Sure, you can get a great watch on a budget, but the real fact of the matter is that if you want a watch to wear for the rest of your life, you’re going to need to spend a bit more. We’ve rounded up the best watches for under $150 before, and while they’re impressive, we think that the golden mean of watch shopping is the under $1500 range. That's because watches under 1500 carry all the hallmarks of a luxury watch without the five-figure price tag.
Don’t get us wrong, $1500 isn’t cheap. A high-quality timepiece is — and always has been — an investment. But while the entry point for the Rolexes and Audemars Piguets of the world stands at around $5000, copping luxury watches under 1500 dollars is a task worth undertaking.
So, to save you time and money, we hit the net to round up the best watches under 1500 dollars. From the Bauhaus expertise of Junghans to collaborative pieces like the Omega x Swatch drop, here are some of the best investment watches to bag on a budget.
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This limited-edition version of UNIMATIC's Modello Uno pays homage to Tuscany, with its olive green dial and gold details. The Modello Uno is powered by a Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement for precision and longevity.
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Collaborations aren't a regular fixture in the world of watches. That's maybe why the Omega x Swatch partnership worked so well. The ability to buy an Omega Speedmaster for under $500 created a frenzy on release. Now that the resale prices have come back down from outer space, it's a great playful timepiece to add to the collection.
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Hamilton's Viewmatic keeps its promises – at least if that means that it delivers on its name, because you can look into the inside of it from the back to see the intricate inner workings of an elegant timepiece.
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Independent watchmaker VAER has impressed us with each release for some time now. Combining classic design with technical prowess and serious affordability, the brand-new VAER R1 USA Racing Chronograph crystallizes what we love about the brand. The R1 not only looks like the beauties found on racetracks during the '60s, it's got a lot going on under the hood, too. It's powered by a hybrid mecaquartz movement, which uses quartz technology for the main functions of the watch and a mechanical module for operating the chronograph.
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When it comes to affordable diver's watches, few can hold a candle to Seiko. Sure, you won't be treating yourself to a luxury timepiece, but for the price tag, you will be securing one of the best deals on the market. We love the Prospex; it's a great-looking watch, especially in this brown colorway.
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Surprisingly, La Californienne began life making watch straps and the Daybreak represents the brand's first foray into watchmaking. It's a confident way to begin, that's for sure. The retro-style 24mm rectangular case settles nicely on all wrist sizes and there's no faulting the Swiss-made quartz ETA movement.
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German watchmaker Junghans takes inspiration from the national treasure that is Bauhaus. The 20th-century design movement looks to clean lines and minimal detailing to get a strong, no-nonsense point across. The Max Bill watch is one of the brand's leading designs with a clean face and reliable J800.1 movement.
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Timex has been around for 170 years, presumably because they know and love timewear, as well as their audience and how to cater to them throughout that time. With so many styles to pick from, it feels almost counterintuitive to recommend what might be one of the watchmakers' most radically minimalist to date, the S1. In this navy blue hue, it's both elegant and everyday-appropriate.
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Named after a combination of the two founders' great grandparents, Frédérique Constant clearly cannot help but play with the past and present, evident in elements of their branding, design and highest quality craftsmanship; this square-faced watch recalls a bygone era in watch design. A Swiss-made masterpiece that is wildly classy, not least thanks to its unimposing stature.
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