Our Most Popular Watch Reviews of 2020

We reviewed a lot of watches in 2020. Seriously. Some were great, others less so, but there’s one clear theme that emerges when taking stock of our year in reviews: y’all really like Seiko. Looking at our most trafficked reviews of the year, 4 of the top 5 are Seiko reviews, while the lone outlier is, unsurprisingly, the Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue. So what, exactly, caught your attention the most this past year? Let’s dig in for a closer look.

Tudor actually had a pair of watches appear in our most read reviews this year, with the Black Bay 36 Blue joining its bezeled sibling in the top 10. The BB36 review was written in 2019 but there still seems to be plenty of interest in the watch today. Each of these watches were personal favorites among the staff here at W&W and we hope will signal a promising 2021 from the brand. The Black Bay 58 as a platform is a clear winner in our book and could use more colorways and maybe even a complication or two if you ask us. 

Making a surprise appearance in our top 10 reviews is the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium. This review from way back in February features a somewhat conservative looking Tissot rocking the Powermatic 80, a boosted ETA 2824 with 80 hours of power reserve and a silicone hairspring, all for well under $1,000. Overall a fantastic release in an otherwise relatively quiet year from Tissot.

Before we get to the Seikos, other reviews that proved especially popular were the Citizen AW1620 Eco-Drive, this recent smart watch review pitting the Apple Watch and Garmin Forerunner against the G-Shock Move, the DOXA Sub 200, and of course, the Sinn U50.

Our 3 most popular reviews are all Seiko dive watches, with the SPB077 taking the 3rd spot. The 077 was released alongside the SLA025 in 2018 and quickly became a fan favorite thanks to its more accessible price point, minimal design, and wearable case. It also set a trend for Seiko in releasing mid tier divers priced above the turtles and Seiko 5s of the world, yet below the top tier 62MAS reincarnations such as the SLA025 and SLA017. We still have a big soft spot for the new Seiko 5s, however, and so do you. 

Coming in second is our review of the Seiko 5 Sports SRPD dive watches. These watches replaced the SKX watches we all know and love, creating a new entry level family of divers from Seiko. Housing the new 4R36 calibers, the SRPD watches have come a long way since the days of the charming 7002 references, which needed a few shakes to get going. At under $300, the SRPD family is approachable without feeling like a compromise. 

Finally, there are no prizes for guessing our most read review of 2020, which is the Seiko SPB149. This release instantly became watch of the year contender (is there such a thing?) around here with a design that clicks on all levels. From the beefy bezel to the radiant yet subtle dial, this is the diver we’d been waiting for. Pair that with the simply perfect case and you’ve got a sure fire hit that proved to be just that. 

What was your favorite review of 2020? Let us know in the comments below and in the meantime keep an eye out for much more to come in 2021.