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11 of the best gift watches under $5,000, for when you’re spending serious Christmas cash

11 of the best gift watches under $5,000, for when you’re spending serious Christmas cash

Borna Bošnjak

After picking some more budget-oriented options in the under US$500 and under US$1,000 category, we expand our horizons to the luxury realm. Should you look to spend more than US$5,000, you can also explore our under US$10,000, and under US$50,000 guides. To find a full list of our favourite watches of the year, make sure to pick up the latest copy of the NOW Magazine, too!

Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra Thin

Maen Manhattan 39 Ultrathin

When Maen released the Manhattan 37, it was pretty much unanimously agreed that it was well beyond its price point. Well, with the Manhattan 39, Maen has taken the next step of refinement and improved upon almost every aspect. Despite being a couple of millimetres wider, there have been a host of changes which actually make it wear better than the smaller version, while keeping the design spirit the same – most importantly, coming in at just 6.9mm in height. Price: US$1,120

Seiko Prospex Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch “24MAS”

It’s often said that evolution can be better than revolution, but many people could not have predicted Seiko to make a move like this. Seiko released the popular 20MAS only four years ago, but the immediate success of that collection didn’t seem to stop the brand from iterating on the 1965 design further. The so-called 24MAS sports a smaller case, a repositioned date window, and a slightly better power reserve. Price: US$1,400

Doxa SUB 200T

doxa sub 200t professional

When Doxa branches out from its established style, the brand is not afraid to get weird. Weathered steel or ceramic cases are cool and all, but the 1960s Doxa look is really what has earned people’s adoration. Until now, the entry-level option has been the Doxa SUB 200, but this new SUB 200T scratches the itch created by the 300T, though smaller and more affordable while not compromising on design. Price: US$1,590, available from the T+T Shop

Furlan Marri x Time+Tide Outback Elegy

furlan marri time tide outback elegy dial

We might be a little biased considering the Outback Elegy was the first boutique edition released for our T+T10 celebration, and a piece serving as a little nod to where we come from, but we feel it’s the best version of the Furlan Marri Mechanical. The brown dial is phenomenal, with a hammered finish making the lacquer pop, and the Roman numerals adding symmetry to the already great sector layout. Price: US$1,700, available from the T+T Discovery Studios

Longines Master Collection Small Seconds

longines master collection small seconds salmon dial 1

Longines stepped up, answering the prayers of many with the release of the new Master Collection, playing into the vintage styling even more. Dubbed the Longines Master Collection Small Seconds, the steel cases downsized to 38.5mm, and as the name suggests, sprouted a small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock. The engraved dial is rendered in a highly textured salmon pink, which helps bring out the engraved numerals all the better. Price: US$2,500

Otsuka Lotec No. 6

Jiro Katayama Otsuka Lotec No6

If you’re ever disheartened by the same old black-dialled divers with Submariner-adjacent designs, remember that there are brands out there like Otsuka Lotec. With Miyota 9000 underpinnings and a custom retrograde module, the steampunk meets-brutalist design of the Japanese No. 6 has two retrograde hands fixed below the dial, showing hours and minutes in a fan-like action before snapping back to zero, and coming in under US$3,000, is more affordable than you’d think. Good luck picking one up, though. Believe me, I’ve tried. Price: ¥440,000 (~US$2,900)

Raymond Weil Millesime Automatic Chronograph

raymond weil millesime automatic chronograph

Well-proportioned, affordable, and Swiss-made mechanical chronograph are terms not often used to describe a single watch, but the Millesime might just be the perfect compromise. Its handsome three-register layout and downturned lugs take care of the proportions, while the Sellita derived movement means it’s not going to completely break the bank, while the overall design is a successful mélange of contemporary and vintage-inspired thanks to the sector dial and box-domed sapphire. Price: US$3,625

Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 39 Tabac

nomos club sport neomatik 39 tabac dial

This Nomos combines a clean, studied design following the Bauhaus method with what could be the best brown dial we’ve seen in a while, immediately reminiscent of smoky cigar lounges and the rich smell of tobacco. Brown is seldom done, and even more rarely done well, and when such a dial is combined with an ultra-thin movement and wearable steel case, you’ve got a compelling daily companion on your hands. Price: US$3,700

Toledano & Chan B/1

Toledano Chan B 1 8

Trends are unpredictable, with new ones popping up all the time. We’ve had behemoths in the early noughties, then the rise of the sports watch happened alongside the integrated bracelet craze. Brutalism may just be the next stop, though Toledano & Chan likely don’t care much about trends, considering both are lovers of this ideology, using the design of the windows from the Breuer building as the main source of inspiration for the B/1. Price: US$4,000

Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT

tudor black bay 58 gmt

The Black Bay had already been out for six years when the GMT version was released, uniting the modern icon with perhaps the most useful complication. Now, we have the upgraded pair complete. The GMT, with a bracelet version of the immensely popular Black Bay 58. Yes, Tudor finally took the slim-wearing Black Bay 58 and equipped it with a Master Chronometer GMT movement, answering the prayers of Tudor fans worldwide. Price: US$4,600

Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter

breitling aerospace b70 orbiter

The Breitling Aerospace is an unsung hero of the ‘90s, now being celebrated with this orange-dialled limited edition released in tribute of the brand’s 140th anniversary. Coincidentally, the B70 Orbiter also honours the first uninterrupted balloon flight around the world, its orange colour reminiscent of the Orbiter 3, with a piece of the original balloon embedded beneath the caseback. The two-screen ana-digi layout remains, powered by a thermocompensated SuperQuartz movement. Price: US$4,900