Retro is still riding a big wave of popularity, and this is an undeniable truth.
While I often start articles pondering whether we've reached the peak of vintage love, it's still here, and I have nothing against it. But if you want something different, how about futurism for under €3,000?
Of course, I like the 37mm Black Bay 54, but there's room for technically cool and very modern watches. Modern doesn't only mean the genius Urwerk for €100,000, but also affordable watches that challenge outdated categories. Why stick to the codes of dress watches and pilot or diver tools? Here are 10 examples to help you get a taste for modern, even avant-garde watches for little money.
SpaceOne Tellurium
Brands like MB&F, Urwerk, and Vianney Halter offer many watches resembling spaceships that one can only dream of. But few of us have a budget of €50,000-150,000, right? Last year, Argon Watches debuted, now known as SpaceOne. Jumping hour watches are the simplest way to create futurism or "future retro," as there's no need to worry about a tube, and SpaceOne does this with elegance. This year, the brand released the Tellurium, inspired by the galaxy, and fits within our budget at €2,990. Like the debut spaceship SpaceOne - excuse me, watch - the Tellurium plays for the cameras. With a complex cushion/tonneau-shaped case and a mysterious dial depicting our galaxy, these watches are unlike anything else.
Behrens Starship II
I'm fond of Behrens and its affordably priced watches with a very modern style. Recently, the brand released the Kung Fu model, a High Horology piece with an intricate pattern. But despite this and the thin razor 20G, Behrens still offers great advantages of models like the Starship. A regular movement drives a futuristic look in a 42mm black case, as ergonomic as the Consteller and NaviGraph. The dial is skeletonized with a concave center inspired by an arc reactor. At the center are two cross-shaped hour and minute indicators, as simple at their core as they are otherworldly.
- The Behrens Starship II watches cost $1,920.
Casio G-Shock Master Of G Mudmaster GWG-B1000
On a 17cm wrist, the G-Shock Master Of G Mudmaster GWG-B1000 looks like it takes up half of it. These are not dress watches, but any Master of G looks like you've strapped on half a Decepticon for a day out (Transformers, right?). I won't even list the dimensions because the complex construction is surprisingly light. I genuinely consider these my new bright, colorful summer watches. Also, the Master of G series is known for its obsessive attention to detail.
- In fact, I thought I'd have to pay four times as much for features like the Tough Solar battery, triple sensor, and Bluetooth connectivity with a smartphone - €799.
Schofield Light
The Light watch, named after the lighthouse - the main inspiration for Schofield's Giles Ellis - is unlike anything else. This is where its charm lies: in the new 40mm case, it relies on modern, crisp minimalism. For the first time in 14 years, Giles has taken a path different from his usual charms in large cases, and it works. You might think this watch is expensive since it has a Seiko NH34 movement. But believe me, the Light is a bright example that they are more than just the sum of their parts.
- The sharp design, unconventional thinking, and pure graphic vibe cost £2,190. This is with UK VAT directly from Schofield Watch Company, which will be deducted upon export.
Dwiss M3 S
For just $1,390, you can get a masculine sports watch reminiscent of the Behrens Starship. But the 42mm case picks up our love for angular coolness, offering bright semi-integrated FKM straps matching the dial accent colors. The dials themselves have a skeletonized look, giving the already standard Sellita SW200 model an exciting appearance. With its 200-meter water resistance and small colorful rotating central hand, the M3 S has a charm that belies its budget price. Check them out on the Dwiss website, choosing from four colors.
- There's even a version with an integrated bracelet available for €1,590.
Robot Aplos
I didn't know about Robot until I wrote about it a few weeks ago, but the Czech brand does things differently. I was captivated by Robot's customization options, and the online configurator allows you to play with many details.
- The Aplos range starting at €2,780 is a great example of the brand's modern take on watchmaking.
The model presented above is one of the standard versions, with long and thin indexes matching the minimalist case. The textured dial and free design are great examples of minimalist chic.
Citizen Promaster Professional Diver 1000 BN7020-09E
This massive Citizen diver is one of those doomsday devices you know will take any punishment and throw it back. It looks like an anti-tank missile or an alien photon grenade. In the world of retro divers, this watch competes with Blancpain X Fathoms for the tech crown. But it's simply a very solid diving tool in a spaceship-like case. The watch measures 52.5mm in diameter, and the massive bezel with a screw function dominates the case. The watch is equipped with the solid J210 Eco-Drive caliber, solar-powered, it's an indomitable beast with the shortest and widest hyper-light hands I've ever seen.
- These Promaster Professional Diver 1000 watches have serious character for €1,995.
Kollokium Projekt 01
I've noticed these watches in the last few months. It's a small brand with a fresh take on watchmaking. The case consists of a round module placed in a cradle with comb-shaped lugs and topped with a very high sapphire crystal. So far, so futuristic, but it's also about the dial. It has three hands, but that's where normality ends. The surface resembles one of those 80s pin-arts where a hand or face creates a 3D imprint. The figures are tiny cylinders filled with Super-LumiNova luminescent compound, slightly raised where the indexes should be. The result of the night shot is presented in the illustration at the top of the article, and it's mysterious.
- The 40mm Variant B with an automatic La Joux-Perret G101 movement is available at Kollokium for 2,666.66 CHF.
Awake Time Travelers
The Time Travelers watches are decidedly modern in color and minimalism, and Awake does it well.
- Priced at €1,490, it has everything you need, and as an example, there's a purple Grade 2 titanium watch (pun not excused).
The 40mm wide and 11.89mm thick watch comes on a textured rubber strap and frames a story of deep space. The dial is a piece of Swedish Muonionalusta meteorite, as old as Earth, with a fine crosshatch texture unique to each watch. This mysterious pattern adds poetry to what is essentially a pure watch design. The Miyota 9039 movement is assembled and adjusted in Besançon, the watch capital of France.
Boldr Venture Singularity
Yes, my budget was €3,000, but that's no reason to discount (this time without a pun) the excellent alternative from Boldr Supply Co. With a dial coated in Musou Black, they appear almost dark enough to suck the light right out of the environment. In the photo above, the dial almost disappears.
- But unlike its dark competitors, like the Vantablack minimalism from H. Moser, these watches cost less than €500 at $449 from Boldr.
From my own experience, the Venture is also super-light (91 grams on a bracelet) titanium watch with a neat size of 38mm. And with a full black DLC case and bracelet, they look very stylish.
What about you, my retro-loving friends? Are you ready for a new futurism in watchmaking, or are you still busy picking 60s divers? Let me know in the Telegram channel.