Is Time to Shop for Watches at the Mall Again?

Over the holidays, I had a chance to shop for watches at a shopping mall for the first time in ages. The experience made me wonder about how much malls have declined in favor of online shopping. It also made me wonder if it just might be time to start shopping at the mall once again.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, shopping malls were the place to be.  For teens and young adults, malls offered a great chance to get out, walk around, exercise independence, play video games, eat at the food court, interact, and shop for fashionable merchandise. For families, it was a place to get things they needed for family members of all ages and it co-located a number of merchants that had products families needed.

Fast forward 20 or 30 years. Now, everything we need is available for delivery at the click of a mouse. We can buy almost anything online. But, we can't buy one thing: a place to be. If all the brick-n-mortar stores are gone, where will we go when we leave the house? 

If you are looking for a nice place to hang out and you don't live at a beach or in the mountains, you might be out of luck. It's not like fast growing cities with valuable real estate are keeping up with the demand for public parks and public spaces. If you live in a big city, public spaces and parks seem to be overrun by drug abusers, mentally ill people, and the homeless. The parks that are nice aren't much fun when all 6 million people in a city seem to show up there at one time. Of course, the purpose of this blog isn't to solve all of these political issues.  That's something to debate elsewhere. But, I would suggest that we might just want to keep the option of hanging out at the mall. Amazon doesn't even have a food court.

The Jewelry and Watch Department at a JC Penney store in suburban Atlanta

Watch shoppers can benefit from seeing the merchandise. In visiting three malls in the Atlanta area, I found that there were excellent opportunities to see and potentially handle watches from many different brands. Prices for last minute shoppers were also in the same general range as Amazon prices. When it comes to more expensive watches, a visit to a department store or a jeweler can be invaluable. An in person visit is a good way to see if you really like a watch. Next time you want to buy a watch or get a watch battery replaced, you might want to pop down to the mall.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: George Watch with Black Bezel

Merry Christmas from thewatchdude.com.  I hope that you and yours have the greatest of holidays and the best New Year.  I really appreciate the time you've spent with me visiting this blog. I hope that you have the time to enjoy with your family and friends and watches to wear to the most festive of occasions.

A George watch from Walmart with a cool bezel

For the watch wearing Wednesday portion of this post, I like to share a humble watch that I call my George Blanc Pain.  It's not really a Blanc Pain, but the sleek and smooth bezel on this Walmart George-brand watch reminds me of one. It's just a watch that costs less than $15.  But, it looks nice and tells the time quite well.  A watch like this is a reminder that the important thing is to know what time it is, value the time, and spend it well.

A George watch

Watches for Christmas 2024

Some Fun Watch Photos for Christmas

Are you all set for Christmas? I thought this might be a good time to share some of the Christmas oriented watch photos that I've taken lately. Everyone was recently ogling my Kenneth Cole New York watch with transparent dial. This guy was nuts over it.

A Nutcracker goes crazy for my Kenneth Cole New York Watch

Of course, he wasn't the only Christmas Character to like Kenneth Cole watches. This Kenneth Cole REACTION watch generated quite the reaction from Santa himself! It obviously made his list.

This Santa likes the Kenneth Cole REACTION watch in icy blue.

This Santa looks a little tired.  Perhaps he is just looking forward to the off-season with this US Polo Assn watch.  Reindeer polo anyone?

Another Santa is happy with a US Polo Assn quartz watch

Of course, when you least expect it, the Grinch comes along to threaten everything.  You have to watch out for Grinches, they ruin everything.

This Grinch is lusting after my Invicta DNA Military Heritage Watch

I hope you take the time to have a merry little Christmas yourself free from all the world's Grinches!

Last Minute Watch Shopping at Ross or TJ Maxx

Christmas is right around the corner. If you need a gift quick, you might dash into Ross or TJ Maxx and pickup a watch. They usually have nice ones. At Ross, you are looking at prices from $15 to about $70 for a man's watch. At TJ Maxx, you may be looking at $40 to $150.  However, if your city has an exclusive runway or boutique TJ Maxx, those locations may have watches that go all the way up to $1200 or so. However, you can count on these Brick-n-Mortar stores to have something decent for last minute Christmas shoppers 

A Gucci Watch at TJ Maxx

You'll have to poke around online to find out about where those stores are near you. If you see an $1100 watch in your TJ Maxx, you might actually be in one.

