Ben Herbert

Christmas is an expensive time of year, and when it comes to buying presents, we need to set a strict limit so we don’t leave ourselves short. ‘Stocking filler’ and ‘watch’ may not be two words you have ever considered pairing in the same sentence before – but there is a huge range of watches available on TIME² today that are affordable for all budgets.

These days, affordable doesn’t mean low quality - so check out my top 5 mens' watches for under £100!

Winter is well and truly upon us, and with much of the country already experiencing snow this year, it looks like we are set for a white Christmas! However, here at TIME² we are hoping for an alternative white Christmas – in the form of these desirable white watches.

Christmas is that time of year where grown men across the globe pretend that they really did want another pair of socks or pants. You may have unknowingly fallen for the “we don’t want anything” line but really we are still big kids and want the new shiny toy on Christmas morning.

Today, I am concentrating on the Gadget Guy. You know the type; he has all the latest gadgets, loves technology and can fix any computer for you within 5 minutes (no – not by just turning it on and off!). His ideal watch would be something digital or slightly retro and a bit ‘geeky’. So here are my picks for the gadget guy this year.

Christmas is that time of year where grown men across the globe pretend that they really did want another pair of socks or pants. You may have unknowingly fallen for the “we don’t want anything” line but really we are still big kids and want the new shiny toy on Christmas morning. Well this year, those of you who are trying to find that perfect gift for the men in your life are in luck, as I am going to be breaking down my top 5 watch picks for every type of man you know. These are; the sporty guy, the classic guy and the gadget guy.

Today, we are concentrating on the Sporty Guy. You know the type; plays and watches EVERY sport under the sun, likes to keep in shape, goes to the gym religiously and treats his body as a temple. Well, that temple is going to need just the right type of sports watch adorning it if he wants to make a real impression. So here are my picks for the sporty guy this year.

Ebel is a luxury watch brand renowned for blending creative designs with high quality craftsmanship and watchmaking mastery. With a passion for architectural and sculptural design, you can see this influence on the whole range, with the watches having an almost modern ‘industrial’ feel to them.

All Chanel timepieces are Swiss made, which is a benchmark of any luxury watch brand. Chanel actually commissioned experienced Swiss watchmakers to create its exclusive Chanel O5-T.1 complication movement, and as such managed to back up its iconic designs with the precision and craftsmanship that they deserve.

Breitling is a luxury Swiss watch brand which has long and prestigious ties to the aviation industry. Early Breitling watches were created with pilot’s needs and aviation functions as their prime responsibility, which meant they often came with an oversized face; allowing for better visibility and extra information to be displayed on them.

These days, this approach to design is still apparent within the brand's whole range - although the large, oversized construction of a Breitling watch is now considered more of a status symbol for most men, rather than a practical instrument.

The Panerai watch company was founded in Italy by Giovanni Panerai back in 1860. Giovanni set-up the small family based business on the Ponte alle Grazie in Florence, and soon developed a reputation as being a truly skilled watch maker. The business was taken over by Giovanni’s son, Leon Francesco Panerai, in 1897 after his passing. Leon built on his father’s legacy and continued to create precise and beautiful timepieces for a local market.

The International Watch Company (or IWC) is a luxury Swiss watch brand; but founded by an American watchmaker back in 1868. Engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones had the vision to create a new watch brand, which combined the Swiss’ legendary craftsmanship with more modern US technology and watch parts. This perfect fusion of quality movements and up-to-date parts would be perfect for selling to the large US watch market. His plan was to have the watches assembled in Switzerland and then imported back to the United States – hence the name International Watch Company.