Minimalism has definitely taken off in recent years. Everywhere you look, you can see the minimalist influence. You see it in art, furniture, fashion, architecture and, of course, watches. The minimalist watch has, indeed, become quite popular. And if you want to find a cool minimalist watch to upgrade your style, we’ve got you covered. Here are 20 of the best minimalist watches you can get right now.
What Is Minimalism and Why Is It Trendy?
Minimalism is essentially built on the concept of “less is more”. A lot of times, minimalism refers to a certain type of lifestyle wherein people veer away from materialistic desires, opting to live a much simpler life with only the things that they truly need. But for this article, we’ll only be talking about minimalism in the context of design.
Why is minimalism trendy? Well, in terms of design movements, it’s still relatively new. Minimalism only started to rise in the ‘60s. Since then, it’s been incorporated in many areas of art such as architecture, interior design, graphic design, and more. The use of clean lines and silhouettes really draws the eyes toward a focal point. It is straightforward and thoughtfully makes use of the design element of space.
What Is a Minimalist Watch?
Simply put, a minimalist watch is one that strips away the design down to the essentials and veers away from the complicated. Not to say that it is boring, because it is far from so. Minimalist watches often center around having a clean dial with clear lines. Although a lot of minimalist watches don a mostly bare dial, it is not the case for all. A minimalist watch could have other elements such as date windows or dials. What’s important is that the overall look isn’t cluttered and that a good amount of empty space is still applied. Although seemingly effortless, a lot of thought is actually often put in the design of a minimalist watch to let it have the desired effect.
But why do people like minimalist watches? What does a minimalist watch have to offer? Well, aesthetically, a minimalist watch is quite pleasing to the eye. It’s very clean. It isn’t cluttered. And it really highlights some of the crucial time telling aspects of a watch, such as the watch hands or hour markers. The minimalist look also fits quite well with modern design. Because of its simplicity, it’s not difficult to match with other items in your wardrobe. It also offers quite a versatile style because a minimalist watch can both pair well with casual and formal attire.
20 Must-Have Minimalist Watches
1. Fossil Minimalist Carbon Series Dress Watch
For our first minimalist watch, we have this handsome Fossil watch that would pair well with a dressed-up look or even with a plain shirt and a pair of jeans. The Fossil Minimalist Carbon Series Stainless Steel Dress Watch is, indeed, quite versatile when it comes to look since it’s simple yet carries an air of elegance.
It has a gunmetal-plated stainless steel case that is 44mm in diameter. This size is perfect for wrists that are six to seven inches in circumference, which is about the average for men. Attached to this a very lovely amber-brown leather strap with buckle closure. If, for some reason, you don’t really like this strap, don’t worry. You can easily interchange this with any Fossil strap that has a size of 22mm. When it comes to water-resistance, this Fossil minimalist watch does pretty well at 50 meters.
Now, let’s talk about the dial. One look at the dial will tell you immediately that it is inspired by the minimalist design. The dial’s face is pretty bare, with just the essentials present. This watch has a gray sunray dial that matches the gunmetal-plated case. It is a numberless dial and only contains three watch hands and three line markers for the 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock positions. However, there’s also a little something special on the dial. At the 12 o’clock position, you can find a genuine diamond accent.
2. BUREI Fashion Minimalist Watch (19003)
Next up, we have probably the most affordable minimalist watch on this list. The BUREI Men’s Fashion Minimalist Watch costs less than $50, but it doesn’t mean it lacks in quality. It has a 41mm stainless steel case and a scratch-resistant mineral crystal. The watch runs on a Japanese quartz movement and is water-resistant up to 30 meters. A 30-meter water-resistance is enough to make it splash-resistant and rain-resistant.
Aesthetically, this watch takes inspiration from Nordic fashion. This slim watch has a handsome brown leather strap that goes really well with its minimalist dial. The numberless dial is white with clear lines. At the center, you’ll see three very thin watch hands, and to the right of that, there’s a tiny date window.
