Searching for Watch Authenticity? Try the Timex Easy Reader

Lately, there have been many allegations that some of the world's most prestigious Swiss watch brands are actually selling watches that have largely been made in China. This accusation extends beyond the world of watches into other high fashion items like Italian leather goods. Since the threshold for the Swiss Made label is fairly low, there is lots of wiggle room for manufacturers. It's a whole big thing. It's also quite the rabbit hole. The controversy makes this the perfect time to take a look at a basic watch that is definitely made overseas: the Timex Easy Reader.

Most Timex watches are made in their Cebu manufacturing facility in the Philippines. According to Timex, 80% of their watches are manufactured, assembled, or shipped from the Cebu plant. It's a vertically-integrated factory that can make just about every aspect of a watch. You can see a video of this factory here on the Ablogtowatch youtube channel.

Timex Easy Readers have long been derided as grandpa watches or for people with bad eyesight. They are a great watch for Father's Day. But, over the years, the colors and straps have quietly been evolving. Frankly, this is a pretty good looking watch. The watch has a 38mm case which is on trend for a move towards slightly smaller cases. According to Timex, the 20mm strap fits wrists up to 8-inches in circumference. This is timekeeping without pretension or artifice.

The Easy Reader is also a watch that sells for a very reasonable price. As of this writing (June 2025), you can get it on Amazon for 10% off. Check the Easy Reader out here on Amazon!

Wristwatch Review: Armitron 20/5573 Stainless Steel Tachymeter Watch

Armitron is putting out some fantastic looking watches at affordable prices. This one is Model 20/5573. It's a day-date watch with a black dial and tachymeter markings on a bold blue bezel.

Armitron Model 20/5573 Tachymeter-style Stainless Steel Watch

Watch Features

This watch is straight forward and readable. In this sub-$50 watch category, you don't get any special features beyond the day-date. There is no actual stop watch functionality. 

Armitron 20/5573 Stainless Steel Tachymeter Watch

Watch Construction

I really appreciate that this watch has all stainless steel construction. The case, bracelet, and caseback all have the strength of real steel. It has a flat mineral glass crystal. The watch has 50-meters of water reistance. The hour batons appear to be chrome foil pieces that are applied, not painted on. The date window is also trimmed with chrome. The hour and minute hands have a little strip of fairly weak lume on them.

Armitron 20/5573 Stainless Steel Tachymeter Watch

I really like that the push button deployant watch bracelet is removeable and replaceable. Unfortunately, many less expensive watches have integrated bracelets that are difficult to resize and/or upgrade. If needed, you can also get extra links through the Armitron website. 

Watch Dimensions

This Armitron watch has presence on the wrist with a 45mm case that is 10.5mm thick. The band is 7.5 inches long and very exactly fits my wrist. To be honest, it's just a tad snug. A longer bracelet with the ability to make micro-adjustments would be welcomed. 

Overall Impression

Overall, I like the Model 20/5573 from Armitron. It looks good and I think it is a good value for the money. Armitron watches are not expensive and, yet, they are still real watches. If you'd like to take a closer look at this watch, check it out here on Amazon:

Armitron 20/5573 Tachymeter-Style Watch

What's the Cheapest Orient Automatic Watch on Amazon

Continuing our quest for inexpensive classics on Amazon, I'm checking into the automatic watches of Orient. Long an independent brand and now a subsidiary of Seiko, Orient has long made attractive and affordable automatic watches. In June of 2025, I found three inexpensive Orient models that are very worth a close look. The cheapest Orient watch on Amazon is this Orient TriStar Automatic with a champagne dial. It's a direct descendent of the Orient TriStar models that have been popular all over the world since the model line was introduced in the 1970s.

The Orient Tri-Star (RA-AB0F11 G) - Amazon Photo

This watch earns a 4.4 rating with 13 reviews. It also retails for less than $140. However, this watch isn't a hand-winding watch. It is powered by your movements.  That means you need to shake it for a bit before you wear it.  For watches like this, I usually do arm curls and twirl it around a bit. You can check out this Orient Tri-Star here on Amazon. Since I don't wear champagne (uh...that looks pink) watches myself, I'm also going to highlight another Orient alternative that is inexpensive and just down right cool.

