Generally speaking, a decent watch costs a lot more than the clothes on your back. Sure, £500 is a considerable sum to drop on your wrist, and while that budget could deck you out with a new wardrobe, it will only just tick the required boxes of a quality timepiece: classic design, reliable mechanics and a notable name stamped on the dial, to name but three.

“At the £500 mark, you can expect a decent level of craftsmanship,” says Erica Redgrave, a buyer at luxury watch retailer Bucherer. “It’s still a long way off the elite brands, but such pieces often boast the same form and function as many watches at the top – whether they’re Swiss-made or produced elsewhere.”

After the task of tightening the purse strings is complete comes the job of sourcing a piece that’s actually worth the investment. To help, we’ve collated some of the finest tickers for under £500 to save you not only money but time, too.

(Related: The Best Watches Under £200)

Farer Meakin Stainless Steel And Leather

Although considered a baby by horological standards, British-Swiss label Farer makes up for its relative lack of experience in sheer design skills.

Each piece is named and inspired by a different intrepid explorer, but still stakes a claim in the current century with clean, unfussy styles that house Swiss-made movements. Incredibly good value.

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Junghans Max Hill

If you thought German efficiency was just for cars and shampoo, think again, because it also extends to your wrist. Schramberg-based Junghans has made BMW-quality tickers since 1861 and manages to match the function with form in the minimalist Max Bill line.

Smart enough to wear with a suit yet unfussy enough for off-duty wear.

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Mondaine Swiss Railways Alarm

Mondaine: a label more Swiss than a bar of Toblerone that’s been hand-delivered by Roger Federer himself. With designs based on the nation’s railway clocks, the dial may be stripped-back, but that’s what makes it easy to read. This one comes with a reliable quartz movement and built-in alarm.