3. Timex Easy Reader Minimalist Watch
Our next watch is definitely a tried and tested classic. The Timex Men’s Easy Reader is a bit smaller than the other watches on this list at 38mm. Although its silver-tone brass case is small, its black leather strap can actually fit wrists up to eight inches. This watch is also water-resistant up to 30 meters. That’s enough to be perfectly fine when faced against rain and splashing.
True to its name, this minimalist watch is quite easy to read. It has a plain white dial with large, black Arabic numerals. To add to its readability, this watch also has the iconic Timex Indiglo light-up technology for nighttime reading. It has three watch hands and a small date window at the 3 o’clock position.
4. Skagen Jorn Minimalist Watch
Up next, we have the Skagen Men’s Jorn Minimalist Watch. This watch has a 41mm stainless steel case and a sturdy mineral crystal. Its brown strap is made of genuine leather and has a buckle closure. If you prefer a different strap for this watch, you can interchange it with any Skagen 22mm band.
This watch also has a pretty decent water-resistance. At 50m water-resistance, you can take this watch with you on short recreational swims or showers. Sticking to the minimalist aesthetic, this watch’s dial is pretty clean and features clear lines instead of numerals. It has a white sandblast dial with thin black lines and three thin watch hands.
5. Fossil The Minimalist Watch (FS5304)
For our next watch, we have another Fossil minimalist watch. The Minimalist FS5304 mixes together class and simplicity. Having this watch in your wardrobe is definitely a plus since it’s so versatile. You won’t be embarrassed to have this on with a suit and tie. But at the same time, it won’t stand out too much if you decide to wear this on your trip to the supermarket.
It has a slim stainless steel case with an average size of 42mm. Attached to this case is a handsome brown leather strap. If you’re planning to swap the strap, you can do so by getting any Fossil strap that’s 22mm in size. This watch also has a sturdy mineral crystal and has a water-resistance of 50 meters.
For any minimalist watch, the focus is definitely on the dial. The numberless dial is in a cool dark blue and has some white and gold accents. It’s got easily visible hour markers and tiny minute markers on the rim. Lastly, we’ve got some gold-tone watch hands at the center of the dial.
6. BUREI Fashion Minimalist Watch (19003-P56QQ-A)
Our next minimalist watch is perfect for those who just love the all-black aesthetic. The BUREI Fashion Minimalist Watch takes inspiration from the Nordic style and is quite sleek. You can probably expect getting some compliments when wearing this watch.
This watch has a black-tone stainless steel case and a matching black stainless steel mesh band. You can easily adjust the length of this band to get a better fit and experience the full comfort this strap gives. Aside from looking good, this watch can also withstand your standard splashing and rain with its 30-meter water-resistance.
Continuing the all-black theme, the dial and almost everything on it is black. We have black markers and watch hands. But despite the all-black look, the designers of the watch still made sure to provide ample contrast for readability by making the dial a bit lighter. The only thing that isn’t black is the small date window that you can find at the 3 o’clock position.
7. Timex Weekender
Up next, we have the Timex Men’s Weekender 40mm Watch. This watch has a black brass case with a mineral glass crystal. The brown strap is made of genuine leather and is easily adjustable to provide comfort when wearing. Like the case, the dial is also black. It has large, white Arabic numerals which create a great contrast against the dark dial for optimum readability.
Speaking of readability, this watch also has the Timex Indiglo light-up technology, which makes it much easier to read the dial at night or in dim light. Aside from the usual 12-hour setup, this minimalist watch also shows 24-hour military time but in a smaller font.
8. Stuhrling Original Minimalist Watch
Our next minimalist watch gives off an air of sleek elegance. The Stuhrling Original Men’s Minimalist Watch is ultra-slim and quite lightweight. This, along with its black leather strap with an embossed alligator pattern, gives its wearers the maximum level of comfort. It isn’t only comfortable, but it’s also quite stylish.
This is definitely a watch that can fit several types of occasions — from everyday casual to formal events. It’s got a numberless black dial with clean white lines, and three thin, white watch hands. At the 3 o’clock position, you’ll also see a small, circular date window with a quick-set function for easy use.
