If you’re only at the beginning of your watch gathering trip, it is perfectly understandable to be somewhat anxious (or even flat-out terrified) about some of the price tags you’ll have seen. Sophisticated luxury watches have not been inexpensive, and it is a fact that there are several out there that market for the cost of a pretty good house – although maybe not all.
Virtually every brand produces a catalog of models that vary in value; extraordinarily expensive at the top end, amazingly affordable in the other. Obviously, that phrase ‘affordable’ is open to interpretation. You won’t be finding anything beneath the four-figure indicate, but it might be a pleasant revelation as to how low to that land you’ll be venturing.
Another thing to bear in mind is that these manufacturers have garnered the reputations they like today, first and foremost, through an obsessive dedication to quality. Just because an entry-level opinion removes a two or zero off the end of their asking price compared to the flagship pieces, it doesn’t mean they have been thrown together halfheartedly. They will nonetheless have been created and constructed by the same folks, in precisely exactly the same centers, and (generally speaking) together using many of the same materials as versions costing thousands of dollars more.
So, with all that in mind, let’s ’therefore have a peek at a number of the business ’s most tempting and accessible watches from the top brands.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Oyster Perpetual Key Features:
Case Diameter: 28mm; 31mm; 34mm; 36mm; 41mm
Materials: 904L Stainless Steel
Functions: Three-Hand Time Only
Bezel: Smooth. Fixed
Dial: Wide Assortment of Colors. Stick Hands, Baton Hour Markers
Bracelet: Oyster
Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 ft
Price Range: $5,100-$5,900
Click here to learn more about the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.
In a lot of ways, the Oyster Perpetual is the essence of Rolex. The name is taken from the company’s two revolutionary inventions; the waterproof Oyster case and the self-winding Perpetual motion, invented in 1926 and 1931 respectively. Between them, they did more to emphasise the wristwatch as an essential accessory for the two genders than anything before or since.
Technically, what Rolex makes currently (except for the Cellini series) is an Oyster Perpetual, because their whole host is both water resistant to 100m and driven by an automated caliber. The Submariner’s full name Is Truly the Oyster Perpetual Submariner, the Datejust is your Oyster Perpetual Datejust, and so on.
However, as the 1930s there’s also been the Oyster Perpetual range, typically the most modest, minimalistic group of watches the brand offers. That has carried on today, having a compendium of more than 30 versions, divide across five distinct sizes, that would be the most inexpensive new Rolex versions you’ll be able to purchase.
The Oyster Perpetual’s part in the grand scheme of things would be pretty obvious. Between its wide range in dimensions (28mm, 31mm, 34mm, 36mm, along with 41mm) and its broad range of distinct dial layouts – from the understated to the outrageous – Rolex’s entry piece is set up to appeal to any man or woman looking for that one good watch to decide on anything and also last a lifetime.
However, simply because it represents the gateway to Rolex possession, it doesn’t mean the Oyster Perpetual is at all lacking. While there are no precious metal models (though you’ll discover lots on the classic market) the steel the brand uses is exactly the same extremely demanding and corrosion-resistant 904L metal you’ll see in any stainless steel watch in the collection.
Likewise, the movements across the board would be the most latest calibers to emerge from Rolex’s industry-leading workshops. The 41mm and 36mm versions are both powered by another generation Cal. 3230, using its Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power book, along with proprietary blue Parachrom hairspring. The smaller three versions all contain the Cal. 2232, yet another superb mechanism, which provides a 55-hour book but gains from your Syloxi silicon hairspring that, if anything, slightly improves upon Parachrom.
Overall, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is nearly as great as a three-handed, time only daily wearer could get. Handsomely robust and hugely versatile, it is one opinion that never seems out of place. And possibly best of all, it is a steel Rolex you’ve half a prospect of being able to discover in an authorized retailer.
Additional Rolex options to Consider:
Datejust: the most bizarre all-rounder.
Explorer: an Oyster Perpetual with legendary dial and cool backstory.
