Teddy Baldassarre
15 Affordable Luxury Watches
Before I get into all the watch roundup goodness, I would like to begin this article with a concession: the term “affordable luxury” is somewhat of an oxymoron, a phrase inherently ripe with contradictions, beyond the scope of just watches. Getting that out of the way, moving forward, I am choosing to interpret the term as watches that punch above their weight class in terms of their looks, utility, and price point. The watches I’ve chosen range greatly in style and functionality, but the connecting thread among the pack is that they all deliver quality at what I would consider a reasonable price, especially given the often eye-boggling price tags that are so common in this hobby. One more concession: the very word “affordable” is extremely subjective. The difference in what one person deems affordable compared to another can be a cavernous gap with varying numbers of digits. To get personal for a brief moment, what is most comfortably affordable to me with my purchasing power is finding deals on second-hand, vintage mechanical watches on eBay, most often around or below the $100 mark. But because that method of watch shopping is full of risk (I always prepare myself that what I’ve purchased might very well not even keep time anymore), my roundup is focused exclusively on contemporary watches that you can buy from reputable retailers (us, perhaps?) or from the brand directly, often complete with reasonable warranties and receipts. So, enough yammering from yo...
