Héron Marinor Atlantic Blue, £495
The Héron Marinor Atlantic Blue is a gorgeous dive watch with a 39mm diameter hardened steel case and 300m water resistance, which is outstanding for a mechanical watch this accessible. The style, with a domed sapphire bezel and large, lumed hour markers draws inspiration from legendary dive watches of the 20th century, but at a much more approachable price point. Powering the watch is the Miyota 9039, one of the Japanese manufacture’s premium movements with a 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Héron.
Wristclassics Zenith El Primero, €13,000 (approx. £10,750)
A huge part of the allure of vintage watches, beyond the cool styles of bygone eras of design, are the deeply personal stories they tell. These stories are at the core of what Wristclassics focuses on as a vintage watch dealer. They only stock watches with unique hallmarks and distinct features that make them stand out in the crowd. For example, this Zenith El Primero Ref. A386 MK3 from 1973 with the signature three colour tricompax chronograph display in a case measuring a svelte 38mm.
Available at Wristclassics.
Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A, £357.15
Finding what inspires you is always the foundation of a good microbrand and Primitive Haus are clear on where their inspirations lie. Influenced by the German minimalist movement spearheaded by Bauhaus, they aim to bring colourful watches to life that blend style and function seamlessly. Recently with the TimeKeeper Type-A they’ve been exploring fresh colours and designs like fumé blue, vibrant purple and a gorgeous dimple dial variant that looks like freshly fallen snow. They house the Miyota 82S5 with 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Primitive Haus.
DeJager Explorer, £225
DeJager is a British watch design studio with close ties to South Africa as that’s where the brand’s founder grew up, witnessing the atrocities of Apartheid and segregation first hand. As such, a portion of all sales go to SOS Africa, a charity helping disadvantaged children in South Africa. Their watches, such as the Explorer, combine accessible automatic movements with practical designs including a 40mm case in stainless steel. The display is very legible with Arabic numerals and a small seconds subdial at six o’clock with a vibrant red hand
Available at DeJager.
Zanuti Diver 200m, £230
If you’re going to invest in an homage watch, you may as well look for something with quality and class. Zanuti produce an extensive range of homage watches that capture the styles and vibes of some of the world’s most famous watches at a fraction of the price. The Diver 200m, for example, features an embossed diving bezel and clean sunray brushed dive watch design housing a Swiss quartz movement. It comes with a three-year warranty and is available in a variety of colourways.
Available at Zanuti.
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