Teddy Baldassarre
The Best EDC Watches
What, exactly, is an EDC watch? That was the question I asked myself when I was charged with this mission. If you’re unfamiliar, EDC is an initialism for "Every Day Carry." It’s become something of its own industry, with makers of everything from keychains, pocket knives, tools, pens, wallets, and even items like smartphone cases getting in on the action. And yeah, there are those that take EDC to the next level, ticking off an internal checklist that reads more like a well-stocked survival kit. But I’m going to venture to say that the majority of us don’t require a folding camp axe, waterproof matches, a 1,000-lumen flashlight, and a water filtration kit while navigating midtown Manhattan. There’s no defining characteristic of EDC, other than being an item that you have on your person most days, so a watch definitely qualifies. I like to keep my "carry" on the minimalist side, consisting of my keys on a small carabiner, a well-worn leather wallet, a beat-up iPhone 11 in a Pelican case, and a small pocket knife (most often a Benchmade Mini Griptilian, The James Brand’s Redstone, or a Gerber LST I’ve owned forever that virtually disappears into the pocket). And, of course, a watch. I never leave the house without one, and today, I’m calling out, in ascending price order, several that fit my own personal criteria for an EDC timepiece. I don’t wear a suit on a daily basis, so a dress watch of any stripe is basically a non-starter. To me, a daily driver i...