9. Fossil Minimalist Slim Watch
Up next, we have the Fossil Men’s Minimalist Stainless Steel Slim Casual Watch. It has a black-plated stainless steel case which is quite slim, matching the trend in minimalist watches. The watch runs on a quartz movement and is water-resistant up to 50 meters. This type of water-resistance is suitable for showering and even short recreational swims.
The watch has a lovely brown leather strap with buckle closure. Its dial, similar to the case, is black, offering this cool and sleek vibe. The dial is numberless and instead contains clean white hour markers and shorter and thinner minute markers. Lastly, we have three gold-tone hands that are easily readable against the dark dial.
10. FIZILI Ultra-Thin Minimalist Watch
Next up, we have another all-black minimalist watch. The FIZILI Ultra-Thin Minimalist Waterproof Fashion Wrist Watch has an ultra-slim black-tone stainless steel case.
Matching the case, we’ve got a stainless steel mesh band that is also black. It has a numberless dial with a matte black finish that really makes it classy. On the dial, you’ll see some black indexes, two black watch hands, and a seconds subdial. This watch offers a simple and classic look that can pair well with any outfit.
11. Junghans MAX Bill Hand-Wound Watch
Our next watch is a Bauhaus watch from the Junghans Max Bill collection. The Junghans Max Bill Hand-Wound Watch has a stainless steel case with a thin bezel. It has a genuine calfskin leather in black with a cream inner lining. The watch uses a mechanical hand-wind movement and is water-resistant up to 30 meters.
It has a very simple black dial with no added frills, true to the Bauhaus movement. On the dial, you’ll only see white Arabic numerals, white lines, and the thin luminous watch hands.
12. Braun Minimalist Watch (BN0024WHBKG)
Next up, we have this pretty simple Braun watch. This watch has a stainless steel case that is 38mm in diameter. Its bezel is incredibly thin, which is common in Bauhaus-style watches. The watch has a black leather strap and a strong mineral crystal. This watch runs on a Japanese quartz movement and has a water-resistance of 50 meters.
True to the Bauhaus style, the dial is quite easy to read. It has a classic white face with clean black Arabic numerals. There are also easily readable black hour markers and thinner minute markers. At the center, we have two thin watch hands. And below that, you will see a subdial with a small yellow hand.
13. Braun Minimalist Watch (BN0211BKSLMHG)
For our next minimalist watch, we have this ultra-slim Braun watch. This watch has a gray stainless steel case which is 38mm in diameter. It also has a stainless steel bracelet with a deployment clasp.
The dial is super simple as it takes inspiration from the Bauhaus style. It is a minimalist, numberless black dial with gray line markers, gray watch hands, and a yellow second hand.
14. Braun Classic Watch (BN0031WHSLMHL)
Three in a row, we’ve got another Braun watch. This Braun watch is much smaller than the others with a stainless steel case that is just 33mm in diameter. The watch runs on a quartz movement and has a pretty decent water-resistance of 50 meters. It has a mineral crystal and a stainless steel mesh band with buckle closure.
Its dial is pretty simple and clean. It is a plain white dial with clean, black Arabic numerals. It also has some line indexes that are also in black, and two thin, black watch hands. For an added pop of color, there’s also a thin, yellow contrasting second hand.
15. FEICE Bauhaus Automatic Watch
Up next, we have the FEICE Men’s Bauhaus Automatic Watch. This watch has a stainless steel case that is 42mm in diameter and has a transparent back that’ll allow you to see the watch’s movement. Speaking of movement, this watch uses an automatic movement. This means you won’t be needing any batteries, just the movements of your wrist. At full charge, this watch will continue ticking for up to 35 hours. The watch also has a domed mineral crystal and a black leather strap with an embossed alligator pattern.
Now, let’s talk about the dial. Compared to other minimalist watches, this watch has a bit more going on. But despite the additional features, it still keeps a pretty clean design. It has a white dial with clean black fonts. The watch has the usual 12-hour setup in black Arabic numerals. And in a smaller font, you can also find black Arabic numerals for the minutes in five-minute intervals. The watch also uses some thin line markers. At the center of the dial, you’ll find three thin, black watch hands. Additionally, the watch has two subdials, a day of the week window, and a date window.
