Top 5 Affordable Alternatives to High Horology

While "high horology" and "affordable" are rarely used in the same sentence, we are now witnessing more and more brands offering collectors a taste of high horology without necessarily breaking the bank.

Here is a selection of five interesting watches that bring a lot to the table and make great affordable alternatives to some of the most sought after pieces in high horology.

Maximilian Büsser founded MB&F in 2005 after a stint at Harry Winston, where he notably introduced the acclaimed OPUS series. Each OPUS watch was created in collaboration with a top independent watchmaker, including François-Paul Journe, Vianney Halter, and Christophe Claret, among others. This spirit of collaboration has always been at the heart of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser and Friends), with a network of suppliers, designers, and watchmakers working together to create highly creative watches. This has led to a strong following for the brand, despite the least expensive MB&F watch being out of reach for the vast majority of watch collectors.

Maximilian Büsser always had the idea of making watches at a more affordable price point, and in 2021, the first M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1 watch was born. Originally intended for the brand’s “friends” and produced in a few hundred pieces, this watch encountered such success that multiple variations came out, all sold through raffles. In 2024, M.A.D.Editions introduced the MAD.1 1.S, which addresses the two main drawbacks of the M.A.D.1, namely case thickness and the watch movement. Now under 15mm and powered by a La Joux-Perret movement, the MAD.1 1.S is a more accomplished watch and offers a strong value proposition, carrying the MB&F design “spirit” with its visible rotor and rotating hour disc, all for under £2700 excluding taxes.

Christopher Ward is a British watch brand that began selling directly to customers through its own website in 2005. The brand has consistently prided itself on offering excellent value for money thanks to its direct distribution model. While initially popular among a select group of "in the know" watch collectors, the launch of their first in-house movement, the SH21, in 2014, significantly raised the brand's profile. More recently, their response to the integrated sports watch trend, "The Twelve," has been positively received. However, no one anticipated their next release, the Bel Canto.

While tourbillon watches are slowly becoming less exclusive, partly due to Chinese companies producing them at a fraction of the cost compared to Swiss watch brands, chiming watches remain largely inaccessible to most collectors. Sonnerie watches, often combined with minute repeaters, are typically the domain of historic horological houses and top independent watchmakers.

When Christopher Ward released the Bel Canto in 2022, featuring a sonnerie au passage (chiming every hour at the 12 o'clock position) at an unprecedented price point, it surprised the whole watch industry. The Bel Canto earned the Petite Aiguille award at the Grand Prix D’horlogerie de Genève in 2023. Now offered in a new "classic version" with a beautiful guilloché dial, the Bel Canto Classique is the definition of affordable alternative to high horology.

Venezianico, meaning "Venetian" in English, is an Italian brand created by brothers Alberto and Alessandro Morelli in 2017. What started like so many microbrands launching on Kickstarter quickly turned into a success story, thanks to a strong Italian sense of design and a perceived value that far exceeds the actual price of their watches. The brand has now opened its very own boutique in their hometown of San Donà di Piave. Some of their watches, like the Redentore, have been nominated at the GPHG, and Venezianico is expected to introduce their own movement, made in collaboration with OISA 1937, very shortly.

For fans of integrated bracelets, the Venezianico Arsenale is a true highlight of the brand's collection. While one could see some inspiration from Parmigiani Fleurier or Patek Philippe, the Arsenale comes as a unique package. The case proportions are good, standing at 40mm with a really appreciable sub 9mm thickness thanks to its slim Miyota movement. The dial, featuring a striking vertical Côtes de Genève finish, is available in blue, purple, or grey. For those seeking something more adventurous, ultra-black and meteorite dial options are also offered.

While we might be leaving the "affordable" territory, owning a Swiss-made tourbillon watch delivering 100 hours of power reserve, and, on top of that, made by an independent brand, was far out of reach for the vast majority of watch collectors until recently. What if I told you that you can now access it for under £7,000?

Thomas Baillod is an experienced executive in the watch industry who created his own brand in 2019, initially as a way to try an innovative distribution system called We-commerce, where BA111OD watch owners have the opportunity to become ambassadors and sell BA111OD watches to their peers. This proved to be a success, as the brand reached a turnover of over 1 million CHF in its first year. While the brand has now incorporated more traditional distribution strategies, it is known for delivering high value for money while remaining faithful to its Neuchâtel roots.

The BA111OD - Chapter 4.7 presents a strong value proposition, featuring a movement developed by Olivier Mory, a Swiss Made label, and a beautiful deep black Onyx dial that highlights the mesmerising running of the tourbillon. The contained 40mm case also ensures good wearability.

A lot of high horology watches offer multiple complications, and an unexpected alternative actually does not come from a microbrand, but from Longines. The staple brand was created in 1832 in the Swiss village of St Imier. Incidentally, the factory was built on a field known as “es Longines,” and the company decided to keep this name for the brand. Now run by the Swatch Group, the Longines Master Collection will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.

One of their best-selling models is the Master Collection Chronograph Moonphase, offering an incredible amount of complications for under £3,500. Now available in a more compact 40mm version, the watch includes a column-wheel chronograph, a complete calendar, and a 24-hour AM/PM indicator. The Longines caliber L678 movement is based on the ETA Valjoux 7751, which means servicing a watch this complicated comes at a fair price of £450 from Longines. The polished case, blued hands, and silver "barleycorn" stamped dial give this watch a lot of presence and will please amateurs of complications and classic style.