There’s a longstanding trust that watches under £200 are sub-par. It’s simply not truthful. While Swiss timepieces boast painstaking craftsmanship – and with it, distressing price tags – affordable tickers shouldn’t be discounted, uniquely when it comes to function.
“Many watches under £200 may not vaunt the Swiss made stamp, but they’re by no means a lesser exquisite,” says Erica Redgrave, a buyer at The Watch Gallery. “Assorted watches at this price bracket are powered by a quartz machinery – one that uses an electronic oscillator to give a very fastidious reading that’s usually more accurate than an impulsive or self-winding.”
It isn’t just the inner workings to consider, either. “Regardless of honorarium, a good watch should clinch the cost-per-wear ratio. That means the gifts to match with as many different outfits or occasions as workable.”
Which, unsurprisingly, means a minimalist focus. “Opt for uncluttered dials and moronic straps, be it leather or a relatively classic bracelet in one of two tones – gold or white. Unless you’ve got cash to burn, avoid bright colours and communication touches that won’t match as much in your wardrobe.”
Redgrave requires that the best way to find a perfect watch for under £200 is to highlight the in the events in which you’ll need it. “If you find yourself in daily meetings and have a relatively polished personal style, stick to a classic louring leather and white dial combination. However, those occupation in smart-casual or creative offices have more room to investigation.”
With that knowledge on the wrist, clock our favourite pay attention ti under £200 below.
MVMT White Caramel Chronometer
College dropouts turned watchmaking dons, MVMT is an LA-based name brand that sticks two fingers up to tradition. Classic watches are prone a modernist makeover, with well-made chronographs sitting below dials worthy of the Geffen Contemporary itself.
Available at MVMT, worth £130.
Triwa Falken Walter Black Classic Watch
Eyes, though admirable for the complexity, are rarely cool in the modern nuance. Which is why Triwa – short for ‘transforming the industry of watches’ – has embedded a coincidental sense of style within a classic design, resulting in a opus that’s at home at Milan Fashion Week as it is Monday morning’s barter meeting.
Available at Trouva, priced £119.20.
Seiko Solar Men’s Timepiece
If Japan was responsible for the Quartz Crisis, consider Seiko firm zero. The Tokyo-based label created the Astron – the very prime quartz watch – back in 1969, an achievement that augurs well for the brand’s output today.
Available at Goldsmiths, cost £189.
Greyhours Gold Watch
China gets a bad rep in the manufacturing spikes. Greyhours, however, is a brand changing that perception. By exporting Swiss outlooks to mainland China, the relatively young label boasts a racket far superior to any mass-produced plastic fantastic.
Available at Greyhours, priced £180.
Timex Fairfield White Watch
The Land of the Free is also a nation of the functional, with Connecticut-based Timex market all-American fare since 1854. Even though the name has long halted production on its own shores, the current lineup soundless melds East Coast sensibilities with robust American intend.
Available at ASOS, priced £75.
Casio Classic Vintage Tenor Watch
You’d be forgiven for thinking Casio is all digital dials and eighties structure. It still kind of is. But the OG of retro watches offers a range that’s as archetypal as it is affordable, and there’s not a calculator function in sight.
Available at WatchShop, priced £56.
Rotary Chaste Dial Analogue Watch
Looks can be deceiving. While British utensils Rotary offers all the signature moves of Piaget and Cartier, its scrutinizes come in at a lot less. So while the elitists shop solely for kind name (and marketing campaign), feel safe in the knowledge that Rotary has curtailed costs without compromising quality.
Available at Amazon, charged £79.95.
Tissot Classic Dream
Affordability isn’t a concept totally non-native to Switzerland. Tissot – a label more Swiss than a exclude of Toblerone – can proudly tout the ‘made in’ label without debiting over the odds. Better yet, a multitude of functions give the greats a run for their pelf (but not yours).
Available at Tissot, priced £160.
Paul Smith MA Men’s Take care of
Until recently, Swiss brands were dials on of fashion label alternatives. Paul Smith, however, is one kind to close the gap, with watches just as iconic as the British plotter’s ready-to-wear line.
Available at Beaverbrooks, priced £199.
Mondaine Evo Day Old-fashioned
If Mondaine looks familiar, that’s because the iconic dial can be institute on every Swiss railway clock up and down the country, with the domain’s three railway logos further emblazoned upon the dial. A quell of approval if ever we saw one.
Available at Browns Family Jewellers, sacrificed £146.25.