Orient Ray II with Rubber Strap (Amazon Photo)

This is the Orient Men's Ray II (above) with a Rubber Strap. This one has a brilliant blue dial and is a more modern automatic. It can be hand-wound and is also powered via your movements. It also has 200-meters of water resistance and a 120-click unidirectional bezel. At less than $175, this watch is quite affordable and you can find it here on Amazon. Orient has been making automatic watches for over 65 years and they have a history of delivering value to customers all over the world. This watch has earned 4.5 stars from over 261 reviews. Don't be surprised if I don't snatch this watch up soon!

TGIF: Should We Still Hate Stuhrling Original?

Stuhrling Original is a brand many watch enthusiasts love to hate. It's a New York based brand that claims inspiration from classic Swiss watchmakers. But, they pride themselves in making watches in modern Chinese watch factories. Many of their watches are obvious homages to classic models from brands like Rolex. Like Invicta, they have been infamous for greatly inflating the manufacturer's suggested retail prices of their watches in order to offer "incredible" discounts and sales prices. 

My Stuhrling Original Model 946 03 Winchester Quartz Transparent Dial Watch

My question: should we still hate Stuhrling Original? I'm not so sure that we should. Here are four reasons to consider buying a Stuhrling Original watch:

1. Good Watches. 

Geopolitics aside, China makes pretty decent watches. Stuhrling isn't the only company making watches in that country. Many respected brands are manufacturing in China and many of the elite Swiss brands incorporate some degree of Chinese components. Stuhrling Original has been open about their Chinese manufacturing from early on. Some may consider that more honest than Switzerland's elite brands that have been very liberal about their interpretation of the "Swiss Made" definition that requires 60% of a watches economic value to be created in Switzerland.

2. Many Retailers Discount. 

Stuhrling isn't the only company with high prices and steep discounts. Other watch brands offer big price markdown on Amazon and in other venues. Plus, there are whole department store chains that rely on perceived savings from sales, rewards bucks, and credit card price reductions. The hyperbole that seemed new and deceptive when Stuhrling Original started is commonplace now.  This Stuhrling Original was originally marketed as the Sturhling Original Concorso Raceway watch. Now, it's marked as being 77% off here on Amazon.

Stuhrling Original Chronograph Watch (Amazon photo)

3. The World is Full of Homage Watches.

Some watch enthusiasts rail at perceived lesser brands like Invicta and Stuhrling Original because they make homage watches that look like much more expensive prestige watches. However, some of these old favorite watches were released decades ago and aren't fully protected by active patents. It's not surprising that many brands mimic the icons. You'll find rotating bezels and familiar dive watch markings on watches made by everyone from Armitron to Timex. This Stuhrling Original Depthmaster from Amazon fits right in there and at 76% off so does it's price. It costs exactly what a Chinese-made Rolex homage watch should at well less than $100. 

Stuhrling Original Depthmaster (Amazon Photo)

4. Value for the Money. 

The wealthy can continue to support the elite brands and I hope they always do. But, these elite brands have made it perfectly clear that they are not for the rest of us. We may dream. We may scrimp. We may save. But, for most of us, a prestige watch might not be a good use of scarce resources. In the meantime, Stuhrling Original watches are pretty good watches when you consider their actual sub-$100 prices. You can buy a nice looking watch for less than $100 and you can go on about your day.

Ultimately, we all have to make our own purchasing decisions. But, I'm not sure that we should blindly hate certain brands.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: A Caribbean Joe Ranger Alternative?

 Only a few days ago, I was discussing the plethora of homage watches in the marketplace. That very weekend, I came across a very cool watch at Burlington for just $14.99. Of course, the watch was from Caribbean Joe. But, the layout of the dial seems quite familiar for some odd reason. What does it remind you of?

A Caribbean Joe watch that is mine and a Ferrari that is not mine.

This watch from Caribbean Joe might actually be a great bang around alternative to the Tudor Ranger. At least, the numbers and the hash marks on the dial line up at all the right places. Of course, the way a Caribbean Joe watch is used would vary quite a bit from the way you might use a Tudor Ranger.  For example, if you need to swim, you might want to leave the Caribbean Joe watch in a shoe on the beach.

My Caribbean Joe watch in better focus.

