The Gift of Watches: Five Pieces To Start a Collection

Five Starter Watches for Your Graduate’s Collection

Starting your watch collection or gifting a model to help start someone’s watch collection can be exciting. There’s a certain thrill at the beginning of something new – there’s infinite possibility. Yet, all the options can also be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start, especially when you’re investing in something like a timepiece. When buying your first watch, you want to contemplate all the variables, not only cost but also longevity. A timepiece isn’t a fast fashion item that will go out of style in a few years. It’s similar to investing in a car or a piece of art. You want to enjoy it, and you want it to withstand the test of time.

Giving the gift of a watch to help a loved one start their collection can add another layer of uncertainty. Perhaps the watch will commemorate a milestone moment, like graduation. That’s the beauty of watches – they often help us celebrate special moments and honor traditions. However, it certainly adds weight to the decision. Whether you’re looking to start your collection or help someone else start theirs, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled five of our favorite starter watches for you to consider as you begin your search for the perfect first timepiece.

Breitling Colt

If you’re a fan of Breitling’s bold and sporty aesthetic, the Colt is an excellent entry-level model into the brand. The Colt collection is a modern and youthful take on a classic military timepiece. Here, Breitling marries form and function with features that are robust, efficient, and stylish. One of the most notable elements of the collection is the unidirectional rotating bezel. It showcases engraved indices and the brand’s trademark rider tabs, which both protect the crystal and make for easy handling.

Nomos Tangente

When it comes to value, it’s hard to beat the Nomos Tangente. It offers impeccable design at an affordable price. The Tangente’s modern and minimalist aesthetic reflects the spirit of the Nomos brand. At 37.5mm, it’s not too big and not too small – it’s just right. However, the real selling point of the Tangente is its in-house movement. The model comes equipped with the brand’s manually wound Alpha caliber, which boasts a 43-hour power reserve.

TAG Heuer Carrera

If you’re looking for a starter watch with historical significance, consider the TAG Heuer Carrera. It’s one of the most important models in the brand’s heritage. When the Carrera debuted in 1963, it helped to revitalize TAG Heuer’s line of chronographs. Although they retired the model two decades later, it proved crucial to the brand after Techniques d’Avant Garde acquired Heuer. With new leadership and a new name, the company needed to re-establish its identity in the market. They wanted to get back to the company’s roots and decided to revive the Carrera. Since then, the model has become a mainstay of the TAG Heuer catalog.

Longines Heritage Legend Diver

If you have an eye for vintage style but still want a newer model, look to the Longines Heritage Legend Diver. The model draws inspiration from the brand’s dive watches of the 1960s. It features a highly legible dial and offers 300 meters of water resistance. It also has an inner rotating bezel that can time a dive or function as a minute chronograph. In addition, we see modern touches, like the oversized 42mm case and inclusion of a date window at the three-o’clock position.

Bell & Ross Aviation

Last but not least among our starter watch selections is the Bell & Ross Aviation. The brand has a long history of producing pilot’s watches. However, for many years, they had a more traditional aesthetic with round dials. In 2005, they introduced the BR01 with the now iconic square case that gives a nod to classic cockpit instruments. Since then, the unique design has become synonymous with the brand. The handsome BR03-92 is a more modern variation of the original, featuring Bell & Ross’s in-house CR-CAL.302 movement.