Heat-Ready Picks: Ben Hodges’s Five Summer Watches Across Five Brands

Ben Hodges highlights five summer-ready watches across Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, and Richard Mille, spanning budgets from under €1k to a fantasy €1M: Orient Star Contemporary Date (75th-anniversary, 38.5mm, turquoise dial, 50h power reserve) under €1k; Longines HydroConquest (39mm, navy dial, optional H‑link or Milanese bracelet) under €2.5k; Fears Brunswick 40 Helmsman ES (sailcloth/rubber strap, 200m WR) under €5k; Hermès H08 (titanium, orange accents, rubber strap) under €10k; and RM 53-01 Pablo Mac Donough (cable-suspended tourbillon, laminated sapphire, NTPT case) as the ultimate dream watch. He also notes a true summer watch should endure sand, saltwater, sunscreen and sweat, favoring metal or rubber straps and easy cleaning while avoiding leather and overly intricate cases.