Best new watches under £5,000: SIHH 2018

Panerai is renowned for its rugged aesthetic, unique crown protector and, er, big-ass watches. We’re talking 44mm as the ‘small’ size, minimum. For those among us whose wrists simply can’t handle that much metal, the Swiss brand has been one to admire from afar without any likelihood of ever making a purchase. Panerai seemed to get the message two years ago at SIHH 2016 when they introduced the 42mm Luminor Due – its thinnest watch to date, as well as an experiment with a more workable case size. They’ve continued this change of heart this year with an absolutely superb new 38mm option. For your money (OK, £100 more than the magic £5k…) you get the new OPXXXIV proprietary movement, with a three-day power reserve, and a quick-release strap that offers more than ten different colour options. It’s the Panerai we’ve always dreamed of, made a reality. panerai.com

There are 27 watches and one pocket watch in IWC’s new Jubilee collection – created to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary – but the one that really made us smile was the cheapest of the lot. The Portofino Automatic is an IWC staple that would be a conspicuous absence from any anniversary collection. For your hard-earned cash, you get a sumptuous “celebratory blue” or white lacquered dial, blued hands, and a black alligator strap as standard, as well as all the charm and detail that comes with this minimalist three-hander. Limited to 2,000 pieces and clocking in at a shade under £4k, this watch is a great way to celebrate the tremendous 150-year milestone for IWC without dropping serious folding for the privilege. iwc.com

There are 27 watches and one pocket watch in IWC’s new Jubilee collection – created to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary – but the one that really made us smile was the cheapest of the lot. The Portofino Automatic is an IWC staple that would be a conspicuous absence from any anniversary collection. For your hard-earned cash, you get a sumptuous “celebratory blue” or white lacquered dial, blued hands, and a black alligator strap as standard, as well as all the charm and detail that comes with this minimalist three-hander. Limited to 2,000 pieces and clocking in at a shade under £4k, this watch is a great way to celebrate the tremendous 150-year milestone for IWC without dropping serious folding for the privilege. iwc.com

Of all the watch manufacturers on show at SIHH, Baume et Mercier is perhaps the most incongruous for its focus on watches for the Everyman. In a hall full of high complication, haute horlogerie pieces, you would be forgiven for assuming that its watches would be background noise, but the brand-new Clifton Baumatic has reason to shout above the rest. Boasting a proprietary movement (designed in tandem with Richemont's R&D department) with an impressive five-day power reserve, anti-magnetism tech and a host of other sensible features, this is Swiss watchmaking at its most practical – and yours for an eyebrow-raising £2,150 in steel. The high performing BM12-1975A calibre features the use of silicon for the balance spring, lever, and escape wheel, which makes for a more efficient, durable movement. That’s a heck of a lot of watch technology for your money: a reassuring reminder that value in the watch world doesn’t have to be shorthand for lesser quality. baume-et-mercier.co.uk

Of all the watch manufacturers on show at SIHH, Baume et Mercier is perhaps the most incongruous for its focus on watches for the Everyman. In a hall full of high complication, haute horlogerie pieces, you would be forgiven for assuming that its watches would be background noise, but the brand-new Clifton Baumatic has reason to shout above the rest. Boasting a proprietary movement (designed in tandem with Richemont's R&D department) with an impressive five-day power reserve, anti-magnetism tech and a host of other sensible features, this is Swiss watchmaking at its most practical – and yours for an eyebrow-raising £2,150 in steel. The high performing BM12-1975A calibre features the use of silicon for the balance spring, lever, and escape wheel, which makes for a more efficient, durable movement. That’s a heck of a lot of watch technology for your money: a reassuring reminder that value in the watch world doesn’t have to be shorthand for lesser quality. baume-et-mercier.co.uk

Legendary jewellery brand Cartier introduced the Drive collection to its stable at SIHH 2016 to great acclaim, but few could have predicted the widespread success that followed. The cushion case and attractive guilloche dial wooed watch fans thanks to its balance of an elegant and masculine aesthetic, but the greatest draw of all was an accessible entry point of £5,500. Launching a new watch in steel straight away was a bold move for a brand synonymous with precious metal, but it paid dividends – and is perhaps the reason last year’s Extra Flat addition to the collection (available at the time in only white or red gold) was greeted with some disappointment. The ultra-slim cousin of the original Drive de Cartier, it features a stripped back dial and an all-round more dressy feel in a case just 6.6mm thick. Thank goodness, then, Cartier has this year produced it in steel, with a dreamy €4,500 price point to match. cartier.co.uk

