Officially presented during the Baselworld 2015, the Certina Chronographe DS-8 Phase de Lune is a perfect example of a dressy “complication” watch that somehow manages to combine into a single package an almost stunning exterior, a reliable quartz chronograph movement that, for all things practical, blows out of the water almost all advanced electric mechanisms currently available on the market, while spicing all up with a very affordable price. What more do you expect? A free Porsche?
Quartz
Breitling Colt 36 Ladies SuperQuartz
With its refreshed Breitling Colt 36 SuperQuartz model, the Swiss brand finally notices the demographics targeted by Dove’s Real Beauty campaign that began more than a decade ago. Designed with slightly larger wrists in mind, the new Colt 36 may be a bit too large for a skinnier type of girls that French fashion houses love so much, but, come on, let’s celebrate some diversity here!
Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar 45mm (ref. T091.420.46.041.00)
Designed for persons leading an active lifestyle, the 2015 Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar (ref. T091.420.46.041.00) is a mild face-lift of the 2014 model. The refreshed exterior is more convincing. The list of functions is more or less the same. It’s awesome in its simplicity, yet not rugged enough to compete with a G-Shock. While the piece’s altimeter is good for 4478 meters, you probably don’t want to take it mountain-climbing.
Defakto Struktur Quartz
The Defakto Struktur features almost everything one might expect from an affordable dress watch. The dial sports a simple layout with an ultra-contrast color scheme and visually balanced elements; it comes in a body, which is made by Defakto’s parent company Ickler GmbH: a brand that knows a thing or two about designing cases that are not only elegant, but also ergonomic, and well-built; and it features a price that would put to shame even the Japanese brands.
Breitling Chronospace Military SuperQuartz
The Breitling Chronospace Military (ref. M7836622.BD39.100W.M20BASA.1) chronograph delivers the usual combination of a high-grade SuperQuartz mechanism, a highly legible dial with the signature analog-digital display and packs it all in a blacked-out steel body. What it lacks is innovation. On the other hand, for innovation Breitling has its super-high-tech Breitling Emergency II model, while the rest of the pack is being carefully guarded against anything new.
Casio G-Shock GravityMaster GPW 1000
The 2014 Casio G-Shock GravityMaster GPW 1000 delivers inside its defiantly oversized body an extremely small GPS receiver, a state of the art solar-powered quartz movement, as well as their signature Multi-Band 6 technology that allows the device to automatically receive standard time-calibration signal from atomic clocks. What else would you probably ask from this little monster? Make you breakfast?
Casio Edifice EQB-500D-1A with Bluetooth
Featuring traditional for the Japanese brand design, the new Casio Edifice EQB-500D-1A also sports a handy Bluetooth module. To make all of its numerous features work you will only need to accompany it by
Breitling Cockpit B50 Aviator’s Chronograph
Brutal, yet well-proportioned, the Breitling Cockpit B50 (ref. VB501022/BD41-155S) (especially the variation in plain machine-brushed titanium) somehow reminds me of a USAF’s F22 air superiority fighter jet: everything is in its place; everything is completely functional, yet extremely sexy. The only thing that makes the new B50 model different is the price. While still deliciously expensive, it won’t make you sell your house to get one.
Orient Dyno Alarm Quartz Chronographs (Refs. FTD09004B and FTD09005W)
Amazingly stylish and surprisingly elegant, the new Orient Dyno Alarm (Refs. FTD09004B and FTD09005W) collection of inexpensive quartz chronographs makes it possible to look smart and cool without breaking the bank. It is almost like if your Toyota Prius was designed by Bertone.
Seiko Prospex Solar Pilot Quartz Chronograph (Ref. SSC279)
Although not as technologically advanced as the stunning Astron GPS Stratosphere, the 2014 Seiko Prospex Solar Quartz Chronograph (Ref. SSC279) is also about five times less expensive. Offered at MSRP of just $450 (and you can find one on eBay at less than USD $350), it looks cool for a daily beater, and its built-in solar charger makes the gadget a must-have for a person that spends more time outdoors than inside an air-conditioned office. Just don’t forget to swap the brown leather strap for something more practical, like a solid steel bracelet or a hypoallergenic silicon band.