Is your watch collection keeping you poor?

Tricks for Saving, Investing, and Still Buying Cool Watches

As we enter 2026, thoughts turn to New Years resolutions and personal finance. I find that it's always tempting to grab the latest, best looking, shiniest, most technologically advance watch you see online in a given month. But, having witnessed the recent meteoric climb in silver and gold prices over the past year, I have to wonder and wish that I'd have invested more in precious metals or mutual funds. When I look around, I have to wonder if my watch collection is keeping me poor.  Perhaps, our watch collections are keeping all of us poor. If so, how can we change that?

One thought I have had is to make a game of watch buying and investing. Here are three things you can do to make sure you are growing your wealth while still enjoying your watch collecting.

1. Match your watch with an investment purchase.  It is easy to do.  If you want to buy a watch that costs $500, invest $500 in a financial asset when you buy your watch. It's a simple concept. You have an incentive to save up $1000 so that you can buy that $500 watch and a matching investment. If you have $500, but saving up $1000 seems far, far, away, you have an option. Find a watch that is roughly equivalent to the $500 watch at $250 and then you invest the $250 into a financial instrument of some kind. This way you have an incentive to save up for a watch purchase and, if you can't be patient, you have an incentive to save money on your watch purchase so that you can invest an equivalent amount appropriately. For example, a Movado Calendoplan watch costs just over $500 on Amazon. You can see it on my affiliate link here.

Movado Calendoplan (Amazon photo)

Now, the challenge becomes finding a suitable substitute for the Movado. For example, would this Bulova Men's Classic fit the bill? It's quartz, but it doesn't have lume. It's normally a bit over $300, but it's 31% off for a price that would meet the $250 savings goal. Now, you have a watch a few ounces of silver bullion or another investment notch towards fully funding the Roth IRA for the year.

Bulova Men's Classic Quartz Dress Watch (Amazon photo)

You can see this Bulova Men's Classic quartz dress watch here via my Amazon affiliate link. There is no lume on this watch, but does it provide the same satisfaction? This isn't to pick on the Movado. It may well be a substitute for a $1000 watch. The point is to play the game well.

2. Substitute and save. An alternative strategy is to substitute a less expensive watch for the one you want to buy and invest the difference.  For example, if you want a field watch like the Rolex Explorer, but find that an MVMT Field II watch (below) can accomplish the same mission for you, buy the MVMT and invest the difference between the Rolex Explorer price and the MVMT. It can be a substantial amount of money.  You can see the price of the MVMT Field watch here at my Amazon affiliate link.

MVMT Field II Quartz Field Watch (Amazon photo)

With these first two strategies, you have a nice watch collection and you've tricked yourself into saving and investing money along the way. If you want more watches, you have to invest more.

3. Buy Investment Grade Watches. Finally, if you already have significant wealth, you could buy investment grade timepieces from reputable brands like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Ulysse Nardin, and Vacheron Constantin. Classic timepieces from these brands stand firmly at the intersection of technology, art, and social status. They have values that are closely tracked and that can fluctuate with economic conditions. But, these sorts of watches are assets and can retain or build value. For a middle class investor, I suspect that much wealth would be concentrated into just a few watches that might have the risk of being counterfeit, getting damaged, or getting stolen.

Watch Collecting for Beginners by J.S.

I'll have to read up on the watch collecting topic before getting started with any sort of serious timepieces. I suppose one could flip their way to nicer and nicer watches by buying low and selling high. But, it's hard to know where to get started. In the new year, I'll try to start with the book "Watch Collecting for Beginners" by J.S. You can get it here via my Amazon affiliate program link. 

Ultimately, finding cool watches and meeting investment goals is just a matter of time and consistency.

What Makes A Watch Good for Work?

A sensible watch is an important part of a any man's wardrobe. Outside of creative fields or sales, the primary purpose of a work watch is to tell time and project an image of competence. In creative fields, you may want your watch to express your creativity. In sales, you may want a watch that helps align your status with those of your clients. In law or medical practice, you may want your watch to assert authority, competence, and a degree of success. For the rest of us, a competent professional watch should suffice. 

