King Jewelers stocks watches for every budget. Today, we’ll take a look at a selection of eight timepieces priced in the $1,000 to $2,500 range. At this budget, you can expect beautiful designs that cover the spectrum of sporty to dressy, good quality automatic movements for years of maintenance-free operation, a variety of complications and even a high-end connected watch that takes smart watch style and function to a new level.

Whether you prefer a traditional dive watch inspired by the classic look of the Rolex Submariner or something a little different, there are plenty of choices in the under $2,500 price point. Seiko’s Prospex SPB105 brings a vintage Sumo look that’s patterned after the Seiko 6159-7001 diver from 1968. The combo of a green dial with gold hands and markers looks current and rich, especially framed by the black bezel on the brushed 44m steel case. For slightly more than $1,000, you’ll get a capable diver fitted with a sapphire crystal that’s water resistant to 200 meters.

Mido introduced the original Ocean Star in 1944. It employed a cork gasket for water resistance and predated the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms by almost decade. The new 200-meter Mido Ocean Star Tribute is constructed from polished 316L high-grade stainless steel and loaded with Mido’s ETA-built Caliber 80 movement. It’s available with various dial and strap configurations but the blue dial/bezel matched with the slinky steel bracelet is tough to resist. The bracelet is reminiscent of what’s onboard the Omega Ploprof with the polish and elegance of Cartier’s Demoiselle. It’s fully functional, too, with a dive extension that offers a little extra length with the push of a button on the clasp. The Ocean Star Tribute features a day/date window at 3 o’clock, sapphire crystal and a screw down crown with crown guards that balance the design nicely.

Another Mido to consider is the 44mm Ocean Star GMT. Like the Tribute, the GMT is built to be submerged. It is rated for 200 meters water resistance and has a 60-minute dive bezel with a ceramic insert that rotates with a crisp 120 clicks. A screw down crown, sapphire crystal and crown guards complete the dive side of this watch’s identity. It’s superpower, though, is a dual time GMT with a jumping hour hand and internal 24-hour scale. There’s also a handy world timer chart engraved on the caseback. Like the Tribute, the watch is powered by the Mido Caliber 80 with an integrated GMT module. It’s available on a strap or a bracelet and at only $1,200, is a tremendous value that looks great.

Though not specifically a diver, Norqain’s Adventure Sport 42mm has a dive bezel and 100-meter water resistance so if you sunk to the bottom of a lake, your watch would surface without damage. The sporty dial features Norqain’s signature textured pattern, a date window at 3:00 and hand applied indices that glow brightly in low-light conditions. The red tip on the second hand and red-lettered “automatic” add a great pop of color to the monochrome palate. Personalizing the watch with an engraved badge is a nice touch that makes this an ideal gift for someone special. The Adventure Sport is available on a rubber or fabric strap.

When you think of Bell & Ross, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the brand’s iconic square silhouette Instruments collection. B&R also does round. The BR V1-92 Bellytanker is a vintage-feeling three hander named for race cars built from the gleaming emergency drop tanks attached to the underside of fighter jets to carry extra fuel. The BR V1-92 is a 500-unit limited edition automatic with a bellytanker engraved on the caseback. The 38.5mm brushed steel case is a thin 11mm thick, which makes it super comfortable on the wrist. The dial is uncluttered. It has Arabic numbers at 12, 3, 6 and 9, and a small round date aperture at 4:30 that matches the dial’s color and B&R’s logo shape. The Bellytanker comes on a brown leather strap.

The three-hand steel Tudor 1926 is simple, elegant, understated and reliable. Its white dial features gold Arabic numbers on the even hours, diamond markers on the odds and a small rectangular date window at 3 o’clock. The steel bracelet combines brushed and polished surfaces in a Jubilee-style design that complements the polish on the case and bezel. The 1926 is a timeless design that simultaneously feels pulled from the 1950s and completely modern. Tudor’s in-house T601 provides the power for this heirloom-quality timepiece.

The Sector dial on the Longines Heritage Classic gives this watch a pleasing symmetry as the overall design feels both old and new. The dial first appeared in 1934. Its straight lines evoke shades of a Mondrian painting softened by the natural curve of the round case, the small seconds sub-dial that partially obscures the number at 6 o’clock and the subtle color variations. The blued hands are a classy detail and the exposed stitching on the black leather strap adds a nice dose of casual cool. At 38.5mm, the steel case stunner is ideal for everyday wear.

These ten watches are good examples of what $1,000 to $2,500 will buy. It’s a great price point that opens up all sorts of fine Swiss and Japanese options. There are dozens more in the store so come visit us to find your perfect watch.

Bobby Frank is a freelance writer and musician based in Nashville. He’s been an avid watch collector since discovering a sample case full of early digital watches at his father’s office in the late 1970s. Current favorites include the Rolex Batman, Zenith Chronomatster and Girard-Perregaux 1966 Full Calendar. A timekeeper to his core, Bobby plays the drums in several bands that perform across the Southeast including Tennessee Dead, a Grateful Dead tribute band.