BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
It’s June time, and that means for most people, the summer sunshine is beating down upon them (and Covid-19 restrictions are lifting, at least here in the UK, but I expect all across the world too), and it’s time to find ways to keep cool. For most of us, that means huddling in front of a small desk fan as it oscillates lazily, turbocharging warm air onto your sweaty brow. Or, it means taking a pointless trip in the car so you can have the air conditioning on (yeah, I did that last year, take that eco-mentalists). It also means we get to look at some watches that would be perfect for the summer. For this, we think the ideal watch should be on a metal bracelet to avoid too much sweatiness.
5 – Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m Co-Axial Master Chronometer 43.5mm Ref. 215.30.44.21.03.001
We kick off our list with a modern-day classic from Omega, the 43.5mm Seamaster Planet Ocean. You might be thinking to yourself, “Well, you should have put in the Seamaster 300m Diver in because it’s more affordable” or something along those lines. Without wishing to come across as too blunt, it’s my list so there. The Planet Ocean is often overshadowed by the Diver 300m, but it has a lot more to offer, in my opinion. I prefer the styling and the build quality of this beefier Seamaster and what it lacks in wavy lines on the dial it makes up for with a nicer bracelet and a better appearance all-round. You could easily choose any of the Planet Ocean range for this spot, but I went for the crowd-pleasing blue.
4 – Rolex Day-Date 40 Ref. 228238
The Day-Date is a true classic in the watch world. It seems like it’s been around forever and has always had the same appearance. This isn’t exactly true, the Day-Date has changed a lot over the years, but it still seems to be the same watch now as when Richard Nixon wore it in office or when John Candy wore it in Uncle Buck. I’ve chosen the simplistic 18k yellow gold with white dial version, it’s a classic that looks great no matter who is wearing it, and it’s sure to come alive when sparkling under the summer sunshine.
3 – Panerai Luminor Marina Specchio Blu Ref. PAM01316
It’s easy to forget entirely that Panerai makes a few watches with a metal bracelet on from the factory. Sure, Panerai straps are of excellent quality and can come in any colour or material you like, but their bracelets are surprisingly good, excellent even. This Luminor Marina Specchio Blu has a striking dial with sunburst finishing and simplistic markings, it only has the essential information, and it displays it beautifully. It also has an automatic in-house-made movement which is robust and able to withstand the beating you’ll probably give it when diving in the pool.
2 – Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph Ref. 5500V/110A-B481
A piece of horological excellence, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph comes in the number 2 spot because of its good looks, robust build quality and exceptional movement. The Overseas is the underdog of the holy trinity sports watches, but its under-the-radar appeal makes it that much more special. It’s a top tier sports watch that you could potentially afford to buy on the pre-owned market. The white subdials on the black dial give this piece an elegant balance. Also, Vacheron Constantin fitted this with a quick-change system for the lugs, so when summertime ends, you can easily swap it to a rubber or leather strap.
1 – Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710BLNR
The GMT-Master II 126710BLNR is the ultimate travelling watch, it’s also (in my opinion) the ultimate daily watch, and now it’s one of the ultimate summertime watches too. It doesn’t matter if you go for the original version of this watch which came on the Jubilee bracelet, or the 2021 version, which comes with the option of an Oyster bracelet. This watch looks stunning in all lighting scenarios, the watch sparkles in all the right ways, and it’s an excellent piece to be able to wear. With Rolex’ renowned bracelet quality these days, it’s not going to make your wrist sweaty either.
That’s our list of summertime specials. What will you be wearing this summer? Let us know in the comments section.
