Luxury sports models without the luxury pricing.
"What makes steel more valuable than gold?"
This was a provocative question to be asking in an advertisement in 1972, when Audemars Piguet launched the Gérald Genta-designed Royal Oak. The first so-called "luxury sports watch," it was priced at the then princely sum of CHF 3,300, more than certain gold watches in the brand's own catalog. When Patek Philippe launched the Nautilus four years later, likewise designed by Genta, it employed similar positioning, stating that "one of the world's costliest watches is made of steel."
Today, it is no longer the case that someone in search of a classic "luxury sports watch" design (integrated bracelet, liberal use of octagonal shapes, "screw-down" bezels, thin automatic movements) need spend a small fortune on a timepiece from just one or two luxury brands. (We are certainly not discouraging this; we are merely remarking that you do not need to.) These days, firms large and small, group-owned and independent, have adopted the Genta-inflected design language of models such as the Royal Oak, Nautilus and Laureato to spectacular effect, with the result that there are 1970s-inspired watches available in almost every price tier.
And while this does not mean that you will get $40,000, AP-like case and movement finishing for $2,000, it does mean that you can cop a bit of that disco feel without shelling out a Toyota Corolla's worth of cash for a wristwatch. In fact, while there are seemingly more actual luxury sports watches than ever, there are even more timepieces that adopt their funky looks for well under $10,000. From microbrand choices to options from big brands such as Rado and Breitling, they offer Genta-esque flair at a fraction of the price of flagship pieces from "Holy Trinity" maisons. And while not every one of them has a true "integrated" bracelet, some merely appear integrated but are actually detachable, each is clearly recognizable as inheriting the mantle of watches such as the Royal Oak, Nautilus, and others. Check out some of our favorites, listed from least to most expensive.
Jump to: Nivada Grenchen F77 SST Tuxedo MK2 · Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin Natural Stone · Christopher Ward The Twelve · Straum Jan Mayen Titanium · Wren Vessel Steel Sunray · Baume & Mercier Riviera 10720 · Atelier Wen Perception V3 · Rado Anatom Automatic · Bell & Ross BR-05 Black Steel · Frederique Constant Highlife Worldtimer · Breitling Chronomat B31 Automatic 40 · Zenith Defy Skyline 36
Nivada Grenchen F77 SST Tuxedo MK2 ($1,460)
38mm · Stainless steel · Soprod cal. P024 automatic · 100m
A modern reissue of a model from 1977, the Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 SST looks particularly fetching in its Tuxedo guise: paired to the stainless steel case with octagonal bezel is a cool black dial with an inner sunray-brushed ring and applied silver indexes. Both highly legible as well as supremely handsome, this design is complemented with an integrated three-link bracelet and the Soprod cal. P024 automatic movement with a 4-Hz beat rate and a 38-hour power reserve. Water resistant to 100m and clocking in at 38mm in diameter, it is an ideal everyday watch that can take a proper beating. (And it is available in a variety of other colorways.)
Price for the Nivada Grenchen F77 SST Tuxedo MK2 is $1,460 USD on the bracelet, $1,260 on a strap.
Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin Natural Stone ($1,606)
37mm · Stainless steel · La Joux-Perret cal. D100 hand-wound · 100m
Undeniably good looking yet distinctly affordable, the Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin is available in several iterations. And while the standard dials, inspired by "Tuscan" dials from the 1990s, are extremely handsome, we do not see any reason why you would not want to splash out for something all the more eye-catching. The Natural Stone variants, which are available with slices of Black Onyx, Golden Swan and Snowflake Obsidian, are truly remarkable: powered by the hand-wound La Joux-Perret cal. D100, the watch case measures just 7.1mm tall, while a mix of brushed and polished surfaces creates plenty of visual interest.
Price for the Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin Natural Stone is $1,606 USD.
Christopher Ward The Twelve ($1,635)
40mm · Stainless steel · Sellita cal. SW200-2 automatic · 100m
British independent brand Christopher Ward's The Twelve offers a modern take on the luxury sports watch in a variety of styles and configurations. At 40mm in stainless steel, the ref. C12-40ADA1-S00B4-B0 features a cool, glacier-blue textured dial in small interlocking moguls, while a polished 12-sided bezel pops against the largely brushed surfaces of the case and matching H-link bracelet. Polished, luminous dart indices and an alpha handset make for accurate registering of the time, while power is courtesy of the Swiss-made Sellita cal. SW200-2 automatic movement. For well under $2,000, the Twelve is a value-laden choice.
Straum Jan Mayen Titanium ($2,250 to $2,850)
38.7mm · Titanium · La Joux-Perret cal. LGP G101 automatic · 100m
Inspired by the snowy landscape of Jan Mayen, a Norwegian-administered island in the Arctic Ocean that is home to the world's northernmost active volcano, the Straum Jan Mayen Titanium offers a bevy of attractive features at a price that will delight collectors. Beyond the well sized titanium case and matching bracelet, there is the automatic La Joux-Perret cal. LGP G101 movement. But the real star of the show is the wide array of stamped and fumé dials, including numerous options that bleed from one color into another in imitation of the Jan Mayen landscape. (We particularly dig the Alpine Glow, which takes on the aspect of an arctic sky.)
Price for the Straum Jan Mayen Titanium is $2,250 to $2,850 USD depending on dial and bracelet.
Wren Vessel Steel Sunray ($2,900)
39mm · Stainless steel · Sellita cal. SW300-1 automatic · 70m
Disclosure: Wren is Wrist Enthusiast's house brand. The conceit for the Wren Vessel was to make an integrated-bracelet sports watch seemingly from the future, rather than from the 1970s. To this end, watch designer Max Resnick helped the brand realize a fully faceted crystal with mirrored top and bottom geometry. When fitted to the Vessel's modified-octagon case, the result is a shape that strikes a decidedly futuristic tone, indeed. Complementing the interesting case and crystal design is an integrated bracelet with a special quick-release system, a sunray silver dial, and the Sellita cal. SW300-1 automatic movement with a customized aqua-colored rotor, visible via a sapphire caseback.
