In addition to telling you inane and entirely nonsensical things, such as 15 ways to get the girl of your dreams (basically, be rich); 10 ways to get ripped like The Rock (all involve creatine); and five ways to make your boss respect you (platform shoes), men's lifestyle magazines will tell you that every man's wardrobe needs 16 key items. I don't have the room to list these essentials, but the point is a number of looks can be achieved by mixing and matching. In the spirit of vague and shallow list-making, this week we'll look at three reasonably priced timepieces that would serve as good second or third watch options to give your wardrobe a bit more variety.
First up we have the Emporio Armani Luigi (right), which will set you back HK$1,450. Emporio Armani has been creating waves in the watch world recently with its first Swiss-made collection, priced significantly higher than people normally associate with the brand's watches.
Time will tell if the upscaling to Swiss-made will work but, in the meantime, Emporio Armani still makes expressly fashion timepieces that focus on colour and design rather than function. A unisex watch, the Luigi comes in seven colours, all featuring the same 41mm aluminium inner case covered in an eye-catching shiny plastic making it an ultralight timepiece. As can be seen from the dial there is a chronograph function, with three subdials, as well as a date window nestled between the four and five o'clock positions. The strap is silicon and the watch water resistant to 30 metres.
Next we have the Adidas Brisbane watch (right), a steal at HK$1,050. Now, if a watch from a fashion brand like Emporio Armani isn't to everyone's taste then a watch from the iconic German sports brand is also likely to divide opinion. However, if you're looking for a big, youthful every-day watch that matches a lot of outfits then look no further than the Brisbane. Sized at 47mm and coming in a chunky plastic resin case, the Brisbane will dominate your wrist and attract a lot of attention. Adidas' sporty heritage gets a look in with the three chronograph subdials and unidirectional bezel. There is also a date window between the four and five o'clock positions and all the numbers and indices are coated in luminescence. The layout of the Brisbane is not dissimilar to that of the Luigi but the presentation is certainly more masculine. A highlight is the strap, which is made of twice-injected moulded silicone. The Adidas Brisbane is available in four colour combinations.
Last, but by no means least, we have the Void V03D. Priced at a bargain HK$1,600, the VO3D is an upgrade of the third Void iteration, this time with the added luxury of a seconds hand and a date window. Void is a Swedish brand made in Hong Kong, and the Scandinavian influence is all over the design of this watch. The dial is clean and uncluttered, with clearly written and thin font numerals for hours and seconds. As with the dial, the round steel case is subtle and sized at a relatively classical 38mm. The shiny chrome finish to the steel case is another nod to modernist industrial design. Inside the watch is a Japanese quartz Miyota movement that, of course, helps to keep the price down but is also reliable and robust. The watch comes in a number of colours, including grey on grey (right), black on black and navy on grey. The strap comes in leather and the watch is water resistant to 30 metres.
