Welcome back to this, the second Friday Read of 2025. It’s a worthwhile time to take stock of how your year has started and where you want it to go, in matters of New Year’s resolutions — menswear and otherwise — in matters of how you dress and the mindful thought that goes into some of your favorite menswear brands. Now, to be sure, I’m not just talking about tried-and-true, fan favorite brands like Huckberry.

We’ve already talked about the best Huckberry menswear in particular to start 2025, but let’s go beyond just that, shall we? In fact, in future editions of the Friday Read, you can expect the occasional spotlight on an unheralded yet truly excellent brand, like the USA-made timepiece manufacturer we’re about to discuss, Vero Watches.

As of late, my attention has been captured by some similar upstarts, the sort of brands that fall right in line with the rugged, adventurous, tastefully classic yet modern vibe of Huckberry (and Taylor Stitch, and Buck Mason and … well, you get the picture).

And especially in the wristwear arena — as I cover watches frequently for Maxim.com and elsewhere — I’ve been impressed by the revamped takes on the “modern American field watch” coming out of Vero Watches. The brand was actually founded back in 2015, but has started to garner some buzz as of late, and I appreciate their outdoor-ready, rugged and yet crisply designed sensibility as far as watch design is concerned.

And to hear the company tell it, its timepieces are “inspired by grit, commitment and style,” with a true sense of intention behind each timepiece (like the Workhorse Chrono shown here). In fact, Vero Watches says they build timepieces “that are meant to live on your wrist,” rather than in a collector’s box. An admirable focus, yes?

Many of its watches are built with durable stainless steel, feature hearty water resistance and outdoor-minded features like canvas straps, and of course, production takes place in the good ole U.S. of A — Portland, Oregon, mind you.

Yessir, if you ask me, there’s a lot to love about this brand, including the beefy 44.5mm case build of the Workhorse Chrono (expect more in the weeks ahead on this particular watch, my friends).

Consider this your first intro to Vero Watches, a brand I’ll surely be circling back to here on the blog in good time. As it were, you very well might be able to spot a timepiece from the company sooner rather than later on my Instagram.

For now, I’m going to wind down this Friday Read early — you’ve got some reading and shopping to do as far as your new favorite watch company is concerned, but if I can recommend one final piece, head over to yesterday’s blog post to revamp your weekend activewear and loungewear game from Huckberry. Cheers to a new year, a fresh weekend and some stylish recommendations to power the days, weeks and months ahead.