While collecting the high-end luxury watches is all well and good, sometimes people just want a really wearable, affordable watch. Thankfully there are a host of brands that fit the bill. Here we take a look at three watches that are great quality/value propositions.
Eberhard & Co. Aquadate Chrono
Eberhard Aquadate Chrono
Swiss watch brand Eberhard & Co. has been around for nearly 140 years, but is not necessarily as prevalent in the United States market as in Europe. That’s changing though, and new and exciting watches help. The brand has had the Aquadate collection of watches for years, but now it adds the Aquadate Chrono to the line up.
Powered by a mechanical automatic chronograph caliber, the Aquadate Chrono has a bold and powerful look to it thanks to the notched bezel, the satin and polished finishes on the case and bracelet and easy-to-read date window at 6:00. Water resistant to 100 meters, the 41mm watch comes in three versions — a blue dial, black dial or white dial.
Even the dial motif stands out with horizontal lines that are a beautiful backdrop for the round chronograph subsidiary dials. The watch is further equipped with an anti-reflective treatment on the sapphire case, a crew-in crown and a polished case back with engravings. In all, the anytime-wear watch, which retails for about $4,100, has a harmonious look and is a top-notch quality/value proposition.
Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Racer Chronograph
Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Racer
Long known for its standards of precision and readability, Ball Watch brand is a pro at delivering reliability, looks and value. Such is the case with its recently released Engineer Hydrocarbon Racer Chronograph that offers hours, minutes, seconds and date functions. Additionally, its sporty look of the 42mm watch is further enhanced with a tachymeter bezel and a chronograph with central seconds hand.
It is powered by the Ball RR1401-C movement that is also a COSC-certified (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing) chronometer — attesting to its rugged durability and precision. Because reading the dial at night or in the dark is important, the brand equips it with tubes of green H3 gas for the markers and hands. At 12:00, the tubes are yellow — always to determine 12:00. These state-of-the-art tubes offer stronger illumination — up to 100 times brighter than the Super LumiNova paint typically used in the watch industry. The watch comes in a variety of dial colors and is water resistant to 100 meters, and is also shock-resistant and anti-magnetic. At $3,599, it is a great value proposition.
Longines Spirit Collection
