We know that everyone’s budget differs. Maybe our
Just like the $5k group, this collection was chosen based on ease of options for every situation, whether you’re at a networking event or box seats at a game at Madison Square Garden.
This time though, we did it at a fraction of an Omega Speedmaster’s price tag!
The Ultimate Five-Watch Collection
Here are our picks for the ideal collection of five
Ready?
Tag Heuer Aquaracer, WAY1110
Like 100 proof whiskey, Tag Heuer manages to embed as much of the good stuff into this financially moderate Aquaracer.
This Aquaracer puts its money where your wrist is: 300m water resistance, sapphire crystal, hand-applied faceted indices similar to an Omega Seamaster, and a rotating bezel with minute markers –one that actually rotates without requiring Hulk-like strength.
Admittedly, Tag Heuer sometimes uses their legend status to overprice their budget pieces, treating them more like fashion
This Aquaracer puts its money where your wrist is: 300m water resistance, sapphire crystal, hand-applied faceted indices similar to an Omega Seamaster, and a rotating bezel with minute markers — one that actually rotates without requiring Hulk-like strength.
Tag Heuer has been behind several innovations and played iconic roles in horological history. They’ve even been chosen as the official Olympics timekeeper multiple times because of their famous precision.
They actually created the world’s first waterproof pocket
Style-wise, the polygonal bezel almost looks perfectly round straight on, but from other angles or different lighting, the ridges show themselves making for a dynamic visual experience.
The bracelet is composed of Swiss-made stainless steel links, with the center link slightly raised and articulated. So not only does Tag Heuer stuff utilitarian quality into this lower-priced
DETAILS of the Tag Heuer Aquaracer:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Display | Analog |
| Case Diameter | 41mm |
| Band Material Type | Stainless Steel |
| Band Width | 18mm |
Watch
It’s no surprise that
Of course, Snyder and Timex reimagined this style of watch for everyday wear and smoothed it out with a clean silhouette. No one would mistake it for a costume piece trying to pass as actual vintage.
I consider this
The artwork on the dial is pulled straight from
The bold Arabic hour markers on top of the cream dial look fun and nostalgic. The understated cream color adds to the vintage look more than a contrasting white dial would.
There’s also an unobtrusive pop of color in the form of a red second hand and red second markers.
Of course, Snyder and
I’ve literally seen $1000 military style
If you’re going to spend money on an expensive
This
DETAILS of the
| Movement | Quartz |
| Display | Analog |
| Case Diameter | 40mm |
| Band Material Type | Fabric |
| Band Width | 20mm |
Raymond Weil Maestro Automatic
This elegant timepiece looks like it was knighted by the queen. If a black-tie night at the opera was a
This elegant watch features a stainless steel case with a black embossed calfskin leather strap.
I’m not just being poetic either. Raymond Weil was founded in 1976 and manufactures Swiss luxury watches inspired by music.
The brand has launched lines influenced by Mozart and Beethoven. They’ve even had partnerships with The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.
The sleek Roman numerals for every hour are reminiscent of a classic grandfather clock. However, the date window and sundial add a contemporary dimension that keeps this posh
The calfskin leather strap paired with a high-gloss face are classically beautiful, but this is still a man’s
It’s only water-resistant at 50m though, so definitely wear this fancy
After all, the
DETAILS of the Raymond Weil Maestro Automatic:
| Movement | Swiss Automatic |
| Display | Analog |
| Case Diameter | 39.5mm |
| Band Material Type | Leather Calfskin |
| Band Width | 21mm |
G-Shock Classic Analog-Digital
Anchoring the other side of the style spectrum from the Maestro is this Casio G-Shock. It features all the hallmarks of the classic tough guy
The Casio G-Shock Analog-Digital is a bomb shelter of a timepiece, and is shock resistant and water resistant up to 200m. Casio actually tested the shock resistance of prototypes by throwing them out a 4-story building.
The Casio G-Shock Analog-Digital is a bomb shelter of a timepiece, and is shock resistant and water-resistant up to 200m. Casio actually tested the shock resistance of prototypes by throwing them out a 4-story building.
Other great practical features include a 1/100 second stopwatch, luminosity, a battery life of three years, and magnetic resistance. Managing to destroy this
Every aesthetic feature on the Classic G-Shock has a functional purpose. Ironically, the function-over-form design choices are now classic style hallmarks for rugged
Adventurers love the strong bulky design of the face and the matching resin strap.
The dual analog and digital face are there to make telling time easier, but also give the Casio G-Shock a unique utilitarian aesthetic unlike any other
There are several spin-offs of this Casio G-Shock that remix the original look, but the all-black, red accented classic will always be in style. That’s probably why the Classic Analog-Digital is the most popular affordable G-Shock watch on the market.
DETAILS of the G-Shock Classic Analog-Digital:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Display | Dual, Analog-Digital |
| Case Diameter | 49mm |
| Band Material Type | Resin |
| Band Width | 21mm |
The Mondaine Swiss Rails Evo2
The Official Swiss Railways Evo2 combines aesthetics that are casual and formal, as well as contemporary and classic. We’re rounding out this ideal 5-watch collection under $2,000 with an artsy wildcard to cover all the bases.
The dial is inspired by classical Swiss railway clocks, and combines black hands and markers with a stark white background. The red second hand with a circle at the tip instead of an arrow adds a playful pop of color and shape.
The dial is inspired by classical Swiss railway clocks, and combines black hands and markers with a stark white background. The red second hand with a circle at the tip instead of an arrow adds a playful pop of color and shape.
While the case and lugs are equally as polygonal as the dial, their stainless steel form keeps the mesh bracelet from clashing with the face.
I think that the shiny bracelet and case paired with the very matte dial make both components even bolder in comparison to each other.
On the practical side, the Railway Evo2 has a slightly rounded case back for ergonomic wear. The crystal is a scratch-resistant sapphire, so its material is as serious as the design is playful.
This piece is similar to the
DETAILS of the Mondaine Swiss Rails Evo2:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Display | Analog |
| Case Diameter | 40mm |
| Band Material Type | Stainless Steel |
| Band Width | 20mm |
The Perfect 3 Watch Collection
We can respect a guy who thinks less is more. Pulling from our five-watch collector.
Here’s all you need and why:
- Tag Heuer Aquaracer. I always say to anchor any
watch collection, big or small, with a versatile sportswatch .
- Casio Classic G-Shock Analog-Digital. Every watch collection needs a beater. Also, the G-Shock’s dual analog-digital face adds aesthetic diversity to the collection.
- Raymond Weil Maestro. While the Tag Heuer is a perfectly nice
watch , it’s important to have an unmistakable dresswatch in the mix. Moreover, this rounds out thewatch collection: Threewatches with very different dials and straps.
Is this the Ultimate 5 Watch Collection for less than $2k?
I hope you found our roundup fun and helpful!
Sure, if you had Bruce Wayne’s budget, you’d have more options when building a
As this roundup proves though, with a little imagination, you can have a perfectly high-quality and versatile 5
If you have any questions or comments, hit me up on Twitter. You can also find join other readers on Effortless Gent’s Facebook page, or DM me on Instagram!
