This Franck Muller Master Square retails at £86,300. Cheap, it is not, but good value? Perhaps one of the best. How is this possible?

It’s no secret that Omega has been chasing Rolex’s success for near on half a century. It must be galling for the head honchos at the Swatch Group to see the five-pronged crown take all the glory with such ease, especially since, back when Rolex was just a notion in the mind of young German Hans Wilsdorf, Omega was the force to be reckoned with. But those halcyon days at the turn of the 20th century were not to last for Omega, its dominance a withered husk by the dawn of the next. But the fight’s not over, not yet, thanks to this: the 2018 Seamaster 300M.

It seems bonkers to use the term ‘entry level’ in the same sentence as ‘£13,100’, but yet, here it is: the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin is the brand’s entry level watch, and it costs a whopping £13,100. But is it worth it?

The Luminor has been a staple of Panerai’s collection since the Italian company first opened its doors to the public in 1993, this Base the purest and simplest iteration. It’s been discontinued now—and cost around £4,000 before it was—by something that looks exactly the same but costs over £1,000 more. Why would anyone want to pay that?

You’re one of two people. You either look at vintage watches as a challenge and an adventure, jumping in and reaping the many pleasures that are to be had by purchasing a watch that comes from an era when mechanical was current tech; or you’re someone who eyes them with caution, hesitant at the idea of owning a watch older than you are. If you’re the latter, it’s understandable—not everyone wants to take that particular leap—but it’s a shame to miss out. There is a third option however: cheat.

If you’re lucky enough to own a Rolex Daytona, you may find yourself wondering where to go next. After all, when it comes to luxury sports chronographs that balance a high-end feel with a laid back informality, there aren’t really too many avenues to go down—most other watches either lean more towards function, or the other way, to luxury. Maybe there is nowhere to go? Maybe—until now.

Ever looked at Tudor’s Black Bay and thought, ‘It’s great, but it’s just a bit too big’? Turns out you’re not the only one, because while the successful 41mm full-size Black Bay continues to live on, Tudor has actually done something about it.

It’s a funny old game, watchmaking. Never mind hankering after the outdated technology that is the mechanical movement, the most desirable feature of this collection of wheels and springs is one that was built for a device that has been obsolete for the better part of a century. I’m talking about the tourbillon of course, and it’s one of watchmaking’s most desirable mechanisms—and also one of the most unobtainable. Or is it?

As nice as watches from the likes of Rolex and Patek Philippe are, not everyone is fortunate enough to have the budget for them—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some fantastic affordable substitutes out there. So, here are three expensive watches—and three alternatives for under £1,500.

Most people looking for a luxury watch want either a Rolex, Omega or TAG Heuer. That’s quite simply the fact of it, for Rolex especially. And it’s easy to see why—they produce great watches, have rich and interesting histories and carry significant brand cachet. The pool of people who want something a bit different is comparatively small, very small—but it is there. So, for those people, here are three watches that you just might not have considered.

You’ve probably never heard of tokusatsu, but you’ll know it when you see it. Think of a man dressed in an awkwardly fitting rubber lizard costume, stomping on cardboard buildings and shooting crudely composited lasers out of his eyes. Godzilla is easily the most famous example, followed closely by the hit TV series Ultraman—and this is the Omega Ultraman limited edition.

If you’ve ever seen a movement without it’s watch, and it’s got a date, you’ll know that the display consists of a large disc with the numbers 1–31 written on it that incrementally rotates every 24 hours. Fairly simple to understand, and also a little tricky to see—hence the big date complication. But how on Earth does the big date actually work?

There’s no point dragging this out; mechanical watches are not better than quartz—quite the opposite in fact. Quartz is objectively, categorically—and by a considerable margin—better than mechanical. It’s as simple as that.

When astronaut Neil Armstrong climbed out of the lunar module and stepped onto the moon’s surface for the first time, he was immediately instructed to scoop up a handful of moon dust and stuff it into his pocket, just so they'd have something in case the mission was suddenly aborted. Well here's your chance to own some of that dust, and it'll cost you just shy of £4,000—oh, and you get a watch thrown in with it for free.

By now you’re probably well aware of Omega’s significance in the field of space exploration, from the first in space on the wrist of Wally Schirra during the Mercury missions, all the way up to the X-33s worn on board the International Space Station. This is the latest in a long line of watches designed for elite pilots and astronauts—the Spacemaster Z-33. But how on Earth does it work?

Back in 2013, you could have walked into a Patek Philippe boutique and purchased this 5131J for £45,000, but if you wanted to buy one now, you wouldn’t get much change from £100,000. Why is this little world timer now worth double?