Whether you’re debating movement intricacies on a niche subreddit or finally entertaining the idea of spending more than $35 on a watch, it’s a good time to be a watch collector. In particular, last month has been filled with heat: Rolex semi-unexpectedly debuted the novel Perpetual Padellone, while Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin launched new models of their own.
While these releases have been excellent for the watchstagram algorithm, they’re not exactly drops that most folks would consider accessible. (The latest Patek models retail for approximately $45,000 USD.) Luckily, it’s been anything but quiet on the other end of the spectrum, too. A variety of rugged collaborations from the horological world’s most egalitarian players have introduced a handful of affordable tool styles for the everyday consumer, with revered watchmakers like Marathon and Unimatic teaming up with labels and third-party retailers alike.
With fall finally here, holidays on the horizon and this much sub-$1,200 goodness freshly stocked on shelves, it only felt right to highlight a few of my favorite releases from the past month that you can add to cart right this instant, all without having to refinance your mortgage. From Bespoke Post’s vintage Timex diver take to a new installment in Todd Snyder’s growing military watch collection, find them below.
American watchmaker Timex is the undisputed king of the affordable collaboration, with a litany of excellent team-ups that span Tank-esque dress watches and military styles pulled straight from the archives. Their latest co-branded effort comes in partnership with Bespoke Post: A new 40mm watch modeled after the brand’s ’60s-era divers, the Heritage 66 introduces a splash of orange detailing and comes with two interchangeable straps. It’s sleek, practically indestructible and under $300, to boot.
Huckberry x Marathon CeraShell Arctic Navigator
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: ETA F06.115 HeavyDrive quartz
Water Resistance: 60m
If you want to ensure your pilot’s watch is up to snuff, co-developing the design with a historically dependable watchmaker and the U.S. Air Force is probably a pretty good way to go about it. The new CeraShell Arctic Navigator Watch, Huckberry’s take on the Pilot’s Navigator, keeps the icon’s purpose-built spirit alive while offering a refreshed feel and upgraded specs, including a novel Arctic dial, which, in tandem with a bezel-affixed, radial-mounted tritium tube insert and custom orange seconds hand, is highly legible in low-light conditions.
Todd Snyder x UNIMATIC U5S-TS Watch
Diameter: 36mm
Movement: Swiss automatic movement
Water Resistance: 300m
This isn’t Todd Snyder’s first collaboration with Unimatic, but the new U5S-TS “Into the Woods” might just be the duo’s best model yet. Combining serious sartorial excellence with the Italian watchmaker’s signature military-inspired machinations, the relatively petite stainless steel model (36mm) introduces a handsome forest green dial, with lumed markers for visibility even in the murkiest of circumstances. With automatic Swiss-made movement and considered detailing, it punches well above its weight in both technical proficiency and price point.
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The world of men’s style, from the streets of NYC to the showrooms of Milan, run down weekly by writer and photographer Christopher Fenimore.
