Revisited: Thin Watches At Every Budget

Way back in the before time, 2019, Ed Jelley brought us 8 thin watches under $1,500, and while we still stand by those selections (seriously, there’s some great ones in there), we thought it high time to expand on the theme. This time, we’ll keep a selection of broadly accessible options, as well as loosen the purse strings and let our hair down for a bit of wishful thinking. At the heart of it, thin watches. That means 10mm(ish) in total thickness, just as Ed put forth a lifetime ago. Oh, and we’ll bring a few more voices into the mix for good measure. Be sure to make your voice heard in the comments below and let us know what we’ve missed.

Under $1,500

Junghans Max Bill Automatic

At this point there are almost endless variations on the Max Bill Automatic. It’s almost certainly the most notable watch in the current Junghans catalog, and is a classic example of Bauhaus design principles put to work in a wristwatch. The design is simple, functional, and beautiful in how unadorned and clean it appears, particularly when compared to flashier watches with lots of applied dial elements, or fancy texture. While they range in size, the most Max Bill Automatic of the current crop comes in at 38mm in diameter and an even 10mm thick, making for a watch that wears easily on just about any wrist thanks to short, downward angled lugs. While most would categorize the Max Bill as a dress watch by contemporary standards, when it was originally designed it was just a watch, for regular people, doing regular things, who sometimes needed to tell the time, and there’s a lot of appeal in that kind of humble simplicity.

Hamilton Khaki Field

The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical has become a go-to suggestion for many enthusiasts when a newcomer to the hobby asks what they can get into for around $500 that’s going to give them real bang per buck and provide some exposure to real watchmaking. This is the quintessential field watch, and unlike many modern field watches that balloon up over 40mm in diameter, this one is svelte at just 38mm and a little less than 10mm tall. The whole point of a field watch is that it should stay out of the way until you need it, and not get in the way of all the other gear you’re likely carrying in the, you know…the field! The Arabic numerals are easy to read at a glance, and the hand wound movement in the Khaki Field Mechanical is actually a pleasure to wind, and will get anyone new to mechanical watches hooked instantly. But it’s not just a beginner’s watch – it has real history, and is an enthusiast favorite for a reason.

Farer Erebus

The Farer Erebus was introduced just earlier this year, and it brings the distinctive Farer style into a slim and elegant three-hander package. Okay, so we’re pushing the 10mm boundary a bit here, but it’s under 11mm in thickness at 10.8 so we’ll give it a pass. The steel case measures 39.5mm in diameter, making for a tidy package in total on the wrist. The Erebus is a masterclass in the effectiveness of subtle usage of color, mixing gold, blue and red against a black base dial. Is it a dress watch? A field watch? A sport piece? In short, yes. It’s got a bit of everything and works surprisingly well as a result, a balancing act few other brands can pull off with such ease. Best of all, it’s under $1,000 at $890.

Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Elite

Christopher Ward is another British brand that punches well above their weight, and the C63 Sealander Elite is a perfect example. See Zach’s full review of this watch here for all the details, but the watch finds itself on this list thanks to its 10.7mm thickness. It appears even thinner thanks to the unique shape of the case wall, and wears ultra light thanks to the titanium construction. It’s also got a neat party trick with a telescoping crown that sits flush within the case itself. Apertures around the perimeter of the dial give a view clear through the watch, and speak to the overall featherweight nature of the total package. This is a lot of watch for the $1,395 asking price, and if you’re looking for something thin this one is definitely worth a look.

Under $5,000

Breitling Superocean Heritage ‘57

When you think of dive watches from the big name heritage Swiss brands, Submariners and Seamasters likely come to mind first. These watches are famous for a reason, but if you’re doing a survey of Swiss divers, you’d be remiss not to hit on Breitling. The Superocean Heritage ‘57 is based on a classic design from (you guessed it) 1957, and the watch is loaded with midcentury charm, from the unique hour markers to the classic typefaces used on the dial. What you may not realize, however, is that the Superocean Heritage ‘57 is actually one of the most well proportioned dive watches on the market today, with a diameter of 42mm and a case height of 9.9mm. That’s a really well sized watch at $4,835 – this is a price point where you’re normally sacrificing thinness for robustness. And while the Superocean might only have 100 meters of water resistance, it’s a compelling compromise if you’re looking for vintage style from one of the key Swiss brands in a highly wearable package.

