Belhamel Contra Aqua 39, £399 (Pre-Order £319)
Belhamel started life creating bespoke rubber straps for the Seiko SKX collection but a successful Kickstarter in 2023 brought their first wristwatch to market this summer. It’s called the Contra Aqua 39 and it’s inspired by the same accessible tool watch vibe and practical price point as Seiko with their own unique flair. It has a 39mm diameter steel case with a 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel and ultra legible dial. With its 300m water resistance it actually outperforms many of Seiko’s divers. Inside is the Miyota 9039 automatic.
Available at Belhamel.
Héron Marinor Seastorm Black, £495
Héron have recently restocked their core collection timepieces including the Marinor Seastorm Black, a gorgeous dive watch in a 39mm diameter hardened steel case with 300m water resistance. The style, with a domed sapphire bezel and large, lumed hour markers draws inspiration from legendary dive watches of the 20th century, but at a much more accessible price point. Powering the watch is the Miyota 9039, one of the Japanese manufacture’s premium movements with a 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Heron.
Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A, $369 (approx. £280)
Finding what inspires you is always the foundation of a good microbrand and Primitive Haus are clear on where their inspirations lie. Influenced by the German minimalist movement spearheaded by Bauhaus, they aim to bring colourful watches to live that blend style and function seamlessly. Recently with the TimeKeeper Type-A they’ve been exploring fresh colours and designs such as fumé blue, vibrant purple and this gorgeous dimple dial variant that looks like freshly fallen snow. They house the Miyota 82S5 with 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Primitve Haus.
Dejager Explorer, £225
DeJager is a British watch design studio with close ties to South Africa as that’s where the brand’s founder grew up, witnessing the atrocities of Apartheid and segregation first hand. As such, a portion of all sales go to SOS Africa, a charity helping disadvantaged children in South Africa. Their watches, such as the Explorer combine accessible automatic movements with practical designs, including a 40mm case in stainless steel. The display is very legible with Arabic numerals and a small seconds subdial at six o’clock with a vibrant red hand.
Available at Dejager.
Wrist Classics Omega Speedmaster Ref. 105.003 Ghost Bezel, €10,900 (approx. £9,050)
A huge part of the allure of vintage watches, beyond the cool styles of bygone eras of design, are the deeply personal stories they tell. These stories are at the core of what Wrist Classics focus on as a vintage watch dealer. They only stock watches with unique hallmarks and distinct features that make them stand out in the crowd. For example, this Omega Speedmaster from 1964 with a beautiful ghost bezel. Or a 1956 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Honeycomb Dial.
Available at Wrist Classics.