Watch Brands I Trust at Ross

Ross is a closeout store so selections can vary quite a bit. At Ross, lately, you can find brands like Joseph Abboud, American Exchange (A/X), Geoffrey Beene, Ed Hardy, Steve Madden, Reaction by Kenneth Cole, and Van Heusen. 

They also typically have a limited selection of Invicta watches. Sometimes you can find brands like Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, or BOSS. You'll also might find some branded watches from clothing fashion brands like Timberland, Wrangler, or Lucky brand. Every once in awhile, you might find a Bulova. Of all these brands, I like Hilfiger, Invicta, and Nautica the best.  These brands usually have watches that look good and fall in the $60 to $75 sweet spot. If you are looking for fun, stocking stuffer, watches Ed Hardy, Steve Madden, and Geoffrey Beene watches offer interesting looks for about $20.

Watches at Ross

There can be some shortcomings in buying watches at Ross. In my experience, BOSS and Joseph Abboud sometimes have too short of a watch strap. If a watch is ticking and doesn't have a crown stopper in place, it may have been running for a long time. Don't be surprised if you have to replace the battery a little sooner than normal.

Watch Brands I Trust at TJ Maxx

My local TJ Maxx stores tend to have some more expensive watch brands. But, you can often find Invicta watches for as low at $55. I even saw one that was too small for me priced at $40 in December 2024. Recently I picked up this Invicta Speedway watch for just under $60 at a local TJ Maxx.

An Invicta Speedway Watch from TJ Maxx

Over the years, I've bought cool watches from brands like Bulova, Diesel, and Invicta at TJ Maxx.  Since we have both a runway and a boutique TJ Maxx nearby in the Atlanta area, I've also seen watches by Gucci, Movado and Versace for sale. They are much more than $60. I'm sure all the high end brands are very nice, but I trust watches from Bulova, Diesel, and Invicta to be great choices in my price range.

Movado Watches at TJ Maxx

It's always fun to see some out of the ordinary watches and I'm glad to see some of them show up in Ross and TJ Maxx. I also appreciate some of the high end brands like Gucci allowing some of their watches to make it into upscale closeout store locations. It's nice when everyone can have a chance to see some of their great products and even take a crack at buying them from time to time.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: Venezianico Redentore Avventurina 40

I am seriously in lust with the watches of a relatively new watch brand based in Italy:  Venezianico.  Established in 2017, they have five collections that cover sport, dive, racing, skeleton, and dress watch styles. But, the watch that has really captured my imagination is called the Venezianico Redentore Avventurina. It has a dial made of a fine Venetian glass material called Aventurine. Glass infused with flecks of copper, Aventurine looks like a field of stars against a black sky. My screen capture from their website doesn't do this watch justice.  You'll just need to poke around on their website:  https://us.venezianico.com/. 

A Veneziancio Redentore Avventurina 40

The brand has adopted the medieval crosses typically found in the architecture of Venetian churches and cathedrals as its logo. Prices are competitive with brands like Nivada Grenchen and Movado. I think these watches are amazing looking.

TGIF: Is it time for Invicta again?

A Fresh Look at Invicta Watches

It's been fashionable among many watch collectors to sneer at Invicta watches.  Over the years, they've come under ridicule as a staple of various home shopping television channels and late night infomercials.  However, when I look into my Invicta watch case, I see that it is filled with interesting watches from mild to wild that have a real presence on my wrist and that get noticed.

My case full of Invicta watches

Why Some Collectors Sneer At Invicta

There are plenty of good reasons for all that ridicule. After all, Invicta was an old Swiss brand that was bought by an entrepreneur and lost a bit of connection to its history. They've been known to have suggested sky high retail prices for their watches so that every "sale price" offered seems like the bargain of the century. They've gone over the top with many of their styling choices with huge, thick, dials, metal ropes, and hatches and other accoutrements dedicated to form rather than function. They have enough gold toned watches to make New Jersey blush. Many of them are manufactured in China. But, still, there is something about Invicta watches that captures your attention. There is something about them that makes people stop and say, "Hey, nice watch!" I think it might be time to stop making fun of Invicta watches and just enjoy them with a sense of joy, fun, and glee.