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
Black bay Fifty-Eight Key Features:
Case Diameter: 39mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Three-Hand Time Only
Bezel: Rotating Dive Bezel
Dial: Blue/Black Matte Grained
Bracelet: Riveted Steel Bracelet, Leather or Cloth Strap
Water Resistance: 220 meters / 660 ft
Price Range: $3,425-$3,625
Click here to learn more about the Tudor Black Bay collection.
Few producers have flourished lately more than Tudor. The sister firm to Rolex was absent from the U.S. marketplace for 10-years until they came back in 2012 using an all-new set of watches, divide between contemporary and vintage-inspired versions.
While the likes of the North Flag, Ranger, along with also Pelagos were all well received, it had been the retro-looking Heritage series that really captured the imagination. Drawing on conventional divers from their archives, the first Black Bay was such a success that the group has grown to include dozens of different watches in a lot of designs and with various complications.
The Black Bay Fifty-Eight is the most recent addition, debuting in 2018, and it has become the hottest model in the range. It is also the least expensive among the dive watch versions.
Classic style watches are all the rage for a few years now, with lots of brands dipping to the back catalog and re-issuing favorites soaked in nostalgic rolls, with varying levels of success. Some have been accused of overdoing it, with the use of heavy-handed fauxtina and unnaturally obsolete components, however Tudor’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight has walked the delicate line between new and old just about flawlessly.
Everything, from the dimensions (39mm), to the dearth of crown guards, the no-date gilt flow up, the red triangle in the 12 o’clock along with the Snowflake palms leaves you thinking that you’re taking a look at something from the 1950s. The no-nonsense brushed steel case contains amazing thick bevels along with the aluminum insert from the bezel has an appropriately matte finish.
On the inside however, everything is very up-to-date. The MT5402 is from a brand new breed of motions crafted by the brand themselves. Previously, Tudor has depended on third party calibers from ébauche maker ETA. Since that company was swallowed up to the Swatch conglomerate also it had been announced they would quit supplying non-Swatch businesses with movements, many producers have had their hands pressured and have turned to building their own. The MTA5402 simplifies the ETA 2824-2 Tudor after employed for many of its smaller, time-only pieces.
The production of in-house calibers is a major step for any watchmaking home, and is regarded as a coming-of-age. It has also seen Tudor close the gap with Rolex in several fans’ eyes; domestic versus outsourced engines was the most significant gap between the two brands for several years.
The MT5402 is an excellent movement that follows the usual Rolex decree of function on the form. What it lacks decorative finishing it makes up for in strength and accuracy. Like the other workhorse calibers in the secure, it will only keep on ticking, correctly and faithfully, helped along by means of a silicon hairspring of its own.
The opinion is available with a black dial and bezel or (brand new for 2020) that an all-blue version. Bracelet choices take in a wonderfully period-correct riveted steel bracelet or color-matched leather and nylon straps. As a classic which gets everything right, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight is nearly unbeatable value for money.
Additional Tudor Options to Consider:
Black Bay GMT: the double time zone model with legendary Pepsi bezel.
Black Bay Chrono S&G: larger, two-tone chronograph with loads of presence.
Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M
Seamaster Professional Diver 300M Key Features:
Case Diameter: 42mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Time & Date
Bezel: Rotating Dive Bezel
Dial: Black, White, Blue, Grey Ceramic w/ Laser-Engraved Wave Pattern
Bracelet: Color Matched Rubber Strap
Water Resistance: 300 meters /1,000 ft
Price Range: $5,200
Click here to learn more about the Seamaster Professional Diver 300M.
These days, Omega is only about the only firm in Rolex’s price bracket that can give its oldest rival cause to test its shoulder. The new is another manufacturer enjoying a true resurgence right now, finally getting back on track following years languishing in the doldrums brought on by the quartz catastrophe and its aftermath.
