The twelve months of 2014 are nearly expired. You’ve worked hard. You’ve been a good boy or girl. You’ve attempted to cut back horological obsessing in front of your significant other. You deserve a reward. The problem is you’ve already spent most of your dough on loved ones. What you need are some solid budget options, and we’ve got you covered. Let’s talk about some of our favorite wallet-friendly buys that are perfect for a last minute, Christmas self-gift. Treat yo’self!
Vostok Scuba Dude from EBay seller Venitar
Vostok Amphibia Scuba Dude – $80
You thought Chinese mechanical watches were inexpensive? Well, they certain are, but Russian watches might be even cheaper. There are a number of different watches in the Vostok Amphibia line, but we went with the Scuba Dude. Partly because it’s kind of funny to think about owning a watch called “Scuba Dude”, and partly because it’s arguably one of the nicest looking variants. With a diameter of 40mm and a cushion case, it would probably wear very nicely for most wrists. Add in 200m of water resistance with a rotating diver’s bezel, and you’ve got yourself a solid watch – one that costs $80! Amphibias won’t win any timepkeeping performance awards, but for that kind of money, who cares? Here’s a link to an EBay seller we understand is reliable. And if the Scuba Dude doesn’t do it for you, check out some of the other styles for sale (like the Zissou, for example).
Seiko SNZH
Seiko 5 SNZH – $150
In our opinion – and we think it’s a fairly common one – the Seiko 5 series is sort of the benchmark in the “best value” category. For many, a Seiko 5 is an introduction to mechanical watches, and can be considered a “gateway” watch. There are many to choose from, but we love the SNZH for its sporty looks reminiscent of the Fifty Fathoms. In fact, it can be modified to look even more like a Fifty Fathoms, and it’s dubbed the Fifty-Five Fathoms. Perfect dimensions for a dive watch, the reliability of the five pillars of the Seiko 5 series, and a price of $150 make it a no-brainer. You can find them in a few different colors on Amazon, or keep an eye out on Watch Recon, where one or two will eventually pop up.
Bernhardt Binnacle World
Bernhardt Binnacle World – $479
You may not have expected an inexpensive option to come from an American company, but here we are. Bernhardt Watches has been pumping out high value watches for nearly a decade, and they’ve really struck our eye with the Binnacle World. They essentially took their Binnacle Retro case and affixed a city and 24-hour disc to create a budget world timer. The result is a design not seen with too many watches today, and something that could trick the unsuspecting into thinking it’s vintage. What’s inside is undoubtedly not vintage, as Bernhardt opted for Miyota’s reliable 9015. Had they opted for the 8215 to cut costs further, we probably would have complained. The Binnacle World is limited to 1000 pieces total (2 dial options; the white is featured at the top), and comes in at $479.
A photoshopped Halios Tropik SS featured with white dial and black bezel
Halios Tropik SS – $720
We’ve gushed about Halios in the past, and it actually nearly kept us from including them from this list. However, we noticed some news on their Facebook page that the Tropik SS would be offered with a white dial and black bezel, as well as the black dial and stainless steel bezel. That sealed it. The pictures you can find are drool-worthy. So, if you held back on Christmas spending and have a little extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, here’s your winner at $720. Pre-orders literally just opened up at the time of posting this, so act fast, because these special Tropik SS variants will disappear quickly.
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