An Invicta DNA Watch in front of the Apollo 16 Command Module

Why Collectors Should Give Invicta A Second Look

If you watch the watch industry and you watch the rise of the Microbrand watches, you'll see that many of them are using the exact same strategies and tactics as Invicta. The upstarts just lack the dockside chats from Miami. Let's look at some of the reasons people cite to sneer at Invicta and why they should stop sneering and have fun collecting.

Chinese Manufacturing. If you look at many of the microbrands and many of the established brands, many are manufacturing watches in Asia. It's been difficult for US companies to achieve "Made in USA" standards to use that label here in the US.  The standards for "Swiss Made" are lower and allow many of the fabled manufacturers to use components sourced from Asia. Many new brands are named to resemble old brands and evoke that old world watchmaker charm.  Some like Boderry are unabashedly Chinese. Invicta offers many "Swiss Made" watches and many more watches with Swiss or Japanese made movements. I've never had a quality issue with one of my Invicta watches even going back to my circa 2012 Invicta 1460 Vintage Collection watch.

My Invicta Men's 1460 Vintage Collection Watch

Watch Brand Revival. As a Swiss company founded in 1837, Invicta went bankrupt in the 1980s. According to Wikipedia, they were revived by a European company called Onix S.A. and that also went bankrupt. The company was bought again out of bankruptcy by American investors and the company was re-established in 1991. While Invicta may have been one of the first, and most radical, of brand revivals, today there are many other revival brands including Nivada-Grenchen, Universal Genève, and Vulcain. Keeping an established brand alive and reviving it through innovation and marketing is just good business.

My Invicta Sub Aqua Noma III commands attention

Deep Price Discounting. Sometimes it seems like the world is literally awash in watches that are 48% off.  On Amazon, I've seen deep discounts on brands like Bulova that have run for quite a long time. New brands like Lilienthal Berlin regularly have deep discounts that bring their watches down to affordable price points. When you see the low prices people pay for Asian-sourced watches on sights like alibaba or aliexpress, it's not surprising.  You can find your own cheap prices on Invicta watches at retailers like TJ Maxx or Ross or online at Amazon, or at invictastores.com

My Invicta Pro Diver (Model 6981)

Tacky styling. Some Invicta designs are definitely out there, but they get noticed. There is a place for staid and serious watch designs. Invicta even has some low key designs and even a low key professional-looking brand or two. But, the interesting watches are the ones that make collecting fun. I won't wear a crazy huge Invicta when I need to project executive presence, attend a church, or attend a funeral.  But, as a long-time work-from-home technology worker, I can wear watches that please me. On a typical day, my watch choices are just for me, my wife, the barista, and the internet. I have the freedom to wear any watch that I find fun. If the barista can afford the same watch, that's even more fun.

My Invicta Specialty Pro Diver swims with the ducks

Ultimately, if Invicta has a design you like, just buy it and enjoy it. Life and watch collecting is much more fun that way. To see Invicta watches and make your own judgments, visit Invicta watches for men on Amazon here.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Fossil Brox Multifunction Watch

As Christmas approaches, I find myself wearing my new Fossil Brox Multifunction watch quite regularly.  It's a comfortable quartz watch with a large 50mm diameter case and very readable dial.

The Fossil Brox Multifunction Watch Close Up

The watch has remarkable presence on the wrist and looks good from every angle.  The bezel has dive markings, but is non-rotating.  The subdial functions provide the day, date, and 24-hour time.  The subdial settings are easily adjustable via the pusher buttons.  I'll dare say this is the easiest watch that I've ever set.

The Fossil Brox with Christmas Decor in the background

I bought my Fossil Brox from Ross at a close-out price of around $60.  These watches are disappearing fast, but there are still some examples with a smoke gray colored case available via sellers on Amazon here. As Christmas approaches, you really can't go wrong with Fossil or Relic brand watches.  They offer style and quality at good prices.