Arguably the opinion that began that fight was the first of the Seamaster Diver 300M series, released in 1994. Not only was it a good-looking and capable timepiece, but additionally, it received an unmatchable advertising increase when the blue version seemed on Pierce Brosnan’s wrist in his debut outing as 007 in Goldeneye the next calendar year. (A quartz version ( paradoxically enough).
The Seamaster name dates back a lot further than that of course, initially used on a dress model in the 1940s before the first Seamaster 300 arrived as part of Omega’therefore 1957’s Professional Collection, along with the inaugural Speedmaster and Railmaster. The modern day Seamaster Professional Diver 300M (to give it its complete and often perplexing title) is positioned as a full-on Rolex Submariner killer – and in more than a few places, the Omega has it beat.
Possibly its most persuasive triumph is on price. At around $5,200, it is almost $4,000 less than the most affordable similar Submariner (the ref. 126610LN). It is also larger (involving 42mm along with 43.5mm) and comes with a helium escape valve, something you have to go up to the Sea-Dweller for more than Rolex. Will you ever need it? No, however it’s there anyhow!
As well as that, it has a ceramic bezel like the Submariner, however in addition a ceramic toaster, using an attractive laser-etched wave pattern. The water resistance is indistinguishable and most importantly, despite the fact that it is the entry level model, the 300M has been fitted using all the Omega Master Chronometer Caliber 8800, complete with all the revolutionary Co-Axial escapement.
There’s also more variety. The current collection houses 20 pieces, rather than the Submariner’s eight, and while there are no solid gold versions, the two-tone pieces with yellow or Sedna gold are still definite eye-catchers. After all, it’s difficult to think of anywhere else that you get as much watch for the cost. Certainly worth a look.
Additional Omega Options to Consider:
Railmaster: exactly the identical price as the 300M however a understated aesthetic.
Speedmaster Moonwatch: only about the most famous chronograph ever made.
Panerai Radiomir Base Logo PAM00753
Radiomir PAM753 Key Features:
Case Diameter: 45mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Two-Hand Time Only
Dial: Black
Bracelet: Leather Strap in a Choice of Three Colors
Water Resistance: 100m/330ft
Cost: $4,800
Click here to learn more about the Panerai Radiomir.
Another dive watch, however, of a very distinct fashion, the Radiomir Base Logo marks the entry point for mythical Italian brand Panerai. Although the manufacturer has existed since 1860, the access to their watches to the public is a fairly new thing. It wasn’t before 1993 that the first trio of civilian versions arrived – the Luminor, Luminor Marina, and Mare Nostrum -following the new spent most of the 20th century satisfying only army contracts.
These three all took their inspiration from the watches Panerai was producing for the Italian Royal Navy since the end of WWII, but the Radiomir predates even those. That particular piece could trace its lineage back to 1936, when the prototype has been assembled for the frogmen of the First Submarine Group Command, utilizing a waterproof housing and motion supplied by Rolex.
Fast forward to today, and a number of the same elements stay in play around the Base Logo, released in 2018. The signature cushion-shaped case is a faithful recreation, though this version’s measurements have fallen to 45mm from the initial ’s 47mm, however, it has kept the identifying wire lugs – that a throwback to the earliest fashion of wristwatch, that were pocket watches with wire lugs soldered to them to hold a ring.
In terms of the dialup, while it might not be one of those ‘sandwich’ style faces of their brand’s more expensive offerings, it is still nearly as readable as you can hope for. A mixture of stick batons and huge Arabic numerals at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, all completed with tons of lume (and awarded a nicely judged cream colour for a bit of classic nostalgia) ensure supreme legibility.
There’s not anything else on the dial up to distract attention except for a little Panerai logo, a stylized ‘OP’ (for Officine Panerai) with a single arrow pointing up along with the other pointing down, representing the company’s underwater products and people they made for landing aircraft. Inside, the homegrown caliber P.6000 simplifies the Unitas ETA 6497-1 of preceding cases. The in-house, manually-winding motion is a particularly large unit (38mm), sturdy enough to endure a few real punishment and provides a 70-hour book.
