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. We’ve rounded up the best watches for under $150 before, and while they’re impressive, we think that the golden mean of watch shopping is the under $1500 range. That's because 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. From the Bauhaus expertise of Junghans to streetwear diving watches from A Bathing Ape, here are some of the best investment watches to bag on a budget.
Shop 8 of the best watches for under 1500 dollars.
BAPE Type 1 BAPEX 40mm
Type 1 BAPEX 40mm
BAPE
A Bathing Ape's BAPEX watches are unaffiliated with Rolex, so unfortunately you won't be bagging a Rolex for under 1500 here. That said, the streetwear take on the iconic Submariner offers up the same visuals for a much kinder price tag.
TAG HEUER Formula 1 Chronograph Watch
Formula 1 41mm
TAG HEUER
TAG HEUER is a perennial presence in watchmaking. The Swiss manufacturer was founded in 1860 which is more than enough time to perfect the art of the timepiece. Powered by a proprietary TAG HEUER movement, this Formula 1 Chronograph is housed in a 41mm case that stands out on the wrist.
Baume Ocean Limited Edition Automatic 42mm
Ocean Limited Edition Automatic 42mm
Baume
Watches are part of our wardrobes that really haven't been hit by the sustainability wave yet. That is excluding Baume whose Ocean Automatic 42mm is made from recycled plastic cups. Finished with a SEAQUAL strap, it's proving to other watchmakers that Swiss-made luxury watches can be sustainable.
Bamford Watch Department Mayfair Watch
Mayfair Watch
Bamford Watch Department
Another thing that the world of watches would do well to remember sometimes is that watches can be fun! Bamford Watch Department looks to colorful components to give flashes of personality to your outfits. The Mayfair watch features a stainless steel case, a bright green dial, and Swiss quartz movement.
Fun fact: the Mayfair design is carried over from the replacement watches that Bamford would send to customers whose watches were being serviced. Realizing that nobody wanted to send their replacement watches back, Bamford perfected the design and released it.
Junghans Automatic Max Bill Watch
Max Bill Bauhaus Automatic 38mm
Junghans
German watchmaker Junghans takes inspiration from the national treasure that is Bauhaus. The 20th-century design movement looks to clean lines and minimal detailing to get a strong, no-nonsense point across. The Max Bill watch is one of the brand's leading designs with a clean face and reliable J800.1 movement.
Montblanc Summit 2+ 43.5mm
Summit 2+ 43.5mm
Montblanc
I always said that I wouldn't wear an electronic watch until it wasn't possible to tell the difference between one and a 'real' watch. Well, Montblanc's Summit 2+ calls an end to my prejudice. Equipped with cellular connectivity, a built-in speaker to make calls, a translator, a fitness tracker, and much more, this really is a feat of engineering.
Baume & Mercier Hampton 27.5mm
Hampton 27.5mm
Baume & Mercier
But while smartwatches are seemingly getting smarter by the month, it's hard to beat the charm of a timepiece like Baume & Mercier's Hampton. At just 27.5mm in diameter, this square-faced watch recalls a bygone era in watch design. This Swiss-made masterpiece is wildly classy and that's largely down to its unimposing stature.
NOMOS Glashütte Club Campus Hand-Wound 38mm
Club Campus Hand-Wound 38mm
NOMOS Glashütte
NOMOS Glashütte is all about cleanliness. This uncluttered timepiece features a miniature dial for seconds to render the main dial as legible as possible. The orange face is a beautiful touch, bringing a pop of color to the understated design. The Club Campus stands at 38mm in diameter and runs on a Calibre Alpha hand-wound movement with a 43-hour power reserve.
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