9 of the Best Watches for Under $1500
Sure, you can get a great watch on a budget, but the real fact of the matter is that if you want a watch to wear for the rest of your life, you’re going to need to spend a bit more. The price spectrum of watches is vast as the variety of them, but we think that the golden mean of watch shopping is the under $1500 range. That's because plenty of watches under $1500 carry all the hallmarks of a luxury watch without the five-figure price tag.
Don’t get us wrong, $1500 isn’t cheap. A high-quality timepiece is — and always has been — an investment. But while the entry point for the Rolexes and Audemars Piguets of the world stands at around $5000, copping luxury watches under 1500 dollars is a task worth undertaking.
So, to save you time and money, we hit the net to round up the best watches under 1500 dollars. Here are some of the best investment watches to bag on a budget.
Shop 9 of the best watches for under 1500 dollars.
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE Club Campus Hand-Wound
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE has been flying the flag for German watchmaking since 1990, and represents one of the best options on the market for anyone in search of a luxury watch that doesn't cost a fortune. Take the Club Campus, for example. With a standout orange dial, it exemplifies one of NOMOS' biggest pulls: great watches that feel fun. Its bold dial is balanced out by a pared-back case and soft grey suede strap. Under the hood is a super-reliable Calibre Alpha hand-wound movement with a power reserve of 43 hours. At 36mm, this is the perfect daily driver.
Hamilton Murph 38mm
Ask any watch nerd which watch they'd opt for given a budget of $1000 and most would direct you to the Hamilton Murph. As a field watch, this military design is crafted for everyday life. It's reliable, looks great, and can be worn with anything from a tracksuit to a tuxedo. Powered by the H-10 automatic movement, it has an 80-hour power reserve. For the uninitiated, that means that this watch charges with the movement of your wrist and will keep ticking for 80 hours after wear. So, say you end up in a sci-fi hellscape, you needn't rely on batteries—just ask Matthew McConnaughy who wore it as Murph in Interstellar.
G-SHOCK MTG-B4000 Series
So far in this roundup we've seen a hand-wound movement and an automatic movement. Here's the G-SHOCK MTG-B4000 Series which uses... Solar power. Few watches are as hardy as a G-SHOCK, and few G-SHOCKs are as hardy as this one. Shock resistant, Centrifugal force resistant, and Vibration resistant, its Carbon Core Guard structure protects this radio-controlled Watch. Using multi band 6Bluetooth, it even connects to your smartphone and automatically adjusts the time.
VAER D5 Pacific Anacapa Auto 39mm
Independent watchmaker VAER has impressed us with each release for some time now. Combining classic design with technical prowess and serious affordability, the VAER D5 Pacific Anacapa crystallizes what we love about the brand. At 39mm, this mechanical dive watch is ideal for most wrist sizes and features one of the more unique dials we've seen recently. Water-resistant to 20ATM, it boasts a trusty slim Miyota 9015 automatic movement.
VAER A5 Atlas Green Auto 38mm
For those in search of something a little less technical, the VAER A5 Atlas features the same Miyota 9015 automatic movement but a more versatile aesthetic. Fitted with a stunning deep green dial with minimal markings, it can transition from daily driver to dress watch with a quick change of the strap.
Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage 36 mm
Swiss-made watches under $1500 are hard to come by, especially ones that look this sophisticated. With a mid-century style oval dial, it's an extremely graceful piece that's ideal for more formal situations. With a thickness of just 5.1mm, its case is unimposing, allowing the beautiful sunray dial to do the talking.
Timex Waterbury Heritage Chronograph 39mm
Timex has been around for 170 years, presumably because they know and love timewear, as well as their audience and how to cater to them throughout that time. Pieces like the Timex Waterbury Chronograph are nigh-on impossible to argue with. Although the movement is quartz, the visuals of this watch alone are enough to make it a great investment. Akin to Omega's iconic Speedmaster, it features a chronograph dial that feels self-assured instead of busy.
Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic 41mm
At $549, the Timex Deepwater Reef 200 is a watch that well outperforms others in its price bracket. Powered by an automatic movement housed in an incredibly hard-wearing titanium case, this dive watch can compete with watches four or five times more expensive than it.
Timex x MM6 T80 Gold-Tone Watch & Bracelet
For those who value style over technical prowess, the Timex T80 made in collaboration with MM6 is an essential. The only digital display in this roundup, it earns its spot through subcultural cache. Maison Margiela's iconic sizing grid details the case while the time-tested and unmistakable retro charm of the Timex T80 remains totally intact.
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