Swatch launched its plastic quartz watches in 1983 and remains the playful, low-cost way into the wider Swiss Swatch Group family.
Watch brands to start a collection
Ten brands from our Watches Top 21, arranged as a ladder from first buy to first step-up rather than by score. The score on each card reflects the brand’s rank by estimated sales in the Morgan Stanley / LuxeConsult Swiss watch report, a measure of market standing rather than of any single watch, so read the line, not just the number.
Swiss entry points (Swatch Group)
Swatch, Tissot and Longines all belong to the Swiss Swatch Group.
Tissot’s PRX revived a 1978 integrated-bracelet design, and its Powermatic 80 version gives beginners a Swiss automatic with long power reserve.
Longines, founded in Saint-Imier in 1832, suits buyers who want classic heritage dress watches before stepping up to pricier Swiss names.
Sports and pilot watches
3 picks; highest score here: Breitling (83).
TAG Heuer’s Carrera and Monaco chronographs carry real motor-racing heritage, making them a common first step up beyond entry-level Swiss watches.
Breitling’s Navitimer, with its circular slide-rule bezel, has been a pilot’s chronograph since 1952 and suits buyers who like bold dials.
IWC, based in Schaffhausen, makes pilot’s watches and Portugieser dress models that reward buyers who prefer understated design over flashy logos.
The first step up
4 picks; highest score here: Cartier (97).
Tudor was founded by Rolex creator Hans Wilsdorf, and its Black Bay line is a frequent step up for maturing collectors.
Omega’s Speedmaster Professional, worn on the Moon in 1969, is a classic first luxury purchase with real history behind every dial.
Cartier’s Tank, first designed in 1917, offers collectors an elegant dress watch with genuine design history rather than sporty tool-watch credentials.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso, created in 1931 with a flipping case for polo players, is a refined next step up for dress-watch lovers.
How these scores work
Every card line is exactly 21 words, written for this guide from facts in our data and public records (founding dates, prizes, episode counts); each pick’s full verdict sits on its category Top 21. Scores (1–100) are mapped from named public aggregates, last checked 2026-10-12:
- Watches: Morgan Stanley / LuxeConsult Swiss watch sales rank (99 − 2 × (rank − 1))
Links go to each subject’s official site. Disclaimer.