I’m looking for a watch that looks classy. A metal strap would be ideal, but I’d also consider leather if it has a nice look. My company gave me an allowance to buy a smartwatch or something that tracks vitals, but I’m not really into smartwatches. I’d like to use this opportunity to get a stylish watch instead.
The allowance is $300 USD (or $420 CAD). Any recommendations?
Check out Huawei! They make great-looking watches, and some come with metal straps. For others, you might need to buy the strap separately. Most smartwatches either use a quick-release system or a proprietary strap, but even then, there’s a good variety of silicon, nylon, leather, and metal options—sometimes from third-party sellers. Garmin’s quick-fit system is also a popular choice.
Honestly, it’s hard to find a smartwatch that isn’t super thick. Most are about twice the thickness of a regular watch. Some might look like a diver’s watch if you like that style, but they’re still quite bulky.
The thinner options are usually from cheaper, less feature-packed brands. High-end smartwatches need bigger batteries for all their advanced functions, which means a bulkier design. Until technology improves, this is just the trade-off we have to accept.
It’s strange that major brands don’t offer simpler models in smaller sizes. Maybe they’re worried it would cut into their profits if people realized those simpler options had everything they needed. Pebble tried something like this years ago, but they didn’t survive in the market.
I’ve got the latest Samsung Galaxy Classic, and I swapped out the strap for a leather one I found online. It looks great and wasn’t too expensive.
Avoid luxury brands like Tag Heuer and Citizen. They’re basically just Fossil smartwatches with a big markup. In fact, Fossil stopped making smartwatches this year, so keep that in mind.