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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500
Slide Nr 1If you’re looking to invest in a luxury watch, you might be under the impression that you will have to part with vast sums of money. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many brands offer some of their most interesting, well-designed, solidly built and visually arresting models for USD 1,500 and under. We have compiled a list of our 15 current favourites – proof that you don’t need to break the bank to own a truly great timepiece.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 2Seiko SSC947 Prospex Speedtimer – Modern reinterpretations of classic vintage watches are still all the rage in watch-collecting circles, and this beauty from Seiko is one of the best. The SSC947 Prospex Speedtimer takes its inspiration from the brand’s iconic ‘Pogue’, the first automatic chronograph to go into space, worn by Colonel William R. Pogue during his Skylab 4 mission in 1973. That red and blue ‘Pepsi’ bezel, coupled with the outrageous gold dial, is a direct homage to the original, but Seiko has brought the model right up to date with a solar-charged movement accurate to within 15 seconds a month and boasting a six-month power reserve.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 3Casio G-Shock Frogman GWF-A1000 – If only everything in life offered as much bang for your buck as a G-Shock! As its name suggests, the Frogman GWF-A1000 is a fully fledged divers’ watch, with a hefty 200m water resistance and a host of professional-grade functions to ensure underwater safety. It automatically logs dive times and surface intervals, has a built-in tide graph for specified locations, and even includes moonphase data. Connect it to the dedicated G-Shock app, and it will also record depth levels. This is the first model in the Frogman series’ 30-plus-year history with an analogue display, and its huge hour and minute hands are hyper-legible in any conditions. The next best thing to a dive computer, you get all this for under $1,000.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 4Apple Watch Nike Edition – The phenomenon of the Apple Watch needs no introduction, but the Nike Editions might. The two global behemoths first collaborated in 2016, with the smartwatch’s built-in waterproof design, GPS and blood oxygen monitoring providing the ideal platform for the sport brand’s fitness-focused operating system. The latest Nike Edition features different-coloured bands and themed watch faces, which allow you to launch the Nike Run Club app. You can track runs, see real-time stats, keep up with guided workouts and integrate music playlists – no phone required. Best of all, it costs the same as the standard Apple Watch.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 5Doxa Sub 200 Aquamarine – Doxa has one of the strongest pedigrees in dive watch history; their Sub 200 Aquamarine is an excellent addition to a series introduced in 2019 to celebrate the brand’s 130th anniversary. Equipped with a tough 42mm steel case, with sapphire crystal and 200m water resistance, the minimalist aesthetics are given a fierce boost by the bright turquoise dial and hard-wearing rubber strap. Perfect for summer adventures on dry land or beneath the waves, this watch will get you noticed.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 6Hamilton Khaki Field Murph Automatic – If you’re wondering whether you’ve seen Hamilton’s Murph somewhere before, you have: the smart, no-nonsense field watch was created for, and played a starring role in, Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending 2014 movie Interstellar. Originally released as a 42mm model, 2022 saw the range updated with the inclusion of a 38mm version, plus the option of a white dial to complement the original black. The watch, with its elegant cathedral hands and full Arabic numeral indexes, has become something of a cult hit, and – true to Hamilton as a brand – it represents incredible value for money.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 7Christopher Ward C60 Trident GMT 300 – British company Christopher Ward has set the watch world on its head with its range of exceptionally high-quality timepieces, all priced towards the budget-minded enthusiast. The Trident line has been one of the mainstays of the collection, with the GMT 300 proving among the most popular. Everything you could want in a vacation watch is here: massive 300m water resistance, a robust 40mm steel case, the convenience of a GMT function to track two time zones, and a reliable Swiss movement – all for under $1,500.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 8Nomadic Turas 914 Black Ice – Belfast-based Nomadic has gone from strength to strength since their founding in 2021. The Turas is among the brand’s more recent additions – a simple, beautifully restrained tool watch that looks just as good exploring the wilds as it does around the boardroom table. With the fit and finish you expect in models three or four times the price, the big story with the Turas is the dial, of which there are three on offer; the matte forest green is nicely muted, while the white and black versions come with a wonderful texture that’s always fascinating to see.