Feature: Satisfy your “fidget factor” with these affordable watches
Most watches with unusual functions are outrageously expensive. Jacob and Co’s Godfather model which plays the film’s theme tune, for example. Or Girard-Perregaux’s Jackpot Tourbillon featuring an actual slot machine. Blancpain and Ulysse Nardin have made a number of automaton erotic watches over the years that would make a vicar blush. All of these cost around the same price as a small Spanish villa. But if you want an affordable timepiece with serious fidget-factor—once the novelty of twisting the bezel of your dive watch has faded—look no further…
Christopher Ward Bel Canto
Watches with chiming complications tend to be produced in small numbers and by brands residing in the uppermost echelons of the industry—the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet et al. So when the Anglo-Swiss company Christopher Ward sprung the Bel Canto on us, we were both shocked and impressed. This is not an haute horlogerie watchmaker, and its prices definitely aren’t on a par with Patek Philippe. But somehow it has concocted a beautiful and highly distinctive-looking “Sonnerie au Passage”, a watch that chimes the hours, for just £2,995. The company said it had taken a leap forward. We beg to differ. With the Bel Canto it has somersaulted over the Grand Canyon.
Perrelet Turbine
Ever thought, “I wish I had a fidget spinner that I could strap to my wrist”? If the answer to that question is yes, then, you’re in luck! This Perrelet Turbine watch is what we’re calling a “fidget spinner for grown-ups”. Featuring a dial with a spinning turbine-style rotor, all you need to do is shake your wrist and watch as the turbine comes to life, providing hours of fun—well, a few minutes, at least. Additionally, the crown at 10 o’clock rotates the inner bezel and there’s also an exhibition caseback to admire. What do you think, is the turbine design cool or just a gimmick?
Tudor Advisor Alarm
Here’s a watch that Tudor had previously dropped from its line-up before reviving again. However, in 2022 they dropped it once more and we’re guessing it’ll stay that way for some time. As in the name, this Tudor features an alarm function—something Rolex has never put into its watches, giving Tudor some bragging rights. The alarm is wound and set independently by the crown at 2 o’clock, with the pusher at 8 o’clock activating it. The aperture at 9 o’clock lets you know the alarm’s status while the circular window at 3’clock is the alarm’s power reserve indicator. Even better, the chime itself rings freely and is rather pleasant, so it won’t give you any nasty frights!
Raketa Space Launcher
Well, this is awkward. If you’re boycotting all things Russian, you might want to give this one a miss. But if you can draw a firm line between horology and politics, read on, because this St Petersburg-based company makes some intriguing watches. We’ve picked out this Space Launcher model, whose rotating bezel—made from metal salvaged from an actual rocket—is used as a compass rather than to time dives. There’s also a rotating globe in the centre instead of a seconds hand and a 24-hour dial, requiring you to give a little more thought to your time-telling. It’s one of those watches where you spot something new each time you look at it.
Vulcain Cricket
The Cricket alarm watch is Vulcain’s flagship model and has been rousing people from their slumber with its mechanical chirps since Elvis Presley was in short pants. There are possibly more versions of the Cricket watch than there are species of actual cricket, but the current line-up will thrill any vintage watch aficionado. They look like they were just unboxed for the first time after lying in an attic for 70 years. The alarm function is easy to use via a combination of the pusher at 2 o’clock and the crown, while the black pointer hand shows you when the alarm is due to go off. You might want to fidget with this one more than is healthy as the alarm really does sound like cicadas in full song.
Casio calculator watch
Image by Morn on Wikicommons
No, it’s not a mechanical timepiece like the ones above, but the calculator watch by Japanese electronics giant Casio simply had to make this list. Its combination of digital calculator and LCD-display watch is the ultimate gadget fix and was considered so ahead of its time upon its release in the 1980s that it appeared as Marty McFly’s timepiece in the classic movie, Back To The Future. Today, the Casio calculator watch—of which there are countless variations—stokes a strong sense of nostalgia for many via its unforgettable design. You could even use it to work out if you can afford any of the other watches on this list…
