The Three Watch Collection For $5,000 – Reader Edition: Nicholas Baldwin

Editor’s Note: We’re back with more of your submissions for the perfect 3 watch collection under $5,000. Today, reader Nicholas Baldwin provides his thoughts on three watches that will cover any situation and look pretty good in the process. We’re big fans of each of these watches around here and there’s just enough left over for a few rounds of beers so it’s a win on all fronts. Bonus points for introducing us to Spartan races. 

You are welcome to submit your 3 watch collection for $5,000 using this form.

I see this collection as a gradient which can cover every situation, ranging from running a Spartan race to being the best man at your brother’s wedding. Anything in between is covered by one of these three. Of this group, I own the Casio and the Sinn, so I can speak to their merits. No, I haven’t seen the SBGX firsthand, but Grand Seiko’s reputation precedes it and I’d love to own one of these.

Sinn U50-T (Rubber strap) – $2,850

For those among us who don’t dress up often or simply have a more casual style, it makes sense that the most expensive watch in the collection would be the one worn most often. A good everyday watch should be easy-wearing and comfortable, and that’s exactly what the Sinn U50 is. Having owned one for a few months now, I can say that it’s exactly as advertised. It’s one of those “if-you-know-you-know” watches, a quality I’ll take over a brand name any day. Oh, and it’s great in the water too. Being at the bottom of an ocean/lake/pool and seeing a little mechanical device whirring away without concern is oddly fascinating.

Grand Seiko SBGX259 – $2,000

Every watch in my collection needs to have a “thing”- some attribute that makes it inherently interesting. For the Sinn, it’s the Tegimented case as well as its magical thinness for a 500m diver. For this, it’s the thermocompensated quartz movement that is second in accuracy only to an atomic-syncing watch (see G-Shock below). The technology behind it is quite fascinating if one is so inclined to do the research, and the watch itself is versatile as well. The clean white dial wrapped in a sleek 37mm steel case can be worn with both jeans and a tux. 

Casio G-Shock GWM5610-1 – $100

It never runs out of power, it’s never wrong, and it’s damn near indestructible. As a pure timekeeping device, there is objectively no better watch. Say what you like about “tough” watches, but let’s be real- no sane person is going to wear a mechanical watch while blasting down a trail on a mountain bike. I’ve abused one of these for the better part of three years while training, swimming, biking, skiing, motorcycling, shooting- you name it, this watch has done it. Sure, Garmin watches and the like have more functionality, but they need to be charged and I can track most of the same data on my phone anyways. Aside from a strap replacement, it has required absolutely nothing. In all honesty, if I could only have one watch for the rest of my life, this would be it. It’s that useful.