Unlike the Tudor Ranger, the Caribbean Joe watch does come with a sunray dial design and the ability to keep good time for a couple of years due to its quartz movement.  But, in terms of brand prestige, waterproofing, case metallurgy, crystal durability, and a million other things, the Tudor Ranger is a far better watch. On the other hand, the Caribbean Joe watch comes with a hut and a palm tree right on the dial. It's a good place to go during a hard day of work. It's a tough call. Unfortunately, the Caribbean Joe watch isn't available on Amazon so you'll have to go with the Tudor Ranger here. I'm kidding. Check for Caribbean Joe watches at Boscov's or Kohl's in person or online or see if they have some of these fun watches at your local Burlington store.

Watch Deal Alert: Citizen Eco-Drive Garrison Blue Dial 3-Hand Date Watch

The Citizen Eco-Drive Garrison watch is an Amazon Deal again! This time, a blue dial version of this solar-powered field watch is on sale for an amazing 56% off! The watch has a 42mm diameter stainless steel case, a date window, traditional field watch markings, a leather strap, and 100-meters of water resistance. In other words, this Garrison is ready to deploy to the field! 

This Citizen is the perfect watch for summer activities: camping, hiking, fishing, and more. You can check it out here on Amazon.

Five Alternatives to the Rolex Day-Date President Watch

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date "President" watch has long been popular with U.S. Presidents and other leaders around the world. Lyndon Johnson was the US President who popularized the watch. But, other presidents including John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have worn Rolex President watches.

Rolex Day-Date Presidential Watch - Fabian Peiffer, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Since it's introduction in 1956, elements of this popular Rolex watch have worked their way into many other watch designs from a variety of brands around the world. 

Watches Inspired by Rolex

From merely inspired to obvious homage watches, we'll take a look at a few timepieces that clearly draw upon the Rolex Day-Date President for inspiration.

1. Bulova Classic Surveyor Watch

The Bulova Classic Surveyor is a quartz watch that incorporates all the day-date functionality into a rich looking quartz package. By omitting the fluted dial, this Bulova keeps away from being a direct copy, but keeps an upscale look that is very practical. As of this writing (June 2025), this Bulova is 46% off at this link on Amazon.com.

Bulova Classic Survey Quartz Watch (Amazon photo)

Moving beyond the Bulova, you can bring in more and different design elements to evoke that classic look. It's interesting to see how different elements of the style come together for customers.

2. Mathey-Tissot Mathey 3 Automatic Watch

Named after one of the founders of Mathey-Tissot, flutes and a date cyclops join together on the styling Mathey-Tissot Mathey 3 Automatic watch for men. This watch brings together the flash of a fluted dial and a Swiss Automatic movement for a classy watch at a relatively low price. You can check out the Mathey-Tissot Mathey 3 in blue here on Amazon.

Mathey-Tissot Mathey III automatic

If you want to nail the Rolex President look, you may have to dive deeper into homage watches. There are several that mimic the President look.

3. NIBOSI Stainless Steel Quartz Day Date Watch

Starting out with the lowest price Rolex President homage brings us to a Chinese watch maker called Nibosi. They've nailed the Rolex President look--from a distance.  Up close, the dial reads "Superlative Chonometery." 

The watch comes in 28 different color and dial combinations including ones with Roman numerals instead of crystals. It's less than $35 and might be worth taking a chance on. You can find it here on Amazon. 

4. Peugeot 14K All Gold Plated Big Face Watch

If you need to nail the look and bring the bling. I think this Peugeot watch (available here on Amazon) really brings the look to every man's wrist at an affordable price. This watch is plated with 14-carat gold and is powered by a Seiko movement.

5. Cadisen Men's Miyota Automatic Day-Date Watch

This Cadisen also nails the look and provides a reliable Miyota Automatic movement with 100-meters of water resistance. It's a fun watch with a nice one-two combination punch of looks and capability. It gets 4.2 stars about of 5 in 72 reviews on Amazon. If gold feels like too much flash for you, Cadisen has several color and dial combinations that allow you to tone it down a bit. This gives you a chance to enjoy the light playing across the flutes and all the functionality of the watch without looking like a complete clone.

If you like the look of this watch, you can check it out here on Amazon. 

None of these watches will ever have the same meaning as a genuine Rolex President. Like it or not, Rolex (and particularly the President) symbolize achievement, authority, and power. It's an ultimate status symbol watch. However, when you step back from the Rolex crown and all the prestige and mystique surrounding a real Rolex, it's clear that the beauty and functionality of the original Rolex design still shines through in these homage timepieces.

