With winter in full swing and mountaintops covered in fresh snow, no one can blame you for wanting to gear up and hit the slopes. But together with your classic ski equipment and winter apparel, you may also want to add a sports watch to the mix. And while choosing one can feel a little overwhelming with so many good options on the market, narrowing your choice down is easy.
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One thing you’d want to look for is of course the material the timepiece is made from—steel, titanium, and ceramic remain the best options. Luxury watchmakers invest a lot of resources in developing materials that are light, sturdy, and can withstand anything from a blizzard to accidental drops in the snow or on ice. Rubber and stainless steel are your best bet when it comes to the strap but also bear in mind that switching it is the easiest thing to do nowadays so you can quickly transform your sporty ski watch into an elegant timepiece perfect for après-ski cocktails.
Now without further ado, here are the newest and best timepieces that will make your next ski session even more pleasurable (not to mention more stylish).
Breitling Endurance Pro Watch
The non-magnetic, thermally stable, and hypoallergenic Endurance Pro Watch is the epitome of high performance. Its ultra light case is glare-proof and resistant to scratches, traction, and corrosion. The bidirectional bezel also features a handy compass scale. The watch is powered by the company’s proprietary SuperQuartz movement that is ten times more accurate than standard quartz equivalents.
To buy: $3,000, breitling.com
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Special Edition Rockies
To celebrate the opening of its Aspen boutique, Hublot launched the limited edition Spirit of Big Bang Special Edition Rockies watch, of which only 25 pieces are available. The 42mm tonneau case is made from high-tech ceramic (or zirconium dioxide with high-temperature sintering) that is resistant to scratching and aging, yet lighter than stainless steel.
Designed in the quintessential colors of ski season—snow white and blue— the Spirit of Big Bang Rockies houses the HUB4700 self-winding chronograph movement that offers 50 hours of power reserve.
To buy: $26,700, available at Hublot’s Aspen boutique
Girard Perregaux Laureato Ghost
Girard-Perregaux celebrated the 45th anniversary of its iconic Laureato model by partnering with Bamford Watch Department, a London-based company that specializes in customizing luxury watches, on a limited edition Laureto Ghost timepiece.
The all-white watch has a 38mm scratch-, stain-, and water-resistant ceramic case that houses a white dial with an allover hobnail pattern and black luminescent hands. It is a sturdy and stylish enough timepiece for the slopes and après-ski.
To buy: $16,900, watchesofswitzerland.com
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
Last year Audemars Piguet released three new versions of its Royal Oak Offshore collection each presented in a black ceramic case and outfitted with a textured rubber strap.
The water-resistant timepiece has a 44mm case and a glare-proof sapphire crystal and case back. The dial features an inner bezel, pink gold Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, three rhodium-toned subdials, and a round date window at 3 o’clock.
To buy: $39,200, audemarspiguet.com
Zenith Defy Classic Balck&White Watch
Zenith’s super stylish Defy Classic Black & White has a 41mm water-resistant matte ceramic case and a white ceramic bezel. The cool skeletonized dial has a central star motif that reveals the in-house automatic movement.
To buy: $8,200, zenith-watches.com
Rolex Explorer II Watch
Rolex’s Explorer watches are made to withstand the most extreme conditions. The 42mm Oystersteel case has a fixed 24-hour bezel (which is essential if you are headed to a place where the sun never sets, for example) and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with a Cyclops lens over the date window. The white dial has an arrow-shaped 24-hour hand and white luminescent hour markers.
To buy: $8,350, rolex.com
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Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph
Omega’s classic Speedmaster Moonwatch has been to the moon and back six times so we are pretty sure it can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at it here on Earth.
Outfitted with a nylon strap, the watch has a 42mm stainless steel case with an anodised aluminum bezel ring and tachymeter.
The black step dial features three subdials and luminescent hour and minute hands.
To buy: $5,950, omegawatches.com
H Moser Pioneer Centre Seconds Watch
This bold-looking timepiece was designed with adventure in mind. Its sturdy steel 42.8mm case houses an eye-catching minimalist fumé dial in Mad Red with luminescent hands. The watch’s HMC 200 movement offers an impressive three days worth of power reserve.
To buy: $12,900, h-moser.com
Parmigiani Fleurier Tondagraph GT
Produced in only 200 pieces, this exceptional Parmigiani Fleurier timepiece is as functional as it is stylish. The sleek black dial is extremely easy to read despite the wealth of information that it displays— two subdials for the chronograph function, a small second, and a date window at 12 o’clock. The delta-shaped hands are treated with a layer of black luminescent coating.
Finally, the watch comes fitted with a sporty textured rubber strap.
To buy: $18,500, parmigianiamericas.com
Tag Heuer Connected Watch
Favored by athletes, this TAG Heuer watch is perfect for those who’d like to stay connected on the slopes.
The multi-feature display can be totally customized to highlight your most important data with up to six essential complications. For example, along with the time, you can set the watch to display the date, your next agenda event (like après ski drinks), your watch’s power reserve, a second time zone, the day’s sunrise (for the fresh powder skier) and sunset times, or the weather forecast. And that’s not all—you can download even more options from the Google Play store. The watch has a titanium case paired with a rubber strap and is shock and water-resistant.
To buy: $2,350, tagheuer.com
Longines HydroConquest
Longines’ timeless HydroConquest timepiece really has it all! Originally created as a diver’s watch, it is made to withstand harsh conditions both above and underwater. It has a 43mm stainless steel case with a unidirectional black ceramic bezel, and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with an anti-glare coating. The sunray black dial features Arabic numerals and silvered polished hands with luminescent accents.
And finally, the rubber strap features a secure double-safety folding clasp.
To buy: $1,600, longines.com
