A little history of watches and several tips for purchasing the perfect watch. Autavia Isograph, 42mm brushed and polished stainless steel case, dark brown calfskin strap. The Autavia has made brief appearances in Tag Heuer’s collection since it was officially discontinued in 1985, making more headlines as a collector curio than a novelty. The welcome return this year of the watch whose name is a portmanteau of “automotive” and “aviation” comes with the promise of lots of options, including a bronze-cased version, and a high-performance movement. The secret here is in the “Isograph” delineation, which points to the advanced engineering of the movement’s most delicate and important part: its hairspring. The Autavia’s is new and engineered from carbon-composite, a material that brings the benefits of anti-magnetism, resistance to gravity and shocks, and increased precision. In practice, that should make for a more reliable, more durable, and better watch.

Let’s move on to the under 1000 USD category. If you just wanted to spend $70 or so on a good-looking quartz watch, you could do a lot worse than the Nokia Steel (formerly the Withings Activité). But this being a “hybrid” smartwatch, you get more than just the time of day. The watch connects to your phone via Bluetooth to give you simple sleep and fitness tracking info that, while not super-comprehensive, is helpful in tracking and motivating healthy behavior. Braun’s minimalist aesthetic is perfect for someone looking for a wardrobe accoutrement rather than a showpiece. What’s more, graphic elements like the yellow seconds hand and austere font are sure to call to mind the brand’s legacy of Bauhaus-inspired product design.

Based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Longines was founded in 1832 and its winged hourglass logo is the oldest registered trademark of any watch brand. The HydroConquest is as serious a diving watch as it sounds, water resistant to 1,000 feet, making it a reliable companion underwater. The steel band gives it heft and durability, and overall it’s designed to be the perfect combination of style and technical innovation complete with an automatic movement. No distinguished gentleman should be without a Movado watch. What other way to showcase your sub-luxury wealth and style than with this timeless chronograph model, which draws inspiration from the brand’s fashion-forward ‘50s collection? The Calendoplan is masterfully designed, from the luminous hands and markers to the black, blue, and gold colorway, which is eye-catching yet neutral enough to pair with most outfits.

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