[Are you intrigued by other Rolex designs? Are you saddled with the budget of a mere mortal? Don't worry, here are some watches that might be affordable alternatives to a Rolex Explorer.]

What's the cheapest Seiko 5 on Amazon?

Sometimes it's interesting to look for the cheapest watch models available from a company just to see what it would take to get into collecting their watches. Today, I'm starting with one of the longest running and most affordable lines of Seiko automatic watches: the Seiko 5. The cheapest Seiko 5 on Amazon has a very traditional Seiko shield and a truly vintage look. It's the Seiko 5 (Model SNKK67) and it costs less than $125.

Seiko 5 Model SNKK67 (Amazon Photo)

The watch has a very solid reputation and earns 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon with over 129 ratings and reviews. But, the watch isn't without some drawbacks. The main drawback is that the watch can't be wound by hand and has to be shaken many times for the rotor to be wound and activated. If the wearer isn't somewhat active during the day, the watch may go dead shortly after the work day comes to an end. I find that it is more convenient when you can wind a watch yourself by hand and keep it wound with a bit of movement during the day. This Seiko 5 also doesn't have a hacking feature to allow you to stop the watch and set it precisely. This watch has a very vintage vibe. You can check this watch out on here on Amazon.

TGIF: The Plethora of Homage Watches

There are many watches that have been inspired by the classic watch designs of famed watchmakers. In some cases, there is a feature or two that work their way into a design, in other cases a watch may be created as an homage to a classic watch and may look nearly identical save for some branding, and finally there are some watches are counterfeit watches that illegally infringe on trademarked brand logos by copying them completely.

A Genuine Rolex Sea Dweller Dive Watch

Why are there so many homage watches?

One of the things that opens the gates to homage watches and the incorporation of features into modern watches from many watch brands is the sheer age of the iconic designs. I'm not a hardcore student of classic brands that I can't afford, but look at when some of the most iconic watch designs were introduced by their manufacturers:

• Rolex Datejust (1945)
• Rolex Submariner (1953)
• Rolex Explorer (1953)
• Blancpain Fifty Fathoms (1953)
• Omega Seamaster 300 (1957)
• Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (1963)

I'm no legal expert, but in the United States, a utility patent protecting the inner mechanisms of an invention like a watch is good for 20 years. A design patent protecting aspects of the watch shape is good for 15 years. It's no wonder that the doors are wide open for homage watchmakers to copy much of a watches look and shape. However, trademarks on brand names and logos can last forever as long as they are renewed every ten years. This means that homage watches like an Invicta Pro Diver are legal, but counterfeit watches never are.

My Invicta Pro-Diver Automatic

The Advantages of Homage Watches

While some collectors may lament the plethora of homage watches, as a practical matter, they allow all of  us to experience the look of classic watch styles at affordable prices. The Baltany Explorer Homage (below) lets wearers enjoy a Rolex Explorer inspired design. It's a high quality watch built with good materials and solid craftsman ship and it's available for less than $300 here on Amazon. 

A Baltany Explorer Homage

While a Rolex Explorer may never be affordable or prudent for most of us, a Baltany may provide plenty of rugged outdoor watch joy for any of us. The challenge for the old guard of a watchmakers is to invent something new and have decades of exclusive rights to the next icon.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Timex Tribute Series Citation Florida Gator Watch

 It's been a busy week so far, but it goes by faster when I wear my Timex Tribute Series Citation Florida Gators watch. It is amazing just how good this watch can look!

Timex Tribute Series Florida Gator Watch

I've reviewed this watch on the blog before. You can read my Timex Tribute review here. On Amazon, the watch is listed in the Timex Tribute store as the Timex Citation.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: The René Mouris Mythique Le Monde

When it comes to watches, sometimes fashion and form take precedence over functionality. Such is the case when it come to the Eiffel Tower inspired Mythique Le Monde from French watchmaker René Mouris. With a truly unique hexagonal case, the Mythique Le Monde is an amazing watch from a maker that has grown from microbrand to Amazon seller. The unique look and French sensibility earns this watch a well-deserved sharp watch shout out!

René Mouris Mythique Le Monde (Amazon photo)

The René Mouris Mythique Le Monde comes in seven color combinations. Critics have noted that the thin hands can be difficult to read and the automatic movement is a fairly common Miyota. However, I doubt there could be a more unique and authentically French addition to a watch collection.  This watch is definitely worth a visit here on Amazon. While the Mythique Le Monde watch is a flagship priced at nearly $800, the maker has a variety of cool looking watches with most prices averaging around a far more attainable $400 on Amazon.

