The Perfect Three Piece Watch Collection Under $500
Watch collecting can be expensive. Because many watches are created by hand with very small parts that have been finished to perfection, their prices are reflective of this. But, there are many affordable watches that you can create a collection of. What is great about the watch industry is the diversity. Because of how many brands there are, there is so much variation in the types of watches you can get. Yes, there are downside to having so many brands - namely it makes it harder to identify what brands create quality watches.
The collection of watches we would create consists of three watches. The criteria for picking these watches was fairly simple; quality watches that you can enjoy.
The first watch would have to come from Seiko. No matter what types of watches you collect at whatever price point, every collector loves Seiko. The SKX013 would be the first watch. Many collectors love the SKX007, but the SKX013 is like the brother of this watch. It is a bit smaller at 38mm but comes with the aesthetic looks as the 007, but the black dial and bezel. It also featres the same movement, the 7S26 with 200 meters water resistance. This would be your sports watch - the watch you would not be afraid of breaking.
The second watch is a personal favourite of Life on the Wrist, it is the Swatch Sistem 51. The Sistem 51 was the first mechanical watch made by Swatch. The automatic movement is made of 51 parts, hence its name, and features a date function. This is the watch you can have a bit more fun with. Swatch has such variety in their watch lines. The Sistem 51 is no exception. Looking at their website, the Sistem Frog is pretty unique! It is 42mm in diameter and has a green case and silicone strap. The dial is accented with red hour markers and the hands are red too. Have some fun, and pick up a Sistem 51 for your collection.
The last watch in the collection is for when you need to dress up a bit. The Orient Bambino is a simple watch that can round out your collection. It is a steel cased watch with a beautiful cream dial with roman hours markers. It also has blue hands and a date function that stand out nicely due to the contrast of blue and cream. It is a 40mm watch, so very wearable and runs on the no-frills 48743 movement. It is a great watch to wear for formal events, or if you feel like getting a classier look on your wrist.
Lastly, this collection will probably cost you between $350-$500. With the extra money that you may have if you shop around, buy some straps! Putting new straps on your watches can give them a whole new feel. Instead of having a collection of three watches, the extra straps can expand your collection.
Enjoy!