This old Pulsar Quartz Watch is a nearly perfect work watch

Here are a few components of a professional looking watch for the workplace. To me, there are four main  factors to consider:

• Readability
• Distraction-Free
• Reliable Brand
• Wardrobe Compatible

First, a watch you wear to work, should be readable. In a normal office setting, you should be able to quickly glance at your timepiece and know what time it is. Just as being on your phone during a meeting is considered rude, obviously glancing at your watch during a meeting is a bit of a faux pas. A readable watch should provide you the time with only the most incidental of discreet glances. Of course, you'll still want to know when the boring meeting ends.

Timex is a reliable brand for work watches

Second, your watch should not cause a distraction in the workplace for yourself or your co-workers. Generally, you don't want to bring a meeting to a screeching halt with your co-workers asking questions about your flashy new watch. You also don't want to circle your section of the cubicle farm flapping your arms like a bird because your vintage watch doesn't like sedentary office work.

This Hilfiger Quartz 3-hand watch is a simple attractive watch for work.

Third, you'll want to wear a watch from a brand that people have heard of and have found reliable over the years.  This generally means brands like Armitron, Bulova, Citizen, Fossil, Hilfiger, Lacoste, Nautica, Orient, Seiko, and Timex. The watch  brand you choose is an extension of your own personal brand. If you aren't a senior-level employee, a brand like Tudor or Rolex might brand you as a trust fund baby. An Ali Express special might send the signal that you're ok with outsourcing to save money. A big honking gold Invicta might let everyone know you are a made man with a "no show" union job in New Jersey. It's brutal, but I don't make the rules.

Finally, the watch you wear should complement and blend in with your other wardrobe choices. That allows for a bit of freedom on any given day and let's you show that you have a degree of taste and refinement.

An Affordable Three Watch Collection

The big watch blogs and magazines often recommend three watch collections to their readers. A three watch collection should be able to cover most of a man's watch needs. For example, a typical three watch collection might contain a dress watch, a sport watch, and a dive watch.  Where many of these collections fail is in the affordability arena. Watch enthusiast magazines often define an affordable three watch collection as a collection where each watch costs about $1000. For most of Americans, $1000 for a watch is a major stretch. I define an affordable collection as less than $75 per watch. 

Affordable Means $75 or Less Per Watch

If I were starting out to build an affordable watch collection with a cap of $75 per watch, I would start out defining what my watches should do. To cover the basics, I'd suggest a dress watch, a field watch, and a diver-style watch.

Peugeot Men's 14K Gold-Plated Sun Moon Watch

To start things out, I'd choose a dress watch from Peugeot. Their watches come with a Seiko quartz movement, free lifetime warranty that included free battery replacement, and most importantly classic looks. The 14-carat gold-plated sun moon quartz watch has a vintage look and a contemporarily-sized 40mm case.

Peugeot Sun Moon Phase Analog Watch (Amazon Photo)

While this watch looks expensive, it is surprising affordable at less than $70. You can see for yourself using my Amazon affiliate link here. The small commissions from every purchase help to support this blog.

Timex Expedition 40mm Metal Watch with Luminous Hands

Next, you'll need a rugged watch that can stand up to the rigors of daily life. I'd suggest a Timex Expedition field watch. This 40mm Timex has a silver-toned brass case, a leather strap, and comes in  variety of available dial colors. This one does NOT have indiglo back lighting, but it does have lume on the hands. I think this one looks a little better for business casual wear. For more information, I've reviewed this Timex Expedition here on this blog.

Timex Expedition Metal Brown Leather Strap Watch

This watch typically comes in at just over $50. But, there are always sales. As of this writing, the watch is 11% off on Amazon.  You can see this Timex Metal Expedition here via my affiliate link.

Stuhrling Original Depthmaster Dive Watch

Even though I don't currently swim, snorkel, or dive, I really like the looks of dive watches. In this affordable dive watch space there are many potential choices. But, I'd recommend starting with a Rolex homage watch from Invicta, Stuhrling Original, or Timex. At this writing, Stuhrling Original offers their Depthmaster Dive Watch for 86% off to come in at less than $60. It has a 42mm case diameter and 100-meters of water resistance which is good for showering, swimming, or snorkeling.

