BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Hey, you! Are you stuck for a last-minute horological gift idea for a special someone? Or maybe, like at least half of the blokes reading this (I’d guess), you are just starting your present purchasing spree. Either way, we’ve got some ideas for you in the form of a list ranging from under $1,000 to $5,000. Just a note: this list doesn’t factor in local taxes, which are included in the end sale, which could make some of the watches exceed the cost level.
Under $1,000 – Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 ref. T137.407.11.091.00
It should come as no surprise that if you want an affordable mechanical wristwatch for under $1,000 one of the best courses of action is to get Tissot’s PRX. This watch has been wildly successful in the community with plenty of glowing reports from reviewers and happy customers. I’ve chosen the green-dialled one with the self-winding Powermatic 80 calibre which has a super-long 80-hour power reserve. There are loads of different versions of the PRX with different-coloured dials and different sizes, some are even more affordable than this one, which costs $725.
Under $2,000 – Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto ref. H70665130
It seems that nearly every time we do a list of watches at certain price points there’s always someone in the comments reminding us that Hamilton’s watches are just as well-loved as they ever have been. We hear you. The Khaki Field Titanium watch is an all-black go-anywhere sports watch with a rugged titanium case with a black PVD finish to give it a stealthy appeal. Of course, if you don’t like all-black watches there is also a regular finish in titanium. Inside the 100m water-resistant watch case sits the calibre H-10 which, incidentally, has an 80-hour power reserve. That’s because it’s based on the ETA C07.611 calibre which is branded as the Powermatic 80 calibre elsewhere in the Swatch Group. The price of this one is $1,245.
Under $3,000 – DOXA Sub 300 Divingstar ref. 821.10.361.10
DOXA watches are always popular; they’ve built a reputation around good quality watches over the years and are loved for their colourful dial choices. Of course, orange is their most well-known colour, but I like this yellow-dialled version. The uniquely shaped case is made of stainless steel and is 42.5mm across, it has 300m of water resistance and would undoubtedly be a great practical daily driver. There’s also a diving extension for the stainless steel bracelet to stretch over a wetsuit. Inside this watch is the ETA 2824-2 calibre which has a 38-hour power reserve and a date window. One of these will cost you $2590.
Under $4,000 – TAG Heuer Carrera Day-Date ref. WBN2012.BA0640
It shouldn’t be a surprise that TAG Heuer would be on this list as they’ve been smashing it over the past few years. They’ve been updating their designs and improving the quality of their watches, and the collection which seems to have benefitted the most from this is the Carrera range. The Carrera Day-Date is a classy-looking timepiece, but some other versions of the Carrera also come under the $4,000 price limit. This one comes with a blue dial, but a black dial and a black dial with gold details also exist if they’re your thing. Inside the classy stainless steel case is the self-winding Calibre 5, which, strangely, is also based on the ETA 2824-2; I promise I didn’t plan this. A brand new Carrera Day-Date will cost $3,450.
Under $5,000 – Oris Aquis Chronograph ref. 01 771 7793 4155-07 8 23 01PEB
At Watches & Wonders Geneva this year Oris showed its updated Aquis Chronograph, although I don’t remember if it was under embargo then. Anyway, the curtain has lifted. The biggest change they made was reducing the watch’s bigness, these used to be gigantic watches around 46mm across. This new one is still big, but at 43.5mm, it’s now much more accessible to most of us. This hasn’t diminished the watch’s practicality; it’s 300m water resistant, and the stainless steel case is topped by a ceramic bezel to stand up better to scratches. Inside this watch is the Sellita-based calibre 771-1 which has a 62-hour power reserve. It’s also on display through the caseback with that iconic red rotor signifying that this movement is an ebauche calibre that Oris worked to their needs (their in-house movements have a completely different rotor). The cost of one of these watches is $4,900.
Well, there you have it. Five of our favourite picks at different price points to suit most people’s tastes. Of course, there are so many watches out there that we can’t possibly include all of them (I definitely can’t remember them all), so let us know in the comments which are your favourites that we didn’t include here. From us all at WristReview, we wish you a happy and healthy Holiday season.
