denim shorts. Very short shorts. Workplace attire followed a similar trajectory. When COVID-19 closed down workplaces, office dress codes were already pretty relaxed. People eventually returned to offices but hesitated to return to hard pants, and businesswear became even more casual.
What does any of this have to do with watches? Well, that leisure suit was still a suit, after all, and a dressier timepiece went better with that choice. Men's chinos and a polo shirt work with watches anywhere on the dressiness spectrum. The same is true with women's more casual business attire. This shift to casual clothing has freed the wrists of workers from cubicle to C-suite, allowing them to wear whatever watch they darn well please. Still, if you want your vibe to look elevated, analog trumps digital any day of the week or hour of the day.
The razor-thin dress watches worn by the Gordon Gekko types have declined in popularity, with sportiness claiming its rightful place on the world's wrists. Analog watches span the spectrum of dress codes. A chunky, plastic-looking digital watch that looks like the result of a robot breeding with an 80s boombox? That will look out of place with a sport coat, while an analog watch fits right in. But you won't look like you forgot to remove your office watch if you wear a tactical analog watch with your ath-leisure wear or at the gym.
Whether you are night surfing your favorite break, dining at a fine restaurant on date night, or pulling an all-nighter at the office, these watches work. They have the style and elegance of the analog world, paired with the functionality and durability of sports watches.
If you are shopping for a one-and-done watch, a versatile sports watch with an analog face can take you from Wall Street to Main Street and workplace to workout. Unless you want to develop a robust watch collection—which is what true watch aficionados do—this could be the only watch you ever wear.
And the Band Played On
One thing that helps define the look of a sporty analog timepiece is its band. Different types of bands suit different uses and users.
Silicone and Nylon
If you want something that emphasizes the sportiness of the watch and gives a more casual vibe, opt for a silicone band or a sturdy nylon military strap. These options are hard-wearing, water-resistant, and available in enough colors to make a crayon box jealous. As a bonus, many of these bands are easy to swap out for even a novice watch owner, meaning you can change colors or materials whenever the mood strikes.
These bands look more casual and are a better aesthetic fit for watches on the sportier end of the spectrum.
Leather
When watches moved from pocket to wrist, leather was one of the first materials used to secure timepieces to arms. Leather straps suit watches on all ends of the dressiness spectrum, making them an excellent choice.
Leather isn't ideal for hot or damp environments. If you are likely to leave the watch on during workouts or forget to remove it before jumping in the shower, you might want to look for another material. However, because leather is comfortable and classic, it's an outstanding choice if you want an elegant timepiece that feels even better than it looks when strapped onto your wrist.
Metal
A metal bracelet is one of the most popular watch strap types, and for good reason. It offers a luxury appearance while retaining durability and functionality. You can dress it up or down, but put it through its paces on the tennis court or in the courtroom. It withstands tough conditions with aplomb.
Metal bands can stretch slightly over time, but if they become loose on the wrist, removing links is a simple, inexpensive adjustment at home or with a jeweler or watch store. Stainless steel bracelets are heavier than other options, which gives the timepiece a nice heft. This weight can make your watch look and feel more luxurious.
One other note: Just like your favorite band can swap out their drummer and keep rockin', your favorite watch can swap bands and keep tickin'. Almost any watch band can be swapped for another type. Some band changes are DIY projects for anyone reasonably handy; others are best left to a jeweler or watchmaker. Either way, these aren't extensive or expensive changes.
To beef up your watch, add a second band in a different color or material. That allows you to choose which most appeals to you and switch straps when the mood–or your fashion or lifestyle choices–dictate something different.
Homemade
Dozens of watchmakers offer some version of a sports watch with a traditional face. That means you will find something that fits your preference, whether you’re exploring new recreational pursuits in your Golden Years or exploring the dating scene and post-college employment market in your 20s.
Great news for watch buyers, right? It is, but you'll need to narrow down the choices, or you'll be overwhelmed. We recommend ruling out pretentious foreign watchmakers and looking for something closer to home. Watches customized in the USA have American attitude and fortitude and can often be found at more reasonable prices. Shopping domestically gives you one more reason to be proud of the beautiful timepiece you ultimately choose.
In a digital age, it still makes sense to go analog for your watch. An analog sports watch is the way to go if you want a timepiece you can strap on and wear anywhere and for every occasion. If you seek practical features like water resistance, luminous markers and hands, and anti-reflective coating but want a timepiece that looks even more stylish than it is pragmatic, you've found your watch.
