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Aside from the premier Swiss made brands that have sat at the top of the the watch market as the all time classic 'must have' luxury watches such as the Rolex, Omega and Patek Phillipe there's a whole range of brands and budgets to put a decent timepiece on your wrist that won't break the bank or break your heart if you damage or lose it, granted it still might hurt a bit but that doesn't mean you can't wear something that's a decent dinner party conversation piece or an everyday statement piece that has oozes great design. Trends come and go but the comfort factor of owning a decent looking and performing watch that is just as universal with a pair a of shorts and t-shirt as it is with a suit means you made one of the best style decisions of your life.
Tastes differ, what floats one man's boat may not necessarily put the steam in another mans stride, styles vary massively of course from the chunky divers watches to the more subtle elegant dress watches or everyday casual watches.
What is affordable though?, in today's topsy turvy economy it could be something fairly low priced and functional that caters to a no fuss daily use criteria, for others it might mean a couple of additional zeros on the price tag for something a bit more outspoken depending on your personal financial circumstances. In an economic climate that puts the brakes on splashing cash on extravagance I've created a list of 5 watches that cater for a broad pricing range.
1. G Shock Range
You can't really go wrong with G-Shocks, they come in a variety of styles and looks although tend to adhere to the rugged outdoors rough and tumble robust design that's served it well for many years. The Octagon series is an entry level watch starting at around £99 the slimmer, stealth look GA-2100-1A1ER harks back to the design it had in 1983. Blacks and greys seem to be as popular as ever as do olive drab military tones. Water resistant to 200M and an interchangible resin strap. Casio owns G Shock so their look and feel are based around that familiar modern design that made their 80's watches so popular. Further up the price scale you can easily spend £379 for a metallic G Shock style such as the GST-B400D-1AER which is the thinnest of the G Steel series they make. he bezel has 5 different finishes so adopts a different shade depending on the angle you view the watch, its darker face contrast really well against the steel look too.
Reason to Consider: Its robust and tough for active lifestyles and the GShocks are highly shock resistant and usually come with a 200M water resistance rating. The digital display is easy to read, and it has a lighted LCD display and a backlight to provide visibility in low light conditions. It also has a stopwatch, countdown timer, and five daily alarms
2. AVI-8 Watches
AVI-8 is probably a brand you've probably not heard of but don't let that fool you into thinking that they don't know how to design a talking point. Inspired heavily by aviation they have a range of watches that really do stand out and at an affordable price. Their Chronographs, namely the Blakeslee Chronograph with bronze oak strap and Avon Chronograph in charcoal green look amazing and will only set you back £149 and £200 respectively. The company also does a steel series in the Type 300 Automatic with the Oxford Blue being a particular bold but tasteful looking time piece.
Reason to Consider: The Oxford Blue face is accented with rose gold details. The watch is equipped with a Swiss quartz movement, and it has a date display, a stopwatch, and a tachymeter. The watch is also water-resistant up to 50 meters and powered by a long-lasting battery.
3. Diesel Mr Daddy Chronograph
Like me you probably previously never really noticed Diesel watches, as a brand its been around since 1974 (yes that long), it was only when they started promoting jeans and men's cologne that I took more notice of them. in 2019 they filed for chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection although Diesel Spa wasn't part of that action. In recent years they've made some pretty bold choices in their range of watches with their current bestseller for men being the very attractive but horribly titled Diesel Mr. Daddy Chronograph. The watch has a multi dialled look with nice neon blue accents to numbers and face markings which contrast against a black face and strap.30M water resistancy, although more for splashes than full prolonged immersion. Stainless steel in black its a very nice watch and priced around £356
Reason to Consider: The chronograph features a quartz movement and a date display, and it also has a stopwatch with a 60-minute countdown timer. The watch is also water-resistant up to 10 ATM and its scratch-resistant mineral crystal ensures long-lasting durability.
4. Orient Bambino
Looking for something that's understated yet perfectly elegant with a subtle style that looks good on a night out with friends or a dressier dinner party? I guarantee you the Orient Bambino will have people asking "can I ask you what watch are you wearing?". Japanese in origin the brand dates back to 1901 when Shogoro Yoshida opened his first Tokyo shop. The face has a beautiful rich Prussian blue that fades to black on the outer edges which helps the number marker contrast beautifully. The stainless steel bezel and black leather strap give it a classic but stylish finish. The best part though is that this will only set you back £127. The watch has two other coloured styles but this one is the best one in my opinion.
Reason to Consider: The watch is powered by an accurate automatic movement and it has a date display. It also has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and is water-resistant up to 50 meters.
5.Moonswatch
By collaborations they probably don't come much bigger than Omega and Swatch. These two powerhouses got together to offer watch lovers an amazing series of styles and designs that gives you the casual every day aspect of Swatch with the premium look of the famous Moon watch, the Speedmaster as worn by NASA astronauts, and which remains one of the most collectible watches of all time. These watches are made with a with a never done before bioceramic material and none of the pieces are limited edition or numbered, furthermore they are super affordable at around £207 and they look bloody amazing.
Reason to Consider: other than being one of the hottest watches you can own, The watch is powered by a quartz movement, and it has a date display, a stopwatch, and a tachymeter. It is also water-resistant up to 10 ATM and is powered by a long-lasting battery. This watch is perfect for those looking for a stylish and reliable watch with a unique design.
Got a watch brand that could make the affordable yet cool list?
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