Three On Three: Comparing Watches Under $1,000 

You realize a recession is coming when Hodinkee starts talking about under-1k watches

With stocks down 30% worldwide, Hodinkee reckons it might be wiser to compare watches in the lower price segments.

Cole has the charisma of a Toyota Avensis.

I think when Cole was bragging about the watch being completely in-house, he was hoping that nobody would notice that he swapped out the dust collecting OEM silicon strap for that excellent Uncle Seiko reproduction.

"Tissot Gentleman" is a stupid name, but a killer watch

I'd love to see this series continue from the ground up: Comparing Watches Under $2,000 Comparing Watches Under $5,000 Comparing Watches Under $8,000

Did you know the guy with the beard stabbed the other two guys right after the filming of this video concluded? Sad.

Wow...seiko turtle misaligned chapter ring at six O'clock...

This is refreshing to see watches that are affordable to the majority. It shows that watch collecting is available to a wide demographic. Thanks!

That Tissot is just drop dead gorgeous! Honestly that Seiko and the Tissot are all you need

The Tissot is the correct answer. This Powermatic 80 Silicium movement is insane. Mine runs at Rolex spec of -1 to +1 per day, absolutely mind blown. I’m sure I got very luck, but the quality and finishing of the Tissot, especially when compared to the Hamilton and Seiko, but also compared to any watch under $1000, or even $2000, is much better on the Tissot. Maybe if my watch came in a -20sec/day I’d feel differently, but I’m absolutely in love with my white dial on bracelet

This felt like Mitt Romney trying to connect with constructions workers. Didn’t work for me.

Hodinkee made a video for the everyman! Love my Khaki King for everyday wearing, but if I could only have one watch for all conditions, the Seiko Turtle wins it.

Guy in the middle out here looking like a creepy ventriloquist's dummy

bearded guy talks with the calmness of a psychotic lmao had me uncomfortable

i think the tissot is a criminally underrated watch. It trades a bit of character, that the others have in spades, for great looks, enourmous versitility (this thing works on all straps from croc to mesh to rubber). While someone with a watch collection would probably see it as basic, for a one wacht collection it's the best one in the vid

Have to give two thumbs. First to the Swatch group for bringing to market innovative, well executed, and very affordable watches. Second to the Hodinkee boys for leaving the watch snobbery at the door and sharing with us these great everyman watches.

Seiko guy give me serial killer vibes

Of the three, I really like the Tissot (especially on the bracelet), however, more than any previous three-on-three, these really act as three parts of a collection, instead of three truely competing watches. The Seiko is a great watch, with lots of character and heritage, and is an excellent beater/casual watch. That said, I’ve long felt that Seiko has surrendered its title of “Best Value Auto Diver” to Orient, especially after Orient updated their movements. The Orient Ray II does basically everything the Turtle does for a third of the price, while the new Kamasu even features a sapphire crystal for almost half the Turtles price. The Hamilton has even more heritage than the Seiko, and an objectively better movement. However, 50M WR is simply not enough for what is supposed to be a field watch. The automatic Khaki Field has 100M WR, and I never understood why the mechanical didn’t. Finally, the Tissot looks very “reserved” in photos, which is the polite way to say “boring” (however the details definitely help make it more interesting in person). However, it’s definitely the most versatile of the three, and is probably the best boardroom-to-beach watch under $1K. It’s dressy enough to work as a dress watch, yet still features 100M WR, a decent bracelet, and just enough lume to be useful at night; the Si mainspring is simply a bonus. That said, each of these definitely have a place in a collection, and which is the right choice is as much due to what is already in your collection as anything else.

I have a Tissot Gentleman, in addition to others, and enjoy it very much. They only reason why I'd get a Hamilton is because I like they style of the field watch and don't have one.

Beard guy is trying too hard to be argumentative. The other two gentlemen correctly seem to just want to engage in a discussion.

I love this type of "conversation table" video! please do more video like this!

Great discussion. I'm a huge Seiko fan but the Tissot wins the table here for me. The metal hour indicators remind me of a Grand Seiko.

