THE JOURNAL
Buying a luxury watch doesn’t have to mean spending enormous sums. There are plenty of brands with outstanding pedigree creating beautiful, solidly built watches that won’t require you to take out a second mortgage. Of course, if you are looking for a mechanical watch that’s made in Switzerland (or Germany, as it may be), then you are inevitably going to spend a couple of thousand pounds. We’ve spent a bit of time in the past explaining why a luxury watch costs what it does. However, whether you’re buying your first watch, your second or your 22nd, it’s as much about value as price. The eight watches listed below are our considered choices for watches under £3,000 – each comes from a respected brand and goes about its business with a certain style.
01. NOMOS Glashütte Club Campus Hand-Wound
Some would say you can’t put a price on standing out from the crowd. But it turns out that for a remarkably affordable – in watchmaking terms – £1,400, you can get this coral-pink NOMOS Glashütte Club Campus. What better way to make a statement against the endless sea of blue and green? There’s more to it than a bold dial, though: inside the 38.5mm stainless-steel case you’ll find a finely made hand-wound mechanical movement, and the watch is water-resistant to 100 metres.
02. Baume & Mercier Riviera Automatic GMT
The Riviera is Baume & Mercier’s answer to legendary 1970s designs such as the Royal Oak and Nautilus. It carries several hallmarks of the genre – a faceted bezel with open screw heads, and case lines that flow seamlessly into the strap – and brings a seafaring character that’s in keeping with its name, via the wave-print decorated dial and jaunty red GMT hand. Capable of displaying time in two locations, this is a capable, durable watch for the money.
03. UNIMATIC Model One Limited Edition
Designed in Italy, UNIMATIC’s dive watches take their inspiration from classics of the genre, but remove all extraneous features to deliver a stylised, ultra-minimalist result. Cased in titanium, the 40mm Model One limited edition is water-resistant to 300m and limited to just 500 pieces. The movement is a reliable Sellita SW200-1 with a 38-hour power reserve.
04. Montblanc Summit 3
Want the functionality of a smart watch but can’t abide Apple’s ubiquitous black rectangle on your wrist? Montblanc’s Summit, now in its third generation, provides all of the fitness-tracking, sleep-monitoring, payment-making tech associated with Google’s Wear OS 3.0 and the look and feel of a “proper” luxury watch – manufactured from highly durable titanium. Naturally, you can configure the dial to display Montblanc’s recognisable Geospheres complication together with the 1858’s signature “cathedral” hands.
05. Oris Diver’s Sixty-Five
One of the biggest success stories of the last decade, Oris’ retro-styled dive watch brings fun and flair to a classic template. Upgraded in recent years with Oris’ in-house calibre 400 movement, this model now has a five-day power reserve and a sapphire display case back. It stands out from previous examples thanks to the 12-hour bezel, which can be used to track a second time zone. It measures 40mm across and is water-resistant to 100 metres.
06. Massena LAB Uni-Racer Limited Edition
It may not be a brand name you’ll find in your local town, but that’s a positive. The ability to own something rare, unusual and sought-after for less than three grand is not to be overlooked. The Massena LAB Uni-Racer is styled after Universal Geneve’s 1960s chronographs, with a contemporary twist in the form of dazzling blue hands and delicate pops of colour across the dial. The movement is a Sellita SW510, with a 58-hour power reserve.
07. Bamford Watch Department B347
The first chronograph to emerge from London’s Bamford Watch Department is a head-turner – not often do you see a forged carbon case and monopusher chronograph at this price. Available in several bold colourways, including this military-green number with tactical red details. The movement inside is a Sellita SW-510 automatic chronograph.
08. Junghans Max Bill Chronoscope
Following designs set down by the legendary 20th-century product designer Mr Max Bill, Junghans’ Chronoscope could hardly be more minimalist, with its stick-thin markers, complete lack of ornamentation and simple, flat dial. The bezel-free case adds to its pared-back appeal – as does the fact that this is one of the most affordable mechanical chronographs on the market. This limited edition stands out for the red inlay on the hour and minute hands, and red date text.