Here are four of the best simple-but-stylish watches we found this month

A byword for no-nonsense watches, Timex currently sponsors the UFC, calling itself the watch that “takes a licking and keeps on ticking”. As well as toughness, the US brand has a reputation for bringing a lot of style without much budget. Much is made of its American heritage, and this example is inspired by the work of pop artist Keith Haring, known for his chalk sketches on the New York subway in the Eighties. At 38mm, the stainless steel case is not massive, but big cartoonish hands and numerals make reading the time child’s play. The Easy Reader has a quartz movement and comes with a leather strap, it’s also water resistant to 50m.

£90; timex.co.uk

Another brand with US origins, Hamilton is now owned by the Swatch Group, giving it the infrastructure to make luxury watches at relatively affordable prices. Boasting an automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve, it has a 41mm stainless steel case. 

£965; hamiltonwatch.com

If you fancy a bit of under-the-radar luxury, Damasko watches are an exemplar of understated style. This one has an in-house automatic movement and a 60-minute chronograph displayed by a central second and minute counter – no subdials required. Plus, it’s water resistant to 100m.

€2,980; damasko-watches.com

Blancpain was at the forefront of the diving craze back in the Fifties and its pioneering Fifty Fathoms watch was named for its then amazing ability to withstand a depth of 300 feet. This modern version has 300m of water resistance and the case is titanium, keeping it nice and light, despite measuring a hefty 47mm across. 

£24,700; blancpain.com