Trusted Luxury Watch Brands for Every Man

A Gift Givers Guide to Men's Luxury Watches

When it come to horological endeavors, you'll find no match for the peerless quality, artistry, and engineering prowess of the well-known European brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. 

A Rolex Sea Dweller at the Unclaimed Baggage Store

These are the watches of substantial men with wealth, taste, and far larger bank accounts than the rest of us.  Sooooo....

LET'S GET SERIOUS!!!

Trusted Middle Class Luxury Watch Brands

Christmas is right around the corner and people need watch brands that they can trust at prices they can afford. In this post, let's look at luxury watch brands that sensible middle class people can afford. To me, that means that all watches that typically cost thousands of dollars are right out. Fortunately, there are still a few luxury brands that I can afford and that I've come to trust. 

When it comes to luxury watch brands that are well-known and  reasonably attainable, I'll go with four popular brands: Bulova, Movado, Seiko, and Tissot. Each of them has plenty of models that can be found at middle class price ranges from $300 to $1200. These are serious prices for serious timepieces.  They are also attainable luxury for nearly everyone.

A Bulova Precisionist Quartz Watch

Bulova Luxury Watches for Men

Bulova is owned by Seiko, but is headquartered in New York. The company has a rich history as part of American life. Generally, a Bulova watch for men will run $300 to $1500. I currently have four Bulova watches. If you shop sales, you can get great prices on high quality watches. Here is a link to Bulova Men's Watches on Amazon.

A Movado Museum Classic Quartz watch for men

Movado Luxury Watches for Men

Movado watches are another American brand with a long history of manufacturing high quality watches in Switzerland. They are best known for their iconic Museum watches which feature a gold disc in the 12 o'clock position and minimalist dials. Movado watches can be quite expensive. Some Movado watches can be up to $3000, but with smart shopping, you should be able to get a nice one in the $300 to $1000 range. A quartz Museum Classic can be found for $700 and a mechanical one for around $1000. The brand has also experimented with their classic styles to present them in more youthful formats and they can be found in the $300 to $500 range. I don't have a Movado watch yet, but eventually I will get one. Here is a link to Movado Men's Watches on Amazon.

A Seiko Presage Automatic

Seiko Luxury Watches for Men

Seiko is one of Japan's best known and most respected watch brands. They aren't cheap. Grand Seiko and King Seiko models cost thousands of dollars and compete with the best Europe has to offer. When you visit the brand on Amazon, you'll have to scroll down a bit to find regular Seiko models that cost around $1000, from there you can also find many popular models in the $400 to $500 price range that is a sweet spot for many purchasers. For luxury, you might check out the Seiko Presage Automatic Cocktail series of watches.  Here is a link to Seiko Men's Watches on Amazon.

A Tissot Carson Powermatic 80 Automatic Watch

Tissot Luxury Watches for Men

Tissot is a respected Swiss brand that is owned by the Swatch group.  Established in 1853, Tissot provides a wide variety of watches starting at prices as low as $140 on Amazon. The brands watches top out at around $1300 on the popular e-commerce site with plenty falling into the $400 to $500 sweet spot. My first Tissot was the Tissot Carson Powermatic 80 Automatic. It brings old world charm to my wrist and a Swiss movement with a long power reserve. Visit this link to see Tissot Watches for Men on Amazon.

Each of these watch brands brings a unique sense of style and luxury to the wearer.  In the Christmas gift giving season, the quality and expense of each of these brands also signifies the giver's esteem for the recipient. These watches are serious, high quality, gifts. 

Sharp Watch Shout Out: The Casio G-Shock for Imperial Storm Troopers

If anyone needs a break, it has to be the Imperial Storm Troopers from Star Wars. They are constantly getting blasted or cut up with light sabres. It's can't be an easy life. They probably don't even get paid enough to buy official Star Wars merchandise.  Fortunately, I found the perfect watch for them from Casio. It's the Casio G Shock in White (Model GA-700-7ACR).  This watch is a great gift idea for any Star Wars fan or winter warrior.

