THE JOURNAL
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Five Great-Value Watches That Will Mark You Out As A Connoisseur
Words by Mr Chris Hall
18 April 2024
You don’t have to have the hottest limited-edition collab to win the respect of devoted watch afficionados. There are watches out there, hidden gems that they are, that represent good value for money and also mark you out as a person of great horological taste. Whether you’re looking for a dress watch, a dive watch or something for the everyday, these five are our top-secret, in-the-know, so-good-we-can’t-believe-we’re-sharing-them tips for showing superlative watch taste without going broke.
01.
Massena LAB x Mathey-Tissot ’68
There’s no mistake here. This really is a proper mechanical chronograph, with a Swiss-made movement, for a little over a grand. The Massena LAB x Mathey-Tissot 1968 is inspired by a number of vintage watches of the era, as well as celebrating that year’s sporting victories, from Mr Arthur Ashe’s US Open win to Graham Hill’s Formula One victory. The colourful dial meanwhile embodies the spirt of the 1960s. Measuring 41mm across, in stainless steel with a rotating bezel, it is every inch the classic sports chronograph.
02.
MICROMILSPEC Space Force Automatic
Other brands get a lot of mileage out of, say, putting the first watch on the Moon. But how do you feel about the official timepiece of the United States Space Force? (Or even that there is such a thing as the United States Space Force, for that matter.) Custom built for the space service branch of the US Armed Forces over nearly two Earth years, this robust stainless-steel design from Scandinavian upstart MICROMILSPEC is driven by a Swiss-made automatic movement. With rocket-shaped hands, obviously.
03.
UNIMATIC Model One
The UNIMATIC Modello Uno aims to bring a reduced, graphic sensibility to the dive watch tradition. The no-nonsense steel case and oversized bezel frame a high-contrast dial, here in a rich olive-green, with the merest embellishments to the classic hour markers. Water-resistant to a depth of 300m, it is produced in a limited edition of 400 pieces.
04.
Bamford Watch Department x Land Rover LR002
If the Land Rover Defender is your inspiration, you know you are going to end up with a simple, uncluttered watch. But like the Defender, there is a stylish side to the LR002 from Bamford Watch Department as well. The second edition produced in partnership with the carmaker, this version comes in a black DLC-coated titanium case with a one-piece, fixed-lug design for greater rigidity (as a result, it looks great on a sleek black Nato strap).
05.
NOMOS Glashütte Club Campus
NOMOS Glashütte may well be on your radar – but the Club Campus collection is still less well known than the more austere, traditional models like the Tangente, Orion and Ludwig collections. Not only is it the most fun set of watches under the NOMOS umbrella, it’s almost the most affordable. It’s distinguished by its colourful dials, thick-set numerals (which use a mix of Arabic and Roman styles) and simple round case, with a solid back that’s perfect for personal engravings.
