7 Recommended Mechanical Watches for Men by Gnomon Watches

Finding the right mechanical watches for men may be a daunting task for those who are not into watches. Whether as gifts for fathers or husbands, the best mechanical watches for men on the market carry the rich heritage of horology. As it stands, mechanical watches are the first of their kind. Their machinery is the reason for the existence of automatic and battery-powered timekeeping devices today.

Before proceeding to purchase a mechanical watch for men, understand how it works and what makes it different from other types of watches in the market. To smooth the journey, pay attention to the list of recommended mechanical watches by Gnomon Watches in this article.

What Is a Mechanical Watch?

A mechanical watch is a timekeeping device that operates by a particular type of movement. This movement works by either a manual winding system or an automatic winding system. These types of mechanical watches are generally referred to as manual-winding and self-winding (automatic).

Mechanical watches with a manual-winding system feature a spring wound by hand. They operate as the crown is manually turned. Every winding helps store the energy required to power up a watch. To ensure a mechanical watch remains operational and displays the time accurately, the winding should be done at regular intervals.

On the other hand, self-winding or automatic mechanical watches receive the energy from the kinetic energy of the wrist movement. The mechanism relies on the watch rotor that rotates and compresses the spring whenever the wearer moves their wrist. As the spring loosens, it will move the gears and urge the motion of the watch hands.

Besides the two types, some other mechanical watches feature a combination of a manual winding system and an automatic winding system. It means that these watches acquire energy from the turning of the crown and the wrist movement.

Recommended Mechanical Watches for Men by Gnomon Watches

Understanding how a mechanical watch works is simple knowledge, but worth remembering. This insight can help anyone pick between affordable and luxury mechanical watches for men according to their budget.

It’s worth noting that the reputation of mechanical machinery is often misunderstood by non-watch enthusiasts. As the concept of luxury mechanical watches becomes ingrained in the public consciousness, new watch wearers often hesitate to try them.

Contrary to popular belief, there are some high-quality and budget-friendly mechanical watches available. Here are some of the options for mechanical, manual, and self-winding watches from the Gnomon Watches catalog:

1. Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Handwinding Black 38

As a tribute to a military pedigree, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Handwinding Black 38 is a force to be reckoned with. Emanating robustness and reliability in the field, the Khaki watch is powered by the Hamilton Caliber H-50. It’s a hand-wound mechanical movement based on the ETA2801-2 with modifications to slow the frequency to 21,600 bph.

Additionally, the increased mainspring length improves the power reserve up to 80 hours. By succeeding in extending the reserve, the Khaki Field watch can be wound every few days while maintaining accuracy.

The 38 mm Khaki Field watch has roughly 9.5 mm thickness, which accentuates the vintage proportions for modern wear. Daily watch wearers can pair this accessory with casual outfits for any kind of event, but not for close encounters with water because the watch only has 50 m water resistance.

For legibility, the deep matte black dial is paired with white numerals. It features minimalist 12- and 24-hour Arabic numerals with applied luminous syringe hands and a symmetrical layout without a date display. SuperLuminova is also applied on hands and markers to improve low-light readability.

The 20 mm khaki-green NATO-style textile strap complements the stainless steel case to emphasize the distinct military style. For a secure fit, the strap is equipped with a stainless steel tang buckle. This breathable and durable strap suits casual urban and outdoor activities.

Price: $590.00 USD

2. Hitori Meguro GMT Hoshizora Aventurine

The Hitori Meguro GMT Hoshizora Aventurine features a Miyota 9075 Japanese automatic GMT movement with a flyer-hand adjustment and manual winding capability. For precise time setting, the movement that beats at 28,800 bph is also equipped with hacking seconds. When fully wound, the watch may have an approximately 41-hour power reserve. 

The brushed and polished 316L stainless steel case ensures the inner mechanism is fully protected. Overall, it has a 39.6 mm diameter, 12.5 mm thickness, and 49 mm lug-to-lug width, which strikes the balance between sportiness and sleekness. For robustness, the watch is equipped with a screw-down crown and case back that results in 150 m water resistance.

Onlookers may notice the dial at a first glance. The celestial artistry on the dial is inspired by Tokyo’s Meguro district. The dial is crafted from blue aventurine glass, which showcases the sparkles of a night sky from the use of flecks of metallic copper oxide and cobalt.

The high-quality 20 mm Yoshino stainless steel bracelet with satin and mirror finishing complements the stainless steel case with its stunning dial effortlessly. It’s equipped with solid-end links and a signature “ひとり” clasp engraving. Watch modders can benefit from the drilled lugs application for an easy swap to a rubber strap.

Price: $798.00 USD

Read also: Gnomon’s Pick: 5 Best Hitori Watches for Every Occasion 

3. Seiko Presage Cocktail Time GMT Brown

On the list of Seiko mechanical watches for men is the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time GMT Brown. It’s powered by Seiko’s automatic movement, Caliber 4R34. The movement allows manual winding and hacking. It operates at 21,600 bph and has a power reserve of approximately 41 hours.

The watch measures 40.5 mm in diameter, 12.8 mm in thickness, and about 47.5 mm in lug-to-lug distance, a balanced proportion for a classic dress watch. Encased in 316L stainless steel with polished finishing, the watch suits formal and casual activities alike. It has water resistance of 50 m, which makes it a decent timepiece against mild splashes but not swimming activities.

To accentuate the vintage style, the Seiko Presage watch uses a box-shaped Hardlex crystal, which provides modest durability. Underneath the case is the deep brown sunburst dial with glossy texture that changes character under every lighting condition, emanating the richness of a Rusty Nail cocktail. To give off a nice contrast, the dial is paired with a yellow GMT hand, applied sharp faceted indices, and thin sword hands.