Legendary jewellery brand Cartier introduced the Drive collection to its stable at SIHH 2016 to great acclaim, but few could have predicted the widespread success that followed. The cushion case and attractive guilloche dial wooed watch fans thanks to its balance of an elegant and masculine aesthetic, but the greatest draw of all was an accessible entry point of £5,500. Launching a new watch in steel straight away was a bold move for a brand synonymous with precious metal, but it paid dividends – and is perhaps the reason last year’s Extra Flat addition to the collection (available at the time in only white or red gold) was greeted with some disappointment. The ultra-slim cousin of the original Drive de Cartier, it features a stripped back dial and an all-round more dressy feel in a case just 6.6mm thick. Thank goodness, then, Cartier has this year produced it in steel, with a dreamy €4,500 price point to match. cartier.co.uk

When Richemont quietly acquired watch brand Minerva in 2007 and placed it under the management of Montblanc, it’s safe to say we expected something a little more than the pared-down marketing approach that followed. Sure, there were smatterings of Minerva-inspired timepieces to tease fans over the years but nothing that received the full force of Montblanc’s significant marketing clout. This year, on the occasion of Minerva’s 160th anniversary, that has finally changed. The 1858 collection has been expanded with a number of new pieces – none more appetising than the 1858 Geosphere. This quirky dual-time features two eye-catching hemispheres that turn as the day goes on, denoting the spinning of the earth’s axis. Minerva’s iconic cathedral hands make an appearance on the dial, while the vanilla colour of the indices and fluting on the bezel add a splash of old-school charm. This is a lot of watch for a shade less than five Gs. montblanc.com

When Richemont quietly acquired watch brand Minerva in 2007 and placed it under the management of Montblanc, it’s safe to say we expected something a little more than the pared-down marketing approach that followed. Sure, there were smatterings of Minerva-inspired timepieces to tease fans over the years but nothing that received the full force of Montblanc’s significant marketing clout. This year, on the occasion of Minerva’s 160th anniversary, that has finally changed. The 1858 collection has been expanded with a number of new pieces – none more appetising than the 1858 Geosphere. This quirky dual-time features two eye-catching hemispheres that turn as the day goes on, denoting the spinning of the earth’s axis. Minerva’s iconic cathedral hands make an appearance on the dial, while the vanilla colour of the indices and fluting on the bezel add a splash of old-school charm. This is a lot of watch for a shade less than five Gs. montblanc.com

Hermès was a stalwart at SIHH’s big brother Baselworld for more than 20 years, but this year the Parisian icon made the shock move across to Geneva having concluded the more luxurious show sat better with the company’s core values – chances are Baselworld’s monstrous exhibitors fee may have played a part in the decision too. The brand has further reason to be excited having reached the 40-year milestone of its idiosyncratic Arceau watch. First designed by its legendary art director Henri d’Origny in 1978, Hermès has created a new Arceau Chronograph, featuring a 41mm bead-blasted titanium case, a textured galvanic black dial and a sporty embossed calfskin strap that elevates this watch to preppy chic status. The 42-hour power reserve movement inside isn’t Hermès’ own, but this is an excellent value timepiece for those after something a little different to the norm. hermes.com

Hermès was a stalwart at SIHH’s big brother Baselworld for more than 20 years, but this year the Parisian icon made the shock move across to Geneva having concluded the more luxurious show sat better with the company’s core values – chances are Baselworld’s monstrous exhibitors fee may have played a part in the decision too. The brand has further reason to be excited having reached the 40-year milestone of its idiosyncratic Arceau watch. First designed by its legendary art director Henri d’Origny in 1978, Hermès has created a new Arceau Chronograph, featuring a 41mm bead-blasted titanium case, a textured galvanic black dial and a sporty embossed calfskin strap that elevates this watch to preppy chic status. The 42-hour power reserve movement inside isn’t Hermès’ own, but this is an excellent value timepiece for those after something a little different to the norm. hermes.com