I like it. Hodinkee has by now become famous for referring to 5000 dollar watches as "affordable" and "entry level" and to an extent distancing themselves from the every day consumer. But their audience is much wider than that.

Truthfully a collection of all 3 would be well balanced and quite nice

The Tissot smashes the other two!! Tried all 3 of these on in person and it’s not even close.

I loved the gentlemanly debate as much as the watches themselves. Can we get these same gents back with, say, their favourite vegetables.

"off the radar" dude that Tissot Gentleman has been the talk of the town!

Just to clarify.. the Hamilton field mechanical isn't quite an homage, given it's a recreation of their OWN field watch that was issued to the US military during Vietnam. To me that's a big difference bc it's not trying to mimic another brands history, it's bringing back it's own! Cheers

These watches would actually make a great 3 watch collection.

The Tissot's nice, but it makes me appreciate my SARB035 all the more.

My choice for under $1,000: The Tissot one (Tissot Gentleman) is on point. Seiko would be the Baby Alpinist, and Hamilton would be the Khaki Field Auto.

I especially like the chapter ring missalignment on the turtle, brings me joy everytime!

I’ve got that exact same Tissot. Just to add, the ETA movement is out performing my new generation Rolex 3235 Datejust 41 and old generation 3135 Rolex Submariner, returning a staggering +2s per week and a ridiculous power reserve of easily 80 hours. The Tissot has an under the radar everyday appeal, just gets the job done and gives enough twinkle under strong lighting with great legibility and easy fit and forget wearability. So you’re getting sub COSC performance at a bang for the buck price. Just goes to show, these days you can buy a solid reliable good looking mechanical Swiss watch without breaking the bank. That black dial version is the best integrated design for me with the black date wheel and a cool subtle sunburst dial that hides away under all but the most strong lighting hence looks like a quality piece. Much more than the sum of its parts, Bravo Tissot, seems the sexy silicon tech is trickling down from the more mighty Swatch sub brands. Great three way review guys some excellent choices.

He really looks like he's in love with the Turtle when he talks about it !

i love the guy with the seiko lol confidence is great

They should rename the video to: "Three On Three: Comparing Watches Under $1,000 ... that are on Hodinkee's client list."

I really enjoy this three-on-three series and hope you revive it. Good video and three excellent choices.

I love that Cole looks perpetually skeptical of anything that isn't the Turtle. You can tell he really loves that thing.

Tissot Powermatic is the most accurate than the other two.

So much better than the "Lifestyle" videos that Hodinkee have recently attempted. Keep them coming.

The guy with the Seiko is the only true believer.

the tissot is very well balanced

Bravo! Most people cannot afford the watches you make videos about, which suggests that watch collecting is for rich snobs who can buy timepieces that are the price of cars. I’m impressed that Hodinkee has finally made a video about watches that are more affordable for people, and did it in a way that honored and gave credit to less prestigious brands. Great video!

Great watch talk! Winner for me is the Tissot...Beautiful and sharp. I have to say I am partial to dress watches. But these were all so different, you can see the strengths in all three. And each presentation was incredibly done. I learned so much about each one. Thanks.

Easy! Hamilton for everyday, Seiko for sport and Tissot for dress...😊

I’d gladly wear any of them. I’ve been thinking about the Hamilton for a while. That Tisso is really nice.

im hoping ill buy the tissot gentleman in the future. looks lovely also quite minimalistic

I hope you guys do more of these reasonable price-point episodes. Seems like its always $10,000 watches for 'Three on Three'.

Why do I get the impression these guys are like supervillains revealing their new inventions of destruction to each other, vying for the most dastardly.

I got my used Longines Hydroconquest 39mm for 570 bucks, pretty great condition too. For my money, you can't beat that!

Tough choice between the Seiko and Hamilton for me :) Great video, missed this format!

I have the Seiko. The old kinetic one. It’s actually gone through a windshield during a crash and still works.

