The Best Watches of 2026

If you've ever been to Abt in Chicagoland, you've likely seen our Time Store: a watch and jewelry emporium filled with new watches by brands like Tissot and Citizen, as well as top-tier pre-owned timepieces you can't find anywhere else. This year we've pulled some of our favorites aside to showcase our best watches of 2026. Whether you're looking for something for men or women, sporty or elegant, or a quartz or automatic model, you can find it here: explore our specialists' annual favorites below.

We're naming the Michele Deco Madison mini watch as our top pick for women; this quartz model comes detailed with 122 diamonds, mixed metals and even a mother-of-pearl dial for a timepiece that fuses refinement and elegance with fun. Choosing our true top watch for women wasn't an easy task, but this model by Michele makes it easy. The bright two-tone bracelet is beautiful and can be dressed up for formal affairs, yet it's comfortable enough to be your everyday watch. Michele bracelets can be swapped out for other straps too—when you're ready for a new style, just say the word and the diamond-studded case and mother-of-pearl dial get a switch-up. Between its unbeatable look, strong water resistance and petite 12mm form, the Michele Deco Madison mini watch certainly earns its spot on our list of the best watches of 2026.

Our favorite automatic model for ladies blends silver and gold metals: it's the Longines PrimaLuna Moonphase watch. This timepiece is a member of the PrimaLuna collection, a moonphase watch that quietly showcases the lunar cycle. Whether it's a full moon, a waxing crescent or a quarter, you'll know with just a look. It earns its place as one of our best watches of 2026 as an automatic timepiece with a stylish design and its own 72-hour power reserve, along with the moonphase complication. The opaline ivory dial lends even more elegance to the watch by Longines. Pairing painted Roman numerals with a scratch-resistant and non-reflective sapphire crystal creates a watch that's both beautiful and strong. No other women's watch on our list combines such iconic style, strength and the moonphase complication, and it's why it's on our list of the best watches of 2026.

Finishing off our list of the women's best watches of 2026 is the Tissot Lovely Round watch with a champagne dial and diamonds. Small, elegant and, of course, lovely, the shining champagne watch is marked with timeless features, from over 40 diamonds set into the timepiece's case to extra stones marking the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock hands. Between the watch's Swiss quartz movement and the beautiful combination af diamond detailing and champagne setting, this model by Tissot easily elevates anything you wear. The high-end watch is perfect for lending an elegant aspect to your everyday wear, and can be a true statement on a naked wrist. And thanks to its Swiss quartz movement, you can take this battery-powered watch off, swap it out for another, and come back to it later, knowing that this pick on our best watches of 2026 list will still be ticking along and looking beautiful.

It's time to choose our best watches of 2026 with men in mind, and we're beginning with another moonphase timepiece: the Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Power Reserve Big Date watch. This extra-large automatic watch makes a statement with a large case, a leather strap and three mighty complications: the moonphase, the date indicator and a power reserve indicator. Everything you need to know is right on your wrist—and it's easy to read. The automatic watch has up to fifty hours of power reserve—it's powered by the movement of your wrist, but the Swiss automatic watch reserves up to 50 hours of battery for days (or weekends) when you're swapping between watches. So, why is this model on our list of the best watches of 2026? Between its multifunctionality, incredible design and water resistance, the latest take on Frederique Constant's Manufacture calibre fuses traditional excellence and modern form in one.

Our favorite chronograph and flyback watch of 2026 goes even further—it's a flyback designed and devoted to pilots. Meet the Longines Spirot Pilot Flyback watch. Chronographs are designed to track time (almost like a stopwatch) with extreme precision when asked, and the Longines flyback chronograph goes beyond, letting users stop, reset and start again with a stingle touch. It's reminiscent of the adventurers who first took to the skies—and the level of accuracy in timekeeping they needed. The dial is as easy to read as it is fashionable: gold hands are set against a black matt dial for an iconic design that catches the eye, clashing and harmonizing with the silver-steel case and bracelet. This automatic timepiece on our list of the best watches of 2026 also features a lengthy power reserve of up to 68 hours.

Hoping for more flexibility from your automatic watch? Look towards the Hamilton Khaki Field Murph Auto Watch and its bracelet bundle, a favorite at Abt around the holidays. This automatic watch comes with both a leather strap and a silver bracelet, but the timepiece itself is truly excellent. Between the automatic three-hand movement, black dial and 80-hour power reserve, the Khaki Field Murph Auto Watch earns its space on our list of the best watches of 2026. The automatic timepiece uses Swiss-made H-10 movement to build up that 80-hour time reserve, making the men's watch unbeatable from inside and out. Whether you're wearing the dark leather strap or the shining silver bracelet, it performs at every level.

Our best men's quartz watch is an eye-catcher: the Tissot Ballade watch. Between the blue dial's repetitive pattern, striking and reflective rays and fluted bezel, the watch lets the eye wander across what might initially seem like a quiet, comfortable timepiece. It earns its place on our list of the best watches of 2026 thanks to this iconic detailwork, along with the strong and anti-reflective crystal and Superluminova® hands crafted for late nights and dark spaces. The quartz watch is strong and fashionable, too—wearers can easily swap out the stainless steel brace for another by Tissot in moments when you'd prefer a leather or gold-plated look.

There's nothing quite like a retro look, and Casio delivers it for under $100 with the Casio Vintage watch. A classic like this pairs well with anything, and thanks to its three-year battery life, the gold-toned watch keeps going and going from the moment you slip it on your wrist to when you take it off at night. The digital watch is water resistant and fits comfortably to the wrist, all for a timepiece you'll love wearing anywhere—and everywhere. With this price and this style, it's easy to see how this pick lands on our list of the best watches of 2026.

It's 2026, and the world of watches is only expanding. While classic timepieces will never lose their appeal, experimenting with new looks and functionalities is only becoming more and more popular. When you're shopping for a new watch, keep a few things in mind, like price point, movements (quartz, automatic, manual, digital), styles, budget, and so much more. Maybe a particular brand is a crucial element of your search for your new accessory, or maybe you're focused more on style and functionality. If you find yourself hitting roadblocks as you look through the best watches of 2026, you can always find help at Abt. Our Learn Center's watch buying guide is written by in-house experts and it's full of answers to common questions. But if you need personalized assistance, the experts at our Time Store have you covered. Call Abt at 800-860-3577 and we'll work with you to find the best watch of 2026 for you.