Serious Watches: 5 Deep Dive Watches

Dive Watches Rates for 1000-meters or More

When it comes to deep diving watches, capability is everything. The watches we'll look at in this post have the capabilities required by professional divers working at extreme depths. Without support ships, advanced knowledge of saturation diving, and diving bells, it's unlikely that the capabilities of these watches could really be put to the test.  But, even if you aren't going down to 1000 meters, extra water resistance can help a dive watch deal with currents and other pressures of diving. It's also cool to have the technology on your wrist!

A Deepwater Diving Helmet

Here are five real dive watches that have what it takes for the deepest of diving experiences!

1) RATIO FreeDiver Helium-Safe 1000-meter 

This RATIO diver isn't free, but it is the most affordable of the high capability dive watches. It offers 1000-meters of water resistance and a helium release valve to prevent the watch from being damaged by changing pressures returning from a saturation dive.

Ratio Freediver 1000-Meter Dive Watch (Amazon photo)

 

If you'd like to take a look at it, you can find the Ratio Freediver here on Amazon. For less than $200, it is an amazing watch.

2) Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman 1000M

This Hamilton titanium automatic is great looking and ready for the deep! This one uses the Hamilton H-10 movement which is based on the same ETA 2824-2 movement that is popularly branded as the Tissot Powermatic 80. As a plus, it has an 80-hour power reserve which is far longer than most divers can hold their breath.

Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman 1000-meter Dive Watch (Amazon photo)

If you like this Hamilton watch, you can find it here on Amazon. There is another slightly different color variant and that is worth looking at too.

A NASA Habtech Diver (NASA Analogs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

3) Breitling SuperOcean 44

If you're diving to the bottom of the sea and plan to be a sketchy dude while you're down there, you have to go with a Breitling. The Breitling SuperOcean 44 is a great 1000-meter choice for spies, saboteurs, and frogmen.

Breitling SuperOcean 44 (Amazon photo)

This Breitling looks like a real classic and you can check it out here on Amazon.

4) Certina DS PH1000M

Powered by the ubiquitous Powermatic 80 movement, this Certina dive watch likely swims right by most mainstream buyers. But, it is a rugged and capable Swiss dive watch that you can get for less than $1000.

Certina DS Super PH1000M (Amazon photo)

To check this one out, you can bang it here to find it on Amazon! 

5) Rolex Sea Dweller 

This is one of the most robust watches made by Rolex. It's rated to 1220 meters or 4000 feet of a water resistance. The watch has a helium release valve on the left side of the case. A helium release valve is really for professional commercial divers who work out of diving bells deep in the sea. Amazingly, it's never actually used when the watch is wet. This blog post for Bob's Watches has a fascinating article on the helium release valve feature here.

This watch is actually pre-owned model available from What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA). The watch is offered at an amazing price that you can check out here on Amazon.

A diving tower for commercial underwater work (Wikimedia Commons - Public Domain) 

For most of us, these watches would only fuel our most adventurous daydreams. But, it's amazing that these dive watches give us all a chance to go hands on with some of the most advanced diving technology!

Have You Seen Collectibulldog's Watches and his Museum?

The internet brings together some eclectic and interesting watch collectors and vendors. People have different watch interests, different focuses, and different collecting strategies. There are also quite a few cool product offerings that I would have never known about without social media threads.

Part of Collectibulldogs vast collection

One of the first watch collectors online that reached out to me is Collectibulldogs. This fellow has collected one of the world's largest collections of bulldog memorabilia and collectibles in an online museum. He also collects watches!

A Pair of Watches from the Collectibulldog's Collection

You can find him on X with the handle @collectibulldog. Where I collect more staid timepieces in the interest of office job compatibility, Collectibulldog goes for watches on the wildside. You can see some of his timepieces on his website and in a few guest posts here on The Watch Dude and on website posts like this one. To see his museum, hit his site at Collectibulldogs.com. It is worth a visit! 

TGIF: Buy That Fashion Watch If You Want!