To a lot of collectors, a sub-$5,000 Panerai is a thing they thought they would never see, but the new has been expanding its range in more customer-friendly directions during the last few years. No more only known for producing physically tremendous and extremely expensive versions, they have become more populous as well as the Radiomir Base Logo is really the most accessible of all of them. A gorgeous watch with actual presence, it is a clear contender.
Additional Panerai Options to Consider:
Luminor 40mm PAM1048: the 40mm variant of possibly the most recognizable silhouette of all of them, with ‘which ’ crown shield.
Submersible 42mm PAM 683: for if you want your dive watch to really get noticed.
Breitling Superocean Automatic 42
Superocean Automatic 42 Key Features:
Case Diameter: 42mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Three-Hand Time and Date
Dial: Black/Orange/Blue/White
Bracelet: Black Rubber Strap
Water Resistance: 500 meters /1650 ft
Cost: $3,450
Click here to learn more about the Breitling Superocean.
Probably better known for its ties to the area of aviation, Breitling’s historical links with the sea go far back too, with all the Superocean line beginning again in 1957. It was started to enter battle with Omega’s debut Seamaster released around precisely exactly the identical time, as well as the Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms along with the Rolex Submariner from a few years earlier. It was obviously a tough ask for Breitling to battle the trio of business legends, however, the Superocean’s 200m water resistance rating matched that of their Omega and Rolex, and also more than triple the thickness evaluation of their Blancpain.
The Superocean range has been with us ever since, often tweaked and upgraded, with the most recent round of refreshments coming in 2019. Today, the series covers five case dimensions (36mm, 42mm, 44mm, 46mm, and 48mm) as Breitling’therefore recently-installed CEO, Georges Kern looks to revamp the new ’s entire portfolio to appeal to a unisex audience. Together with the 36mm advertised as a women see, the entry level model for men, and the lowest priced men’s mechanical Breitling one can purchase, is your 42mm Automatic.
Styling-wise, this new breed of the Superocean appreciates a much cleaner, more discernible look than the generation it replaced. Whereas the dials in the previous versions were exceptionally busy-looking events, together with large Arabic numerals for all but the 3 o’clock, four lines of text squashed in beneath the center spindle, an encircling minute track and inner 24-hour scale, that newest variant tames all that unruliness.
But the Arabic figures, though still enormous and simple to read, are restricted to only the 6, 9 and 12, together with attractive, lume-filled trapezoidal indexes everywhere else but the date window at 3. The hands follow about the identical contour as the hour mark and are similarly saturated in luminescence, using a reddish arrow-tipped seconds hand. One line of text has also been removed (the ‘Automatic’ designation) that creates a whole lot of a difference than you might think.
The bezel has shifted too, with a thinner, more grown up font compared to the preceding versions. In addition, it includes a luminous dot in the zero marketplace – something that has been lacking from particular previous iterations. Inside is your trusty Breitling 17 motion, again based on the ETA 2824-2. A perfectly trustworthy, no-frills engine, it provides a 38-hour book and has a 28,800vph frequency. Perhaps best of all is the water resistance, which can be an outstanding 500m – and you’ll struggle to find anything that moves deeper for less.
The Breitling Superocean Automatic 42 onto a rubber band, the least expensive option, is available with a black or vivid orange dial, both with black bezels. On a metal bracelet, which comes in at an extra $500 in retail, you can choose between a two kinds of blue dialup, all with blue bezels. An attractive alternative to the standard dive suspects, the Breitling Superocrean 42 is a highly accomplished and good-looking model.
Additional Breitling Options to Consider:
Superocean Automatic 44: a larger watch for not much more cash, the 44 includes a water resistance from an unbelievable 1,000m.
Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 42: a tribute to the first references, the B20 has an in-house motion and still comes in at under $5,000.
*Additional graphics courtesy of Omega, Panerai, and Breitling.
The article The Best Entry-Level Luxury Watches for Starting a Collection appeared on Bob's Watches.
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