Alvin Wong 13 June 2018

They are all under S$2,000!

Ok, we’d be the first to admit: dads don’t get quite as much love as mums do… but that doesn’t mean that they have to know it!

If you are looking for a little something-something that would impress the old man and bring a tear to his eye WHILE still keeping your books balanced, here is a list of value-for-money tickers that you might want to check out. Father’s Day is on 17 June. There’s still time, guys!

LACO Friedrichshafen (S$1,648)

Big and burly with an overload of military machismo, the 45mm LACO Friedrichshafen is modelled after a vintage WWII creation from the same brand. The watch’s imposing sandblasted steel case, distinctive Type-B dial (hour markers on the inside, minute track on the outside), and hardy calf leather strap will help your dad get on the right side of the retro trend.

TISSOT Chemin des Tourelles (S$1,090)

For dads who prefer to play it safe, this Tissot model in 42mm steel case offers both dressy versatility and a reputable mechanical movement that is built to last. The navy hues on a classic profile allows sartorial scope, so he can wear it to work as well as on the weekends. The Powermatic 80 automatic movement promises up to 80 hours of power reserve, giving him plenty of substance to go with the style.

Lum-Tec V4 (S$1,350)

A choice recommendation for young-at-heart dads, the Lum-Tec V4 in rose gold PVD case is a chunky hunk that is loaded with sportive muscle. The US-based brand is known for its robust watches fortified by top-notch lume. Despite the watch’s young-ish ostentation, the ETA automatic movement powered Lum-Tec V4 is a tough outdoor accompaniment, promising 100m water resistance with screw-down crown and a double-gasket sealing system.

LONGINES Conquest V.H.P ($1,510)

Nothing quite as precious as the gift of time. And while you’re at it, why not make it ultra-precise? Tech-geek dads will have a ball with the Conquest V.H.P, short for ‘Very High Precision’, a state-of-the-art quartz watch with analogue interface that is accurate to -/+ 5 seconds A YEAR. This three-hand model comes in a 41mm steel case. You can read more about the entire collection here.

ORIS TT1 Engine Date ($1,950)

Is your old fella a petrol head? Oris has always had a close association with motorsports (it is also a sponsor of the Williams F1 team), and the TT1 Engine Date revs up on sportiness with features that, while not necessary automobile-inspired, certainly evokes race car-styles. It is also pretty neat the way Oris flaunts its mechanical dynamism with the watch’s openworked dial design, despite the TT1 Engine Date being a ‘simple’ time-and-date watch.

RADO Centrix Automatic (S$1,910)

Another classic dress watch option, Rado’s Centrix Automatic, which comes in stainless steel, is aesthetically fuss-free and very office-appropriate. The 38mm case means that the watch is better suited to dads with slimmer wrists, while the minimalist design guarantees easy elegance even in a smart-casual outfit.

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Alvin Wong

Ex Editor-In Chief

Alvin promises not to be a douche when talking about watches. He may have scoured the Basel and Geneva watch fairs for the past 15 years, and played an instrumental role to the growth of Singapore's pioneering horological and men's lifestyle publications, but the intrepid scribe seeks to learn something new with each story he writes.