Watch experts and collectors all say, "Don't buy a fashion watch!" However, I disagree. When watch enthusiasts of a certain income level tell you not to buy a "fashion watch," they are trying to steer people away from spending hundreds, maybe thousands, of extra dollars on a watch based solely upon the name of the designer when the inside workings of the watch are quite common. This especially holds true for high end quartz watches. The designer name just doesn't justify the extra money. That might not be bad advice for high end watch buyers. But, then again, this Gucci Automatic that I saw at a runway TJ Maxx looks great!

This Gucci Automatic is Swiss Made and Looks Great

At the lower priced end of the watch buying world, fashion brands like Hilfiger, Nautica, Perry Ellis, Kenneth Cole, Fossil, and LaCoste deliver design consistency and good quality to middle class buyers for a fair price. I've been very happy with most of my fashion designer name watches.

My Hilfiger 3H Quartz Watch

When watches cost $50 to $300 or so, a well-known fashion brand name can act as a guarantor of some degree of quality control. My Hilfiger 3-Hand Quartz Watch was designed and manufactured by Movado Group. While the watch is made in China, it has Japanese movement and a very nice build quality. I've found that when prices drop below $50 and the brand name becomes generic, you really have to examine the watch to see if it is a decent buy. You can be subject to all the drawbacks of cheap watches.  

When it comes to fashion brands, you should also be aware that some brands are now aimed at very low price points and don't have the same standards that they had back in their peak popularity periods. Brands that were popularized during the 1980s or 90s and the shopping mall hay day sometimes disappoint today. For example, I have a diver-style Izod watch that has false subdials. It's a good looking watch, but only worth $30 or less. It's ok if a iconic mall name sells $20 or $30 watches today. Izod and LaCoste split because one company wanted to move down market and the other wanted to move up market. Just avoid overpaying and make sure the watch is worth $20 or $30. That said. I love my fashion watches from decent quality brands and I certainly don't feel bad about owning them.

An Izod diver-style watch with fake subdials

Perhaps, the advice becomes more relevant as you move upscale into brands like Versace, Ferragamo, or even quartz Movado watches? The fashion looks offered by the brands are strong, but are their quartz models getting to be more expensive than quartz watches should be? As I look at Amazon, I'm not sure that they are priced inappropriately. In fact, the prices for Swiss Quartz Versace multi-function watches are comparable to similar quartz multifunction watches from Bulova.

A Versace Quartz Watch

Ultimately, it all comes down to the value proposition offered by the brand in question and the watch that caught your eye. Middle class buyers can also flip that question back on the elite watch collectors. It's completely valid to ask when was the last time a watch collector dove down to 300 meters or orbited our planet. My advice: If you really like a watch and you can comfortably afford it, buy it!

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Steve Madden Diamond Fluted Bezel Quartz Watch

I've been kicking around the idea of a watch with a fluted bezel for some time now. For some reason, the eye-catching aspect of fluted bezel and the way they scatter the light intrigues me lately. I've also seen quite a few cool looking fluted models lately.  But, as I hem and haw and wonder about wearing one, I've been testing the idea out with a cheaper watch or two from Tahari and Steve Madden. Take a look at this Steve Madden Quartz "Diamond" watch with a fluted bezel. According to the Amazon description, the "Diamond" is a tiny crystal.

Steve Madden Fluted Bezel Quartz Diamond Watch

I like this watch because the profile from the side isn't too high. But, unfortunately, the bracelet is a bit too tight. I'll be tackling that issue separately since it is a non-standard bracelet.

Steve Madden Fluted Bezel Quartz Diamond Watch (Angle View)

I was able to get this watch at a Burlington store for about $20. That's a good deal for a bang around watch. It's also available in some different configurations online at Amazon. You can see it in black and gold here on Amazon.

Steve Madden Fluted Bezel Quartz Diamond Watch (Amazon Photo)

If I were to pull the trigger on a somewhat more respectable fluted bezel watch, I might pick something like this Mathey-Tissot Mathey III Automatic. It is an attainable, mechanical, and Swiss-Made watch that I can afford. You can see it here on Amazon.  Alternatively, I might consider a fluted rectangular watch like the Bulova Super Seville that I've admired in a post here.

Mathey-Tissot Mathey 3 Automatic (Amazon photo)

Trying out looks are one thing that inexpensive watches like the Steve Madden Diamond are good for. They let you tell the time, wear a similar design for awhile, and see if you really want to commit hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a watch.

