LIST: 5 great value watches from under $500 up to $10,000
Throughout our recent discussions on what it is that defines value, we’ve explored some different ways of approaching that question. Ultimately, it’s down to the wearer to decide the return on their investment, but which watches do we think are pretty darn likely to get a thumbs up from our readers across the board? So here are five top buys, broken up into different price points, with a brief explanation of why these watches made it onto the list. Please feel free to tell us where we went wrong in the comments section, and let us know which watches you’d put on this list instead. Up to $500 – the Hamilton Khaki Field Under 500 AUD is a tough price point to find a decent automatic watch, so I’ve shelved that pursuit in favour of a tough-as-nails beater in a classic, wearable 38mm case. The Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz Reference H68201063 is a great addition to any collection from an established American brand now owned and operated by the Swiss-based Swatch Group. Up to $1000 – the Junghans Max Bill Around the 1000 AUD mark we start to see some pretty solid entries for microbrand divers, and entry-level group brands. But…
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Congratulations. You’ve decided to join one of the premier families in the watchmaking universe. That first decision to buy Rolex is seen by many as a rite of passage all watch lovers should experience at some point during their collecting career, and it’s one we support wholeheartedly. Since the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking began in the mid 1980s, Rolex has been ever-present, but it was not until the last decade of uncertainty reared its ugly head did Rolex really separate itself from the pack. I have said many times, and will continue to say, that Rolex is no longer a watch brand; it is a phenomenon. No marque has been able to weather the storm that has battered rivals to their knees these past few years. And so choosing to buy into this horological heavyweight at this time, is about as smart a decision as you can make. But there are some things to bear in mind … Premium price Rolex is a desirable brand for the quality of the watches themselves, but also for the glory of the name. A crown-toting wrist is the envy of all, and because of that, Rolex watches do come with a premium price tag. That’s…
Editor’s note: Aaaah, the ’90s. That era of Hypercolour and fleece that seems, somehow, to be en vogue once more. It’s also an era that embodies a strange juxtaposition in watchmaking. On the one hand, it’s seen as a time that style forgot, while simultaneously playing host to some very significant horological innovations … Sitting between the now nostalgia-laden ’80s and the innovation explosion of the 2000s, the 1990s is seen as something of a watchmaking wasteland; a bold (and brash) period that’s currently out of fashion, but not far enough away to be viewed through the rose-tinted glasses of history. But were the ’90s really a write-off? Here are nine groundbreaking ’90s watches that redeem watchmaking’s forgotten decade. 1991 – Audemars Piguet Star Wheel What is it? Watchmakers are, by and large, bound by tradition and stick to tried and true methods, like telling the time with hands. In 1991, Audemars Piguet proposed something new, using a series of spinning sapphire discs, all mounted on rotating star-shaped wheels. An oddity, but a technically impressive one. Why is it important? Audemars Piguet were well and truly ahead of the trend on this one. Now we’re used to brands like Urwerk messing…
Watches are fantastic birthday presents. They couldn’t really be any more fitting: A gift that tracks the passing of time to commemorate the time past. There is a poetic symmetry to it, and it’s no surprise that a huge amount of watches – especially those deemed ‘fashion’ watches – are purchased as gifts year on year. With that in mind, we’ve decided to put together a list of great milestone watches to buy someone as they reach special milestones in their life. Milestone 1 – the 21st Birthday watch You’re just starting out. Maybe your parents want to get you something to say well done for passing your degree, or maybe they’re just so overjoyed that you won’t be coming back to the nest, and they’re happy to splash a bit of cash on a new timepiece to ensure you don’t get fired for being late. As an up-and-coming kid eager to be taken seriously, this is a choice with deep ramifications … For a young man in this situation, I would advise keeping it simple. Something that is stylistically robust, and not too off the beaten track makes sense. An Omega Aqua Terra 150m 41mm ought to do the trick.…