The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Chris Plant

Editor’s note: In this 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Chris Plant, aka @mister_wrist_er on Instagram, gives us a look at a trio of watches from his own collection that fit the $5,000 collection bill perfectly. These watches suit his lifestyle and needs, which you can read more about on his own blog, misterwrister.ca, where he documents his horological journey, including the three watches below.

You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here.

The three watches that I chose make up a perfectly balanced collection for me. I have the rugged, Swiss quartz dive watch that will never fail me even in the deepest depths, the deliciously vintage inspired dress watch for life’s more refined situations, and a steel sports watch that has the ideal mix of historical significance, robust capability and generational provenance.

Tissot Seastar Chronograph 1000 (Ref. T120.417.17.041.00) – $550

 

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When I began building my watch collection, I needed to find a watch that would become my Go Anywhere Do Anything choice. I had several criteria in mind. Firstly, it needed to be a watch capable of keeping up with my lifestyle, whether it was running with my Pomsky puppy in the park, wandering across the busy streets of Montreal, or hiking on one of the numerous mountain trails outside city. Secondly, it had to be a dive watch. Strapping on a dive watch and knowing that your wrist companion could follow you 300 meters down into the murky depths always filled me with awe. My initial instinct leaned heavily towards a Seiko diver, however as fate would have it, the proverbial lighthouse in the distance led me far from the shores of Japan, to Switzerland.

When I first laid eyes on the Tissot Seastar 1000 Chronograph, the deep gradient blue dial took my breath away, as if inviting me into the ocean to explore the unknown. A sturdy and well built chronograph, heavy on the tool watch aesthetic, the Seastar takes the first spot in my curated three watch collection. I purchased it on the extremely supple rubber strap, and later ordered the steel bracelet as well. Being a quartz powered diver, I knew I could just grab and go with this watch at my leisure. Having numerous other automatic watches in my collection, there was beauty in the simplicity and reliability that a quartz movement offered me. This watch is a staple of my collection, and can always be seen strapped to my wrist when I swim laps in the pool weekly.

Longines Flagship Heritage (Ref. L4.795.4.78.2) – $1,900

 

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A staple in every collection is a watch that combines both form and function, dressiness and everyday versatility. To mark the milestone that was my 30th birthday, I wanted to use the above criteria and hunt down a truly exceptional watch. One that I could look back on near the end of my life and know that it represented a turning point, into becoming an adult. I scoured the internet, went on multiple watch platforms, digested review after review, and ultimately found the vessel that would lead the dress watch fleet in my collection.

The Longines Flagship Heritage is a case study in refined elegance. A warm and creamy dial with gilt indices and hands fit perfectly into its 38.5mm case. The watch is wrapped in a remarkably soft brown alligator strap, and sports a show-stopping applied medallion on the case back featuring an intricately detailed sea vessel.

This watch represents the perfect dress watch in my three watch collection; one that can feel right at home during the day at the office or out at an intimate dinner in the evening.

Omega Speedmaster Automatic Day-Date (Ref. 3523.30) – $2,000

 

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There are certain watches that become more than just the sum of their mechanical parts, that have the ability to blend watchmaking prowess with generational provenance. The third and final spot in my three watch collection needed to be one these models. Normally, this would be taken by the invaluable Rolex Submariner Bluesy (Ref. 16613) that my father passed down to me. However, for the purposes of this exercise and the budget constraint, I chose my most recent watch purchase to make up the top tier of my three watch collection, the Omega Speedmaster Automatic Day-Date.

When searching for my latest watch, I wanted to find one that would be considered Neo-Vintage, like my Submariner, but also come from a brand with arguably equal watchmaking history and recognition. After months of hunting, I came across the perfect listing on a watch platform with the dealer originating from Japan.

Omega, Speedmaster, Chronograph, Day/Month/Date, Silver Dial, AM/PM Indicator, 39mm…all of the listing’s details glittered in front of my eyes. I beckoned for my wife to come and see (she is a trained watchmaker), and she looked at me with the gaze of approval. This was a gem, nay, a diamond in the rough. I had found the perfect watch for me, and more importantly, it felt as if it portrayed my personality perfectly. It was like looking in a mirror and seeing my reflection in its dial.