The tissot has a great movement and very classy with its applied indices. A step above the other two IMHO, but also more expensive to reflect that. And a 100m WR, it is the watch to rule them all really. Love the hamilton for its authentic field watch homage - would make a great daily watch - especially if you're a vet and have that link. The seiko great for daily sports and watersport watch but the aesthetics are functional - a great tool watch. Whatever best suits your purpose I thinl with this three. I'd wear any of them.

Seiko it’s going to get my vote. Tissot is the nicest looking though.

I have Seiko Turtle SRPA21 PADI edition. For the movement, I think it doesn`t require any maintenance. Because it is not just practical. Cost of maintenance is at least 1/3 price of the watch. If anything happens you can replace the movement. It is cheaper than cost of regular maintenance. Moreover, movement is very reliable. On paper hardlex may appear to be a downside but in practical usage i really like it a lot. It is clear, very thin, no optical illusions on the edges, it does the job. Also, bezel protects the glass quite nice. I am very happy with my Turtle. You need to try the Turtle on your wrist you may change your idea. I considered that Hamilton but I heard fogging issues in khaki series. Tissot has great movement but it looks soulless. Design is so subtle. I prefer Seiko Presage series with fancy dials over that Tissot.

I have the Seiko Turtle and I love it. I will say though that the Hamilton is so thin and elegant that I can't help but admire it. I definitely would like to add the Hamilton to my collection.

I could have done without Mr. Pennington’s competitiveness. I don’t watch these videos to see who might win, and I’m quite sure that competition is not what these videos are about - at all. That said, I’m impressed with all three watches. I’m also enamored of the idea of being a one-watch guy, which led me to purchase a Seiko SARB035 in 2016 ($332, from Amazon). This is my GADA watch. I wear it every single day, no matter what I’m doing. It’s not the best timekeeper, though. It loses between about 42s/d to about 62s/d, so I have to set it twice a day - even after an overhaul eleven months ago. And it makes my timegrapher look like a snow-filled sky (not good). Here’s the thing about this watch: I can’t stop looking at it. It’s gorgeous. And it works for everything I wear on a daily basis. It’s great for a tightwad like me who doesn’t have money to toss into a fireplace. Having said that, I might still wind up with a Stowa Antea KS 35.5mm (silver) and a Zenith El Primero Original 1969. They are both classics with interesting history and class. I would love to see you gentlemen cover The Stowa Antea KS.

More of this video please Hondinkee. Love it

I'd take the Seiko, then the Hamilton, and then the Tissot Gentleman. No hate against Tissot per se, but I think the Visodate is a much better watch at that price range.

Why, why, WHY, can Seiko not seem to align their chapter rings or bezels? If my $40 Casio Duro can be aligned, I KNOW Seiko can do it. It’s purely unacceptable on a watch of this price. Seiko should be ashamed that they let these small QC issues go on and on for years.

That seiko really looks beautiful, with that in house built movement and superb water resistance, properly built tough as nails tool watch, really can't go wrong. Except that the watch case is a little too large to my liking but if you think of it as a very legible tool watch, 44 mm isn't that bad.

As much as I dont like the watch snobs, listening to these 3 was an absolute joy.

Excellent discussion! I'm with Cole and his support of the Seiko Turtle, but these are all tremendous choices.

I‘d pick the Hamilton :) great field watch for 1/8 of the price of a IWC 🙏🏼

7:00 he's not joking guys, it's a warning

This is honestly one of my favorite Hodinkee videos period. What a pleasure it is.

Someday I will impulse-buy that Hamilton. I love that it has NO DATE!

Great debate. Great watch choices. Seiko for me.

I got my Khaki for £250. It gets the most wrist time at the moment, due to how it wears and the charm it offers. Like the more affordable content.

Great vid!!!! I have the 3 of them and any of those have their place in my collection. Ty Hodinkee!!!

why did u bring turtle instead of baby MM 200m dude???? why???

The seiko is too clunky and ugly....I'd take the Hamilton

The misalignment on the Seiko dial, chapter ring and bezel insert makes it definitively the most iconic across all three.

