Borna Boschunjak
Time+Tide is the last place to tell you that more expensive looking watches are automatically better, but when you look at the watch as a general rule, there are a few that are more affordable and not viable. Usually, brands use a variety of movements to save the most money, but there is a foul of “minimalism” traps that end up being a lazy design. Naturally, there is a watch that is a complete antithesis to this, delivering visual appeal at a low price.
Orient Bambino 38mm small seconds
Those who are fair ways to hang their clocks will not be surprised to see Bambino starting from this list. It is a collection’s starter kit classic, offering great value for its finish, in-house auto-movement and dashing look. The only complaint Cognoscenti posted was its size. At 40mm, it wasn’t the preferred dress watch size for many, especially in the downward trend. It comes with this small second variant with a diameter of 38.4mm and has a priced price that is far below RRP thanks to many sales. Price: 289 US$ (RRP)
Lorier Hydra Series III
With more and more microbrands coming out, and many of them going the design-first route (the brutal that is now leading the accusations), vintage-inspired divers certainly aren’t. For Lorier, a brand that relies on this medieval aesthetic, it meant Zhuzhing it a bit for the third Hydra generation. The result is perhaps one of the most compelling all-rounders on the market. The Hydra Series III is a Flyer GMT Miyota 9075, a wonderfully finished proportional case with two tone rooms throughout the dial, a 24-hour Les Oteorte and bezel inserts. Certainly, this is one of the brave models in the Lorier range. So if you want to shave a few millimeters around, use Hyperion GMT for the same price. Price: 599 US$
Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRE015
Seiko’s cocktail time is probably a simple choice for a dress watch, with a dial where its rivals make its price many times more into the watch. What really stuck to me was the SRE015 Star Bar Special Edition, which added faceted hardlex. It really replenishes the feather dial texture. If it is not 30mm size, use the same SRPK93 as a 40.5mm watch. But be honest. You can really choose anything from our cocktail time collection. If nothing is available at this time that fits your fantasy, Seiko releases many new variations each year. Price: 650 USD
SpaceOne Jump Hour Blue Steel
Over 1,000 US dollars make it difficult to call affordable watches, but you can see that these next three picks perfectly justify price tags and inclusion in this list. You don’t even have to start with SpaceOne Jump Hour and talk about its design. I mean, look at it! This Baby Devesune is not mechanically leaning forward, with a jump hour module that developed Auffret on top of a sophorod base. In a review, the young French watchmaker completed the execution of two model productions, both of which were nominated for the GPHG Award, but his collaboration with Guillaume Laidet at SpaceOne also won nominations. That’s a few resumes. Price: 1,700 Euro (~US$1,860)
Christopher Word C60 Triden Tolmiere
From avant-garde spacecraft to what appears to be on the surface, it’s a fairly standard diver. The Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière is nothing more, packing in incredible specifications and allowing you to incorporate quality into a stealth package. The Grade 2 Titanium Case is lightweight and well finished, with the 41mm x 47.9mm size that is neatly versatile for divers. It is equipped with a chronometer grade Sellita SW300, and despite its 300 meters water resistance, the case is slimmer than 11mm. And although it has a very handsome design, it gets dark and constantly glows, aided by the ceramic super luminoba globe light blocks. Who is Tudor Pelagos 39? Price: USD 2,390 (with titanium bracelet), available from Time+Tide Shop UK
Furlan Marri Disco Volante
We’ve just left the affordable territory with this last pick, but while the buck bang on the Furlan Marri Disco Volante is uncontroversial, the price is not yet insane. The design itself is already very well thought out, from complex sector dials to unique rings and refined case steps, but in reality, it’s really the movement and its finish that gets the value of the money. The Peseux 7001 has many clock features, while Furlan Marri customizes the bridge and hand paints the chamfer. More importantly, try finding a vintage disco volunteer-style watch for a price similar to this. Spoiler alert: Cannot be done. Price: USD 2,780 (excluding VAT), available from Time+Tide Shop
