Just Because: Five Impulse Buy Watches Under $1,000
There is nothing like a little retail therapy to make you feel better. And with most online stores still open for business, why not treat yourself to a new watch to lighten your mood?
By Sophie Furley
Contributor
Watchonista takes a look at five fun watch buys under $1,000 because there is nothing like a new watch to make lockdown seem a little bit more bearable.
Hamilton Pilot Pioneer Mechanical
When it comes to value for money, Hamilton is rocking the segment with a whole range of timepieces under $1,000. I’m the proud owner of the Khaki Field Mechanical, and it is really a great watch. I now have my eyes on this Pilot Pioneer Mechanical, a reinterpretation of a military timepiece created for the British Air Force in 1973.
It has a great dial design with its gray background, unique railway track, and touches of orange luminescence. It is powered by the H-50 manual movement that has an 80-hour power reserve and comes in a 36mm stainless steel case.
Price: CHF 795 on a NATO strap and CHF 895 on a brown leather strap.
Casio G-SHOCK GBD800-8
Even the most prolific watch collector needs a G-SHOCK, and if you don’t have one, then maybe it is time. The G-SHOCK is the most indestructible watch on the planet and is perfect for all your lockdown activities, whether it is online gym sessions, running a marathon on your balcony (a Frenchman just did this), or just clocking your calorie expenditure as you walk around the house in despair!
This new G-SHOCK is the latest addition to the Men’s Power Trainer Series, which is geared towards athletes. It has a fully re-designed digital display, phone finder function, a step tracker that breaks down daily steps into five metabolic equivalent levels, a built-in stopwatch with 200-record memory, and more – all of which connects to the G-SHOCK app for even more data. It is shock-resistant (of course), water-resistant to 200 meters, and can count up to 999,999 steps, all for $99!
Price: $99
Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch Gents Classics
The Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch Gents Classic with its light blue or light gray sun-brushed dial looks like an elegant men’s wristwatch, but this traditional-looking watch has a secret – it is also a smartwatch. It links to an app on your phone that offers dynamic coaching, sleep monitoring, a world time function, activity tracking, get-active alerts, as well as a function that updates the time and date automatically.
It comes in a 42mm stainless steel case and indicates the hours, minutes, and date in a sub-dial at six o’clock. This sub-dial also features an additional indicator showing the percentage of your daily fitness goal that you have achieved. It works both with iOS and Android.
Price: CHF 995
Autodromo Group B Series 2 Automatic Safari
Autodromo was founded by Bradley Price, an industrial designer who set out to create a series of motoring-inspired products, from watches to sunglasses, to hats, and driving gloves. Price’s design philosophy is to blend a contemporary, minimalist sensibility with mid-century vintage vibes. The B Series 2 Automatic Safari is a watch that finds inspiration in the 1982 to 1986 era of automotive design.
This was a time when exotic materials came together with turbo-boosted horsepower. The 39mm timepiece is made of green-plated titanium and stainless steel, and it is equipped with a Miyota 9015 automatic movement. It roars the ‘80s, like it was the engine of a Lamborghini Countach or an Aston Martin Lagonda. Those were the days!
Price: $975
Victorinox I.N.O.X Mechanical
The Victorinox I.N.O.X Mechanical takes the famous I.N.O.X quartz timepiece and equips it with a Swiss-made ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. The blue dial features an intricate guilloché pattern that has been inspired by the famous Swiss Army Knife handle design.
This motif is also re-created on a unique wooden strap that is crafted onto a leather base, combining innovation and sustainability. The timepiece comes in a 43mm stainless steel case with a screw-down crown and a scratch-resistant, triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
Price: CHF 795
If you do make an online watch purchase while on lockdown, do let us know, we would love to hear about it.
(Header image and all Autodromo images by Atom Moore, CASIO images by Liam O'Donnell & remaining images provided by the brands)
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