Round-UpWatches That Don’t Burn A Hole In Your Budget: Accessible Timepieces Under One Lakh

Luxury needn’t necessarily be expensive—or feel uncomfortable—as most experts will attest. It is more about how wearing something luxurious makes one feel. This is especially true of watches. Sure, there are those that think nothing of spending indefinite sums on a timepiece that caught their eye, and also those who have all the most elusive brands in their collection but started with a simple quartz powered watch. And while we’d all love deep pockets, buying a wristwatch doesn’t have to pinch. A chronograph powered by a quartz movement may give one’s confidence as much of a boost as a mechanical time-and-date-only timepiece, all under one lakh. This requires just a little extra research to identify the best timepieces within the budget, before zeroing in on the watch that makes a connection. The Watch Guide presents five of the best budget buys under one lakh that offer great value proposition to suit just about any need. Each timepiece comes with its own story, and ‘feeling’ this story is what gives the watch its worth.

World on the wrist

Alpina Startimer Pilot Worldtimer Quartz

Founded in 1883, Alpina was known for its robust and accurate timepieces for athletes, explorers and engineers. Revived in 2002 by Aletta and Peter Stas, founders of Frederique Constant, the brand still retains the principles of exploration it was built on. The brand introduced the world time complication into one of their most successful collections with an aviation inspiration in 2023. This makes the Startimer Pilot Worldtimer Quartz an ideal timepiece for globetrotters. Its 41mm case in steel features brushed and polished finishes, lending it a luxury that defies its price tag. A screwed down steel caseback displays the timepiece’s 100 metre water resistance rating. Two crowns frame the right at two and four o’clock, the former for setting the time while the latter adjusts the 24-hour world time scale.

The Alpina Startimer Worldtimer Quartz features 24 city names corresponding with the various time zones on the flange, and a 24-hour scale in day or night around the periphery

₹89,500

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The Alpina Startimer Worldtimer Quartz timepiece's 41mm case in steel features brushed and polished finishes, lending it a luxury that defies its price tag

₹94,500

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The Alpina Startimer Worldtimer Quartz watches are powered by the quartz calibre AL-255, which boasts enhanced accuracy and a battery life of 45 months

₹94,500

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The Startimer Pilot Worldtimer Quartz timepiece comes in three dial options—blue or green on a steel bracelet and black on a leather strap. The information-heavy dial is easy to read, with 24 city names corresponding with the various time zones on the flange, and a 24-hour scale clearly marked in day or night around the periphery of the dial. Bordering this scale is a neat railroad minute track, with hour markers towards the centre of the timepiece. Sword timekeeping hands are filled with Super-LumiNova filled, and a red arrow-tipped GMT hand indicates a second time zone.  These watches priced under one lakh are powered by the quartz calibre AL-255, which boasts enhanced accuracy and a battery life of 45 months.

Style meets sustainability

Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide

Maurice Lacroix introduced the Aikon #tide collection in 2022, giving their urban-inspired Aikon series a boost of colour, in collaboration with Tide Ocean Material, a firm that supplies upcycled ocean-bound plastic. Each Aikon #tide watch uses the equivalent of 17 plastic bottles that would otherwise pollute the oceans and harm marine life. The 40mm case, distinctive Aikon bezel with six arms, and caseback are crafted from a composite material using recycled ocean-bound plastic. This is paired with rubber straps featuring the brand’s ‘M’ logo. Aikon #tide Camo series of watches, released in 2023, are mounted on rubber straps in a cool camouflage pattern matching the case and dial.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide SHOP THE COLLECTION

Just as a clous de Paris texture decorates the face of the Aikon Automatic watches, making them instantly identifiable, dials on the Aikon #tide collection feature a unique ‘vagues du Jura’ (Jura waves) pattern, as a nod to the brand’s home, and to their sustainability efforts. Maurice Lacroix partnered with UK-based Mahindra Racing, whose aim is to promote electric vehicles. The resultant Aikon #tide Mahindra timepiece in black and red features the Mahindra EV butterfly logo embossed on the dial. Slim indexes and hands are filled with Super-LumiNova, aiding legibility, and a date window sits at three o’clock. In collaboration with Thai artist Benzilla, who is inspired by street art and pop culture, despite being colour blind, the Aikon #tide Benzilla features an orange case, black clawed bezel, and a bright dial. Powered by quartz movements, this #tide collection priced under one lakh makes a stylish statement on sustainability.

