A modern luxury stainless steel sports watch is the most versatile timepiece you can own. If chosen well, it can be worn with just about anything in your wardrobe and for nearly all occasions. If you’re going to go with one watch, this one will cover (almost) all your bases. Plus, contemporary sports watches boast modern materials with benefits like resistance to scratching and fading and practical considerations like deep water-depth ratings and bright luminescence.
Thanks to their casual yet upscale designs, luxury steel sports watches have always been a popular option — but their demand has surged to unprecedented levels over the last decade or so. If you’re on the hunt for your next (or first) luxury sports watch in steel, then here are five of our favourites to consider.
Rolex Explorer 124270
The enduring Explorer is not only Rolex’s oldest sports watch model but also the simplest in the catalogue. Born in 1953 to celebrate humankind’s first ascent to the top of Mount Everest, the Explorer was developed to be durable, accurate, and legible for the adventure set. Its waterproof steel case could go anywhere, its self-winding movement would keep on going as long as it was on the wrist, and its luminous time-only dial could be read even in the darkest environments. The Rolex Explorer’s calling card is its black dial with oversized Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock — a look that's remained remarkably consistent for almost 70 years.
In 2021, Rolex released the newest iteration of the watch in the form of the Explorer ref. 124270. Like all the other references that came before it, the Explorer 124270’s signature black dial is housed in a stainless steel case and the watch is fitted with a stainless steel three-link Oyster bracelet. However, the new Explorer ref. 124270 returned to its original 36mm case size after about a decade of it sporting a larger 39mm case. Also new to the ref. 124270 is Rolex’s latest automatic movement with an increased power reserve of 70 hours, which is almost one-and-a-half times that of the preceding Explorer reference.
With its uncluttered dial, straightforward silhouette, and water-resistance rating of 100 metres, the Rolex Explorer 124270 is an ideal steel sports watch to wear daily.
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Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.44.21.01.002
The Planet Ocean is Omega’s newest Seamaster model, making its debut in 2005. Despite its relatively young age, the Planet Ocean has grown to become one of Omega’s most popular sports watches. It's also a highly desirable dive watch amongst all luxury watch brands. Although the Planet Ocean draws some design inspiration from Omega’s first purpose-built dive watch from 1957, it’s clearly a modern model as illustrated by its generous size, cutting-edge materials, and top-notch features.
The Planet Ocean is a vast collection with plenty of different models to choose from. Our top pick would be the Planet Ocean ref. 215.30.44.21.01.002, in part because it includes touches of the collection’s signature orange colour.
The Planet Ocean ref. 215.30.44.21.01.002 has a 43.5mm stainless steel case and matching steel bracelet. Both the black dial and black unidirectional timing bezel are made from high-tech ceramic but the bezel also includes an orange rubber insert, which matches the orange details on the dial. Identical to all Planet Ocean references, the watch is water-resistant to 600 metres and includes a helium escape valve to release any built-up gases during extended saturation dive periods.
Flip the watch around and you’ll see an Omega Master Chronometer automatic movement powering the time and date features of this current Planet Ocean model, which offers 60 hours of power reserve and a magnetic-resistance rating of 15,000 gauss.
If you want a stainless steel sports watch that can do more than just look good, the Omega Planet Ocean is ready to dive deep underwater whenever you are.
Shop the Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.44.21.01.002
Tudor Black Bay Chrono M79360
Although Tudor has been around since the 1940s, the brand has undergone a major revamp in recent years, and watch fans have been paying attention — and snapping up new Tudor watches about as fast as the brand is releasing them. Part of the brand’s revival strategy has been its emphasis on introducing a slew of high-end but reasonably priced steel sports watches, which is exactly what the market demands right now. What’s more, it doesn’t hurt that Tudor is part of the Rolex group.
Among all the current Tudor collections, the Black Bay is the flagship, housing an impressive assortment of sports watches, including diving watches, time-only watches, GMT watches, and chronograph watches. It’s the newest chronograph, the Tudor Black Bay Chrono ref. M79360N, which joins luxxee’s list of the best steel sports watches.
Released in 2021, the reference Tudor Black Bay M79360N took the already-admired Black Bay Chrono design blueprint and added a black aluminum bezel and contrasting black and white dials. The result is a modern 41mm automatic Tudor chronograph that bears a resemblance to vintage Rolex Daytona chronographs but at a fraction of the cost. Our favourite is the old-school “Panda” variant featuring a white dial punctuated with two black subsidiary dials.
The Tudor Black Bay Chrono ref. M79360N is a contemporary take on the classic racing chronograph look and is one of the coolest steel sports watches released in 2021.
Shop for the Tudor Black Bay Chrono
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15500ST
In 1972, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak watch, which was unlike any timepiece in the market. Designed by Gerald Genta, the watch’s avant-garde style featured a large case, octagonal bezel with exposed screws, integrated bracelet, and hobnail-patterned blue dial. The maiden Royal Oak was made in stainless steel but priced on par with gold dress watches of the era. It wasn’t a tool watch (such as a diving watch or pilot’s watch) since it didn’t offer any other features beyond telling the time and date. The release of the Royal Oak gave birth to a new timepiece genre: the luxury sports watch.
Though the Royal Oak is now available in a multitude of metals, sizes, and complications, we’re preferential to the all-steel time/date variants that evoke the very first reference. One such example is the current-production Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding ref. 15500ST with a 41mm case and a few dial color options.
The now-iconic Royal Oak kick-started one of the most popular styles of luxury watches, and though it inspired a bevy of imitators, there’s nothing like owning the original one.
Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A
The Nautilus, which was also designed by Gerald Genta, was Patek Philippe’s answer to the Royal Oak. Released in 1976, it too was an all-steel luxury sports watch with a distinctive case silhouette paired with an integrated bracelet and time/date dial. The Nautilus’ case takes its inspiration from the shape of a porthole and it’s topped with a rounded eight-sided bezel.
Again, the Patek Philippe Nautilus collection expanded over the following decades to welcome other metal options and more complicated versions. However, the simplest models fashioned entirely from stainless steel remain the most popular.
In fact, the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A is the most coveted watch in the world right now with exceedingly high resale prices. In 2021, Patek Philippe announced that it discontinued the blue dial version of the 5711/1A, which sent secondary-market prices to stratospheric levels. Furthermore, a new green dial variant of the 5711/1A debuted in 2021 with the announcement that this will be the “final victory lap” of this revered steel sports watch.
Production of the 5711/1A will conclude in 2021, which will likely make this reference more desirable than it already is. The Nautilus 5711/1A owner’s club is one that so many want to join but so few ever will.
It’s remarkable to think that a ubiquitous metal like stainless steel has reached a certain status in watchmaking. It was once regarded as the “lesser” option; the one you picked when you couldn’t afford a precious metal variant like gold or platinum. However, today, stainless steel is not only the most desirable material for high-end sports watches but it’s also not uncommon for steel versions to be valued more than their precious metal counterparts in the secondary market.
Though the variety of luxury steel sports watches available is vast and sometimes overwhelming, Rolex, Omega, Tudor, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe stand out as the watchmakers that make the best of the genre.