You can find this great looking watch here on Amazon. This watch is strongly made with 200 meters of water resistance and a shock proof movement.  The resin body of the watch is also shaped to protect the watch dial from impact. If you'd like to get this Casio G-Shock watch or study it further, you can find it here on Amazon.  If you are looking for a less expensive alternative, the Casio Tough Solar in white has the same Star Wars look for even less.  You can check out my post on it here.  These non-Star Wars Star Wars watches are a great buy.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Cushion Case Quartz Watch

Lately, I've been wearing my new Caribbean Joe Cushion Case Quartz Watch. It was the Caribbean Joe watch I sighted a week ago. That's willpower. I held off buying it for a whole day. However, it was a great deal at Kohl's. With all the different coupons and Black Friday deals, I was able to get it for less than $20. It's pictured here at the Unclaimed Baggage store under the watchful gaze of professional diving equipment that was lost in the air transportation system.

A commercial dive mask appears to be looking at my Caribbean Joe Watch

The watch has non-functional subdials for decorative purposes. In some ways, I hate non-functional subdials. However, I'm also a little relieved not to have to fuss with setting the subdials. Once again, Caribbean Joe achieves the mission of achieving good looks on a low budget.

Titanium Tuesday: The Bertucci Men's A-2T Original Classic Field Watch

Bertucci is a small watch company that is quickly making a name for itself.  Bertucci designs and patents many of its watches and components in the United States and assembles the watches in the United States using a mix of US and globally sourced parts. They have the Bertucci A-2T Original Classic with a 40mm diameter  Titanium case. I've been looking at field watches for quite some time and this one is a good choice.

Bertucci A-2T Original Classic Titanium Watch

The watch has some impressive features that make it field ready.  Quicksand, swamps, and river fording are all easily undertaken since the watch has a screwdown crown and screwdown caseback that provides 200 meters of water resistance. It also has an R-Type harden mineral crystal for scratch resistance. The watch has a Japanese or Swiss quartz movement.

The Bertucci A-2T Original Classic Titanium Field Watch is listed on Amazon here.

Sharp Watch Shoutout: The Bulova Super Seville

The hot trend in men's watches right now is the return of dress watches and the return of smaller dial sizes. Perhaps it is due to the mass realization that we won't all be SCUBA diving today? Or, maybe, it's a matter of men making the best of return to the office mandates? I'm not sure. But, it has certainly surfaced some interesting watches lately. The Bulova Super Seville (Model 97B223) brings together a high tech Precisionist quartz movement, the richness of a gold tone, and the best of retro style. This is a watch that really deserves a sharp watch shout out!

Bulova Super Seville (Bulova photo)

Sometimes, I think that gold-toned stainless steel watches with fluted bezels are simply copying the famed Rolex Datejust. But, Bulova brings in an interesting twist with what they call a retro TV case shape. The iconic tuning fork also brings in a touch of class. The 262 kHz Precisionist movement brings in technology that brings extraordinary timekeeping and a smooth, almost sweeping, motion to the second hand. I think Bulova has brought together a unique package with the Super Seville.

Bulova Super Seville - Bulova Photo

Finally, I can't really afford this watch. But, at about $500 to $800, it's not entirely out of reach either. If I had to suit up on a regular basis and interact with executives or argue cases in a courtroom, this watch would be a great choice. Heck, in a situation where business casual means a nice dress shirt with no tie, a great pair of slacks, and really nice shoes, the Bulova Super Seville would be a great choice. 

I can really envision this watch as part of a very sharp outfit for a high profile job. But, I can't see it on Amazon yet.  If you'd like a Bulova Super Seville, you can find it here on the Bulova Website. The watch is also available at Zales, Reeds, and other jewelers.  For something this nice, it might be good to see it in person and have the bracelet adjusted as needed.

Watch Shopping at the Unclaimed Baggage Store

I recently added a Diesel Mega Chief to my collection. With a 51mm diameter dial, it's an iconic big watch design from Diesel.  It's a quartz watch with subdials and an interesting metal shield or guard around the 3 o'clock position.  You can read all about, and possibly buy, this great watch here on Amazon. For me, the source of my watch is the more interesting story.  I bought this watch used at the Unclaimed Baggage store in Scottsboro, Alabama.  It has some wear  and tear, but it was only $54.

