Named after I.M. Pei, the architect responsible for The National Gallery's East Building, the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland — oh, and the frickin' Louvre — this Breda piece strikes a balance between a classical sense of form and contemporary characteristics. The simple, tapered 21 mm leather band lets the larger, slim case do the talking, and it speaks volumes if you take a good look at it. Its intuitively-rotating numbers are easy to read, the date window is well-placed, and the needle-like second hand winds with a satisfying movement. We can describe this thing all day, but the point is that once it's on your wrist, you won't want to take it off.

• Japanese Miyota quartz movement
• 41 mm case
• 18K gold-plated
• 21mm genuine leather band
• Water resistant