The Watches GQ Editors Love to Wear

This is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.

In 2025, no great outfit is truly complete without a great watch. And given that GQ remains the leading authority on great outfits, it should come as little surprise that our staffers are the proud owners of some truly excellent timepieces. Here are the stories behind my colleague’s favorite watches, from an especially meaningful Cartier to an extremely fun vintage Seiko.

Cam Wolf, Watch Editor: Tudor Pelagos 39

“The foundation of my watch collection is a two-man weave consisting of a vintage Cartier Tank and this Tudor. I got this watch not long after becoming a dad and it’s come to represent everything about fatherhood to me. I trust this watch on every trip to the beach, pool, or playground where my son demands I join him on the play structure. (Fittingly, Hodinkee editor-in-chief James Stacey dubbed this watch the ‘dad diver.’) In my mind, it’s a perfect watch: 39 mm is a Goldilocks size, the titanium is wearable and light, and the red line of text is just enough of a wink to keep it from being utterly boring.”

Anthony O’Baner, Events Manager: Cartier Santos

“In college, I promised my mother that I’d buy her a Cartier watch to mark a milestone and to thank her for all the lessons she’s taught me while growing up: be mannerly, walk tall, live a life full of laughter. These are all the things an excellent Southern mom teaches her son. In turn, she promised to gift me a Santos to commemorate that milestone. Though I wasn’t able to buy her the watch before her passing in 2021, I still got the Santos in her memory, engraved with part of her final text to me: ‘Love you to the moon and back.’ I wear it as a symbol of this small promise, and as a daily reminder of the lessons and love she gave me.”

Tyler Chin, Associate Commerce Editor: Rolex Datejust “Thunderbird”