Nomos Tangente Neomatik

If you’d like, you can think of the Nomos Tangente Neomatik as a slightly higher end contemporary twist on the Max Bill Automatic discussed earlier. Nomos is a German brand, heavily influenced by Bauhaus design, but with an added focus on building their own movements in house and developing their own whimsical style from within the brand. The Tangente is their signature watch, with straight lugs that angle sharply downward at their end point, giving the watch a profile unlike anything else. The real star of the show is the DUW 3001 movement, an in-house automatic caliber which has been engineered by Nomos to be nearly as thin as their hand wound Alpha caliber. The result is a practical, automatic watch appropriate for casual and formal occasions that wears nearly identically to the classic hand cranked version. At just 7.2mm tall, it’s hard to believe there’s an automatic movement inside, but of course it’s beautiful finishing is on display via the caseback’s sapphire crystal if you need a reminder.

Bulgari Aluminum Automatic 

It’s impossible to discuss thin watches without mentioning Bulgari, but we’re going a different direction than you might think. Sure, their higher end Octo Finissimo watches are impossibly thin and undoubtedly cool, but you might not realize their Aluminum watch is pretty svelte itself, and priced much more accessibly at under $3k. The Bulgari Aluminum Automatic clocks in at 9.4mm thick, and sporting an aluminum case, weighs next to nothing. Okay, the look may not be for everyone, but it’s undeniably Bulgari and if you want something a bit different than what the rest of the crowd is rocking, this will be a safe bet.

Longines Heritage Classic – Sector Dial

Okay, we’re playing a little fast and loose with the rules here as this one clocks in at 11mm, but on the wrist, you’d swear it was closer to 10. Plus, the Longines Heritage Classic with sector dial is straight up beautiful. At just north of $2,000 it’s a pretty good deal, and it’s offered on a stunning ‘brick road’ steel bracelet that plays right into the throwback-yet-timeless design. The steel case measures 38.5mm in diameter making for an all around perfect presence on the wrist. So it’s not the thinnest watch on the list, but it is one of most compelling, especially for the money. 

Over $5,000

Cartier Cloche de Cartier  

If money is no object and you want  a thin watch that’s design forward and not likely to be on the wrist of anyone else at your local watch meetup, Cartier is your friend. While the Tank and Santos will certainly meet most people’s needs for a classic dress watch, the Cloche de Cartier is for a more adventurous sort. The unusual case is inspired by the shape of a bell turned on its side, and with 12:00 read from where you’d normally find 9:00, it might take some getting used to if you’re wearing this watch to actually keep track of the time. But more likely, you’re wearing this watch in the great tradition of Andy Warhol, who famously wore his Tank without even winding it. It’s a statement of a particular taste. It’s not for everyone, obviously, but worn with confidence the Cloche is tough to beat. At 6.7mm, the case is razor thin, but the unusual curves give it a wrist presence that is likely to be noticed all the same.

IWC MK XVIII

The pilot’s watch isn’t normally thought of as a type of watch that wears particularly thin. That’s usually because they’re equipped with some type of iron inner case to reduce the effects of magnetism, a critical job for a pilot’s watch that’s actually worn by a pilot. IWC, however, has been at this for a good long while, and with the latest incarnation of their core pilot’s watch, now up to MK XVIII, they’ve delivered a watch that comes in at a slender 10.7mm. Now, that’s not ultra-thin by any means, but for a watch in this category it’s meaningfully thin, and it’s still up to the same high standard of build quality and robustness that you’d expect from IWC.

Chopard Alpine Eagle

The Chopard Alpine Eagle is a watch that might not get the credit it deserves. It’s a high-end, integrated steel sport watch with provenance, and it’s available to purchase at an AD. It’s also 9.7mm thick. It can be had in 36mm or 41mm, each housing Chopard’s own 01.01-C mechanical movement. Pair this with a stunning dial that resembles the eye of an eagle, and well, you’ve got a pretty compelling watch for around $10k. Not cheap by any stretch, but compared to some of the other thin, high end steel sport watches out there, this is a downright bargain.

Grand Seiko SBGY007 

If you need something a little more classic, but still makes a statement, the Grand Seiko SBGY007 inspired by “Omiwatari” or “where the Gods walk out over the ice” during winter. Indeed, the dial evokes a near spiritual reaction with its depth, color, and texture coming together in a stunning manner. Mercifully, there’s no date here to break that spell. The 38.5mm case houses Grand Seiko’s beautifully decorated Spring Drive 9R31 caliber, and the whole package measures 10.2mm in thickness. The power reserved has been moved to the movement side, and accuracy is around 15 seconds a month. While it ships on a black crocodile leather strap, this one would be easy to dress down with something a bit less formal.