Whether it’s style, precision, or Italian craftsmanship that’s important to you, these top Italian watch brands should be on your radar.
Italy had a minimal but impactful influence on the history of watchmaking during the 21st Century. The country’s horological endeavors are famous for its bold and powerful design language. But it’s not always the first country we think of when we talk about the history of Haute Horologerie. Indeed, we usually think of Switzerland or Japan, even Germany and France! However, you shouldn’t count out Italian watch brands.
Of course, the trade of watchmaking was once quite broad. Furthermore, it still surprises many to learn that Switzerland wasn’t, exactly, the first to the table. Both the French and the Dutch were leaders in watchmaking, many of whom fled the French Wars, relocating to Switzerland. There, the trade and art of watchmaking grew, birthing ideas for some of the most significant innovations in mankind’s history. Switzerland, however, remained a world leader in the realm of authentic, traditional mechanical watchmaking. As connoisseurship grew throughout the 21st Century, more countries, including Italy, increased their footprint within the industry.
The History of Men’s Italian Watches
Italy may not be responsible for creating the first mechanical wristwatches. However, the country’s influence on style and fashion certainly shaped the horological economy throughout the 21st Century. Perhaps the story of Italy and its love for watchmaking began in 1972.
Italian SIHH agent Carlo de Marchi requested a Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet. Consequently, shortly after, Italy opened its first watch auction house. The country later experienced an economic boom, becoming the sixth most prosperous country in the world. Subsequently, a generation of wealthy business owners couldn’t get enough of Pateks and Rolexes. They began modifying them with leather bands, adding their unique Italian stamp.
Before all this, however, Panerai had been specializing in making bold Italian military-inspired dive watches. Italy’s penchant for luxury timepieces boomed after opening the door to these old-school tools during the 90s. Let’s not forget. Italy was home to Bulgari, too, not to mention sports car icons like Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini. All three influenced the sports watch category, forging the synonymous links between precision timekeeping and motorsport racing.
The Best Italian Watch Brands
Italy’s influence on horological fashion exceeds the country’s accolades for crafting watches. But that doesn’t mean to say there aren’t a generous handful of brands worth some recognition. All the names you see here are watch brands in Italy that deserve a mention.
It could be for their in-house designs, proprietary materials, or boundless Italian style. These Italian men’s watches cover various features, sizes, and price points. From elegant timepieces with that all-important Italian flair to robust purpose-built tools, all are authentically Italian. Let’s take a look at them in some more detail.
1. U-Boat
Flashy Italian sensibilities come through in this tool watchmaker. U-Boat made a grand entrance in 2000 when it arrived with its signature “bigger-is-better” look. The founder’s grandfather influenced these incredibly masculine designs. With roots firmly planted in militaristic, nautical soil, these modern timepieces take inspiration from Italo Fontana’s originals made for the Royal Italian Navy. Sadly, these watches never came to fruition, but his grandson’s determination to bring them to life was unwavering.
U-Boat makes watches with unmissable, oversized left-sided crowns and legible dials. Its material case options include bronze, steel, titanium, carbon, and tungsten, and the brand crafts all of its watches in Italy. U-Boat is worth exploring if you like rugged military diving watches and vintage leather straps. The brand even specializes in quirky timekeeping concepts, like oil-filled dials and gradient dial colors.
While U-Boat isn’t the best for small-wristened men, they have cool design features if you like tool watches. You can find Sub-40mm watches in the women’s section; though they aren’t all that masculine, you still have options.
2. Bvlgari
Bvlgari is the king of thin watches, making it a go-to brand for men with smaller-than-average wrist sizes. The luxury brand, pronounced “Bulgari,” has existed since 1884. It surprises some people to learn that these watches still lead the way in technology and innovation. Many timepieces sport hard angles and some industrial aesthetics, capturing the craze of the steel sports watch of the 1970s.
Bvlgari is also famous in the jewelry industry, with bright color combinations inspired by the company’s Roman roots. When it comes to watches, Bvlgari creates bold designs. The Finissimo watches from the brand’s Octo line are unequivocally Bvlgari. They’re sophisticated, innovative, and super thin!
3. Anonimo
You’ll notice a motif many Italian brand watches use: the big Arabic indices we associate with Panerai. Anonimo picked up this popular look via Panerai’s departure from Italy. In 1997, Panerai left Florence for Switzerland. Anonimo’s founder, Frederico Massacesi, then scooped up the main group of left-behind Panerai watchmakers, and Anonimo formed. There are pros and cons to this. Anonimo retained the Italianness of the craft for longer than Panerai did. However, Panerai started developing lines in the 40mm and below category, unlike Anonimo.
Still, both Panerai’s and Anonimo’s designs are wholly Italian, and both still have headquarters there. You’re in luck if you like the authentic, humongous Italian tool watch aesthetic. This brand has well-crafted automatic pieces in its three key military-inspired collections: Militare, Nautilo, and Epurato.
4. Panerai
Speaking of Panerai, here’s the brand itself. Panerai is an Italian watch brand that made a name for itself with its famous 1930s military watches. However, Panerai didn’t make these watches available to the public until the 1990s. I tend to think that Panerai watch collections are difficult to tell apart. To the brand’s merit, however, each timepiece is instantly recognizable. Quite simply, you won’t confuse a Panerai watch with anything else on the market today.
