5 watches under £500 that are guaranteed conversation-starters
These affordable timepieces are fun, interesting and impossible to ignore...
A great watch should do more than just tell the time. It should tell a story. While many great watches do come with hefty price tags, there are plenty that don’t and that are packed with personality.
Trust me when I say there are few compliments which feel better than: “Nice watch.” This phrase can do a good job of both breaking the ice and building you up when you need it most. Think first date, new job or being stuck at a wedding where you don’t know anyone.
Whether it’s through a novel design, a stylish dial or functional complication, watches have the potential to impress and intrigue. They can liven up an office outfit. They offer a chance to express yourself.
With all this in mind, then, here are five watches that are guaranteed to get people talking, but don’t require you to sell any of your vital organs to own…
1. Timex Marlin Chronograph Tachymeter
Price: £150-200 | Movement: Quartz | Case diameter: 40mm
Timex’s Marlin Chronograph Tachymeter range comprises a variety of colours and both steel bracelet and leather strap options. Riffing on racing watches of the 1960s, these timepieces feature a sleek 40mm case, which actually feels smaller on the wrist, a stopwatch function, and a sturdy, domed acrylic crystal.
The standout choice is probably the panda dial on a steel bracelet, which can be paired effortlessly with either sports gear or a suit. It’s an elegant yet rugged design with square numeral markers at three, nine and 12 o’clock, along with a date window between four and five o’clock.
Powered by a reliable SR936SW battery, watches in the Timex Marlin Chronograph range ensure accuracy to within milliseconds each day. The projected battery life for these watches is around three years. They offer an extremely low-maintenance and credible quartz alternatives to the Tag Heuer Carrera collection which they doubtlessly draw inspiration from at a fraction of the price.
2. Mr Jones: A perfectly useless afternoon
Price: £225 | Movement: Quartz | Case diameter: 37mm
Designed in collaboration with the Belgian illustrator and author Kristof Devos, this eccentric watch from British microbrand Mr Jones is an amusing and reassuring sight. Instead of traditional watch hands, the dial features a person in a polka-dot bathing suit, relaxing on an inflatable rubber ring in a swimming pool. One of the figure’s feet is dipped in the water, indicating the hour, while a plastic duck floats nearby to signify the minutes.
The lounging character, the Mr Jones website explains, was created to “inspire you to relax and to realise that time spent resting, is time well spent.” This watch is the perfect tonic to the feeling chained to your desk.
The 37mm case on a Milanese mesh bracelet makes it a great choice for slimmer wrists. It also offers a pop of colour without being gaudy or gauche.
3. Seiko Presage Cocktail Time ‘Mojito’
Price: £300-400 | Movement: Automatic | Case diameter: 38.5mm
Bluntly, the Presage Cocktail Time range from industry giant Seiko offers the most beautiful watch dials at this price point. Based on popular drinks in Tokyo’s Ginza district, known for its upmarket dining and entertainment venues, these timepieces come on straps and bracelets.
The clear pick of the bunch, though, is the ‘Mojito’ model (SRPE45J1), which, at 38.5mm is at the smaller end of the collection which goes up to 40.5mm. The sunburst green dial is mesmerising with a guilloche texture to it and golden numerals at the even hour markers.
The watch is powered by Seiko’s 4R35 automatic movement, which quotes +45/-35 seconds per day accuracy, but, with regular wear, many users have reported it running far better than its specs suggest. The power reserve is 41 hours.
4. Brew Metric – Retro Dial
Price: £350-400 | Movement: Meca-quartz | Case diameter: 36mm
New York-based microbrand Brew was launched by Jonathan Ferrer in 2015 through a Kickstarter campaign. Ferrer, who studied industrial design at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, got the idea for the brand’s flagship Metric collection while working part-time in coffee shops in the area. Noting that baristas used kitchen timers to perfect espresso shots, he aimed to create striking, colourful chronographs that could serve a similar purpose.
Watches are in Ferrer’s blood. His father worked as a jeweller for Tiffany & Co; his grandfather was a designer for Cartier.
Brew’s Metric watches are powered by a Seiko VK68 mecha-quartz movement, meaning that while they are battery-powered, the seconds hand sweeps like an automatic watch rather than ticking.
Brew Metric watches are designed to resemble coffee machines and come in a variety of colour schemes. The battery life for a Brew Metric watch is around three years.
5. Orient Bambino Sun and Moon
Price: £350-400| Movement: Automatic | Case diameter: 41.5mm
Orient’s Sun and Moon sub-collection, which comes under its broader Bambino range, is united by the presence of a quirky day-night indicator, as well as day and date complications. The dials, which come in textured red, blue and green are packed with details but somehow don’t feel too busy. The Roman numeral hour markers offer an extra layer of sophistication.
At 41.5mm in case diameter, these watches provide a dressier option for larger wrists. There are compatible Orient bracelets for the Sun and Moon models, but this particular sub-collection looks more at home on a leather strap.
The Sun and Moon watches are powered by Orient’s F6B24 automatic movement, which quotes accuracy of +25/-15 seconds per day and has a power reserve of 40 hours.
