The other day, I found myself looking down at my left wrist and pondering the idea of giving the Apple Watch a little break for a while. I’ve inadvertently become one of those people who are forever wearing their Apple Watch, and while for the most part, it’s unbelievably useful (it tracks my runs, tells me how well I slept and also tells the time), unfortunately, it’s not as smart as I’d like it to be.
This then led me to thinking about what sort of watch I would like. Do I want a metal or leather strap, an analogue or digital watch, and most importantly, how much do I want to spend? It came as no surprise to me that watches can be incredibly expensive, but spending a lot of money doesn’t always guarantee you a decent timepiece. I’ve trawled through the internet and shop windows in search for a suitable watch and collated what I feel are some of the best watches for under £200, regardless of which style you’re going for.
LLARSEN Oliver Watch – The Watch Shop – £179.00
Classic and simple is the order of the day with this watch. The black leather strap is wonderfully offset by the stainless steel casing and white face. A watch that will never lose its appeal.
HUGO #streetdiver Watch – The Watch Shop – £139.00
Not only is this watch incredibly pleasing to the eye, it works so well with both casual and smart outfits. The real beauty is that it offers water resistancy of up to 50 metres, so no need to panic when you wear it in the shower.
Casio G-Shock Alarm Chronograph Solar Powered Watch – The Watch Shop – £135.00
Casio G-Shock watches have been around for years, and its obvious to see why. Not only are they quality watches, they also constantly improve what they do. This particular watch boasts a 200 metre water resistancy, making it the perfect watch for professional marine activity and high impact water sports.
Casio Classic Leisure Alarm Chronography Watch – The Watch Shop – £60.00
It wouldn’t be a list of great watches without this. A firm favourite of today’s trendy folk, with its gold strap but without lacking the functionality we’ve all come to expect from Casio.
Written by Tom Loughran