Angular elegance

Raymond Weil Toccata Rectangular

Like many of Raymond Weil’s collections, the Toccata line too is named after a musical composition. The brand’s classical collection features distinctive features like Roman numerals and slim dagger hands that resemble a conductor’s baton. In 2020, Raymond Weil introduced the rectangular Toccata case, inspired by vintage 1930s timepieces that were based on Art Deco design principles. These rectangular watches brought out the timelessness of the features that had only graced round Toccata timepieces until then. Available in two sizes—37mm by 29mm and 22.6mm by 28.1mm—these rectangular steel Toccata timepieces are powered by a quartz movement which is not only extremely accurate but also requires less maintenance than a mechanical watch.

Dials on these rectangular Toccata watches are either decorated with 11 Roman numerals, or a mix of numerals and diamond indexes, with the date window at three o’clock

Dials on these rectangular Toccata watches priced under one lakh are either decorated with 11 Roman numerals, or a mix of numerals and diamond indexes, with the date window at three o’clock. Nestled just inside these Roman numerals is a railroad minute track on a smaller rectangle. Interestingly, the sunray-brushing behind hour markers and numerals contrasts beautifully with the matt finish in the centre of the dial. Dial options include black, white, blue, emerald and burgundy, with matching leather straps or an elegant five-link steel bracelet. If elegance is what one is looking for within a Rs1 lakh budget, the Toccata collection by Raymond Weil does not disappoint.

Colourful cocktail inspiration

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time

The value proposition offered by Seiko timepieces is rather high, with precise mechanical movements at extremely competitive prices. Highly revered among enthusiasts is the brand’s Cocktail Time collection, inspired by, well, colourful cocktails. Released in 2010, the first Cocktail Time watches were a result of the brand’s collaboration with celebrated Japanese mixologist Shinobu Ishigaki. Since 2016, when the Presage line was introduced, the brand have mixed two collections to create the Presage Cocktail Time collection.

Sized at a comfortable 40.5mm, the steel case of the Presage Cocktail Time series feature open casebacks displaying the brand’s reliable 4R57 calibre, with an approximate power reserve of 41 hours. Over the dial is Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal glass, which is known to be impact-resistant and durable. Dials feature a textured sunray finish or an engraved pattern. Dauphine hands and indexes lend the watch an unmistakeable elegance. Two references in light and dark blue feature a date indicator on a sub-dial at six o’clock and a power reserve indicator between 12 and four o’clock on the dial. On other references, there is either a date window at three o’clock or an open heart displayed at nine.

A powerful punch

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80

A classic steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet, Tissot’s PRX Powermatic 80 has, in recent years, captured the imagination of watch enthusiasts for how much of a punch it packs in its 40mm case. Named PRX for being ‘precise’, ‘robust’ and water resistant to 10 bar (the Roman X is for 10), the Powermatic 80 series, with an ETA movement modified by Tissot, features a whopping power reserve of 80 hours. A raised bezel gives the watch a distinct level of depth, while the open caseback offers a view of the movement’s finishes. A yellow gold PVD coated steel on the case and bracelet, or a rose gold PVD treatment on the bezel gives the watch a variety of looks that suits just about any occasion.

The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 in steel with a rose gold PVD bezel and white dial. The automatic version is instantly identifiable by its unique ‘reverse waffle’ pattern

₹72,000

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The PRX Powermatic 80 in a black dial and matching rubber strap. Baton indexes and markers are marked with Super-LumiNova, and a date window at three features a bevelled outline

₹66,000

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The 35mm Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 in ice blue. The collection is named for being ‘precise’, ‘robust’ and water resistant to 10 bar (the Roman X is for 10)

₹69,500

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The forest green Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 in a 35mm steel case with an integrated steel bracelet

₹69,500

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The open caseback of the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 offers a view of the modified ETA movement that offers an 80-hour power reserve

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The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 collection was recently expanded to include different case sizes and a quartz calibre. While the dial on the automatic version is instantly identifiable by its unique ‘reverse waffle’ pattern, the quartz versions feature a vertical brushed finish and a closed caseback. The PRX Powermatic 80 is also available in a smaller case size of 35mm. Baton indexes and hour markers are clearly marked with Super-LumiNova, and a date window at three features a bevelled outline. It is these small details that make this simple, three-handed, time and date timepiece such a joy to own and admire. The watch comes in a variety of dial colours—black, deep blue, white, ice blue or forest green. This powerful timepiece priced under one lakh is a legend in the making.

These five timepieces priced under one lakh are testament to how buying a luxury watch doesn’t necessarily mean one has to compromise on the value it offers. Luxury watches are all about how one feels with the timepiece on one’s wrist. Let us know what you think in the comments below.