Fratello’s Top 5 Summer Watches Of 2026

Another Friday, another list. Summer is just around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about your watch for the season. While we understand that a simple strap change can do the trick, it is always nice to look at recent releases that could make great companions for the long summer days. That’s why we picked our five favorite new watches that could be perfect summer companions for 2026. We included colorful dive watches and an exotic GMT to create a perfect mixed bag of options.

The first six months of 2026 have just flown by. I honestly feel like we’ve only just started the year. Watches and Wonders is still fresh in our minds, but with summer quickly approaching, it almost seems like a memory in the rear-view mirror. With most of us taking a break starting midway through July, it is time to look at some great summer watches. As in previous years, we picked some of our favorite options from 2026. The criteria are simple. We love bright colors for the summer days, the practicality of a dive watch or a GMT is always welcome, and a fairly affordable price tag is also nice. With those things in mind, we looked at the best options and picked five that made the list.

Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver × seconde/seconde/

We have to start the list with the recently released Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver × seconde/seconde/. Sure, the humor is pretty on the nose, and you might get enough of it after a while. But that last reason makes this a perfect summer watch. After spending a couple of weeks in the sun, you’d probably want to change this Christopher Ward for something more serious. But a summer watch could and maybe should be a fun, colorful piece that you wear for a couple of weeks during your vacation before moving on to something else. If that is what you are after, this is the perfect pick.

The watch is based on the C60 Trident Reef and features a 41mm stainless steel case with an 11.45mm thickness, a 47.8mm length, and a 200m water resistance rating. The case is combined with a white ceramic bezel, a white dial with applied markers and white Super-LumiNova, and your choice of a blue, white, or orange rubber strap. Additionally, you could opt for the stainless steel Bader bracelet. But the rubber straps create a far more summery watch and complement the colorful details on the dial and bezel.

The perfect follow-up to the Desk Diver from 2024

Those hints of color are also the elements that create the story of this watch. As Thomas explained in the intro article, the follow-up to the collaborative Desk Diver prescribes your recommended daily activities on a typical summer day while you take time off from work. From the required reading to sunbathing to flexing, the day’s activities are perfectly laid out for you. One glance at your watch, and you immediately know what’s next on the agenda. Inside the case is the Sellita SW200-1, which offers a 38-hour power reserve. It is a reliable powertrain for the funky and whimsical C60 Pool Diver, which is available to preorder now for €1,165 on a rubber strap or €1,375 on a bracelet.

Certina DS Super PH2000M STC

For something far more serious in both tone and specs, the brand-new Certina DS Super PH2000M STC is the perfect second pick. This impressive timepiece is Certina’s take on an over-the-top dive watch capable of reaching depths beyond your wildest dreams. But unlike most “hors categorie” dive watches, as my colleague Gerard calls them, this one combines impressive specs with great colorful style and surprising wearability. The watch has a 43mm retro-styled case with a 16mm profile, a 50mm lug-to-lug, a helium escape valve, and a whopping 2,000m depth rating. With those specs, you would expect a heavy watch, but this new Certina is made from Grade 2 titanium, which makes it lightweight and super easy to wear.

Certina unveiled four watches in this collection, but the special STC limited edition we had in for review is the best summer pick thanks to its turquoise sunburst dial. The color reflects the waters of Florida, home to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the non-profit organization this watch supports. This dial is truly something else, as its color changes depending on how the light hits it. It is combined with a black ceramic bezel insert with blue engraved markings. The orange triangular marker that holds the lume pip and the large arrow-shaped minute hand add splashes of orange to the overall look.

Wearing the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC is a joy

Inside the case, Certina equips the watch with the Powermatic 80.611 caliber. This automatic movement operates at 21,600 vph, features 25 jewels, and offers an 80-hour power reserve. To finish the look, Certina provides a five-row titanium bracelet and a blue FKM rubber strap with white stitching and a titanium pin buckle. For the ultimate summer look, the latter option is the one to go for.

But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how well the watch wears on both. Thanks to the lightweight material and the well-designed case, it does not feel like an over-the-top diver. Combine that with the great colors and the €1,395 price tag, and the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC is a brilliant second pick for this list.

Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II

A list like this would not be complete without something from Doxa. Every year, the brand known for its dive watches releases a colorful addition to its catalog that deserves a spot on our list. This time, it’s a proper classic. As Henry explained, the original Sub 200 T.Graph from 1969 was one of the earliest dive watches to integrate a chronograph complication in a genuinely usable way. Because of this, it has become a legendary model among the brand’s many classic releases and a fan favorite.

