By Accurist had never been featured on this blog until last week when we focused on the Rolex Day-Date. If we were judging this watch on its ￡149 RRP then it may not have made this list. But this is currently available for a little over ￡50 new, which changes the picture somewhat.
British brand Accurist was launched immediately after WW2 and built its reputation on Britishness. At one point during the 1960s both the Beatles and Twiggy were wearing their watches. So the brand is not without history.
This model is very similar to the Citizen in colouring, design and sizing. With a simple quartz movement, rather than solar-powered, it’s quite a bit cheaper. Indeed, it may be the cheapest watch listed here.
The dial is well laid out and manages to position the three sub-dials so as not to crowd out other features. The date is moved from the traditional position at 3, and with the 6 o’clock position also taken, it has been neatly squeezed in at 4. It all works and allows the logo to remain at the top of the dial as I prefer.
Citizen needs no introduction. They specialise in well-manufactured high quality replica watches that you’ll see on every high street. The first thought that comes to mind when discussing the brand is ‘Eco-Drive’. This is the companies solar technology that charges the watch through exposure to light. As expected, the Chandler is a part of the Eco-drive line.
Regardless of the name on the dial, this is a great looking watch. The vertical sub-dials are in black to contrast with the cream dial. With the refined look of the case, it all works. Where the Baltic successfully presented a dial with minimal markings, the Chandler is equally as successful in incorporating the tachymeter into a busy dial that doesn’t become overcrowded.
German manufacturer Zeppelin is another brand that focuses on modern interpretations of classic designs. In keeping with their German roots, there’s an emphasis on their aviation and Bauhaus collections.
In a recent post about German watches I included a piece that would fit perfectly in this article. A vintage chronograph that I compared at the time to the Undone Killy. Fortunately, Zeppelin has quite a few suitable designs, including this 100 Years model – or 100 Jahre as noted on the dial.
Released to celebrate 100 years of the Zeppelin Air Ship, this Swiss powered Chronograph also features an alarm function. Maybe of little practical use these days, but it’s an interesting addition to an already impressive best swiss watches replica. Maybe of more use is the fully luminous dial.
One of the details that caught my eye was the inclusion of elegant, Breguet style hands. It really emphasises the vintage aesthetic. Like a couple of other watches here, there’s a high-quality hand-made leather strap.
Another list of my favourite watches and another Seiko. Believe me, I’m not a Seiko fanboy. I own a couple – including the SKX007 that we all own. But again, Seiko has delivered. I wanted a tasteful, vintage-inspired Chronograph, ideally with a cream dial. The SSB273 ticks each of those boxes.
You know the drill now for Seiko. One of the world’s biggest manufacturers, producing watches with their own in-house movements. Much cheaper than similar watches from Switzerland, but higher-priced and of better quality than their neighbours the Chinese.
This model is no different. It’s a Seiko made watch with an ever-reliable Seiko movement, that still comes in at less than ￡100. That includes a hardlex crystal, a toughened mineral glass that Seiko developed.
And that’s why Seiko is so popular. Not only is there a lot of watch for the money, but the innovations are their own.
My only gripe with this specific model is that I have a preference for chronographs that don’t let the sub-dials cut into the numerals. But it’s not jarring here and I can overlook it due to the success of the rest of the design.
Tissot, like Seiko, can trace their watchmaking roots back to the 1800s. I’ve described Certina as an entry-level Swiss brand and that description fits Tissot too. They’re a popular high street name that targets that price point between a couple of hundred pounds and the ￡1000 mark.
The V8 is more sporty than the others on this list and hints a little more to modernity. The dial and sub-dials are vintage-looking, but the crown guards and bezel feel like modern touches. The V8 pulls it off though.
The case is reasonably chunky, in keeping with the sporting aesthetic. So maybe this is better as a modern swiss replica watches that gives a nod to its horological descendants rather than being a faithful reproduction of an earlier style.
There’s not much that you can buy for ￡50. A vintage-inspired chronograph has got to be a good use of that money.