I feel, the SARB ones even tho discontinued would've been a better option here... or SARX/SARK series

For a grand you can nearly get a Sinn 556. It would have the field watch aesthetic of the Hamilton in A form, the dress watch aesthetic of the Tissot in I form, but the water resistance of the Seiko, and the anti-magnetism and build quality beyond all three combined - plus a date window and decent steel bracelet and ornamented display caseback. It would basically be all 2 or 3 of these watches in one and still be within their budget. But I agree all three of these watches are great values even at their price points.

Recently picked up the Hamilton Khaki Field mechanical watch with date function.. I picked the olive green dial as at times the dial looks black, other times grey, and other times olive green. One of best “value” watch out there. Hard to find a better watch at this price point!

This was the video that made me purchase the SRP777.

The seiko wins for me in house movement all made in the one factory and it looks amazing

These guys were so serious as if they were having a parliamentary debate on national policies.

6:22 all the parts are made by Seiko yet they still can’t get markings to line up 🙄

When Tissot makes an 80 hour power reserve watch at such a price, it really makes you question watches that cost 10 times more with a power reserve of 40-50hrs.

Great format. Thank you.

Great. Now, let's see Paul Allen's watch.

got a turtle srp789 for my 18th birthday; I've worn it every day since. Fantastic watch.

I got the tissot watch in the white dial on a brown leather strap a couple of months ago and it's become my M-F work watch. If anyone is on the fence about this watch i would say, pull the trigger and get it. It has a beautiful dial and a fabulous movement. I can't say enough about the practicality of the 80hr power reserve. I take this watch off friday night, wear my trusty seiko dive watch (sbdc053 62mas, way better looking than the turtle imho) during the weekend, and the tissot is still running when i pick it back up monday morning. Plus this is the most accurate watch in my collection, i think i lucked on this one since it's running at -1 second a day on the wrist.

I like this type of shootout. Three very good choices! I think Damasko DS30 is still just under $1k, but I'd also have to add the MKII Cruxible. Both awesome watches in that range.

I enjoyed the shit out of this. Nice to see some casual talk about accessible watches from y'all.

The misalignment at 6 o'clock bothers me. You know which one.

Seiko Turtle hands down!

Misaligned chapter ring on the Seiko exactly as expected.

The Hamilton's strength is that its handwinding. The Seiko is a tough, cool looking diver. For me, though, the Tissot has an edge because of that next-level movement.

I love the Tissot Gentleman, my next watch.

This definitely could a three piece collection for sure. The Tissot Gentleman with the blue dial and metal bracelet, I feel would have been better than the one featured here, but nonetheless a beautiful watch. As for the Seiko "Turtle", you really can't go wrong with that one. It's just a great beater watch. And the Hamilton has so much history behind it that it is undeniable. Great video guys!

I have both the Hamilton and the Turtle and have worn the Hamilton steady for the last year, it just feels good on wrist very simple but rugged and very legible the dimensions make it such a great fit .

Just look at that guys expression when the seiko guy says half a month rent lol

Should have brought the turtle with a ceramic bezel and a waffle dial

As a 23 year old, I now know what watch I should save up, and that will be the Hamilton H50 Khaki Field. For $500, that's a great value for something so well made that I can own and use for decades. Craftsmanship isn't really popular with Gen Z people. If I get to own the Hamilton H50 in the near future, it would be such a massive leap from trusty $20 Casio analog quartz watches that I've owned and worn for the past 3 years now.

While I do love some of the deeper details of the Seiko SRP777, I feel that my Casio duro on a leather strap holds the spot in my collection that the "Turtle" would be taking if I had I bought it... I plan on buying the Hamilton Khaki soon. I don't have one like it and I love the legibility, the "pho-tina", the white dial, the lollipop at the bottom of the seconds hand, and the large crown. All details that feel purposeful enough to be used but delicate enough to be looked at... Also let's not forget the 80 hour power reserve

Hard to choose, but all three would make a decent three watch collection.