Chemin Des Tourelles Automatic Leather Strap Watch, 42mm

For a watch under $1K, it's definitely a great buy: precise and long-running movement, transparent caseback, sapphire crystal, and Swiss made. All good things. Plus it's water resistant to 5 Bar, which is above average for a dressy watch. Great for a first Swiss watch, grad present, or (as I use it) a daily go-to that gives your more delicate pieces some time off. Now make no mistake, this is a big, prominent timepiece. 42mm diameter and almost 11mm tall means that it definitely follows the modern trend of large watches. But that's not really a bad thing, and the watch still has a classic feel; the detail on the dial is very refined and the black/silver colors add a classy contrast. This watch is great for either a suit or nice casual - very versatile. However, probably too hefty for a tux. I really only have two gripes. First, the seconds hand has a pretty jerky path around the dial - but what more can you expect of an under $1K watch that somehow manages 80 hours of mechanical power reserve? That has to come from somewhere. Second, the closure on the strap had me feeling like a dunce for a week. But once I got the hang of it, I actually really started to like it! Now I miss that closure when I wear a different watch. 5 stars.