Top First Watch Brands to Kickstart Your Timepiece Collection

Choosing your first watch can be a delightful and personal experience, as it often reflects one's style and personality. From timeless classics to modern innovations, there are several brands renowned for their craftsmanship and heritage, making them popular choices for beginners. Brands like Seiko, Citizen, and Fossil offer an array of options that suit various tastes and budgets, ensuring quality without compromising style. To discover more about these brands and find the perfect watch to start your collection, read on below.

Illustration of first watch

Best brands of first watch in 2025

Seiko

Seiko, founded in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori, is a pioneering watch brand renowned for its innovative technology and precision. In 1924, Seiko introduced the first Japanese wristwatch, the "Seiko," marking a significant milestone in the company's history. The brand continued to innovate, introducing the world's first automatic chronograph in 1959 and the world's first watch with a quartz movement, the Seiko Astron, in 1969, which revolutionized the watch industry with its unparalleled accuracy. Seiko's commitment to quality and innovation has positioned it as a leader, with notable achievements such as being selected as timekeepers for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The company's vertical integration, where it manufactures all its own watch components, ensures tight control over product quality.

Citizen

Citizen is renowned as one of the leading watch manufacturers, having launched its first wristwatch in 1931 and quickly gaining a reputation for high-quality and robust timepieces. The brand introduced the world's first quartz watch in 1970, known as the "Citizen Quartz," which revolutionized the industry with its accuracy and affordability. In 1976, Citizen unveiled the world's first solar-powered analogue quartz watch, showcasing its commitment to innovation. By 1984, Citizen was producing more watches than any other company globally, with its Eco-Drive technology later becoming a hallmark of the brand. Today, the watches segment accounts for 53% of Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.'s net sales. For more insights, explore everything to know about Citizen watches.

Casio

Casio, founded in 1946 by Tadao Kashio, emerged as a leading figure in the watch industry with the launch of its first digital watch, the Casiotron, in 1974. This innovative timepiece featured an automatic calendar, revolutionizing the digital watch market. By the early 1980s, Casio's watch production rose to over a third of its total production, and by 1985, the company represented 18.7% of Japan's national watch production. The introduction of the G-Shock in 1983 further solidified Casio's position, and by 1992, it accounted for 28.7% of Japan's watch production. Today, Casio remains a major player, with its timepieces segment generating approximately 167.04 billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2024.

Timex

Timex, founded as the Waterbury Clock Company in 1854, has established itself as a leading producer of reliable and affordable watches. The brand introduced its first wristwatch under the Timex name in 1950 and gained significant market share by the 1960s, with the Timex Marlin watch becoming a style icon. By 1961, Timex's sales reached $71 million, and by 1992, the company held one-third of the U.S. watch market with sales totaling $400 million. Timex's innovative Indiglo Night-Light technology, introduced in 1992, further solidified its position, with 73% brand awareness in the United States as of 2022. The company's sports watches, such as the Ironman Triathlon watch, have also been highly successful, with the Ironman watch being the best-selling watch in the U.S. through 1997. For more information, visit the official Timex website.

Tissot

Tissot, founded in 1853 by Charles-Felicien Tissot and his son Charles-Emile Tissot in Le Locle, Switzerland, is one of the oldest and most respected watch manufacturers. The brand is renowned for its innovations, such as introducing automatic movements to mass production in 1930 and pioneering chronographs with a single-button cockpit design. Tissot has also been a leader in material innovations, introducing watches made of plastic in 1971 and later incorporating titanium, ceramic, and carbon fiber. With an annual production of over 2 million watches, Tissot remains a significant player in the watch industry, known for its high quality and affordability, making it accessible to a wider audience. Tissot's brand awareness in the United States stands at 39%, with 6% of watch users preferring the brand. For more interesting facts about the foundation and history of Tissot watches, click here.

Hamilton

Hamilton Watches, founded in 1892, is renowned for its high-quality timepieces that have played a significant role in various industries, including railroads and aviation. By 1912, Hamilton's pocket watches helped minimize railroad accidents, and during WWI, the company supplied accurate timepieces to the U.S. Armed Forces. In the 1920s, Hamilton created wristwatches for the aviation industry and later developed over one million wristwatches for military personnel during WWII. The brand is also known for its innovative designs, such as the Ventura watch, which was worn by Elvis Presley in 1961, and the Pulsar, the first digital watch, introduced in 1970. Today, as part of the Swatch Group, Hamilton continues to produce high-quality watches, with 40% of its sales occurring online. For more insights into Hamilton Watches' rich history, you can visit their detailed history page.

Orient

Orient, a renowned Japanese watch brand, has a rich history dating back to 1901 when Shogoro Yoshida established the Yoshida Watch Shop in Tokyo. By 1950, the company, then known as Tama Keiki Company, began mass-producing wristwatches under the Orient name, marking the official birth of the brand. Orient is celebrated for its high-quality mechanical movements, introducing the Orient Star line in 1951 and developing its own automatic movement in 1961. As Japan's largest producer of mechanical watches, Orient has maintained a strong reputation for innovation, quality, and affordability, with notable models like the "Fineness" in 1967, which was the world's thinnest automatic wristwatch with a day and date calendar function. Since 2009, Orient has been a subsidiary of the Seiko Epson Corporation. Learn more about Orient's watch history.

Swatch

Swatch, launched on March 1st, 1983, revolutionized the watch industry with its innovative quartz watches featuring only 51 parts, a significant reduction from the typical 91 components of that era. This simplicity, combined with fully automated production lines, enabled Swatch to produce 100 million watches by April 7th, 1992, a staggering figure that helped save the Swiss watch industry during the Quartz Crisis. The brand's global distribution and rigorous design process further contributed to its success. Swatch's impact was so profound that it allowed the Swatch Group to reinvest profits into other prestigious brands and streamline operations, such as reducing Omega's models from over 2,000 to around 130. This strategic approach helped retain talent and preserve the Swiss watchmaking legacy. For more insights into Swatch's pivotal role in horology, explore their story on Swatch: The Last Great Innovation in Horology.

Fossil

Fossil, founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis, has established itself as a prominent watch producer, known for its innovative designs and expansive product range. By 1987, Fossil was generating $2 million in sales, and by 1989, this figure had skyrocketed to $20 million, driven by the success of its iconic "tin box" packaging and participation in the Basel World watch and jewelry tradeshow in 1990. The company's watches account for approximately 77.6% of its overall net sales as of 2023, highlighting its dominance in the watch market. Fossil has also made significant strides in technology, introducing its first part-analog, part-digital watch, the Big Tic, in 1998. Despite facing challenges in the smartwatch market, Fossil remains a major player in the industry. For a deeper dive into their history, you can visit their detailed history of Fossil watches.

Daniel Wellington

Daniel Wellington is a standout brand in the watch industry, renowned for its rapid growth and innovative marketing strategies. Founded in 2011 by Filip Tysander, the company achieved remarkable success, selling 1 million watches and generating $228 million in revenue within just three years. By leveraging influencer marketing and social media, particularly Instagram, Daniel Wellington reached a wide audience and created a strong brand presence. The brand's watches, designed in Sweden and manufactured in China, boast a 50% profit margin due to cost-effective production. Recognized as the fastest-growing private company in Europe in 2017, Daniel Wellington continues to expand its product line, including accessories like sunglasses, handbags, and jewellery. For more insights into their remarkable journey, read the Daniel Wellington case study.