I'll admit honestly: I dreaded the moment I would have to choose the best watches under €2,500. Why?
Because what I consider to be priced under €2,500 is no longer so. Yes, go ahead. Call me outdated and old-fashioned, that's fine. But you know what? My list of three watches came to me with clarity. Staying within budget turned out to be quite easy. Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 and King Seiko didn't even cross the €2K barrier. And Oris Rectangular falls short of €350 and doesn't exceed €2,500.
Choosing the Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 might not be a big surprise for you. These watches, with their classic yet bordering on retro appearance combined with modern dimensions, caught my attention earlier this year. Right after that, I began singing their praises. Thanks to the steel case measuring 41 × 49.3 × 13.8 mm, they fit my wrist perfectly. Although I usually hesitate to embrace retro design, in the case of this Certina model, I'm ready to cast aside all my doubts.
Best Watches Under €2,500: Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80
I like that there's no big and bulky bracelet here, but instead an aged leather strap. Its soft appearance pairs beautifully with the bezel, which looks lush, warm, and classic. The bidirectional bezel is made of stainless steel with a gold PVD coating and a sapphire glass insert. The insert has a half-black, half-brown finish and a 24-hour scale with gold markings, allowing you to read day/night time in two places. On the dial, gold DS Action hands with white Super-LumiNova coating, which glows blue in the dark, move along with a white GMT hand with a luminescent triangle tip.
These are not only beautiful but also practical watches. They are water-resistant up to 200 meters, and the star of the show, in my opinion, is the Powermatic 80.661 (ETA C07.661) movement. It's a flyer GMT style version of the Powermatic 80 caliber, operating at 21,600 per hour and boasting an 80-hour power reserve. With such Certina watches, you can travel across different time zones with ease. The 12-hour hand moves according to the time zones you fly through, and the date follows it - that's why these watches are known as "flying" GMTs.
No, the steel case isn't the pinnacle of sophistication, but it can't be called rough either. Its quality matches the price - the Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 C032.929.26.051.00 costs €1,170.
King Seiko SPB369 with Linen Dial
Yesterday, I was talking about linen with friends. We all agreed that theoretically, linen is the perfect fabric for summer shirts or suits. But that's only if you can accept that after a few minutes of wearing such clothing, it will look like you slept in it after a long and wild night. The way linen wrinkles just drives me crazy! It's a pity because I love the lightness of the fabric and its texture. How do you wear linen without suffering from creases? Buy a watch with a "linen" dial, like the King Seiko SPB369. These are steel watches measuring 39 × 11.9 mm with a lug-to-lug length of 46.1 mm and a price of €1,950.
The proportions are magnificent. The case shape is sharp, modern, with a sense of history, and the finish is simply pleasing. I think I would prefer to wear the watch on a high-quality leather strap rather than a bracelet, but that's easily fixed. And now we move on to the dial - a creamy, non-white, textured dial that we call "linen." It's simply delightful. The linen texture is impressive, it's complex and has breathed life into the watch. Thanks to the fine structure and color, the SPB369 model has a hint of vintage - remember the great King Seiko watches with linen dials from the 1960s? - But it's more of a timeless style. Like linen itself, it will always be in fashion.
Bet You Didn't Expect to See These Oris Rectangular?
For reasons I can't disclose at the moment, I've been looking at non-round watches lately. So when compiling this trio of the best watches under €2,500, I wanted to include square or rectangular watches. When it comes to worthy non-round mechanical watches priced under €2,500, the choice is limited. The watches you're thinking of are in a different price category, and those that fall into it are battery-powered quartz watches. However, I managed to find a couple and narrowed it down to two candidates - the 28.2 × 47 mm Longines Dolcevita L5.767.4.73.9 for €2,000 and the Oris Rectangular 01 561 7783 4068-07 5 19 18 for €2,150. In the end, I chose the red Oris over the Longines with a blue strap and silver dial.
I chose these Oris watches not because of the automatic caliber 561, based on Sellita. I chose it because of the 25.5 × 38 mm case. It's slightly smaller than the Longines, and I know that in the case of rectangular watches, my wrist and eye prefer a smaller case size. The stepped sides of the case are another pleasant touch, reminiscent of Art Deco architecture. To offset their modest size, we chose the Oris Rectangular in a deep burgundy red. Its bright dial also features inner and outer railway tracks, with the inner one lined with luminescent lines marking the hours. The sword hands are also very elegant. Yes, it's an odd Oris model, borrowed from a series of better-known rectangular watches, but it does so very well. Moreover, they are quite affordable, which also helped them make my list.
What do you think of my selection? Do you have a favorite? If so, or even if you don't like all these watches, let me know in my Telegram-channel.