Four simple mechanical watches you need to check out right now

It’s not the fanciest name in the watch game, but in terms of bang for your buck, Timex is hard to beat. It does make cheaper watches, but this one has a steel bracelet, an automatic movement and a chunky 43mm case. A hell of a lot of watch for the money. 

£180; timex.co.uk

Originally an American company, now under Swiss ownership, Hamilton has a huge range that includes a lot of military influenced pieces like this retro styled field watch. With in-house automatic movement in 38mm stainless steel case. Water resistant to 100m. 

£925, hamiltonwatch.com

The Germans know a thing or two about elegantly simple engineering, and the Bauhaus inspired Nomos has some of the cleanest designs around. Powered by a hand wound mechanical movement in a 38mm stainless steel case, comes on a vegan leather strap.

£1,920; nomos-glashuette.com

People see Rolex and think ‘fancy’, but the Explorer is one of the brand’s no nonsense tool watches. If you insist, you can have it in a steel and gold combo, but this is its purest form: automatic movement, steel case and bracelet, all engineered to the very highest standard.

From £6,400; rolex.com