A stunning dress watch like the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time GMT Brown is traditionally paired with a black calf leather strap. However, it can be swapped for any other type of strap according to preferences. The 20 mm lug width allows easy Seiko watch modding.

Price: $497.00 USD

4. Seiko 5 Sports “Field Sports Style” GMT White

Powered by the Seiko Caliber 4R34, the Seiko 5 Sports “Field Sports Style” GMT White has an approximately 41-hour power reserve. The automatic movement is equipped with manual winding and hacking seconds. It also features an independently adjustable GMT hand.

The Seiko 5 Sports watch measures 39.4 mm in diameter, 13.6 mm in thickness, and 47.9 mm in lug-to-lug distance, which makes it suitable for any wrist size. Featuring a push-pull crown and a screw-down display case back, the watch offers a reliable 100 m water resistance.

As a GMT watch, the white watch has a fixed 24-hour engraved bezel with multi-finish polishing on the surfaces to accentuate the utilitarian and refined look. The domed Hardlex crystal gives the watch a vintage charm and enhances legibility.

Contrasting the white dial are the bold Arabic numerals and inner 24-hour markers. Additionally, the GMT hand is painted in vibrant orange with a tip and black lumed hour/minute hands that contrast with the dial. To ensure symmetry, the dial features a date window at 3 o’clock.

The sturdy stainless steel case is complemented with a 5-row stainless steel bracelet with around 20 mm tapering. It’s secured by a three-fold clasp with a push-button lock. Those who need to constantly change straps can benefit from the drilled lugs, which allow easy swaps.

Price: $450.00 USD

5. Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Handwinding Black 38 - Bracelet

The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Handwinding Black 38 Bracelet is a variation of the previous 38 mm Khaki Field watch. What makes this model different is the 20 mm stainless steel bracelet that integrates seamlessly with the case and finishes to match. It also has drilled lugs, which allow an easy strap swap.

As one of the mechanical watches for men, the Khaki Field is powered by the Hamilton Caliber H-50. This manual winding movement is based on the ETA2801-2 with a twist of 21,600 bph to improve the power reserve up to 80 hours. This aspect allows the wearer to skip several days of winding.

The 38 mm watch features a 316L stainless steel case with matte finishes to reduce reflections. This field watch has a water resistance of 50 m, which is safe for daily moist exposure but not recommended for swimming.

The military styling can be seen in the 12- and 24-hour white Arabic numerals on the matte black dial. To maintain the clarity and symmetry, the military-inspired watch doesn’t feature a date window.

Price: $660.00 USD

Read also: Hamilton Watches for Men: These are Our Favorite Duo 

6. Marathon Pilot’s Navigator Stainless Steel Vintage Automatic - 3-Piece Rubber Strap Kit

The Swiss Sellita SW200-1 with Incabloc® Shock Absorber powers the Marathon Pilot’s Navigator Stainless Steel Vintage Automatic - 3-Piece Rubber Strap Kit. It’s a self-winding mechanical movement that operates at 28,800 bph and has approximately 42 hours of power reserve.

The 316L stainless steel watch measures 41 mm in diameter, 11 mm in thickness, and about 48 mm in lug-to-lug distance. A screw-down crown and sapphire crystal help the watch obtain a reliable 100 m water resistance.

Emphasis in the vintage style can be seen on the oversized hour markers, syringe hands, and caramel-hued MaraGlo™ lume against the matte black dial. To conserve the symmetry aspect, the dial doesn’t feature a date complication.

As for the strap, the vintage watch from Marathon comes with a 3-piece FKM rubber strap kit. The Switzerland-made strap has satin-finish buckle hardware, which accentuates the durability. For a change in the strap, the watch includes ballistic nylon straps in desert tan and black colors. Thanks to the drilled lugs, the strap adjustment can be done easily.

Price: $1,400.00 USD

7. Ball Watch Co. Engineer Master II Doolittle Raiders 46mm Black

The manual-winding caliber RR2102 powers the Ball Watch Co. Engineer Master II Doolittle Raiders 46mm Black. It features hours, minutes, and a subsidiary seconds dial at 9 o’clock with Amortiser® shock protection. The movement operates at a slower 2.5 Hz beat rate, or 18,800 vph. At 46 mm in diameter and 12.35 mm in thickness, the 316L stainless steel watch appears sleek with satin-brushed top surfaces and polished sides.

To achieve the 100 m water resistance, Ball Watch adds a push-in onion-style crown and sapphire case back. For readability, the matte black dial is paired with applied baton hour markers, tapered broad sword hands, and a seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. Additionally, a limited edition number is engraved at 6 o’clock. Note that the dial doesn’t feature a date window to maintain the balanced vintage military look.

A 22 mm riveted calf leather pilot strap in dark brown complements the 46 mm case. It’s secured by a pin buckle, a staple in historical aviation aesthetics. The drilled lug feature allows a seamless strap swap for those who wish for a customized rubber or another leather strap.

Price: $1,940.00 USD

Conclusion

More than just timekeepers, mechanical watches for men are the living testament to more than a century of old craftsmanship. Whether from the movement of the wrist or the manual winding, the mechanical machinery showcases a deep connection to engineering and heritage in horology.

Wearing mechanical watches reflects the appreciation for precision, legacy, and old-school aesthetics in a constantly changing world. Watch enthusiasts can explore a vast gallery of mechanical watches, including rugged field watches and refined dress watches. There’s a mechanical timepiece that caters to every lifestyle and preference.

Read also: 7 Best Automatic Watches for Men: Convenient and Stylish