16 Affordable Alternatives to Luxury Hype Watches From Rolex to Richard Mille
Everyone is always looking for those Patek Philippes, Rolexs, APs, Richard Milles, and other luxury watch brands all over social media. But not only are these watches difficult to get at retail, they are very expensive. Because of that, we thought we’d look at more affordable alternatives to some of the most popular watches on the market. Be sure to check out our other guide about some of our Favorite Affordable Brands here.
Rolex Submariner Alternatives
First we wanted to talk about some alternatives to probably the most famous watch in the world, the Rolex Submariner. As you know, the Submariner is Rolex’s dive and tool watch. It’s probably the most faked watch in the world (to the point where half of the Subs you see in the wild are probably fake). But if you want something that gives you a similar look at a fraction of the cost, here are some options
Tudor Black Bay
Tudor is best known as Rolex's sister company (well little sister I guess). And The Tudor Black Bay is Tudor’s vintage-inspired dive watch. Introduced in 2012, it has become the most popular watch in the brand’s catalog. And while you can get the Black Bay with different complications and different materials, its the black bezel Black Bay that we think is a great alternative to the Submariner. First of all, Tudor is owned by Rolex, so when you are buying a Tudor you know you are getting something of extremely high quality. And there are actually a couple of reasons we prefer the Black Bay to the Submariner. First, the vintage inspiration, including the gilt dial and rivet bracelet are nice touches. But the fact that the Black Bay is available in 3 different case sizes, 41mm, 39mm and 37mm gives you options the Submariner doesn’t. The Black Bay retails for between $3,900 USD and $4,100 USD on steel bracelet depending on size. If you want to learn more, you can check out our review of the Tudor Black Bay 54.
Seiko Prospex Sumo SPB101
If you want an alternative to Sub at under $1,000, our favorite choice would be the Seiko Prospex SB101. Yes, there are less expensive options than the SPB101, but they either come with a solar movement or less water resistance. The SPB101 has 200 meters of water resistance and is just really slick. However, beware, this Seiko is large. At 45mm it is a good 4mm wider than the Submariner. But at $850 USD it is a lot of watch for the money.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Alternatives
The Patek Philippe Calatrava may not be as popular as the Nautilus, but the 2022 addition of the 5226G really breathed new life into the line. This Caltrava is white gold, but with a clearly field watch aesthetic, including vintage indexes and a textured grey gradient dial. But at $40,220 it is quite expensive. But don’t worry, we have a couple more affordable options for you.
Longines Spirit Titanium
My first alternative in the above $1,000 price point is the Longines Spirit in titanium. While the material is modern, the look is vintage field watch. Like the Patek it has applied indexes and the Spirit’s gilt dial is very attractive. At 42mm its a little larger than the 40mm Calatrava, but wearable by most. It retails for $2,750 USD on NATO-style strap and $3,225 USD on titanium bracelet.
Hamilton Khaki Field Murph
Our under $1,000 alternative to the Calatrava is a personal favorite, the Hamilton Khaki Field Murph. Offered in both 42mm and 38mm, the watch was originally designed to be a focal point in the movie Interstellar (probably my favorite movie). Fans loved it, so Hamilton produced the watch, first in 42mm and then in 38mm (which is the one I own). A fairly standard field watch, the Murph has a gilt dial with vintage Arabic indexes. Its Swiss made with a power reserve of 80-hours. And at $895 USD for the 38mm version and $995 USD for the 42mm version, its just a great option for those who want the Calatrava look without spending a ton of money.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Alternatives
One of the most most sought after watches on the market these days is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Originally designed by Gerald Genta in 1972, AP now makes dozens of variations, all commanding very high (above market) prices. And because of the hype behind the Royal Oak, many brands make watches that clearly are influenced by the iconic design. So, which pieces do we recommend for those looking for Royal Oak look, without the associated price tag?
Maurice Lacroix AIKON
The watch collectors community seems to be pretty divided by the Maurice Lacroix Aikon, because it’s design clearly influenced by the Royal Oak. We will probably get less pushback here, because this video really is a “get the look for less” video, so similarities are appreciated. And while the Aikon clearly has Royal Oak influences in the textured dial, the bezel, and especially the bracelet, we think it can stand on its own. While the bracelet is as close to a Royal Oak bracelet as I’ve seen, the bezel isn’t octagonal and the triangle pattern on the dial is interesting. Best part is the Aikon is offered in many different sizes, colorways and complications. But my favorite is the 39mm with blue dial (I mean that’s the closed to the Royal Oak Jumbo Ref. 16202). This variation of the Aikon will set you back $2,300 USD.