My Diesel Mega Chief

According to the Unclaimed Baggage store website, whenever airlines lose passenger bags or recover items left behind on airliners or in airport terminals, they try to find the owner for 3 months.  Then, they sell the goods to Unclaimed Baggage.  They recycle some, donate some, and sell the best at their retail store and online.  Getting to the brick-n-mortar store is quite a journey, but they have some amazing items at often amazing prices. You can see a tiny fraction of their inventory on the watch portion of their website.

Watches Priced from $30 to $59 at the Unclaimed Baggage Store

The store segments watches into price categories.  They have tons of inexpensive (less than $30) digital and analog fashion watches hung from pegs on displays out on the sales floor of the jewelry section.  Under the counter, the store has watches usefully segments by price up to about $300 or $400.  Above that, they have luxury watch displays with brands like Movado and then even more expensive brands like Nivada, Tudor, and Rolex. Store management generally has a good idea of what watches are worth from various used watch stores, online auctions and the like. You can get some good discounts from new prices, but you won't find a Tudor watch with a scuffed strap for $200.

The shop offers battery replacement for $4.99 on watches you purchase.  That is probably a good idea since you don't know how long the watches on display have been ticking.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Timex Tribute NCAA Team Logo Watch

It's always great to be a Florida Gator watching your team trounce FSU while attacking a big plate of ultimate nachos with chili! I bring this watch out pretty regularly when I go somewhere to watch my team play.  Timex makes watches for fans to show their support for many college football teams.  You can read my review of the Timex Tribute Citation here on this blog.

Timex Citation Tribute Series Watch

This 42mm diameter Timex Citation has a 50 meters of water resistance, Indiglo-backlighting for easy night time reading of the dial, and a small date window.  Watches for 45 college teams are available here on Amazon.  Overall, this is a nice watch that I wear regularly.

Titanium Tuesday: Boderry Landmaster Men's Titanium Automatic Field Watch

For this Titanium Tuesday, we turn our attention to an offering from Boderry. Established in 2019, Boderry is an unabashedly Chinese watch company. They are focused on harnessing Chinese advantages in manufacturing (with their own factory in Guangzhou) to bring high end watches to consumers at very competitive prices.  For example, this Boderry Landmaster  automatic field watch offers a titanium case, an automatic movement, and 100 meters of water resistance for a low base price of $139 on the Boderry website and slightly less here on Amazon. 

Boderry Landmaster Titanium Field Watch

You'll want to do your own research into these watches. But, it is interesting to watch the rise of factory direct and factory brand watches in the watch business. Being the middle man between watch manufacturers and consumers may certainly get to be more challenging in the future.

Watch Sighting: Caribbean Joe Silver Tone Four Dial Watch

Caribbean Joe watches are like potato chips. You can't stop with just one. They are just a guilty pleasure.  They have a cool name. They have a little hut logo on the dial. They are dirt cheap.

The trademark Caribbean Joe hut

I saw one at Kohl's the other night. It was tucked into a display with several other similarly priced Caribbean Joe watches, some Geneva watches, and a few assorted Timex models. 

A Watch Display at Kohls

I passed on it. Instead, I bought a Geneva watch with a cool cyclops over the date. But, the little bugger imprinted itself in my brain.  It has a cushion case which reminds me of a classic watch that I've seen before.  The cushion case gives this Caribbean Joe watch a vintage vibe and, with the multiple non-functional subdials, it remains a masculine watch.  It's a nice simple design. I kind of want it.  As I research cushion cases further, I find that iconic Italian watch maker Panerai uses cushion cases extensively on their Luminor and Radiomir models.  [Oh, wow, here's a whole Amazon treasure trove filled with Panerai watches that I can't afford.]

A Caribbean Joe watch with a cushion case and non-functional subdials.

In contrast, this Caribbean Joe watch only costs $29.99 regularly and is available with all kinds of sales and discounts for Christmas. Of course, as a married dude, one doesn't walk into Kohl's lightly. The trip might be expensive. I may have to ponder this one a bit.

[For today only 12/1/2024 - it is available here online only on the Kohl's website for only $16.79.]