Stuhrling Original Depthmaster (Amazon Photo)

Beginning watch buyers should note that Invicta and Stuhrling have long been notorious for having high Manufacturers Suggested Retail Prices and discounting them very aggressively. Ignore all the noise and don't buy an Invicta or Stuhrling Rolex Submariner homage for more than $75. You can see what I mean when you use my affiliate link to check this Stuhrling Original out.

Grand Total for an Affordable Three Watch Collection

As of this writing on December 29, 2025, my total on Amazon for these three watches is $163.19. These prices handily beat the $225 mark suggested by our $75 cap for this exercise. You can even cap the prices at $50 a watch and find plenty of suitable watch choices. It's a fun game to play. You define the price point that is comfortable for you!

Watch Spotlight: Black & Rose Gold Bulova Marine Star Series A (Model 98B278)

If you are looking for a classy watch from a great brand, the black and rose gold ion-plated stainless steel Bulova Marine Star Series A watch is a great choice. In a long running line of watches inspired by the sea, this one (Model 98B278) combines the modern look of basic black and the nautical feel of ion-plated black and rose-gold stainless steel.

Bulova Marine Star Series A Quartz Watch 

This is a very nice watch for about $300. It's a great gift idea and would be a watch of substance that would be appropriate to wear in any setting. I've been following this one for awhile, you can too.  You can find this Bulova Marine Star Series A here on Amazon via our affiliate link!

Wristwatch Review: Orient Bambino, Second Generation, Version 3

I've wanted a Bambino for a long time. It's a watch from Orient, a well-regarded Japanese brand, that has a long history of building high quality mechanical watches. There are many versions of the Bambino. It's a long running watch series that was first released in the 2012 timeframe. The one I purchased is the Orient Bambino, Second Generation, Version 3.

The Orient Bambino, 2nd Generation, Version 3

Bambino Version 3 Watch Features

The Bambino version 3 watch (Model TAC0000DD) is a dress watch with a domed crystal, a stainless steel case, a Caliber F6724 automatic movement, and a genuine leather strap.

My Orient Bambino arrived well-package in a long box suitable for a gift

The F6724 is a 22-jewel movement that features self-winding, hand-winding, and hacking capabilities. According to CaliberCorner.com, "winding the crown 30 times will wind the spring full and achieve full power reserve." The movement has a power reserve of 40 or more hours. 

Bambino Watch Style

The second generation Orient Bambino, Version 3, has a minimalist style. Many watch pundits describe this watch as having a bauhaus style due to its similarity to the German school of minimalist design. It has a sparse dial design with simple stick hashmarks as indices to denote the hours and minutes. The hands are equally simple batons. This model does not have an exhibition caseback. While the watch does have a little bit of pop in the stylish Orient logo and the sunray design of the blue dial, the overall design is purposeful, elegant, and restrained. 

The Orient Bambino, Version 3, has a sun ray dial.

In a flashy world, an automatic watch that has all the functionality and a tasteful modicum of restraint is refreshing.

Bambino Watch Construction

The Orient Bambino, Version 3, is made in Thailand. It has a stainless steel case and genuine leather strap. As a dress watch, it has 30-meter water resistance which is sufficient for incidental splashing and light rain. In six months of ownership, the watch has held up to normal wear in dress and casual situations. 

The Orient Bambino, Version 3, does not expose its movement for the world to see

Bambino Watch Dimensions

This Bambino's case is 40.5 mm in diameter and 11.8mm thick. The lug-to-lug measurements come in at 46.8mm. The leather strap is 21mm wide at the lug and tapers slightly to 19mm at the buckle.  It's  long enough to fit my 7 3/4-inch wrist perfectly.