The modern remake of the Sub 200 T-Graph has a 42mm stainless steel case with a 14.6mm thickness, a 44.5mm lug-to-lug, and a 200m depth rating. As we know from Doxa, you can choose from several dial colors. The immediate standout is the orange-dial Professional version, with the silver (Searambler), black (Sharkhunter), and blue (Caribbean) dials offering slightly more restrained overall aesthetics.

The dial has a two-register chronograph layout with a date window at 6 o’clock. The Caribbean and Searambler each feature an oversized orange minute hand, while the Sharkhunter has a large white minute hand, and the Professional dons a full set of black hands.

Inside the case, you will find the Sellita SW510 BH a. This automatic chronograph caliber operates at 28,800 vph and offers a 62-hour power reserve. It is a trusty caliber for this dive chronograph, a highly underrated category. Completing the watch is either the familiar stainless steel beads-of-rice bracelet or curved-end FKM rubber strap. For the ultimate summer look, the latter is the better option for the €3,650 Doxa Sub 200 T-Graph II.

Serica 5330 Dive Chronometer

This next pick may not be colorful, but it certainly is stylish, and I would not mind wearing it during the summer! It’s the Serica 5330 Dive Chronometer that came out in March. As Daan explained, this is not just a 5303 with a date window. There is more to the story. For this new version of the brand’s popular dive watch, the Serica designers chose a new dark gray tone for the dual-scale bezel. On top of that, they changed the design slightly and removed the hash marks, opting instead for a full set of numerals to complete the 60-minute outer scale.

The bezel is paired with the same 39mm stainless steel case Serica uses for the regular 5303. It has a 12.2mm total thickness, a 46.5mm length, and a 300m depth rating. The dial design follows that of the dateless model, but the proportions are slightly different to accommodate the date window. Speaking of which, this aperture reveals an eggshell date wheel with red numerals, ensuring it is always easy to read.

Inside the case, Serica uses the Soprod M100 caliber, which operates at 28,800 vph and offers a 42-hour power reserve. Additionally, the movement is a COSC-certified chronometer, as has become standard for the French brand.

In a clever move, Serica offers the watch with both the mesh stainless steel bracelet and an additional eggshell and red elastic PLD strap that perfectly matches the colors of the lume and date indicator. For €1,690, the 5330 offers a fresh take on Serica’s signature diver, which I adore. I would probably wear it on the strap during the day and switch to the bracelet for a nice late-night dinner. With this versatility, the Serica 5330 is a great summer watch.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points

For the fifth and final pick, we go overboard with the budget. But we also promised an exotic GMT for this list, and that is exactly what the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points series offers. Granted, the follow-up to the popular limited-edition “Everest” model from 2021 doesn’t have a summery backstory. But just looking at the four models, it’s easy to see why any of them would be a perfect summer watch.

As Nacho explained, the adventurer’s watches have a 41mm titanium case with a 12mm profile and 150 water resistance. This lightweight case is paired with either a green, blue, brown, or white dial. In particular, the blue- and white-dial models are perfect contenders for the most stylish summer watch, with dial-matching rubber straps featuring orange stitching. The titanium bracelet that comes with the watch transforms it into a really serious timepiece, perfect for summer dinners. Having said that, the rubber strap is a versatile option for both day and night, so you would not even have to bring the bracelet.

The super-exclusive option to close out this list

The dial features a date display at 6 o’clock and an AM/PM indicator at 9. Furthermore, the small orange hand shows the home time, while the larger hour, minute, and second hands display the local time. Thanks to the grained center, circular-brushed inner minute track, and lacquered outer 60-second scale, the dial offers a great deal of depth and detail.

Inside the case, you will find the Vacheron Constantin 5110 DT/3 caliber, visible through the sapphire display in the titanium case back. The in-house automatic movement ticks at 28,800 vph and provides a 60-hour power reserve. Bearing the famous Poinçon de Genève, it’s also finished beautifully and dons a 22K gold oscillating weight with the Overseas compass rose. Sure, at €40,900, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points is the extravagant, expensive option. But it makes for an absolutely wonderful summer watch for those who can afford it. If you can, I’m pretty sure it won’t leave the wrist after summer is over. It is simply too good for that.

Final thoughts on the best summer watches of 2026

There you have it, our five favorite watches for the upcoming summer days. From a fun pick to a super exclusive last one, they are all ideal warm-weather companions. As always, though, this is only a small selection of the available options. Let us know in the comments section which of these you would pick or what your favorite summer watch is!