As a big surprise, Blancpain and Swatch joined forces to release the Blancpain X Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection to celebrate the 70th anniversary of this iconic diving watch last month. While the collaboration between Omega and Swatch for the Moonswatch seemed to have a bigger impact than this new collaboration between Swatch and Blancpain —another one of the high-end brands part of the Swatch Group—, this non-limited collection composed of five different watches still had a huge impact, despite the fact that Blancpain holds a much lower brand awareness and you have to be a hardcore watch aficionado to even consider paying $400 USD for a Sistem51 Swatch.
Posts filed under Budget Watches
Introducing: Ollech & Wajs Zürich Astrochron S. Faithful Reinterpretation of the 1967 Model.
The Ollech & Wajs Astrochron story began in Zürich nearly 60 years ago, amidst history’s most ambitious era of exploration. The race to go faster, further, and deeper had the world poised at the edge of several new frontiers, the most notable being outer space. The astral realm represented the ultimate in exploration and inspired the name of the famous Ollech & Wajs 1967 ‘triple-register’ chronograph.
Insider: Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph. The Best Chronograph You Can Buy Under $2K USD.
Two years ago, Tissot released the PRX as a reissue of their iconic 1978 PRX 40 205 with a quartz movement and later they added an automatic time and date model. Last year, Tissot released the PRX Automatic Chronograph and the moment we saw it, we knew we’d have to get one. Our love for the PRX is unlimited. The level of finishing and Swiss craftsmanship rarely seen in this price range, only keeps getting better within the PRX collection.
From the Editor: The Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto is the Most Unexpected Watch of 2023. An Amazing Timepiece for the Price.
Without sounding like a snob, I never thought I would be featuring a Christopher Ward watch here at WCL, but the time has come. For me to talk about certain watches, these watches need to earn the right to be here, not because I think of WCL as the non plus ultra —nothing further beyond— but more than anything, because I truly believe in honest and unbiased watch content.
Introducing: Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Aventurine, Malachite and Lapis-Lazuli
Louis Erard makes more than just timepieces, these are watches with a spirit. This new limited edition of the Excellence Petite Seconde with natural stones and hand-crafted glass even contains a touch of philosophy. A little shock of the times. The dialogue of eternity and the immediate, of tradition and the contemporary. The new Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde comes in three versions in a limited edition of 99 pieces each.
From the Editor: Finally Got an Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch. Here's What I Really Think About It.
t only took me five months and five days to finally be able to find a MoonSwatch at the Swatch Boutique at North Park Mall in Dallas, Texas. The Omega x Swatch Bioceramic MoonSwatch landed at the Swatch boutiques on March 26, 2022, a day before I headed to Switzerland for Watches & Wonders 2022. During my trip to Switzerland, I was able to peruse the MoonSwatch ‘Mission to Uranus’ —no pun intended—
Budget Watches: H992. A New Swiss Watch Brand is Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
A new budget brand has been born today in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Named H992, its name comes from the letter ‘H’ in horology, hour and humanity; and the number ‘992’ is the altitude of its birth place —La Chaux-de-Fonds— which is 992 meters above the sea level. Featuring a very contemporary design that seems like a hybrid between a Zenith Defy and a Hublot Integral, the new H992 is presented in a limited edition of only 992 pieces and priced at CHF 992 Swiss Francs —approximately $1,000 USD.
From the Editor: What's There Not to Love About Furlan Marri Watches
I discovered Furlan Marri last year and my first encounter in person with their watches was when I was casting my votes as one of the jurors at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2021. The Furlan Marri MR. Grey received the Horological Revelation Prize at the GPHG 2021 and that’s what really put the brand on the map. After six different watches they have released and as an owner of not one but two of their watches —Havana Salmon ref. 1031-A and the Mare Blu ref. 1051-A—, I can confidently say that there are many things to love about this young inexpensive brand.
From the Editor: Here's Why I've Bought Four Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Watches. The Best $650 USD One Can Spend.
When the quartz Tissot PRX was released, I was one of the first ones to want one. Even though here at WCL we rarely publish watches in that price range, we had to do a review of the watch. You can read the review here. As the watch lover that I am, the price tag on a watch means nothing to me. I love horology and will wear a Tissot as much as I would wear a Vacheron Constantin.
Insider: CIGA Design Blue Planet. The First Chinese Watch to Ever Win at the GPHG.
The CIGA Design Series U Blue Planet is the first Chinese Made watch to ever win at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève and to make it to the shortlist of the nominees. In November 2021, the CIGA Design Blue Planet was awarded the GPHG 2021 Challenge Prize —watches priced under CHF 3,500 Swiss Francs— while competing against other ‘budget-friendly’ or affordable timepieces that included the Doxa SUB 200 C-GRAPH Caribbean, Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy, Massena Lab Uni-Racer, Anordain Model 1-Payne’s Grey Fumé and the Furlan Marri Mr. Grey.
Insider: Gorilla Outlaw Drift Limited Edition. Wandering Hours, Swiss Made, and Budget Friendly. Gimme!
Gorilla Watches was launched in 2017 by Octavio Garcia —former Chief Artistic Officer at Audemars Piguet for more than a decade— and his business partner Lukas Gopp —a former employee of brands like IWC, Sector, Ralph Lauren Watches and Audemars Piguet.The first time we reviewed one of their watches, it was also the first time that we had posted a review of a watch under $1,000 USD. You can check out the review of the Gorilla Fastback here.
Budget Watches: Seven Friday P1C/04 'Caipi'. As Refreshing as a Brazilian Caipirinha.