Watches A to Z: Maurice Lacroix

Maurice Lacroix is a Swiss luxury watch brand. They make the watches that many people can only dream about. On Amazon, the highest priced Maurice Lacroix watch costs about $10,000. However, they have plenty of models that are priced around $2000. That's quite a bit of money, but its also the kind of money that could come your way with hard work over time, a nice bonus at work, or a sizeable tax refund. The brand is a bit of a departure from this blog. But, Maurice Lacroix watches are attainable. They are a dream watch that could easily become a goal watch!

NAC, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The brand was established in 1975 as part of an old Swiss Company that originated in trading silk. They bought a Swiss watchmaker that specialized in making private label watches and expanded frome there. Maurice Lacroix expanded rapidly, building the capability to make their own watch movements and buying a Swiss watch case manufacturer. 

They led off with a flagship Masterpiece collection which continues with watches like this Maurice LaCroix Gravity 43mm Automatic. You can fall for this dream watch here on Amazon. 

Maurice Lacroix Gravity 43mm (Amazon Photo)

Their most popular watch line is the Maurice LaCroix Aikon line of watches. The Aikon combines urban flair and sophisticated style that is perfect for any occasion. With prices usually a bit above $2000, these are dream worthy luxury watches.

Lacroix Aikon (Amazon.com)

If we're going to enjoy the Riviera, we may want to go into the water. The Maurice Lacroix line can have us ready with their Ponto S Diver watch with 300 meters of water resistance and quick change straps for any situation. It also has a cool dial with an internal rotating bezel! There are a few neat variants of this watch out there. You can check out this version of the Maurice Lacroix Ponto S here on Amazon. If you poke around a bit, the bronze versions are also very appealing.   

Lacroix Ponto S (Amazon Photo)

Finally, for an everyday dress watch, try a Maurice Lacroix Men's Classic & Simple Automatic like this one from their Les Classiques collection here on Amazon. Or, visit their website for their 1975 Collection and quartz options.

Lacroix Les Classiques Classic and Simple Automatic (Amazon photo)

To peruse the Maurice Lacroix collections more thoroughly, visit their store here on Amazon.

TGIF: Two $50 Watches to Buy For Father's Day

Father's Day is June 15th. That's practically right around the corner. A watch is almost always an appropriate gift choice for Father's Day, too. But, kids aren't made of money. Depending on their age, they are often buying with allowance, odd job, or minimum wage money. In some cases, Dad's money is paying for Dad's gift. For most families that means a Rolex is right out. Instead, let's look at some decent watches that are priced for less than $50.

Father's Day Watch Choice: The Casio MDV-106 Series Dive Watch 

This Casio is a perennial favorite among watch collectors. Often priced at less than $50, the MDV-106 (informally called the Casio Duro or Marlin) offers dive watch features and performance. It has a stainless steel case, a Japanese quartz movement, 200-meters of water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, a date window, and a fish right on the dial. It's a great choice for an active father and makes a great bang around watch.

Casio MDV-106 Duro Dive Watch

Father's Day Watch: Timex Men's Highland Street Watch

Watch collectors are gaga about simple watches like the Rolex Explorer. They go on and on about the readable dial and substantial build quality. At some point, you just want to raise your hand and say, "A Timex can do that, too." Take the Timex Men's Highland Street watch with Expansion Band. It has a 39mm diameter case.  For those counting that's 3 more millimeters than the typical 36mm Rolex Explorer I. Of course, Rolex came out with a 39 and 40mm case options at various points after 2010. But, by then, they were just trying to keep up with revered brands like Timex.

Timex Highland Street

A quartz watch like the Timex Highland Street is exactly the functional tool watch that most dad's need. As an added benefit, after buying this watch, kids will still be able to have a college fund.

Both of these watches are attractive gifts for Father's Day. They are practical, attractive, and affordable.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Blue Diver-Style Watch of Mystery

No brand. No markings. No depth rating. This watch just has a beautiful blue dial and the classic markings of a dive watch. What is it? Is it a new microbrand? Is it a custom build? Do you like it?

A rather mysterious Blue Dial Diver-Style Watch

It is actually a comfortable watch with a bracelet that fits me well. The bezel does not rotate, but the bracelet is rather attractive. While there are microbrands that make watches that look like this and there are custom builds that watchmaking hobbyist can make with a generic dial, this quartz watch is a George watch from Walmart. It only cost $11.96.

Do you still like it? It makes you wonder: How important is a good brand name?