5 Vintage Watches Guys Are Loving Right Now

Currently, the Casio Illuminator watches (those silver and gold square dials) are either on some guy’s Wishlist or it’s already strapped on the wrist making everyone know how much they’re loved. One may wonder are men feeling a little retro or the watch simply kickass!

One of the best vintage watches that have a slick and minimalist designs, the Casio illuminator A168WA-8AY. It is the perfect watch that gives off the feel of something digital.

Sure, we are all into fancy dials, regal yet a little utilitarian watch in our collectors, but there’s something more to the A168 than the vintage feel, it is the iconic aesthetic that makes it sought-after years since its launch in late 1980s.

When the watch made its debut, it was all about its retro design, its metallic case with either stainless steel band or the translucent plastic one. Over the years, the watch that won the Good Design Long Life Design Award in 2011, has come to be recognised for its durability and smart features like an alarm, an EL blacklight and a stopwatch.

The visuals of the watch are enough to transport you to the 80’s nostalgia. The water resistant, unisex watch has a charm of its own.

Fast-forward to 2025, and it’s on the wrists of Instagram stylists, Gen-Z crypto kids, old uncles who wear Bata sandals, and that guy in your building who only wears linen. All at once.

It’s democratic, unpretentious, and most importantly — cool. In an age of Apple Watches and watches for your fingers that are good at measuring your sleep score and telling you how bad your cardio is, the A168 just sits there. Shiny. Ticking.

Pair it with a white tee, blue jeans, and attitude. Or layer it under a silk shirt with two buttons undone and a whiff of vetiver cologne. Either way, it tells the world you have a classy choice in watches, especially vintage ones.

But that's not the only watch that is making its way back on the wrist. Here are other watches that men are also into right now that give off the vintage vibe:

Seiko Presage Classic

Presage Classic Series – watches designed with inherent Japanese elegance. Named ‘Shiro-iro’ for its warm white colour dial, the dial texture is inspired by soft Japanese silk – a material which has long featured in Japan’s history since ancient times in home décor and clothing. The seven-piece multi-row bracelet has been developed and inspired by 1970s retro-style metal watch bracelets.

The James Dean of vintage automatics. Always dependable, and forever sexy. It's the watch equivalent of that white vintage car your crush’s dad used to ride.

Timex Marlin (Reissue or OG)

Minimalist, hand-wound, and deliciously Mad Men. Pairs best with loafers, a love for old jazz, and secrets you’ll never fully reveal. Ticking inside this iteration of the iconic 1960s Marlin is a tried-and-true 21-jewel Japanese automatic movement, creating a contemporary timepiece that honours watchmaking history. Powered by your motion as you wear the watch, the movement can store a maximum 40 hours of energy

Omega Geneve(1970s manual wind)

For when you're ready to graduate from “guy who likes watches” to “guy whose watch has a story.” The Omega Geneve is understated class — like a velvet blazer with nothing underneath.

Swatch Originals

You want fun? Swatch has it. And if you find an ‘80s or ‘90s model in working condition, you’re basically a walking time capsule — one that wears Acne Studios and knows how to roll a cigarette.

Casio F-91W

The younger, slightly more rebellious cousin of the A168. Slimmer, lighter, and worn by everyone from Obama to streetwear kids who think archive Yohji is casualwear.