In the current climate, we won’t all be expecting a windfall. But if you are in the market for an investment, or if you’re looking to treat yourself, a watch will always be a wise move. It is an item built with longevity in mind, after all. From luxurious dress pieces to sporty chronographs, MR PORTER has something to suit all budgets and tastes. It’s time to take stock.

Breitling’s Navitimer is an all-time classic. A grail watch for many with the kind of history and pedigree that others can only wish for, it has been the go-to choice for pilots since 1952. For much of that time, it has remained unchanged. However, recently Breitling has found a way to bring a new look to the chronograph without losing any of its aviation heritage: deck it out in the liveries of storied airlines. This is the Swissair version – well, what could be more appropriate?

It is relatively rare that you come across a watch that looks genuinely modern, especially one made by a brand that’s more than 150 years old. Zenith has pulled it off with the new Defy, however, marrying an emphatic steel integrated bracelet and case design with an openworked dial, whose five-spoked shape is a subtle nod back to the brand’s star logo. Power dressing for the 21st century.  

The Pilot’s Chronograph Spitfire takes as its starting point the archetypal WWII pilot’s watch design, which IWC supplied to the RAF from the 1940s (note the vintage-coloured luminous material on the hands and hour markers), and adds a high-end chronograph movement from one of Switzerland’s most modern manufactures. (Since last year, the Spitfire Chrono uses IWC’s in-house chronograph calibre.) The end result is a watch that’s hard to beat for all round legibility, quality and functionality.

Sometimes you just need to knock them dead – no half measures. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Tribute Calendar is a watch for exactly such occasions, with classic Art Deco lines, the warmth and weight of rose gold and a day, date and month calendar from one of Switzerland’s most respected watchmakers. Plus, it’s a Reverso, so when you flip it over, you’re also getting a second timezone on a gorgeous grey hobnail dial. Harking back to the watch’s origins as a timepiece for polo players, the strap is cut by Argentine artisan Casa Fagliano, makers of the finest polo boots. 

Spending a sizeable amount of money is about seizing the moment, and nothing says that quite like buying a watch that’s destined to be unobtainable before too long. This limited-edition Divers Sixty-Five “Honey” – named for its rich orange dial, which fades subtly from dark to light – is from a run of just 250 pieces, with a 40mm steel case, bronze bezel and includes the choice of both suede and canvas straps. It’s hard to find anything so stand-out and opulent for less.