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80
If you are looking for a Swiss Made Royal Oak alternative at under $1000, the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is a great choice. The watch is Swiss made with an automatic movement. In terms of style, to us its kinda of like stripped down version of the Royal Oak. While the bezel and bracelet aren’t iconic like the Royal Oak, the general shape of the watch and the waffle dial pattern remind me a lot of the Royal Oak’s grand tapisserie dial. And at $725 USD you get a lot of watch and style for a great price.
Rolex Daytona Alternatives
While the Submariner may be the most recognizable Rolex watch, the Daytona is probably the most sought after. And while steel Daytonas retail for around $14,000, they are almost impossible to get at retail (unless you have a relationship with your retailer and some serious purchase history). To top it off, I see Daytonas being sold for around $30,000 on the secondary market. That’s a more than 100 percent mark-up. Luckily we have 3 different options for affordable Daytona alternatives.
Longines Conquest Chronograph
We have already featured one Longines in this article, so why not another. The Longines Conquest Chronograph This is a true racing chronograph in the vain of the Daytona. Like the Daytona, the Conquest has a ceramic tachymeter bezel. And the panda and reverse panda dial variations of the Conquest are reminiscent of some of the vintage Daytonas. The reverse panda version of the Conquest (that is black dial with white subdials) reminds me a lot of new Rolex Daytona Le Mans (probably the most coveted modern Rolex currently on the market). The reverse panda Conquest even has the word “Tachymeter” in red (the 100 on the Le Mans is in red). We are just a very big fan of the Longines Conquest. At $3,650 USD its not necessarily “affordable”, but its a big step down in price from a Daytona. And, its available right now. That’s worth something.
Baltic Tricompax
If you’ve read our articles, you’ll know that we are big fans of Baltic. The French microbrand just seems to always get it right. And if you are looking for a more vintage-inspired alternative to the Daytona, the Tricompax would be my recommendation. The Tricompax is offered in both panda and reverse panda dial configurations, and really just remind me of the Ref. 6239 Newman Daytonas. Instead of screw down chronograph pushers, the watch has pump pushers, and the bezel is even aluminum.And like the 6239, the Tricompax has a manual wind Swiss movement. So if you are looking for an affordable alternative to a $100,000 Plus Newman Daytona, you can pick up the Baltic Tricompax for just under $1,800 USD.
Lorier Gemini
We wanted to include an under $1,000 option here as well. And our pick is the Lorier Gemini. Lorier notes that this watch pays tribute to not only the Newman Daytona Ref. 6263 but the Heuer Autavia and Universal Genève Compax. And we can see all three in the design. While the Daytona has 3 subdials, the Gemini is a bicompax, meaning it only has two subdials. So it isn’t an exact recreation of the Daytona (and people probably won’t mistake it for a Daytona when its on your wrist). But its a well-made chronograph with a lot of style for just $500 USD.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Alternatives
Out of Gerald Genta designs, the Patek Philippe Nautilus commands the highest prices on the secondary market. And what makes this icon even more elusive is the fact that the time only variation is no longer available in stainless steel. When the 5711 was discontinued, Patek replaced it with the slightly larger (41mm vs 40mm) white gold 5811. But regardless of case material, prices of the Nautilus run close to $90,000 USD and above on the secondary market. Because of that, the cost is quite prohibitive. So here are two alternatives if you are trying to get the Nautilus look for less.
Alpina Alpiner Extreme
Alpina is a respected Swiss watchmaker in its own right, perhaps best known for their line of pilot’s watches. And the Alpiner Extreme Automatic has a few nods to more expensive stainless steel sport watches, including the Nautilus. The most obvious similarity are the “ears” on the sides of the stainless steel case. The Nautilus’s ears are its most recognizable design point, and we’ve seen many other brands start to incorporate them into their watches (think Hublot, Norqain, L’Aventure, and now Alpina). Beyond this, the blue dial has a nice triangle pattern, which sets the watch far enough from the Nautilus to be worth a look on its own. If the Alpina Alpiner is the watch to scratch your Nautilus itch, you can pick it up for $2,195 USD.
Maen Manhattan 37
Our under $1,000 USD choice comes from a relatively new microbrand, Maen. Founded in 2017, Maen has established itself by creating handsome watches that have retro charm. And the Manhattan is a steel sport watch that reminds us of a lot of different more expensive timepieces, without looking like a copy or rehash. In Genta-inspired fashion, the Manhattan has an octagonal bezel and the lined dial pattern is reminiscent of the Nautilus, except instead of the lines appearing horizontally, they appear vertically.And at just $763 USD, its a great option for those who want an attractive sport watch at a reasonable price.