Discussing ‘Budget Watches’ is not something we do on a very regular basis but more so every now and then whenever we find an inexpensive watch that catches our attention and that we feel is worth talking about. Since today is Friday, why not talk about the latest addition to the Seven Friday lineup. The Seven Friday P1C/04 'Caipi' is as refreshing as a Brazilian caipirinha at the end of the summer months.
Budget Watches: Tissot PRX. Never Have Seen a Watch in this Price Range this Well Finished.
The moment we saw the new Tissot PRX, we knew we had to do a review of the watch. While we’ve only published a handful of budget watches here at WCL and we’ve never published any watch with such a price tag, for under $400 USD, —yes, it is not a typo— the reissue of the 1978 PRX 40 205 brings a level of finishing and Swiss craftsmanship that is rarely seen in this price range.
Budget Watches: Montres L&JR Chronograph S1503. A Watch that Screams Independent 'Haute Horlogerie' with a Surprising Price Tag.
When we first heard about the project that Philippe Cros, Jorg Hysek Jr. and Lionel Ladoire were working on, we knew something really special would be coming out of it. One of our favorite watches from Baselworld 2018 and a watch that knocked our socks off is the new L&JR Chronograph S1503 from the just launched Montres L&JR brand. This new Swiss watch brand brings a whole new approach to the watch industry gleamed from the expertise of its three founders.
Budget Watches: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time 'Starlight' SSA361 Limited Edition. At this Price Point, Years Ago a Dial Like this was Just Too Good to be True.
For our second installment ever of Budget Watches, we've decided to bring you a watch that we have been eyeing now for a few months. Introduced back in November 2017, the new Seiko Presage collection welcomed the addition of two new watches priced under $1,000 USD and inspired by cocktails created by Hisashi Kishi, the head bartender at Tokyo's 'Star Bar' located in the heart of the Ginza area.
Budget Watches: Gorilla Fastback Forged Carbon & Black Ceramic Watch. The Watch Launched by Octavio Garcia Former Head Designer for Audemars Piguet.
Today, we're starting a new section for those budget watches that we really like. Even though this is the first time we do a hands-on review of a watch at this price point, but we are absolutely thrilled to tell you everything about it. The new Gorilla Watches were recently officially launched by Octavio Garcia —former Chief Artistic Officer at Audemars Piguet for more than a decade— and his business partner Lukas Gopp —a former employee of brands like IWC, Sector, Ralph Lauren Watches and Audemars Piguet.
Budget Watches: New Seven Friday M1 Watch. The Traveling Watch Prototype We Woke Up With and Brought to Chicago With Us.
Since today is Friday, why not post the history behind this new Seven Friday M1 watch presented at Basel a couple of weeks ago. As you probably can imagine, the parties and after-parties during the week of Baselworld can get a little intense and out of control. Even when our friends from Seven Friday didn't have a booth or pavilion at Baselworld 2014, they did throw a great party kitty-corner from the main exhibition hall at the Fair & Square Restaurant right next door to the Swissôtel and brought with them some novelties.
Seven Friday is a brand that in a little bit over a year, has quickly become a very interesting 'watch phenomena' thanks to their viral marketing efforts and their huge solid fan base on Instagram. While we are not huge Seven Friday fans because of their use of automatic Japanese Miyota movements, we do have to say that we love their designs and that we find their watches very appealing and very reasonably priced. If you want a cool, inexpensive mechanical watch, look no further.
If you follow us on Instagram, you probably have already read the crazy story behind this prototype of the new Seven Friday M1 watch we are featuring here. Now, if you don't follow us on Instagram, you then need to go there and follow us, but regardless, here's the full story for you.
Upon our arrival at the Seven Friday party during Baselworld 2014, a good friend that represents the brand in the U.S. strapped this prototype of the new Seven Friday M1 to our right wrist. After several rounds of drinks, tons of collective wristshots with our good friends from Watch-Anish, MCT Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, SLYDE, Icebox Diamonds & Watches, Seven Friday USA and even Seven Friday Mexico —represented by 'Los Hermanos Coraje' as we like to call them—, a food feast at a delicious Indian Restaurant and a very long train ride back to Zürich, we woke up the next morning with the watch still on our wrist. Here are some pics that should sum up the crazy night.
After contacting our friend to inform him about the watch that came with us the night before, he said: "just keep it", little did he know that what we had on the wrist was the prototype for the new Seven Friday M1. A day later, as we are heading back to Chicago and we are riding the tram between terminals at Zürich's airport, we were approached by two gentleman from Singapore asking us how we had gotten the new Seven Friday M1. We shared with them the crazy story behind the watch and we proceeded to take one of our usual collective wrist shots to celebrate the encounter.
To make a long story short, we landed in Chicago with the watch still on and surprised by a voice mail from Seven Friday asking for the watch back. Finally, after posting a few pictures of the watch on our Instagram and after taking some very close and personal pictures for our readers, we shipped the prototype of the new Seven Friday M1 back to its rightful owner. These macro shots should give you an excellent idea of what this new watch looks like and what they have in store for you later this year. One thing we love about this new model is that the hours, minutes and seconds are indicated by rotating discs with their respective apertures and with no hands at all. Nicely done Seven Friday!
Lastly, here's the picture that we took of the watch inside our Porsche that ended up circling the globe around Instagram after several watch blogs reposted it. Unfortunately, the guys from Seven Friday Venezuela felt it was OK to repost our picture without giving us photo credit and created a whole mess between us and some very close friends that reposted the image without knowing it was ours. Fortunately all is good now but remember, credit to whom credit is due.
Sticker Price Approximately $1,600 USD. For more info on Seven Friday click here.
