Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in the price of luxury watches, especially for sought-after models like the Rolex Daytona and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. However, across the watch market there is still value to be had at every price point. Here, our editorial team presents five of the best value watches at five price points.
Brew Metric - $450
At $450, the eye-catching Brew Metric is a great option for someone looking to own a unique watch from an up-and-coming brand with a compelling story. At 36mm with a slim profile, the Metric can be worn on any wrist size. The bracelet, finishing, and hybrid meca-quartz movement are commensurate with the sub-$500 price point, but where this watch really shines is the beautiful, balanced dial design. With a bold but tasteful mix of bright colors and a unique chronograph inspired by vintage telephone timers and coffee-making, this watch is an excellent way to make a statement at an attainable price point.
Monta Noble - $1,795
At under two thousand dollars, the Monta Noble is a great entry-level luxury watch with exceptional finishing at a lower price-point than comparable watches from more established brands. The standout here is the bracelet, with an attractive mix of brushed surfaces on the tops of the links and polishing on the sides. The clasp allows for three micro-adjustments, and each bracelet comes with two half-links for further size adjustment. While the simple design is well-suited for daily wear, the restrained, clean dial makes it appropriate for dressier occasions, too. With 150m of water resistance and a Sellita movement, the specs are respectable for the price—there's not much to criticize here.
Grand Seiko SBGA285 - $3,800
At under $4,000, the SBGA285 is a great entry point into the Grand Seiko brand. The most interesting feature of this watch, of course, is the Spring Drive caliber, Grand Seiko's iconic movement that blends electrical and mechanical components to create a watch with extremely high precision and a hypnotic smooth sweep of the second hand. While the overall design may be somewhat standard, the watch has the exquisite finishing that Grand Seiko is known for, offering a depth of fine details for the enthusiast to enjoy.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M - $5,900
For those who want to own a watch from an iconic luxury brand for under $6,000, the Omega Seamaster Professional is a perfect candidate. Famously worn by James Bond himself, this watch is instantly recognizable, with a signature ceramic bezel and wave dial pattern. With 300m of water resistance, a helium release valve, and a Master Chronometer certification, this watch has professional-grade specs that compare favorably to other luxury dive watches, even at higher price points.
Glashütte PanoMaticLunar - $10,700
If there is such a thing as a great value watch at just over $10,000, the PanoMaticLunar is it. With its overlapping auxiliary dials and gorgeous cutaway moon phase complication and faceted date window, the dial makes a bold but elegant statement, a perfect conversation starter in the dress watch category. The real star here, though, is the movement, which is visible through the clear case back.
Crafted in-house with the brand's distinctive double-swan's neck regulators, this movement is a truly exquisite specimen of high horology, and truly difficult to match at this price point. You can learn more about the movement from this excellent video by Teddy Baldassarre. You can also check out our full profile on this watch.
The chief critique of this watch is that bears a strong visual similarity to fellow Glashütte-based watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne's iconic Lange 1 design. While the PanoMaticLunar undoubtedly takes its design cues from the Lange 1, its achievements at a much lower price point should be enough to let it stand on its own.