5 Attainable Alternatives to Watches and Wonders Releases

Windup Watch Shop

May 23, 2025

In this video, Devin Pennypacker sits down to challenge Windup Watch Shop Manager Riccardo Sime to find alternative and attainable options for five sought-after releases from this year's Watches and Wonders. Devin has selected watches from Cartier, IWC, Patek Philippe, Laurent Ferrier, and Tudor that all sit at high price points with potentially long wait lists, assuming you'll ever actually have a chance to buy them at all. Ricardo, on the other hand, has selected watches from Casio, Tissot, Louis Errard, Marathon, and Junghans, all priced under $3,000 and available immediately, that scratch a similar itch. What do you think of Ricardo's picks? What would your alternative choice be?

Alternative Picks

Head back to the 70's with the new A1100!

As a watch enthusiast, you know that design and history are everything. Many brands have catalogues dating back decades that they can go to for inspiration or to give enthusiast a bit of nostalgia. With CASIO's new A1100 series, the brand transports us back to the 1970s and their vintage model, the 52QS-14B.

The Powermatic 80 PRX 40 goes Carbon

While Tissot is a storied Swiss watchmaker, having been founded in 1880, they are best known for their line of sexy, 70s-inspired sports watches called PRX. A throwback to an era of bell bottoms, big cars, record players, etc… the PRXs feature an “integrated bracelet” design, meaning the case and bracelet or strap seamlessly flow into each other. First reintroduced in 2020, Tissot has continued to evolved the design, which now is culminating in a new and interesting sporty Carbon version.

The evolution of Marathon's Canadian Search and Rescue Watch

Founded in 1939, Marathon has been supplying the US and Canadian governments with accurate timepieces since World War II. In 2001, they launched their now-iconic Search and Rescue dive watch in response to the Canadian Armed Forces requesting a watch that could withstand the intense conditions faced by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Search and Rescue Technicians. Now, Marathon has brought back the Search and Rescue that started it all — with a few improvements.

Meister Hand-Winding

The Junghans Meister (Master in German) line dates back to the 1930s when it was originally developed to demonstrate the brands’ highest technical achievements. Now, the Meister line celebrates the history of the brand through vintage-inspired designs ranging from simple dress watches to calendar complications and chronographs. Throughout the line you will find Junghans’s dedication to clean, restrained design and high-quality finishing.

A Refined Everyday watch

A core model of the Louis Erard catalog, the Excellence Petite Secondes watches are refined and sophisticated. They are rare, too, with only around 100 made per color per year. The dial is a variation on a “sector” layout with numerals, markers, and textures laid out along concentric circles with an oversized sub-seconds dial at six o’clock. Long arrow hands with impossibly thin points clearly point to the time and contribute to the overall elevated aesthetic.

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