The Nixon Sentry Leather, powered by what is likely a Miyota quartz movement, is a great looking watch that embraces its fashion status without making structural or mechanical compromises. It’s affordability and overall look make it a great daily wearer, though if you’re looking for something more mechanical, the Sentry isn’t for you. It’s a fashion watch, yes, but a pretty good one.
The Citizen Skyhawk Blue Angels is a full-on tool watch that seems to be able to do anything. It’s atomic-synced time is the standard that I set all my other watches to, and it feels tough enough to withstand a bomb blast. If your watch needs to do everything, the Skyhawk Blue Angels is a great choice. I’m a big fan.
The Seiko Flightmaster is a genuinely useful watch. The chronograph and date display are standard complications, but the integration of a slide-rule is what gives the Flightmaster its utility. It’s made well and looks good (in my opinion). There isn’t anything I dislike: the Flightmaster is a good watch overall.
The Grayton is a great choice for someone that wants an automatic watch without the uncertainty associated with using a movement from an unknown or less reputable manufacturer. The Seiko NH35A is a great movement that does the Grayton justice. The watch looks good and is comfortable to wear. It’s got the right stuff to be a good watch.
This Bulova is a little too big for my wrist so I thought I’d spend a bit more time showing off its detail & build using macro photography. It’s a great watch so long as you’ve got the wrists for it.
This not-exactly inexpensive quartz is made of the right stuff, with rose gold and sapphire giving it good looks and great durability. The Ronda 704 quartz movement isn’t commonly found on watches released from microbrands, either. It competes directly with the Corniche Heritage 40, and in my opinion, it gives the Corniche a solid run for its money. The JR001R is a well styled, well made dress watch with little in the way of drawbacks.
I’m currently sitting in my hotel room at the Linq Hotel in Las Vegas, and the SNKM97 is the perfect companion. It looks totally at home on the strip, and its green and gold color scheme practically screams “high roller”. While this budget timepiece may not really be a high roller, it looks the part and feels great on the wrist. Check it out!
When we talk about affordable mechanical diving watches, we usually think of the usual suspects: the Seiko SKX007, the Orient Mako or the Orient Ray. Today, however, we’re taking a look at the Steinhart Ocean One Vintage Military, a ~$400 diving watch that offers a lot for a little.
Ahh yes, the Casio F-91W. The most inexpensive watch on WYCA (as of today), and one of my favorites. I decided to do a deep dive into the history of this watch and to learn more about what makes this little digital great.
My first watch was a Casio CA-53W Databank calculator watch. This tiny quartz digital watch got me through grade 4 math, & for that I remember it fondly.
The SNKN01 is a great looking watch that is powered by the legendary 7S26 automatic movement. For someone looking for an affordable automatic, the SNKN01 – and the Recraft series of watches – offer a lot of value. I’ve seen this watch for as low as $110 on Amazon, and at that price it’s an obvious choice. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I really enjoy this watch in every objective and subjective way. I think it’s beautiful to look at, and I love how well incorporated the big date and dual time complications are. I also love the domed crystal, which is easily my favorite part of the watch. If you’ve got $300 to spend on a new watch, have a look at this one.
Priced at under $175, the Bonvier Classic offers a variety of attractive styles to choose from. It’s made using good materials and a quality Miyota movement, meaning that it should keep ticking for years to come. I wish they’d have used sapphire instead of mineral glass, but it’s not unreasonable for the price point. I like the Classic 40mm overall.
A remake of the original Partitio from the 30’s, it has now found its way into their core line-up, but it often overlooked in favour of the well known Stowa Flieger Klassik. Which is unfortunate, because the Partitio represents an incredible value for money.
The fighter plane theme is a hit, and I’m not the only one that thinks so. Everyone into aircraft that I showed this watch to were smitten, and I can see why: the Hawker Hurricane looks fantastic and carries a real personality. It’s plucky, like the aircraft it commemorates, and I love that about it. If AVI-8 tossed a sapphire crystal on it, the Hawker Hurricane would be an obvious sub-$250 addition to the “our picks” collection.