Watches For Every Budget
A watch is the one piece of jewellery most men wear, and the one accessory that sits closest to a tailored sleeve. Whatever you spend, the aim is the same as with a suit: something well made that you will still want in twenty years. Here is what your money buys at each level, and if you would rather have something made, we work with Olivier Meylan on limited edition Swiss timepieces.
Below £500
The big difference between a watch at this price point and higher is that it’s almost impossible to find a watch with automatic movement, a term which means it’s self-powered by kinetic movement, a delicate and complex detail that watch brands compete to perfect. Instead, cheaper range watches are quartz battery-powered, with the battery needing to be changed occasionally. While, in fact, this means the accuracy might be even better, collectors tend to baulk at anything quartz – it goes against the spirit of the old-school watch snob. We suggest opting for something that’s less a ‘fashion watch’ (basically a mass-produced imitation of a more expensive watch) and opt for simpler and more reliable pieces, like a Timex or a Casio.
Under £750
The famed Seiko brand is a true value offering at this price point. Most live in the £250-£750 price point, but you’re getting one of the world’s most reliable, unbreakable and versatile watches. There’s a reason so many watch collectors wear a Seiko as their daily beater – you get all the good stuff of a top Swiss watch brand (reputation, quality and automatic precision) without the hefty price tag. Another fun thing about a Seiko is the thriving customisation community – with a few tools and some YouTube tutorials, you can purchase pieces and customise the watch to your wildest whims. An honourable mention also goes to Hamilton, the iconic American brand, who make sturdy and high-quality pieces at a range of price points.
Under £3000
If you’re looking for something new, then you’ll start to be able to afford the entry tier of Swiss watch brands, quality names like TAG Heuer, Montblanc, Baume and Mercier and Longines. Be wary of assuming all watches will fit in your price point, as they all have higher-priced ranges inevitably too, but there are a range of high quality and widely celebrated brands to reach for. If you’re looking for something a little quirky and fun, try the Ralph Lauren bear watch – it’s a playful option for the young at heart with a nice little history. Or, if you’re prepared to enter the (slightly scary) world of vintage watches, you might be able to nab a recent or not-so-recent iteration of a top-tier brand like Omega, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, or even some of the more affordable Rolex models (if you’re lucky).
Under £5000
While it’s a heck of a lot of money to spend on a watch, there’s still a lot of brands that are going to sit outside your ballpark (sorry!) – a Rolex diver, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, three of the most desired watches in the world, are all well outside of your reach still! However, there are some remarkable, beloved watches from cracking brands – our picks for versatility, quality and story are the Omega Speedmaster (the watch that went to the moon!) and many of the pilot watches from IWC. These are timeless pieces that will, if taken care of, hold their value for generations. It is the same argument we make for bespoke tailoring: buy once, buy properly, and wear it for twenty years rather than two.
Whichever you choose, it should sit well with what you are wearing. Our shoes and accessories are made to order in your choice of leathers, so the strap, the belt and the shoes can be considered together rather than separately.