Price for the Wren Vessel Steel Sunray is $2,900 USD, limited to 150 pieces.
Baume & Mercier Riviera 10720 ($4,750)
39mm · Stainless steel with a titanium bezel · Baume & Mercier Baumatic automatic · 100m
The Baume & Mercier Riviera offers a contemporary take on a model from the mid-1970s, the time period during which Gérald Genta was designing his masterpieces for the likes of Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case with a sandblasted titanium dodecagonal bezel and a prominent crown, the ref. 10720 features a smoked grey sapphire dial with luminous baton and Roman-numeral indices that gives a window into the Baumatic caliber ticking away below. Paired to an integrated-style brown rubber strap, water resistant to 100m, and boasting 120 hours of power reserve, it is an excellent choice for an elegant vacation watch.
Atelier Wen Perception V3 ($4,850)
40mm · Stainless steel · Pequignet cal. EPM03 automatic · 100m
Atelier Wen's Perception is a cultural mashup of epic proportions: while the Pequignet cal. EPM03 automatic movement is made in France, the watch's superbly crafted guilloché dial is handmade in China. The 40mm stainless steel case, meanwhile, features an unusual circle-within-an-octagon profile paired with a modified H-link bracelet with a 4mm taper and quick-release spring bars. Available in several colors, each is brought to life via a fish-scale dial pattern executed by Chinese master craftsman Cheng Yucai. Highly considered and finished with a beautifully decorated movement, the Perception V3 is a marvel of a watch for under $5K.
Price for the Atelier Wen Perception V3 is $4,850 USD. We reviewed the Perception V3 Yun in full.
Rado Anatom Automatic ($5,150)
32.5mm · Plasma high-tech ceramic and stainless steel · Rado cal. R766 automatic · 50m
Rado's materials focus makes for a cool spin on the classic integrated-bracelet trope. Based upon a model from the 1980s, the Anatom Automatic features a 32.5mm octagonal case rendered in high-tech ceramic, while a matching bracelet features rose gold-colored, PVD-coated steel center links for a funky two-tone finish. Beneath a beveled sapphire crystal is a grey lacquered dial with a unique pattern consisting of irregularly spaced horizontal lines paired with applied, luminous indices and a 3 o'clock date window. Powered by Rado's cal. R766 automatic movement, it is a unique blend of materials, design cues, and technology.
Bell & Ross BR-05 Black Steel ($5,400)
40mm · Stainless steel · Bell & Ross cal. BR-CAL.321 automatic · 100m
The BR-05 Black Steel takes Bell & Ross's famous instrument gauge-inspired pilot's watch and gives it the integrated-bracelet treatment common to 1970s designs. Its modified octagon shape boasts attractive polishing against a largely brushed case and bracelet, plus four screws on the bezel in an echo of classic Genta-esque models. The black dial is set with a bright white outer minute track, plus luminous applied indices, a baton handset, and a date window at 3 o'clock. An automatic movement and 100m of water resistance offer plenty of utility, while a version on a black rubber strap is also available for those who prefer an even sportier take.
Price for the Bell & Ross BR-05 Black Steel is $5,400 USD on the bracelet, $4,900 on rubber.
Frederique Constant Highlife Worldtimer ($5,995)
41mm · Stainless steel · Frederique Constant cal. FC-718 automatic · 100m
In combining a worldtime function with integrated-bracelet architecture and an in-house movement, the Highlife Worldtimer successfully bridges several beloved corners of the modern horological world. Steel construction and good looks go a long way, but it is the watch's dial that captures the imagination: featuring an outer city ring; an inner, rotating 24-hour scale; a round date register above 6 o'clock; and a cool globe motif within its blue background, it is an ideal surface on which to track both local time as well as the time back home. Conveniently, it also ships with two additional navy blue straps, one in leather, the other in versatile rubber.
Price for the Frederique Constant Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture is $5,995 USD.
Breitling Chronomat B31 Automatic 40 ($7,200)
40mm · Stainless steel · Breitling cal. B31 automatic · 200m
Another modern reimagining of a model from the 1980s, the Breitling Chronomat offers one of the few spins on the integrated-bracelet concept that does not involve an octagonal case or bezel design. Rather, it features a more traditional round bezel paired to a slightly tonneau-like steel housing, plus a supremely cool Rouleaux bracelet with adjustable links. The dial is simple, highly legible, and good looking in its deep-blue guise, while 200m of water resistance and the Breitling cal. B31 automatic movement keep things ticking along smoothly. Straightforward and built like a tank, it is a watch that will survive large bodies of water; life; and, most importantly, trends.
Price for the Breitling Chronomat B31 Automatic 40 is $7,200 USD.
Zenith Defy Skyline 36 ($9,400)
36mm · Stainless steel · Zenith Elite cal. 670 automatic · 100m
Still a relatively new collection, the Defy Skyline lineup features octagonal case curves, a 12-sided bezel design, a cool star-shaped dial pattern, and Zenith's in-house Elite-series automatic three-hand movement. Though larger sizes satisfy those yearning for classically "masculine" proportions, the smaller 36mm version is arguably more of a delight on-wrist. While its matching steel bracelet is not technically integrated into the case, its endlinks certainly give that impression. (If you would prefer, you can swap it out for an equally useful blue rubber strap, which uses the same endlink design.) Choose the blue dial for a particularly versatile version.