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 9Nivada Grenchen Pac-Man-Depthmaster – We love a brand with personality, and historic Swiss watchmakers Nivada Grenchen have it in spades. Since their 2020 revival, the cult favourite has set about reissuing some of its greatest hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s, and the updated Depthmaster range continues to delight. Armed with a fearsome 1,000m water resistance, this ‘mini-Panerai’ is robust enough for just about anything. Moreover, while that distinctive cushion-shaped case was already a head-turner, the geek-friendly hour markers – fashioned after the title character of the Pac-Man video game – are sure to attract attention.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 10Marathon Jeep Willys SSGPM (Officer’s Mechanical) – Automaker Jeep and Canadian watch company Marathon have both been military suppliers since 1941, manufacturing some of the Allied forces’ most dependable kit. It was only a matter of time before the two produced a range of watches together, known as the Jeep X Marathon series. The SSGPM (stainless steel general purpose mechanical) is a handsome reimagining of one of Marathon’s WWII originals, featuring a modernised treatment of the vintage wartime dial. Shot through with utilitarian chic and built to official US military standards, this rugged officers’ watch is engineered to handle frontline action.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 11Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer – Mido’s Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer is a great example of how much you can fit inside a watch while still keeping it affordable and usable. The 200m water-resistant model combines multicoloured scales to help divers execute decompression stops, alongside a GMT complication and a bezel displaying a worldtimer. That’s a lot of information to cram into a relatively small 40.5mm case, but Mido has managed it without compromising legibility. What’s more, they’ve managed to revive some effortlessly stylish 1960s aesthetics to bring us an all-around overachiever.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 12Certina DS PH200M Powermatic 80 – As faithful re-editions of famed vintage watches go, Certina’s DS PH200M is among the most authentic. An homage to their own 1967 original, Certina has retained the most important details: large sword hands, trademark red crosshair on the dial, and domed Hesalite crystal. The new model is slightly larger than the old, measuring 43mm rather than 40mm, but otherwise there is little to choose between them. Even the innovative shock absorption is the same. The DS stands for Double Security, a system that shrouds the movement in a thick rubber seal, acting as guard against water while deadening any impacts.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 13Seagull 1963 Panda Pilot Limited Edition Chronograph D1963 – Chinese company Seagull started out in the industry making exact reproductions of iconic 1960s aviator watches, standard government issue for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. They have since branched out with a whole wave of further designs, but their most recent model is this limited edition commemorating 20 years since China’s maiden space flight. The 40mm chronograph is heavy with charming details; the blued hands, the subtle Chinese script, the easy-to-read hour markers and, of course, that arresting Panda dial. Restricted to just 520 pieces and priced at under $650, there’s very little in the way of competition.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 14Mr Jones Watches Number Cruncher – There are no rules in watch design, and this wonderfully quirky piece from London-based manufacturer Mr Jones is colourfully bonkers proof. Throwing conventional three-handed time-telling out the window, here we have a monster – like an illustration from a children’s book – stomping through a city skyline as he plucks hours out of the sky, with the minutes churning around in his belly. It’s silly and unique and utterly charming – the perfect antidote to the stuffier end of the horology spectrum.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 15Magrette Leoncino Wheke – Proud New Zealand brand Magrette specialises in watches that reflect the country’s rich culture and honour Māori and Pacific artistry. The Leoncino Wheke is a limited edition of just 20 pieces, each hand-engraved by artist Andrew Briggs to depict Te Wheke-O-Muturangi – the giant octopus of Māori legend – on the case top, lugs, sides and bracelet end links. Stunning in their execution, the individually numbered 40mm watches feature highly reliable Swiss movements, distinctive cushion-shaped lines and dials with enormous numerals for ease of reading.
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The 15 Best Watches Under $1,500.
Slide Nr 16Dan Henry 1937 Dress Chronograph – Fans of Art Deco elan need look no further for their next favourite watch than the 1937 Dress Chronograph from Brazilian brand Dan Henry. Stylish enough for Gatsby himself, this 38mm model comes with two layouts: one with the subdials arranged horizontally, the other vertically. All have intricate, multi-faceted main dials with a tachymeter scale around the border for accurate timing, as well as elegant leaf-shaped hands. The perfect complement to both casual and formal wear, it could easily be mistaken for the best from the Swiss elite, but at a fraction of the price.
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