The classic watches that defined the year gone by

From a storied diver to a digital beauty and a chronograph, here are three of my go-to watches of this year

- Bibek Bhattacharya

If you follow horology YouTubers and Watch Instagram, you'll know that December is full of "state-of-the-collection" posts. While in the real world people get by with just one or two watches, for watch enthusiasts, their personal collection—whether one or dozens of watches—is an ever-evolving beast.

In part, this is to do with the nature of such enthusiasm. With major brands launching dozens of different models every year, there are always new, fun watches to be experienced. And what better way to do so than to buy them? The money required is often raised by selling existing watches. As a result, collections tend to moult. There are exceptions to this, like watches with personal memories, or a hand-me-down from a parent or a grandparent.

This year, I've made some additions to my collection as well: watches that I'd been eyeing for years, which happened to become available at just the right price and the right time. They have been relatively budget-friendly models too, and apart from looking great, tend to offer a ton of value.

SEIKO SPB317
Let's begin with the most expensive of the lot, the Seiko SPB317. This automatic diver, a re-issue of a famous 1968 dive watch, became a tool of choice for generations of recreational divers, scientists and soldiers. Seiko came out with this modern re-interpretation in early 2022, and I had been looking to add it to my collection since then. An opportunity came up earlier this year, and with the help of a healthy discount, I bought it.