Affordable Alternatives: A Five Watch Collection for Every Situation

Watchtime Magazine recently published an article by watch expert Johannes Beer featuring a five watch no compromises collection that would suffice for every situation and come in at an eye-watering $20,000. You can read the article here. I'm sure that the publication means well, but bless their hearts, they make me feel so poor I want to cry. On the plus side, they did feature some cool looking watches from Cartier, Omega, Squale, Bulgari, and Yema. They also made sure to include a GMT, a Dive Watch, a Chronograph, a Dress Watch, and a statement piece. It made me wonder, "What's a poor boy do?"

Five Respectable Watches for Under $2000 Total (Amazon Photos)

Since I'm too old to play for a rock'n'roll band, I put together a watch collection that features respectable brands, the same functionality, great looks, at 1/10 of the price. These aren't watches that we can afford every day or all at one time, but they are watches that are definitely attainable. For a total of approximately $2000, I'm pretty sure you could get a Bulova Classic Sutton dress watch, a Bulova Lunar Pilot, a Vaer DS2 Meridian, a Tissot PRX (quartz), and a Versace V Code GMT. At the $20,000 level, Watch Time stuck to automatics, but I'll stick to quartz models for the win at less than $2000.

Dress Watch: Bulova Classic Sutton Watch

The writer for Watchtime chose the the well respected Cartier Santos-Dumont rectangular watch. It's a wonderful watch, but way out of my league. However, there are plenty of nice square and rectangular dress watches in the market. If you are looking for a nice watch from a respectable brand, you can't go wrong with the Bulova Classic Sutton tank watch. As a bonus, this Bulova mirrors the blue strap and stainless case combination of the Cartier. I just like a blue dial for this sort of watch better.

Bulova Sutton Square Dress Watch (Amazon photo)

Regularly priced at a bit over $200, this watch looks good, has a nice leather strap, and fits the more formal dress watch role perfectly.  If you are interested in this timepiece, check it out here using my Amazon Affiliate link. If you act fast, you might find a really great deal. It's 46% off as of July 30th.

Chronograph: Bulova Lunar Pilot

For their chronograph choice, Watchtime went with the famed Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. That made another moon watch an obvious choice:  the Bulova Lunar Pilot. This is a quartz recreation of a Bulova that was actually worn on the moon during the Apollo 15 lunar mission.

Bulova Lunar Pilot (Amazon photo)

At a bit over $500, the Bulova Lunar Pilot is a little expensive.  But, if you watch Amazon long enough and you are true in your faith and intention, there will eventually be a sale. You can check the Bulova Lunar Pilot out here via my Amazon affiliate link.

Dive Watch: Vaer DS2 Meridian

For the dive watch choice, Johannes Beer of Watchtime went with the Squale Sub-37 Legend. It's a watch that posed a challenge. By choosing a Squale, Mr. Beer departed from the most obvious dive watch brands. Thus, I'll submitted the respected, but under the radar, brand: Vaer. I really like the classic look of this watch. It's reminiscent of the iconic Blancpain 50 Fathoms dive watch.

Vaer DS2 Meridian (Amazon Photo)

The Vaer DS2 Meridian offers150-meters of water resistance for a bit under $300. It's a watch any of us can take pride in. If you'd like to check it out, you'll find it here via my Amazon affiliate link.

GMT Watch: Versace V Code GMT

In the $20,000 collection, you need a GMT watch. It's probably for all the jet-setting and timezone juggling. For a $2000 collection, the GMT might still come in handy for talking with the far away co-workers who'll eventually get your job or that drive here in the US to visit folks in the next timezone over. The Watchtime collection chose a spectacular Bulgari watch. It's a truly dramatic timepiece.  For the rest of us, I'd recommend this Versace V Code GMT quartz watch. It's similar to the Bulgari by virtue of the bezel design that features deeply engraved lettering and design patterns. I think it looks cool and, along with the Versace Medusa logo, makes the V Code GMT watch a very distinctive choice.

Versace V Code GMT Watch (Amazon Photo)

As a fashion brand, Versace offers distinctive watch designs that bring designer looks to the wrist at attainable price points. If you like a wide variety of watch looks, it's a brand that would definitely bring variety to your collection. As I ponder this brand, I've come to believe that they are actually a luxury watch brand. To check this watch out, visit it here via my Amazon affiliate link.

Statement Watch: Tissot PRX (Quartz)

Where Watchtime offers a Yema watch with an integrated bracelet and a camouflage design as a statement, I offer the venerable quartz version of the Tissot PRX. "I have a Tissot PRX" is definitely a statement.

Tissot PRX - Quartz Model (Amazon photo)

The Tissot PRX is a wildly popular watch design from a quality Swiss watchmaker. It's not cheap. In the mid-$400 range, it's a watch that you might want to watch for awhile until it's a good deal for you. To keep an eye on it, you can use my Amazon affiliate link here. If you are looking for a PRX alternative, check out my post "Are All The Watch Companies Being PRX" and you'll find some similarly designed timepieces.

Conclusion: Buy What The Watch You Want

In truth, I wish I could afford some of the watches that grace the pages of Watchtime Magazine.  It's a rarified world. However, the rest of us can take solace in the watches we can afford. Each of the brands I feature in this article have an interesting history and bring heritage and panache to the wrist. But, even this list still represents  almost $2000 in watches. If you need to find even more affordable alternatives, they are out there. Over the next few weeks, I may find alternatives to these watches to present as Hundred Dollar Grail watches.  But, ultimately, watch collecting is more fun when you make your own watch list and share your finds with the watch collecting community. Happy hunting!