Rolex GMT-Master II Alternatives
Besides the Daytona and Submariner, the Rolex GMT-Master II is probably the most popular of the Rolex models on the market. And with its GMT function (a second timezone), it is one of the most functional pieces Rolex has to offer. The problem is, that after the Rolex Daytona, the GMT-Master II is probably the hardest steel Rolex to get. Besides waiting months or years to get yours from an authorized dealer, the watch is still pretty expensive, coming in at $10,900 USD. So here are two alternatives for those who just can’t wait (or don’t want to spend the money).
Tudor Black Bay GMT
When discussing a Rolex alternative, Tudor is always the first place to turn. Why? Well, Tudor is owned by Rolex and due to their expertise, the quality of their timepieces cannot be matched by anyone else at the price-point. Many think of Tudor as “Rolex Lite” and we can’t really argue. The Tudor Black Bay GMT comes with two different bezel configurations a red and blue “Pepsi” bezel and a brown and black “root beer” bezel (both bezel combinations are also offered by Rolex). We really like the Pepsi configuration because its the closest to Rolex’s most popular model, the Ref. 126710BLRO, and includes some vintage touches, like a rivet bracelet. Unlike the Rolex, you can get the Black Bay GMT either with a black or white dial. The Tudor Black Bay GMT “Pepsi” is available with black dial and white dial retails for $4,375 USD on stainless steel bracelet .
Our under $1,000 USD alternative to the Rolex GMT-Master is the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer. There is a lot of Rolex in the Strat-o-timer. For starters, the jubilee bracelet clearly is inspired by Rolex’s jubilee. On top of that, the three bezel colors Americana, Espresso and Dark Knight are clearly the brand’s variation of Rolex’s Pepsi (red and blue), Root Beer (brown and black) and Batman (black and blue). But this is not a Rolex copy. The case is not round and reminds me of a Seiko turtle case. This gives the Strat-o-timer its own identity, which I appreciate. And the watch runs on the new Miyota 9075 calibre automatic GMT movement, with its simple jumping local hour (which works the same way as the Rolex GMT-Master II). Overall, the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer is an attractive GMT coming in at just $999 USD.
Richard Mille Alternatives
The last watch we wanted to discuss some alternatives for isn’t a single model in particular, but alternatives to the brand in general. We want to get into some alternatives to Richard Mille watches. Richard MIlle watches are pretty divisive in the industry, with people either loving them or hating them. Regardless of what you think, they are big, bold, and make a statement. So what do we think are good alternatives? Let’s get into them.
DOXA Sub 300 Carbon
The first watch we want to talk about might come as a surprise, but hear us out. We really like the DOXA Sub 300 Carbon as a Richard Mille alternative. We know they are not openworked like pretty much every Richard Mille, but there are a lot of similarities there. They come in a variety of bold colors, on rubber straps, and in carbon fiber cases. And the case shape, while not tonneau like a Richard Mille, is unique and somewhat reminiscent of the RM shape. Overall, DOXA is a great brand with a ton of heritage. The Sub 300 Carbon retails for $3,890 USD. Check out our review of the DOXA Sub 300 Carbon here.
RADO True Square Skeleton
The next watch we’d recommend is RADO True Square Skeleton. While the DOXA didn’t have an openworked dial, that is an important part of the overall design aesthetic of an RM. The RADO True Square Skeleton has a skeletonized dial in a unique square case shape. While it’s not a dead ringer for an RM, we wanted to provide some interesting alternatives, that while not exact copies, have a similar feel. And RADO makes a really high end Swiss watch. You can find the RADO True Square Skeleton for $2,600 USD and up.
CIGA Design Series Z Edge
If you are really looking for something very close to an RM that doesn’t break the bank, the CIGA Design Series Z Edge would be my choice. CIGA Design is a Chinese brand, but they do have some serious bona fides. Their Blue Planet model won at GPHG, making CIGA the first Chinese brand to ever win at the event. The Series Z Edge is clearly not on the same level as the Blue Planet, but it does have a tonneau shaped case and the dial is openworked. So it clearly has that RM look. CIGA offers the watch in a lot of different finishes, including PVD, gold plated, titanium and steel, so you will surely find something you like. And the best part is, its incredibly affordable, with retail starting at just $279 USD.
If you enjoyed this content, and want to see more similar style content, be sure to check our our Best Watches Under $1000 Guide here.