Steal The Style: Dream Watches – Part III

Cheaper Alternatives for Esquire’s Big Black Book Spring 2012 Watches

The average cost for one of Esquire’s 22 “dream” watches is $13,964.  More than a few of us have never spent that on a car, let alone a watch.  The most expensive is a Platinum Paneri which runs, and this deserves to be written out check style: forty four thousand eight hundred and 00/100.  What would you write on the “memo” line for that check anyway? I’M RICH BIAATCH! ?  Still, they’re stunning, and Esquire excels at showing us the top of the line.  The following are more attainable, Dappered-chosen alternatives that you can be awake to enjoy.
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#16.  ESQ Stratus – $495 | Titanium Chrono – $19.50

Their Pick:  Breitling Steel Avenger Seawolf
The Alternative:  The dead ringer style-wise would be the ESQ, but it’s half a grand.  Since the automatic-or-die crowd is losing their minds over a $500 quartz, a cheaper option would be this non-chrono from Luminox, or, the TWENTY dollar model from the sold-by-Nordstrom “Titanium” brand on the right.

 

#17.  ESQ Classic Sport – $349.99 or Seiko5 – $57.65

Their Pick: Omega Steel Seamaster Planet Ocean
The Alternative: You want some orange or yellow accents, on either a black or blue face.  Not a lot of those out there.  So, look for the dial, and then switch out the band for something with matching stitching if you can find one.  The ESQ comes with a silicone strap and is pricey, even through Overstock.  A warning on the Seiko 5:  it’s not the biggest thing in the world, so it’ll look downright dainty on larger wrists.

 

#18.  Invicta Date Master II – $71.14

Their Pick: Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Explorer II
The Alternative:  You think Invicta was going for a similar style here?  Invictas are… Invictas.  Inexpensive watches that have a ridiculously high “retail” price.  They even make some automatics.  But something less copy-cat would be Orient’s white dial Thresher.  The Invicta is quartz, the Orient is automatic.  More on the Thresher here.

 

#19.  Hamlin Ultra Thin – $90.00

Their Pick: Hermes Cape Cod Simple Calendar
The Alternative:  There’s not a lot of slim rectangle (or in this case, a rounded out Tonneau style) case watches for men out there, so a blue dial is going to be even more rare.  This one comes with a steel mesh band, but again… watch bands are like painted walls in a just purchased home.  They’re easily changed.  Movement is Japanese quartz on this one.

 

Hugo Boss Rectangular Case – $175.00

Their Pick:  Baume & Mercier Steel Hampton
The Alternative:  Is the Boss really that close?  Not really.  But it’s plenty masculine.

 

Stuhrling World Time Swiss Quartz – $124.99 or Citizen Eco Drive 8700 – $281.25

Their Pick:  Mont Blanc Steel Star Worldtimer
The Alternative: The resemblence of some of the key details on the Stuhrling makes you wonder.  It’s a quartz, and it’s pretty obnoxious, but the stylized numbers and the world time feature are both there.  The Citizen isn’t a match at all, but it’s the same wheel house of real busy dial, with some sharp numbers (Arabic or Roman) and function based ring around the outside of the dial with words instead of numbers.

 

Seiko Retrograde Day Indicator – $148.00

Their Pick :  IWC Da Vinci Chronograph
The Alternative:  Kenneth Cole made a watch that looked awfully similar to this for awhile, but it seems to have disappeared.  The Seiko isn’t a chronograph, and beware… it’s sold, for now, through a 3rd party on Amazon.