For $4,550, Would You Buy a Single Premium Watch or a Swarm of Affordable Ones?

That’s what we’re up against. Can we build a dream team to rival the Tudor for the same cash outlay?

The Equal-Value Collection

First stop on our shopping list is a dive watch: something that can at least match the Black Bay’s 200-meter water resistance rating and speak to its underpinnings as a daily diver. We don’t need a hardcore dive monster, but something that blends style and spec. We could head to Seiko, but while the Prospex range holds a lot of phenomenal beaters, few could be said to be truly stylish.

One strong candidate is the Unimatic U1 Classic ($665), but we’ve gone for the recently updated Baltic Aquascaphe ($730). Powered by a Miyota automatic movement, the Baltic focuses on more visible premium touches, like the domed sapphire crystal and applied 3D luminous hour markers. It’s water-resistant to 200 meters and available in blue, green, gray, or silver.

Next we should hit one of the main weaknesses in the Tudor’s armor, and pick up a dress watch. The Black Bay isn’t hulking, and our choice to opt for the fabric strap makes the whole watch a lot lighter (although it does add a millimeter in height), but it’s not slim by any definition.

For price and poise, we’ve come straight to Dennison. The one time you can really get away with a quartz watch is at a formal occasion, where the chance of someone asking you for precision timing or to fiddle with your complications will be pretty low. The sold-out Time+Tide Date Night limited edition would be perfect, but failing that we’ll opt for the Midnight Aventurine in steel ($690).

Next, we’ve got space in our collection for a real everyday watch: something that’s not overburdened with functionality, but that will cover us for the working day. Here we can look at a simple automatic from Hamilton, whose military-inspired Khaki Field and Pilot watches would also be worthy inclusions. However, for a more everyday staple we’ve gone for the Khaki Field “Murph” 38 mm ($995), a compact version of the watch Matthew McConaughey's character gives to his daughter in Interstellar. With an 80-hour power reserve and 100-meter water resistance, it’s a versatile choice in its own right.