Watch Wearing Wednesday: Grenen by Skagen Stainless Steel Mesh Watch

It's that hippity-hop Easter time of year and just last month I caught this candid shot of the Easter Bunny in action. I was able to document the time thanks to my old Grenen watch. It wasn't easy to sneak up on him, but he may have been captivated by the minimalist Scandinavian inspired design.

You can read a review of my Grenen (by Skagen) Stainless Steel Mesh Watch.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Men's Grenen Sports Watch with Analog Calendar Features

 When you were a kid, did your grandfather ever give you a wooden token or small coin that was marked as a "Round Tuit?" If you got a "Round Tuit," it was supposed to empower you to go out and do all the things that you were going to do if you ever got around to it.  It was kind of dumb, pre-baby boomer, humor that usually elicited a combination of a suppressed sigh, groan, rolling of the eyes, and a strong attempt to pay attention and give respect to the World War 2 and Great Depression generation.  In our hobby, getting around to changing the batteries on quartz watches can be put off for a long time.  But, when you do change those batteries, it's like Christmas.  The gift is all kinds of watches that you haven't worn for awhile.  This watch (below) is from Skagen and was sold through it's Grenen brand at stores like Kohl's.

Grenen Men's Watch with Analog Calendar Features

I wore this watch a lot for the first couple of years of ownership and then it got packed away for about a decade when the battery died.  Now, it's back and it looks great.  It's like a vintage sports car now.

Wristwatch Review: Grenen Men's Stainless Steel Mesh Watch

Danish Design in a Thin, Comfortable, Black Stainless Steel Package 

Are you ready to rebel against all the clunky macho watches for men? Do you need a sleek alternative to wear with a suit or tuxedo? If so, check out this review of the Grenen Men's Stainless Steel Mesh Watch. 

[This watch review is a reprint of a review that I first published on the now defunct Yahoo Contributors Network.  I haven't seen Grenen in stores for awhile.  But, I strongly suspect you could find a similar Skagen watches but with lighter more durable titanium construction!  Some photos updated in 2024.]

Have you noticed that men's wrist watches are getting thicker and thicker? To rebel against the clunky watch trend, you should check out brands like Skagen--the Danish watchmaker. Scandinavian designs feature common articles done in an uncommonly sparse and clean way. Naturally, Skagen makes thin, streamlined, and superbly comfortable watches. When I came across Skagen's Grenen brand at a Kohls department store in Tallahassee, Florida, I was excited. Grenen brings simple, sleek, Scandinavian watch design from Skagen to the poor huddled masses at affordable department store prices.

I chose the Grenen Stainless Steel Mesh Watch (model M - 24XLBBB) which retails at full price for around $85. However, I found mine on sale for far less. My Grenen watch features a slim Japanese quartz movement, an all stainless steel case, and a fine stainless steel mesh band. It's all done with a deep black finish that evokes ninjas, tuxedos, and the night. For another affordable thin dress watch, consider the Hamlin Ultra Thin Stainless Steel Dress Watch.

 
The Grenen Stainless Steel Mesh Watch has a minimalist design centered around a traditional round case measuring one and a half inches in diameter. In contrast to clunky watches from makers like Invicta, the Grenen case is a wafer thin quarter inch thick. The watch features a raised track with silver-tone Arabic numerals for 1 through 12. Inside the track of the numbers, the face is slightly recessed. A small portal reveals the date at just above the six o'clock position. Just below 12 o'clock, there is a small white logo, the Grenen name and Denmark. Just above the date portal, tiny white letters remind the wearer that this thin watch is made of steel. The watch hands have thin inserts of luminous material. The layout is sparse, functional, and effective.

This Grenen watch has a thin, fine, steel mesh band that almost imperceptibly tapers from 7/8 of an inch wide at the case pins down to about half an inch at the clasp. Fine mesh bands are very comfortable because they don't catch and pull arm hairs. The fold-over clasp with safety has smooth surfaces and doesn't cut into your flesh if you rest the weight of your wrist on the clasp while typing, computing, or doing other general office tasks. The fold-over clasp ensures that the watch stays securely fastened to your wrist.

The Mesh Band of the Grenen Stainless Steel Watch shows wear in 2024

I found only a three minor drawbacks with my Grenen. First, the crystal tends to show fingerprints and I find myself wiping it off regularly. Second, the mesh band seems a little delicate when compared to traditional watch bands. Third, the date portal is very small and can be a little difficult to read. Since I rotate several watches during the week and keep the watch cased when it's not in use, I doubt that I'll ever wear out this Grenen watch.

Grenen watches have thin cases that easily fit under a shirt sleeve cuff

Since the thin case fits neatly under any dress shirt cuff and the Grenen is comfortable to wear while using a keyboard, I'd say that this watch is nearly perfect for the office. If a man needs a watch for a formal occasion such as his prom or wedding day, this Grenen is clearly an affordable wristwatch option that looks rich and sophisticated. Its sleek Scandinavian design and black finish give the watch a polished look that would work well with a tuxedo or suit. In a world where less is often less, this Grenen wristwatch clearly offers more.

[To see the wide variety of Skagen watches on Amazon click here.]

Did the Grinch Steal Grenen?

 This Grinch is grinning?  It makes me wonder if he stole all the Grenen watches.  Hmmm...  I haven't seen any on Amazon and I haven't seen any in Kohl's!

The Grinch - By istolethetv from Hong Kong, China (grinchey fellow  Uploaded by Princess Mérida) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I haven't seen any "Grenen by Skagen" watches at all this holiday season.  They've been gone for nearly a year.  Designed by Skagen and sold for a slightly lower cost than the name brand, they were available at Kohl's for the past couple of years.  Fortunately, you can still get a Skagen  if you want a slim, streamlined watch with a Scandinavian design.

A Grenen Watch

You can read my Grenen review here.

A Very Cool Grenen Watch from Denmark

I really like Skagen's Grenen brand of watches.  They look great and they are very affordable at Kohl's.  I recently bought one at over 60% off and I love it.  When other watches are thick and bulky, Grenen offers a thin and light alternative.

A Grenen Wristwatch has a thin case

As of 2024, you can still find Skagen and Grenen watches on Amazon.  Here's a review that I published about another Grenen watch.

Grenen Men's Stainless Steel Mesh Watch

If you are looking for sparse, functional, Scandinavian design in an elegant and comfortable package check out the Grenen Men's Stainless Steel Mesh Watch.  A Skagen brand, Grenen has many thin, comfortable, dress watches that are excellent for daily wear to the office.

Please check out my full review here --  Wristwatch Review:  Grenen Men's Stainless Steel Mesh Watch