You may also be familiar with the brand’s radioactive luminous material, Radiomir. Radiomir was a glowing substance that became unsafe to use. After this, Luminor models began sporting a safer substance paired with a large, unmissable crown-protecting bridge. Since then, the crown and iconic cushion-shaped case have become recognizable hallmarks of true Panerai craftsmanship.
5. Ennebi
Located in Prato, Italy, Ennebi is famous for handcrafting professional watches, particularly in the realm of diving. Its legendary Fondale watch has a water resistance of 1000m, and the brand even makes divers with 6000 meters of resistance. Unsurprisingly, these timepieces are gigantic tanks, even on the average-sized wrist.
These Italian tool watches are popular not just for their intense capabilities but also because of their visuals. Some incorporate California dials, bright red watch faces, and illustration-embossed leather straps. Plus, the brand only produces small batches, so they’re rare.
The famous Fondale, for example, was 47mm, but Ennebi rebuilt it as the Bronzetto in a much smaller 40mm case. Impressively, it offers everything its predecessor does, from its automatic movement to its sturdy look and insane water resistance.
6. Zannetti
Few brands are famous for their artisanship and exclusivity, like Zannetti. This Italian watchmaker hand sketches its designs and only produces around 1000 watches annually. Its artistic dials are hugely collectible and boast micro paintings, enamel decorations, and stone-setting designs. Zannetti sources its movements from Switzerland, but the finesse and exquisiteness of its craft are quintessentially Italian.
7. Visconti
Visconti is like an Italian Montblanc. Before launching into horology, Visconti specialized in well-engineered luxury pens. Like Montblanc, it took this expansion seriously. Delving into Italian watchmaking in 2013, its Classic watch became popular. Visconti designs and assembles its watches in Florence but uses Swiss-made movements. Some of its bold, experimental designs include “aged steel,” bronze, and iridescent metal materials. Of course, Italian leather straps add even more appeal to these timepieces.
Unfortunately, Visconti doesn’t do “small watches.” It’s a shame because its Opera GMT watch differs from the other elegant, mechanical-looking timepieces. Some say that the dial’s layers and small lugs make it wear much smaller, however.
8. Unimatic
Unimatic has grown quite the following despite only being around since 2015. This independent brand builds limited edition lines that look surprisingly un-Italian.
Unimatic watches resemble a combination of Movado and Sinn in that they’re minimalistic, straightforward, sturdy, and function-forward. Unlike other watch brands that lean into the brawny tool side of things, Unimatic makes slim cases in various sizes. Its Modello Due U2S-MN sports a diamond-like carbon case, which is as strong as it looks. It boasts 300m of water resistance and a matte black vacuum dial with Super-LumiNova.
9. Officina del Tempo
Officina del Tempo is a steadfast men’s sporting brand. It offers watches inspired by sports like racing, sailing, and even the “sport of deal-closing” (they have a watch line inspired by “big business”). So yes, Officina del Tempo does have this “Mr. Big” quality about its designs. However, it isn’t overbearing or overcompensating.
Firstly, it makes watches in all sizes, for big or small wrists. Secondly, it creates rugged, detailed timepieces of lab-made quality. They’re an excellent brand overall if you like a lot of texture and layers. The Vanity watch, for example, has so many surface characteristics that, surprisingly, it all comes together so well. Officina del Tempo watches are now global, and the company’s Rome-based ateliers make all these designs. Some of its most popular designs are the Super Power, Competition, and Racing lines.
10. Giuliano Mazzuoli
Giuliano Mazzuoli is an artistic Florence-based watchmaker with an air pressure gauge as the foundation for its Manometro designs. The model was the brand’s first and most recognizable watch. All Mazzuoli watches feature round cases and a fun “cobbled from something else” style that comes together cleanly and professionally.
Like many Italian watchmakers, these timepieces are large and characteristically thick. However, the brand takes the beloved Manometro and compacts it into the Manometro Compressed. While the original model is 14mm thick, this version is a merciful 10mm. If you like quirky designs, the pressure gauge brand will be your thing. These cult classics feature Swiss movements and carry Italian prowess and boldness in their unique designs.
Closing Thoughts
Italian watchmakers like to create timepieces with a “wow” factor. These watch brands from the Bel Paese are an excellent place to turn to when looking for good movements and exquisite designs. Most Swiss watch manufacturers source movements from the Swiss or Japanese, like Panerai and Bvlgari. Despite this, Italian wrist watch brands garner respect for their off-the-wall designs. It just goes to show that the origins of a movement should not matter so much if you love the design.
These top 10 Italian watch brands create timepieces that combine Italian elegance with a forward-thinking design language. That doesn’t mean they’re all completely modern, however. Some create retro-inspired racing watches, while others evoke the look of a vintage diver.
Above all, two things become apparent when exploring the industry’s Italian offerings. One is that it’s challenging to find a watchmaker from Italy who has stayed in Italy. Secondly, Italian watches are BIG. Don’t let that put you off, however. There are some below the 40mm size. Others, although bold and impactful in aesthetics, wear smaller than their dimensions may have you think.
If you’re considering broadening your collection with an Italian watch, there is only one thing to do. Do your research and determine which brand and its story resonate with you the most. Then, go and try some on for size. With the direction current trends are pointing towards, we could likely see some Italian brands downsizing their watches sooner rather than later.
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