A little history of watches and several advices for buying the perfect watch. LUC XPS 1860 Officer Royal Arms of England 40mm 18k white gold case, black alligator leather strap. Beneath its demure Swiss dial, Chopard’s new special edition LUC XPS has a supremely English core. Created to commemorate the new flagship boutique on New Bond Street, London, it features a hinged case back covering engraved with a Richard I lion motif, which swings open to reveal an ultra-thin movement powered by a 22k gold micro-rotor. The 40mm watch comes in 18k white gold with a dial decorated with hand-guilloché detailing, contributing to the receipt of its Poinçon de Genève hallmark, a rubber-stamping of horological excellence. Only available in the UK and limited to eight pieces, you’ll need to mount your own crusade to get your hands on one.
Let’s move on to the under 1000 USD category. While the circa $10 Casio F91W-1 probably also deserves a place on a list like this, we’ll begin with the awesome World Time just to avoid Casio-overload. But the Japanese brand is undeniably strong in this price point with tough, reliable, dirt-cheap watches. Oh, and some people find them to be quite stylish as well. This Casio World Time offers all these attributes and more (including world time, calendar, and alarms) with a dash of retro-futuristic nostalgia, and it’s surprisingly robust for such a great price. Using an automatic movement based on an old caliber originally from Seiko, the Orient 3 Star is a simple, utilitarian automatic akin to the Seiko 5. While there’s not much in the way of fit and finish, it does have a well-proportioned 37.5mm case, a stainless steel bracelet and a colorful dial. Its as simple of an automatic watch that you can get, but therein lies its charm.
Based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Longines was founded in 1832 and its winged hourglass logo is the oldest registered trademark of any watch brand. The HydroConquest is as serious a diving watch as it sounds, water resistant to 1,000 feet, making it a reliable companion underwater. The steel band gives it heft and durability, and overall it’s designed to be the perfect combination of style and technical innovation complete with an automatic movement. No distinguished gentleman should be without a Movado watch. What other way to showcase your sub-luxury wealth and style than with this timeless chronograph model, which draws inspiration from the brand’s fashion-forward ‘50s collection? The Calendoplan is masterfully designed, from the luminous hands and markers to the black, blue, and gold colorway, which is eye-catching yet neutral enough to pair with most outfits.
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