Orient Bambino, V3, caseback and strap

Overall Impressions of the Orient Bambino, Version 3

I enjoy my Orient Bambino as a serious entry into the world of watch collecting. I have a few vintage Orient watches, but this one seems like a pinnacle of the brand's watch design and construction efforts. I like knowing that the brand has a long heritage as a maker of mechanical timepieces. As a series, the Bambino watches are aimed squarely at new and middle-class watch collectors and this one hits me perfectly. I'm proud to own it.

The Orient Bambino holds its own against luxury brands

The Orient Bambino, Version 3, seems like it is completely comfortable in the world of luxury watch brands, but doesn't feel the need to show off. It has nailed the requirements. In my opinion, this Orient Bambino, Version 3, is one of the best values available for watch collectors on a budget. I like it.

Where to get the Orient Bambino Version 3

I got my Orient Bambino, Version 3, online at Amazon. It is currently available here via my Amazon affiliate link for a bit over $200. Since there are many, many, versions of the Bambino and a variety of other Orient Automatics available on Amazon, you might want to check this alternate Amazon affiliate link for an even broader look at the wide world of Orient automatics. It's a fun rabbit hole to jump down.

Affordable Alternatives to the Rolex 1908

Are there any affordable watches that conjure up the new, but agelessly iconic, Rolex 1908?  I found a few less expensive alternative watches that might evoke the feel of a Rolex 1908.

Sea Gull Small Seconds Minimalist Watch

This Sea Gull, small seconds, minimalist watch with numerals on the dial evokes the general silhouette of the 1908 and it does have an exhibition caseback. But, the Rolex is a far fancier watch with a coin-edge bezel and indicator tracks around the circumference of the small hands subdial and larger dial itself.

You can check out this Sea-Gull Automatic at my affiliate link here on Amazon. It's a great looking watch and you can also see rich-looking variants that substitute batons for numbers.

Baltany 1926s Oyster Homage

If you'd like to get the coin edge detail and racetrack marker indices, the Baltany Men's 1926s dress watch offers many desirable details. It certainly evokes a rich, classic, timeless watch, but the Baltany has a cushion case. So, it's not drawing inspiration from the 1908. Instead this watch evokes the original Rolex Oyster watch of 1926. This homage might be your huckleberry.

Baltany 1926s Oyster Homage Watch

 

To check out this interesting Baltany Rolex homage, click here to our Amazon affiliate link.

Tissot Tradition Stainless Steel Small Seconds Automatic

Finally, if you are looking Swiss manufacture, an automatic, an exhibition caseback, and a good bit of heritage. You might look to the Tissot Traditional Stainless Steel Automatic. It probably pre-dates the 1908, but evokes the same classic feeling. It's also not an obvious homage.

Tissot Tradition Automatic

This Tissot is surprisingly affordable at less than $500. You can check it out here via our affiliate link to Amazon. 

TGIF: The Watch Dude Blog Plans for 2026

Happy Holidays! It's the day after Christmas and time to reflect. I've tried to highlight as many good deals on watches as I could throughout the holiday season. Hopefully some of you many visitors were able to take advantage of them, save money, and find some nice watches to give as gifts and to add to your own collections. Now, the big question is what will the next steps be for this blog.

Step 1 - Clean up the mess. I'll need to clean up! After the mad orgy of a Amazon deals and links through the holidays, many of these deals will fade away or prices may go back to normal for awhile. I'll like revert many of deal posts to drafts, remove all the links that have gone dead, and repurpose some content to highlight truly great watches here and there.

Step 2 - Celebrate! I'm very excited to see this blog closing in on 2,000,000 views! That's awesome!

Step 3 - Write more reviews. With the recent emphasis on deals and sales over for 2025, it will be time to write up more reviews for watches that I've acquired over the past year. 

Step 4 - Focus on articles with lasting value. Some watches are timeless. Some watch companies persevere through thick and thin. I'll want to highlight them for posterity.

Step 5 - Trim the sails. My professional career has been in turmoil for the last few years with lay-offs and uncertainty. I'll be making some financial adjustments of my own in 2026. There will probably be fewer expensive new watches and more focus on sustaining and improving my current watches and on affordable watches.