There comes a time in your late twenties and early thirties when you finally begin to catch a break in the rat-race. Perhaps you’re making a few extra shillings here and there or have become that serious lawyer/doctor/wanker that you never thought you would be.

Hopefully now your most basic survival requirements are being met without difficulty and you’re beginning to yearn for some of the finer things in life that motivated you to succeed in the first place.

For the upwardly mobile young male nothing displays wealth and taste like a finely selected Swiss timepiece. This guide is meant to carefully steward you into the world of Veblen goods and make sure that you purchase something of superior quality and craftsmanship, all while maintaining the aristocratic level of good taste that a true connoisseur should have. For the uninitiated, Veblen goods are the high end products identified by Thorstein Veblen for their unusually converse relationship between price and demand. The concept itself is a strange blend of sociology and economic theory; as prices of ultra high end trinkets rise their demand follows as a result of perceived exclusivity.

There are really two main schools of thought. The famous Grandes Marques of the Swiss watch industry are beautifully made traditional mechanical watches complete with history and pedigree.

You may also be the type who intentionally eschews the establishment and prefers something equally prestigious but more unique, less ubiquitous in branding, and perhaps even more subtle.

Here are thirty-something of the best pieces on the market today in a variety of price ranges. Starting at a little over $500 and capping at $9000, these watches are if not in your immediate grasp then very close with a little hard work and determination.

The Meistersinger Neo 1Z retails at an affordable $1500 and is one of the most unique pieces found today. Virtually unheard of in North America, this watch displays time with a single hand making it somewhat of a talking point.

The Junghans Max Bill is a clean, elegant chronograph watch hailing from Schramberg, Germany. This piece retails for approximately $2000 and understated and fairly rare despite its price point.

Cash is king, and the Rolex crown has become synonymous with success around the globe. The small outfit from Geneva produces approximately 1,000,000 watches per year and around $3 billion in revenue. Their ubiquity comes with some perks as the brand has a very solid used market and the pieces can almost always be sold or traded as long as they are legitimately purchased and in decent condition. The Air King is their entry level Automatic Chronometer and starts in the $4000-$5000 range. It is an understated piece that is unmistakably from the Rolex stable. The Submariner is probably the best selling luxury dive watch in the world and is more or less unchanged in appearance since its inception in 1953. Models in black & stainless are approximately $7500.

Omega is a storied brand established in 1848 in Biel, Switzerland. The Omega DeVille was worn by JFK and Buzz Aldrin wore an Omega Speedmaster on the moon. The Aqua Terra models start at approximately $4500 and are simple yet captivating Automatic Chronometers. The Speedmaster Co-Axial Moonwatch is an homage to the Aldrin days and is a practical Automatic Chronograph that looks stunning in both casual and formal settings.

Chopard’s Mille Migla models are a reference to the famed Italian road-race ran between 1927 and 1957. The watches are inspired by the historic race cars of the pre-war era and feature rubber straps with a tire tread pattern. They come in a variety of flavours and colors and both the simple Automatic Chronometers and Chronograph models are approximately $5000.

Cartier is one of the oldest and most prestigious creators of fine jewellery. The Calibre de Cartier is a serious piece with a simple design and ornate dial. The $8000 starting price for a stainless steel model is staggering, but this is watch that will certainly outlast the wearer.

Longines is a middle range brand of the ginormous Swatch Group and their Heritage series watches are throwbacks to the company’s most stunning achievements. The Heritage A-7 is a WW1 Pilots watch with an off centre dial and mono-pusher chronograph that allows for stop, start and reset functions to actuated by a single button. The watch was designed and supplied for pilots who would wear the face on the inside of their wrist, allowing the pilot to take note of the time without lifting their hands of the controls of a plane. Around $4500.

Zenith is another historic Swiss watchmaker founded in the mid-1800s. Well known in watch making circles for supplying movements to Rolex, they are fairly rare in North America. The El Primero line spans a variety of movements and precious metals and starts at approximately $6500.

Baume & Mercier is one of the many brands now owned by the Richemont Group. The Capeland models represent excellent value for money and their feature heavy mechanics come at a relatively low price. Capeland Flyback Chronograph models are approximately $5000-$6000 but there are many other models that are much more affordable still.

Corum is most known for creating its unique 12 sided marine inspired pieces. The Admiral’s Cup model line is named after the international off-shore sailing regatta and watches are typically adorned with nautical flags and symbols. Basic Admiral’s Cup models in stainless steel can be found for around $5000-$7000.

The Vulcain Aviator Dual Time is the perfect piece for the international traveller looking for something distinct. The Red Arrow hand serves to set and indicate the alarm time and the edge of the dial indicates the 2nd time zone. Roughly $4000.

Abraham Louis Perrelet was the man that invented the principle behind the mechanical automatic watches seen today. The company makes a variety of functional watches such as the Seacraft model but their skill lies in stunning mechanical novelties. The Turbine is an aviation inspired piece with a moving turbine under the dial. The Retrograde Regulator uses a linear mechanical movement to actuate a sliding hand. Priced around $5000 and $9000 respectively.

The Ulysses Nardin Maxi Marine is the entry level dive watch from prestigious watchmaker Ulysse Nardin. Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Ulysse Nardin is known for their highly complicated mechanical movements paired with rare materials such as meteorites and their ultra accurate marine chronometers. It is not uncommon for their high end pieces to exceed $100,000. Thankfully the Maxi Marine starts around $5000 and comes in an array of colors and styles.

