Almost On Time

Any purchases made on this website may earn us a small commission, please click if you want to learn more.

Hugo Boss is one of the most recognizable fashion brands in the world and was founded in Metzingen, Germany 1924. The company was made by 3 different individuals, but takes its name specifically from one member who was named “Hugo Boss”.

Perhaps most infamously, the company manufactured uniforms for the Nazi party. However, during this period in Germany, the company was struggling due to massive hyperinflation and the evils of the party were not fully known until after the second world war had ended. Without a massive contract like this, it would be likely that the company would have folded and never be heard of again.

Today, the business is listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange and is valued at over $2 billion.

Whilst the company is best known for its fashion and fragrances, they also sell decent quality watches. These watches are not horological masterpieces but are still very modern and styled in the same way you would expect from any other Hugo Boss product.

Are Hugo Boss Watches Good Quality?

Despite popular belief that Hugo Boss makes its watches in Switzerland or Germany, in reality, they are made in China. Hugo Boss is one of many brands that licenses its watchmaking to the Movado group – who are very well respected and have a good reputation for making fashion brand watches.

The movement you will find inside a Hugo Boss watch is almost always a Miyota quartz. This is very normal in the fashion watch industry and is pretty much the standard movement. Other brands such as Armani, Coach, Guess & Diesel all use this Japanese movement.

The cases and dials of the watch are usually very well made. Most commonly Boss will use stainless steel for its watch cases and either leather or stainless steel for the bracelets. Due to the fact that these watches use quartz movements, you should expect them to last for around 20 years. It’s likely that you will wear the exterior of your watch out by yourself, long before it dies naturally.

Hugo Boss watches are almost always waterproof. Whilst they are not recommended for diving or swimming (unless it is a specific model such as a yachting timer). They are durable and will not break if you get them wet.

Are Hugo Boss Watches Worth It?

Hugo Boss is a quality brand, however, it is not best known for its watchmaking. You can find a watch with a similar finish and the same movement inside it for a lot cheaper. Seiko and Citizen watches are usually quite a bit cheaper than a Hugo Boss watch, yet will use superior movements.

Some people do not understand the appeal of Hugo Boss watches, but this is because they do not understand branding. If Boss were an unknown brand, then it would not sell any watches. You could argue that Hugo Boss watches are expensive, but by the same logic so are a lot of other brands such as Rolex. Many brands could halve the prices of their watches and still make money, but this would not please their shareholders.

They do offer decent watches, for what is quite an expensive price. However, as this brand has such a good reputation and is so well known, people are happy to pay this money for it.

Overall, you can certainly find similar quality watches for a much better price. Although if you’re a big fan of the Hugo Boss brand, their watches are not too expensive compared to their clothes or suits.

The Best Hugo Boss Watch Models

Hugo Boss makes fashion watches. This means that whilst they will have classic designs which they stick to. The world of fashion is constantly changing. Every few years they will redesign pieces and make them more suitable for the modern-day man or woman.

In general, men’s Boss watches tend to be quite loud, yet have a classic design – so cannot be described as garish. The women’s range is very elegant and features much smaller dials than the men’s catalogue.

Ocean Edition

Available in a variety of color schemes. The Hugo Boss ocean edition is the brand’s answer to other divers watches such as a Rolex submariner or a Seiko prospex.

Not only does it look great, but it also has a water resistance of up to 100 meters. For the average man however, it certainly won’t be worn underwater – and doesn’t need to be either since divers watches are almost always worn for fashion in modern-day.

The dial is 46mm wide but doesn’t look too oversized when worn on the wrist. This is because the lugs are not gigantic, but are a normal wearable size.

Check The Price Of Hugo Boss Divers Watches On Amazon

Ikon

The Hugo Boss ikon pretty much sums up what the brand is all about. Hugo Boss is loud, but not crass. The ikon is a perfect example of this. Available in stainless steel, gold, and bi-metal. The ikon features a standard 3 layout with a chronograph.

There is no getting away from the fact that people will notice if you’re wearing a watch as gold as this. But with that being said, it is not overly loud or showy compared to other brands such as Invicta.

Check The Price Of The Ikon Range On Amazon

Yachting Timer

What strikes you immediately is the color scheme. A light green, mixed with black is almost never seen on watches. Although the watch is made to be used for yachting events, it certainly doesn’t look out of place to wear on casual occasions either.

If you want to use the watch for its functionality, it does have a 10-minute countdown timer, which sets off an alarm when the said time has elapsed. It also should be worth noting that the yachting timer is available with either a stainless steel or silicon strap. Whilst not every dealer may have each exact model, you should be able to find either on the internet if you look hard enough.

Aeroliner

The Aeroliner is Hugo Boss’s take on a pilot’s watch. A pilot’s watch can generally be defined as a watch that has 3 hands (hours, minutes seconds) as well as a chronograph function. From a distance, you could be fooled into thinking this is an IWC since it has a very similar classic scheme. The date window in between the 4 and 5 o’clock position is somewhat unusual for a men’s watch, this is likely so that window does not clash with the Boss logo in the 3 o’clock position.

Check The Price Of Aeroliners On Amazon

Alternative Watches To Hugo Boss

Emporio Armani

Armani is a direct rival to Hugo Boss. Likewise, they are not a watchmaker by trade but instead make clothes and fragrances. Armani watches use the same movements as Hugo Boss (mostly). The main difference between the watches of rival brands is style and color schemes.

Armani generally makes its watches louder and stand out more when using gold or stainless steel. With that being said, Armani also offers a lot of darker color watches in navy blue or black.

Check Out The Price Of Armani Watches On Amazon

Gucci

One step above Boss is Gucci. Gucci watches generally cost around 2-3x the price of Hugo Boss watches. This is probably fair since they use superior Swiss movements in their watches.

The stylistic difference between the two is that you will see a lot of animals featured on Gucci watches such as the trademark bee or a snake. Gucci watches also tend to be a lot more colorful than their Hugo Boss counterparts.

Check The Price Of Gucci Watches On Amazon

Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger is also a very similar level brand. They use the same Miyota quartz movements in their watches but use very different designs. Tommy Hilfiger watches generally look a lot more “soft” and are not as overtly masculine as Hugo Boss. It is really down to personal choice and taste, to which style you like the best.

Check The Price Of Tommy Hilfiger Watches On Amazon

How Can I Tell If My Hugo Boss Watch Is Real?

Due to the vast amount of different models and ranges that Hugo Boss has produced over the years, it is somewhat difficult to spot a fake watch. However, there are some tell-tale signs that your watch may not be authentic.

#1 – The “O” in Boss is a 0 (zero) on the Dial

Some fake Hugo Boss watches replace the O with a zero on the dial (I have no idea why). You can tell as a 0 is slightly more elongated than an O, which is far more circular.

#2 – There is no model number on the back

Hugo Boss watches do not have serial numbers, but they do have model numbers. Typically these model numbers usually start with HU or HB and are followed by a long series of numbers. If you type this into a search engine, you should find the same model appear in the images.

#3 – The movement

Almost all Hugo Boss watches use a Miyota movement. If you have a magnifying glass or a jewelers loupe. You will be able to take off the back of your watch and identify what movement is inside. If it is a cheap Chinese version, then this is likely to be fake.

#4 – Minor inconsistencies or imperfections

Whilst Hugo Boss is not a luxury watch brand, it is still very respectable. They will never make spelling errors or any kind of imperfect finish on a brand new watch.