Watch collectors are a passionate and sometimes picky group. We have boxes filled with mass-market watches, but sometimes, we want something more niche than the more prominent brands produce. This sense of wanting something more nuanced is where knowing the best microbrand watches comes into play.
You’ll find chronographs in countless watch boxes all over the world right next to their dive and dress watch brethren. With the modern dive watch being largely unchanged from its release in 1953, the same can’t be said about the chronograph. Quartz and mechanical chronograph technology has come a very far way over the past several decades.
Titanium watches have been growing in popularity for the past few years. But are they a worthy alternative to stainless steel and exactly how far will your money go? Let’s look at some titanium watches and find out!
Based in Japan and founded in 1881, Seiko has established itself as a dominant ubiquitous giant in the watch industry. Known for producing reliable timepieces at affordable prices, they’ve earned the respect of seasoned enthusiasts and casual watch wearers. However, the iconic Japanese brand also produces many timepieces, and navigating its catalog to find the best Seiko watches can be intimidating. That’s where the Two Broke Watch Snobs can help.
Horology to me has always been about pushing the boundaries of what came before in order to perfect the art of timekeeping. But what’s important to keep in mind is that the means of pushing those boundaries have to be widely available to all and not a few. That’s why I firmly believe that solar watches represent the pinnacle of modern timekeeping.
Whether it’s to track a second time zone, a love of aviation history, or simply the aesthetics of a fourth hand, most collectors consider acquiring a GMT watch at least once. However, finding the best GMT watch for you can be difficult. The sheer number of choices can make the process complicated, but more so than that, they can get quite pricey (especially if you’re interested in a mechanical option).
When I first started collecting watches I placed a lot of emphasis on that $1000 mark. Going over that price point was at the time a huge milestone for me – and ultimately I saw it as a rite of pass that every watch collector has to go through in order to be considered a “proper” collector. Only now I realize how absolutely misguided I was back then.
There’s a fascination that watch collectors tend to have with the cost of a watch. There’s the obvious practical reality of how much you want or are willing to spend on a timepiece. But after being involved in watch collecting for so many years now I’ve noticed there’s another type of fascination in regards to price tags: How high can you go – what are the most expensive watches out there?
From high-end luxury to modern tactical, the best German watch brands are creating some of the finest timepieces in the world. But these brands and their watch models can often take time to navigate since many of them tend to fly a bit under the radar. We’re excited to share our favorite German watch brands representing some of the country’s best offerings.
Looking for the best pilot watch? Check out our top 15 choices featuring vintage-inspired, modern, digital, and more!