The idea of the three-watch collection has become somewhat of a trope over the past 10 years — in no small part because as the watch collecting hobby has ballooned in popularity, so has the notion that one needs to own, well, lots of watches. Of course, this isn’t true — not anymore than one needs to own, say, multiple wallets, or multiple pairs of boots. But there’s something to be said for having an everyday watch that’s a bit more robust, and then something a bit more elegant for those few times when you throw on a suit or a tuxedo. And if you truly take an interest in watches, then heck — it’s certainly no cardinal sin to own more than one. And if you collect them? Forget it — you probably don’t need to be reading this!
In considering a three-watch collection — which, to be fair, is based upon a more or less random numerical constraint — it’s sometimes helpful to put financial guardrails around the consideration. In this particular case, we’re going to be working with $5,000, which, though a considerable amount of money to plenty of folks, will by necessity force us to leave out much of the typical “luxury” fare. (We’ll consider these higher price brackets later on down the line in another entry.) This presents a unique thought experiment, as it limits our choices large to microbrands; mass-market, widely available brands; and the lower-to-mid-tier brands from some of the major luxury groups.
Then, we have to consider watch categories. We believe that one watch should always be appropriate for those rarer instances of formalwear, so one category we include will be Dress Watches. Then, we’re going to add in a Tool Watch category — something you can really beat the crap out of while swimming, hiking, etc. Finally, we’re including a much more arbitrary Everyday Watch category, which doesn’t have strict idiomatic bounds, but includes things that could conceivably be worn on a daily basis without being too sporty or too dressy.
Of course, the watches we’ve included are merely timepieces that we personally think are cool. There are hundreds — if not thousands — of other choices that are just as legitimate, and that fulfill the brief in each category just as well. When you’re done reading through our suggestions, try putting together your own theoretical Three-Watch Collection for $5,000. (Just don’t scream at us on Instagram if your significant other refuses to speak to you after you drop several thousand dollars at your local authorized dealer. We included the word “theoretical” for a reason!)
Collection 1
Dress Watch: Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto
While many would make the claim that a classic dress watch should be hand-wound to maintain thinness, this 9.8mm automatic model from Hamilton is thin enough to do the trick. Housed in a 38mm steel case and featuring a beautiful salmon dial with a date display, one could make the argument that it’s more “everyday” in its design remit — but throw it on with a suit and we think you’ll find that it oozes quiet, understated elegance. (Just swap out that brown strap for a black one if you try this with a black tuxedo!)
Diameter: 38mm
Movement: ETA 2892-A2
Water Resistance: 50m
Price: $895
Tool Watch: Marathon Steel Navigator on 3-Piece Rubber Strap Kit
In reimagining its beloved Navigator in steel, Marathon actually harkened back to old models from its own catalog dating to the 1980s. Available with or without a date and on various types of straps, we’d recommend the version with the brand’s 3-Piece Rubber Strap Kit. Once secured safely to your wrist, this field watch with its heavy-duty quartz movement can easily do double duty as a basic diver — though its real selling points are its 12-hour bezel for tracking a second time zone, and its highly legible dial with tritium tube illumination.
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: ETA F06.412 HeavyDrive-PreciDrive Quartz
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $920
Everyday Watch: Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39mm
Everyone and their mother has been offering a “flyer” GMT equipped with an independently adjustable local hour hand lately, but this entrant from Swiss brand Longines has the good looks, the specs, and the availability to make it a winner. With its matching steel bracelet, black dial, black 24-hour GMT bezel, and blue-tipped GMT hand, the Black version is incredibly versatile for everyday wear. Wear it to the office, take it on the road — it’s even got 100m of water resistance, so there’s no need to baby it.
Diameter: 39mm
Movement: Longines L844.4 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $3,150
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Dress Watch: Timex Marlin
Let’s say you very rarely throw on a suit, let alone a tuxedo, and thus perhaps you don’t care to spend too much hard-earned cash on a dress watch. In that case, the Timex Marlin is a fine option: Housed in a 34mm steel case and modeled on a vintage timepiece, it features a hand-wound movement and a simple black leather strap. Another selling point? Its attractive silver sunray dial with stylized Arabic numerals and a simple, black sword handset. It may not be finely made Swiss haute horlogerie, but in the looks department, it absolutely kills.
Diameter: 34mm
Movement: Hand-wound
Water Resistance: 30m
Price: $209
Tool Watch: Zodiac Super Sea Wolf ZO9266
This colorful diver from Zodiac might be the most fun you can have in tool watches for under $2,000. Inspired by the brand’s playful models from the 1960s and 1970s, the Super Sea Wolf ref. ZO9266 combines a 40mm steel cae with a dark blue dial, a matching blue dive bezel, and bright orange, white, and pale yellow accents. With its Jubilee-style bracelet, 200m of water resistance, and great looks, it’s perhaps the ideal vacation watch. (Just don’t be surprised if your significant other wants to borrow it.)
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: STP 3-13 automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: $1,695
Everyday Watch: TAG Heuer Carrera Date
The three-hander version of TAG Heuer’s famous racing chronograph, the Carrera Date on leather is the perfect everyday companion. Measuring 39mm in stainless steel and powered by the brand’s automatic Calibre 5 movement — which is visible via a sapphire caseback — it features a silver sunray dial (though it also comes in blue) and comes paired to a black leather two-piece strap. Conservative and good-looking, it’s the type of watch your kid will be more than happy to take off your hands one day.
Diameter: 39mm
Movement: TAG Heuer Calibre 5 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $3,050
Collection 3
Dress Watch: Cartier Tank Must
If having a knockout dress watch is important to you, then why not go right to the source and nab yourself the prototypical model — the Cartier Tank. Although you can’t get yourself a precious-metal version within our $5,000 constraints, you can certainly snag a Tank Must, which runs on a high-autonomy quartz movement. With its blue cabochon crown and Roman numeral dial, the affordable entry in the Tank lineup packs most of the punch of its more expensive siblings at a fraction of the cost.
Diameter: 22mm
Movement: Cartier High-Autonomy Quartz
Water Resistance: 30m
Price: $3,300
Tool Watch: Casio G-Shock DW6900-1V
If you can squeeze more utility out of a less expensive watch than the G-Shock 6900 series — we want to hear about it! There’s a reason this baby is relied upon by soldiers all around the world: Its body is shock resistant, highly water resistant, and stealthy, while the included rubber strap is comfortable and wicks away sweat. Add in a host of alarms, timers, and all sorts of stopwatches, and you’ve got yourself a winning formula for the perfect modern tool watch.
Diameter: 53.2mm
Movement: Digital
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: $54
Everyday Watch: NOMOS Club
The NOMOS Club remains, some years after its debut, a fan favorite amongst horology nerds for its good looks, Bauhaus-inspired design, and hand-wound, in-house movement. At 36mm, it’s the perfect size for an everyday piece, with a beautiful Horween leather strap that pulls at the colorful details with its silvered dial. At just 8.2mm thick, it wears like a dream, while 100m of water resistance means you don’t have to worry about the occasional splash or walk in the rain.
Diameter: 36mm
Movement: NOMOS Alpha hand-wound
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $1,500
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