16. Braun 3-Hand Minimalist Watch
For our last Braun watch on this list, we have the Braun Men’s 3-Hand Minimalist Watch. This watch has a matte alloy case that is 38mm in diameter and a thin bezel. The watch also has a black leather strap and a scratch-resistant mineral crystal. This watch runs on a quartz movement and has a water-resistance of 30 meters.
Its dial is pretty simple and clean. It is a classic white dial with black Arabic numerals, black line markers, two black watch hands, and a second hand that is a thin bright yellow.
17. Junkers Bauhaus Automatik
Up next, we have this pretty cool Junkers watch. The Junkers Bauhaus Automatik has a stainless steel case that is 40mm in diameter. It has a black leather strap with an embossed alligator pattern. This minimalist watch runs on a quartz movement and has a decent water-resistance of 50 meters.
Despite having a lot more cool features, this watch keeps its design clean. It has a textured black dial with large gold Arabic numerals. Matching these numerals, we also have thin watch hands that are also in gold. At the outermost part of the dial, you’ll see the different months in a year. Next to that, you’ll also find the numbers 1 to 52 in counterclockwise, which represent the number of weeks in a year. There’s also an additional watch hand that is meant for this month and week setup. Additionally, there’s also a date subdial which contains the numbers 1 to 31.
18. Junghans Max Bill Herrenuhr
Next up, we have this elegant watch from the Junghans Max Bill collection. The Junghans Max Bill Herrenuhr Watch has a lovely gold-plated stainless steel case with an incredibly thin bezel. This goes perfectly well with the brown calfskin leather strap. With these beautiful elements and the Bauhaus style, this watch is definitely one that can fit any occasion. It is simple enough to wear on a daily basis without sticking out too much. But at the same time, it holds a certain elegance that is perfect for a more dressed-up occasion.
Junghans chose a clean and simple white dial for this watch. It has clean, black Arabic numerals and thin black lines. At the center, you’ll find three thin watch hands in gold, matching the gold on the bezel and case. Additionally, you will also see a small date window by the 3 o’clock position.
19. DuFa Weimar 100 Year Anniversary Edition
This next watch keeps it simple and clean, but also incorporates some fun into the design. The DuFa Weimar 100 Year Anniversary Edition Watch has a classic stainless steel case that is 38mm in diameter. It has a cool blue leather strap with a fun yellow inner lining and some yellow, blue, and red accents.
The dial is a clean white with large, black Arabic numerals for easy readability. You can also see much smaller Arabic numerals in between the bigger ones which depict the 24-hour time. At the center, there are two thin, black watch hands, another one in yellow, and a squiggly one in red. Lastly, there’s also a date window by the 6 o’clock position.
20. FEICE Automatic Minimalist Watch
For our last watch on the list, we have the FEICE Men’s Automatic Minimalist Watch. This watch has a stainless steel case with a transparent caseback, which allows you to see the watch’s automatic movement. It has a black leather strap with a light brown inner lining. Its dial is protected by a sapphire crystal which is the strongest and most scratch-resistant among watch crystals.
Examining the dial, you’ll see the minimalist influence on the design. It has a clean white dial with large, black Arabic numerals which are quite easy to read. You can also find some thin, black line markers going around the rim of the dial. At the center of the dial, there are two thin watch hands that are in a vibrant blue for an added pop of color. Below that, you’ll see a sub-dial with a sweeping second hand which is also in blue. Lastly, there is a small date window to the right of the watch’s hands.
Final Thoughts
Although we’ve used the word “trendy” to describe the minimalist design movement, we believe that this movement is one that’ll continue to prosper in the design space. Minimalist looks — when done right — are always appreciated in the fashion industry. Simply put, you can’t go wrong with a well-made minimalist watch. It is definitely an investment and will for sure help in upgrading your style.
For more similar design movements in watches, check out this article we made on the best Bauhaus-style watches.
