Attainable watches overlooked from Watches and Wonders
With a few notable exceptions - like the Tudor Black Bays - it seems like a lot of new watches introduced at Watches & Wonders in 2023 at price points under $5,000 US have been pretty much ignored by the enthusiast news and social media. While none of these are exactly what I would classify as "affordable" to the masses they are at least attainable to a far larger segment of the population than the vast majority of the watches presented at W&W.
Now I'm hardly aware of all internet traditions or watch related content so maybe some or all of these have been covered elsewhere, but here's what was introduced that I haven't seen much - if any - coverage of.
A 41mm integrated bracelet sport watch available as a standard 3-hander ($2095) running an AL-525 caliber (SW200 base) and a regulater ($2595) running the AL-650 (Unitas 6498 base).
Bell & Ross introduced two new variants of the BR-03 line. A blue GMT ($4200) running the BR-CAL.303 (based on ETA 2893-2) and a bronze 3-hander ($4700) running the BR-CAL.302 (Selita SW300 base).
A brand new watch to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the oft-overlooked French manufacturer, the Concorde is an integrated bracelet sport watch available in 40 and 36mm powered by their in-house Initial calibre. Scheduled to be available in the fall for around $4000 (props to Jorge Merino @ the TimeZone forum for the info).
The new 107xx line of Hamptons was unveiled with automatic ($2700) and quartz ($2100) versions and case sizes of 43x27 and 35x22. The auto uses the BM 72671 movement (ETA 2671 base).
Two new variants of the Highlife were unveiled. A very brown 41mm Manufacture Worldtime ($4495) running the in-house FC-718 caliber and the 34mm Ladies Automatic Sparkling ($3995) powered by an FC-303 (Selita SW200 base).
Montblanc released a slew of variants of the 1858, and while most of those introduced topped the $5k mark the 41mm Automatic Date 0 Oxygen The 8000 ($3180) a 3-hander with a directional bezel and the 41mm Iced Sea Automatic Date ($3350) dive-watch - both running the MB 24.17 calibre (SW200 base) - do qualify for this list.
A lot of ink has been spilled over the Black Bays introduced so I won't include them, but the new bezel and dial variants of the Tudor Royale ($2400-$3700) have gone virtually unnoticed. 28, 34, 38 and 41mm available with brown and salmon dials, gold or steel bezels and diamond settings. They're running T601 movements (SW200 base).
Another watch well covered is the Oris ProPilot X Kermit ($4600), a 39mm titanium variant in eye-searing green with a Kermit the frog icon replacing the 1 on the date wheel. It runs Oris' in-house Calibre 400.
B&M introduced the new 107xx line of the Riviera to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the model. This has gotten some press, but mostly due to pointing out the auto versions seem to run the same movement (the BM13 sourced from ValFleurier) as the much, much more expensive IWC Ingenieur. Available in 33, 39 and 42mm sizes with quartz or automatic versions, steel and titanium cases and with or without a dive bezel (from $1900-$4350).
Let's chalk the 42mm Montblanc Star Legacy Grey Moonphase up as a "maybe". The standard SL Moonphase sells for $4800 so this may be at the same price, but there's nothing up about it on Montblanc's site yet. The current one runs an MB24.31 (Selita base).
New colorways for the 36mm Carrera ($3200) and a new version of the Calibre 7 with 56 hours of reserve (was based on the SW300 before).
While the large model is a bit over the limit, the 22.6x41.6mm medium automatic ($4800) and the 19x34.8mm small quartz ($3750) steel models of the redesigned Tank Américaine fit our bill. AFAICT the auto runs a Piaget 9P2 calibre.
Anything I missed? Please include it in the comments!
Existential void where prohibited.
Thanks for sharing these. I haven’t heard a word about some of them.
You definitely have to search harder for info on watches in this price realm than on the higher end brands.
Excellent Point regarding brand information & that you for sharing this info! I agree that daily wear watches in the price range you put together get ignored- at least this year
Nice snapshot of the different brands and models that seem to have been overlooked (with the exception of the Oris Kermit that has been widely talked about in recent days), thanks!
Just gave me an idea for a YouTube video thank you
A few gems there. Youd think it would warrant a bit more attention than being now able to see the mvt of a $120k watch through a revolutionary sapphire caseback.
Great selection.
One of the amazing watches on display at W&W was the new Frederique Constant x Revolution Watch collaboration...only 100 pieces (and now sold out)...at just under $5k this was the winner in that category for me...this is the image from the website...
Here's my photo from W&W...
Montblanc also had some great watches in the under $5k category. One of the cool items they put together...again only 100 pieces (and I believe also sold out) was the box set of the 1858 Ice Series including the new grey dial reference...the three watches (green, blue and grey) come in a special Montblanc box featuring the Montblanc mountain...
There was so much to look at in Geneva it was truly mind blowing.
Also, if you missed it, Breitling reissued the Top Time Mustang, Corvette and Shelby Cobra together with a new release of the Thunderbird. They had an amazing vintage white T-Bird outside the Geneva boutique for the launch. I picked up the new Cobra as I already had the Mustang and the Corvette. Bit of a stiff increase in price though...the old ones were $5,500 with ebauche movement, but the new releases are $8,000 with the in-house movement. Quite a price increase...
Thanks for the in-depth review
“This has gotten some press, but mostly due to pointing out the auto versions seem to run the same movement (the BM13 sourced from ValFleurier) as the much, much more expensive IWC Ingenieur.”
You forget the third and fourth “much.”