The Alpinist came as a true shock: a great looking, well-spec’d automatic from a world-class manufacturer. It’s comfortable to wear, durable, reliable, and accurate. In the USA and Canada, it’s also an uncommon watch to find. The best part of all of this is its price, coming in well under $400. Great work, Seiko.
If the Bambino is the proverbial bulls eye, the Symphony lands just short of the inner circle. It’s powered by the same Caliber 48743 automatic that Orient fits in the Bambino, and it’s built just as well, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark aesthetically. Because of this, it always seems to sit in its better-looking cousins shadow. It’s not a bad watch by any technical means, just make sure you’ve checked the Bambino out before you pull the trigger on the Symphony.
The P2/01 is definitely a statement watch, but wow- what a statement it makes! I’ve never seen a watch get people interested in it like this SEVENFRIDAY does. Even if they aren’t “watch people”, almost everyone who sees the P2/01 thinks that it’s good looking. At 47mm it’s among the largest I’ve worn, but I don’t think that’d keep me from buying it. It’s a very cool watch all around.
Orient hit the nail on the head with the Bambino V2. This is a great looking watch, and of the three versions of the Bambino, I think that the V2 is the best looking. The quality of its build is evident all over, with no corners cut in its construction. Overall, the Bambino is an excellent watch. I recommend it.
You can find the Visodate Heritage in a few flavors, though this model (T019.430.16.031.01) is easily the best looking. The steel on brown color scheme is understated and fits into any ensemble. It’s comfortable to wear, durable, and built to last. This is another great watch from Tissot.
I’ll stop rating Hamilton’s so high when Hamilton stops making watches this good. The modern Pan-Europ is every bit the homage is strives to be, while simultaneously having its own charms and soul.
There will be some notable changes between the production version and the one reviewed here, though they don’t change what the Heritage Edition is: a tremendous value, where you can factually have your cake and eat it too. It’s made of everything it should be to be good, and its sub-$500 price makes it excellent.
The Legacy Executive is loud. The blue hands brightly contrast with the skeleton face and white dial, and the flash continues down to the highly decorated movement ticking away inside. The movement is fairly accurate, and there’s definite novelty to watching the movement tick away. It’s a showpiece, that’s for sure. It’s posted MSRP of $588 is misleading- you’ll easily find it for less than a third of that.
This is a case of a watch that looks far more valuable than it is. The Breytenbach BB7745BE isn’t necessarily bad- its automatic movement seemed to be fairly accurate (losing only 18 seconds per day), the leather strap is pretty good quality, and the beautifully decorated movement is almost a showpiece. However, don’t be confused into thinking this watch is good value. You very much get what you pay for.
I’ve never been a fan of dive watches, but the looks of this Tissot are bested only by the automatic movement’s immense power reserve and accuracy. With this Seastar on your wrist you’ll enjoy 300m of water resistance, a screw down crown to keep everything air tight, and the usual appointments you’ve come to expect from a Tissot of this calibre.
The Jazzmaster Regulator is definitely one of the most unique watches you can get for its $1,275 MSRP. Powered by Hamilton’s own H-12 automatic movement, the Regulator comes with the specs you can expect from a four-figure Hamilton: sapphire front/rear crystals, stainless steel all around, an excellent leather strap, and a deployment clasp. I think it’s a great looking watch, too. If you want something mechanical and decidedly different from what most will have in their collection, the Regulator Automatic is worth your consideration.
With date display, a day/night indicator, and a power reserve display, the T2M979 is a complicated automatic at a low price point. Be aware that the automatic movement is of unknown origin, but is likely a Chinese-manufactured DG28. If you’re specifically looking for an inexpensive, complicated auto, consider this Timex. Otherwise, there are better watches worth considering at this price point.
I think that the Orient Leo is a great looking watch in any of its color options, but particularly the combination reviewed here. Unfortunately, no matter how I tried to adjust the bracelet I was unable to get it to sit flush with my wrist- an annoyance that taints an otherwise good entry-level automatic watch.
As a photographer, I’ve failed to truly showcase how attractive the M02 is. Guilloche and steel contrast, drawing your eye toward a finely decorated prize. Yes, it looks better in person than it does in photo, but there’s more to the M02 than looks. It’s heavy, built to last, and uses a high-regrade and retouched ETA movement. Then there’s the tie-in with Armand Nicolet’s other pursuits, and to me, that’s worth the cost of entry on its own.
It’s hard not to appreciate what Seiko offers in the 5 series. The SNK809 is a good looking, basic automatic watch that offers little frills… and has a diminutive price point to match. Whenever anyone starts getting into watches, the most popular recommendation for a first automatic is – by far – a Seiko 5. Buy a couple of complimentary straps and you can wear it just about anywhere, anytime. This is such a great watch.