Carl F. Bucherer is another fine watchmaker from Switzerland that does not receive huge coverage in North America. The pieces they create are elegant and modern in design, available in many metals and colors. The Patravi TravelGraph in blue is a stunning piece with a GMT hand to quickly calculate time change. A must have for the frequent flyer looking for something practical and fun. Approximately $7000

The House of Chaumet is another high end Parisian jeweller founded in the late 1700s. Focusing primarily on fine jewellery and watches for women, the Dandy collection are fun filled modern pieces for men with flair. The Dandy Big Date can be had for around $5000 and will rarely be seen at a dinner table in North America.

Hanhart is a Swiss-German watchmaker that focuses on Chronographs and Stopwatches. The watches are inspired by sea, land & air and are instantly recognizable by their large red buttons. Incidentally it is one of the few watchmakers that still produces a huge variety of hand-held stopwatches.

Bathys is watchmaker from Hawaii that makes all manner of dive watches. While many luxury dive pieces above will never see a swimming pool let alone the ocean, Bathys produces watches specifically for the surf and dive crowd. Pricing begins at around $600 so they are inexpensive and practical should you be spending a huge portion of your life in the water.

Certina is an old watchmaking brand that has also been swallowed up by the enormous Swatch Group. Priced in the entry level, they produce very affordable watches with Quartz movements as well as the higher-end automatics that are featured in this list. In the Quartz range the DS Podium GMT is practical due to its GMT hand as well as elegant for a larger size watch. Features such as a scratch resistant Sapphire Crystal, Chronograph, GMT hand and date display make this watch virtually unbeatable at $650 odd dollars.

Mido is another Swatch Group brand priced similarly to Certina. Models such as the Multifort feature mechanical automatic chronograph functions and superb craftsmanship. Prices vary between $700 and up.

The Hamilton Watch Company is a distinctly American brand which was the result of an amalgamation of several early American watchmakers. Since its inception in 1892 the company has been brought into the Swatch Group and now produces mechanical watches with American style and quality Swiss movements. The brand is priced in the entry level and pieces can start for as little as $500. The Railroad Chronograph is a superb piece that retails for roughly $1500.

Xetum is a new watchmaker based out of California. The designs are simple and elegant and the movements are manufactured by Swiss movement giant ETA for assured quality. The watches feature an ultra-clean lug-less (arms that connect the bracelet or strap to the case) modern design as well as some eco-friendly components. They are priced around $1400.

Movado’s most iconic piece is the Museum Watch. Created in 1947 by American artist and industrial engineer Nathan George Horwitt, the watch was made part of the permanent collection at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan in 1960. Since then it has appeared in a multitude of forms in the Movado collection. Best of which is probably the Museum Red Label Automatic which features the iconic face and a skeleton case back to view the automatic movement.

Fortis has created aviation and maritime watches since 1912. They are most known for supplying watches to Russian Cosmonauts for various space exploration missions. The vast majority of their collection is aviation inspired. The watches start at approximately $2500 and are fairly rare.

Ball watch is another American company started by Webster Clay Ball. The watches were designed to standardize the railroad industry and avoid disasters due to variance or inaccuracy in timekeeping. The watches are Swiss made and have become quite popular. Models such as the Engineer Hydrocarbon Magnate Chronograph are a mouthful but speak for themselves in terms of design. Approximately $4000.

IWC is another very high-end Richemont Group brand founded in 1868. They produce highly technical and complex mechanical watches that are more works of art than daily timekeepers. The vast majority of the pieces they create are quite expensive but the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII is an entry level offering at $5000. Simply and elegant design paired with skilled craftsmanship mean this is another piece that will outlast its owner.

Panerai is a storied watchmaking brand from Florence, Italy. The company is based out of Florence even today but produces its pieces in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Simple and rugged is the theme at Panerai. The designs are usually soft edge square cases with a convex crystal and a protective clasp over the crown. Large models tend to be over-worn and played out so stick to a 40mm piece such as the Luminor Marina. Roughly $7000

Tissot is the staple of the entry level at the Swatch Group. Established in 1853 it is probably the Swatch Group’s best selling luxury brand. The range features men and womens mechanical and quartz watches for a number of occasions and purposes. The Heritage Visodate is a personal favorite and priced at a paltry $650 for a mechanical watch featuring a sapphire crystal, date window and skeleton display case.

Eberhard & Co is another old brand from Neuchâtel. It is among my favorite brands because it is relatively unknown and thus quite exclusive. There are a number of models that are stunning such as the Chrono4 which is priced around $9000. The Tazio Nuvolari Vanderbilt Cup is a refreshing and youthful twist on a classic design. About $6000.

I hope this article has inspired you to join in the passion many of us share for watchmaking. The desire to share these pieces stems from the belief that in the consumerist society we live in today, the process of choosing a perfect watch has significance in a young person’s life.

We can draw parallels from the hard work, craftsmanship and dedication required to build some of these beautiful objects to the journey the majority of us must achieve before we can reward ourselves with one.

In the world of constantly changing technology and fly by night fashion trends, there is something to be said for old fashioned mechanical technology that will outlast most of us. The pieces presented to you in this article are all timeless in their design and could easily be the one and only piece of jewellery you wear continuously throughout your life.

Perhaps like many others you will wear the watch until you have the chance to hand it down to the next generation. For every unique individual there is a myriad of options to choose from. Happy hunting.