For a man on a relatively tight budget, luxury watch shopping becomes a quest unto itself for discerning Monsieurs- it’s a challenge of weighing the intangible with the tangible, that curious mix of brand recognition, watchmaking heritage, classic elegance and price. While many aspirational blogs like TheMonsieur.com are` geared towards a life of perceived luxury tend to espouse big ticket brands like Patek Philippe, the truth is (at least for middle income desk jockeys like myself), “You never really own a Patek Philippe, you’re in debt till the next generation.”

Dress Above Your Pay Grade: Frederique Constant and Cohiba Limited Edition Watch & Humidor

Pretentious? Yes; (if you’re not a smoker)Absolutely. But the purpose of this article isn’t to split hairs, it’s all about buying a timepiece worthy for men of distinction – if it comes with a luscious humidor filled with premium Cohiba cigars, so be it.

Based in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Frederique Constant SA is a luxury watch manufacture that shares stereotypical swiss watchmaking heritage and excellence with the usual suspects, yet this 107 year old Horloges Magazine ‘Watch of the Year’ winner doesn’t price its offerings into the stratosphere like many of their peers- the Frederique Constant Cohiba limited timepiece weighs in at USD$1,750 for the Rose Gold Plated and USD$1,650 for the steel version, a steal for a slice of independent watchmaking tradition. While Patek Philippe continues to be the gold standard for ultra-luxe, Frederique Constant keeps just a half step behind, producing their own Silicium escapement wheel 2 years after its introduction by the former; In 2008, they finally create a world’s first tourbillon with silicium escapement wheel with over 300 degrees amplitude and high precision- But I digress.

Before you consign the humidor to the store room, there is a certain mystique and allure of these Cuban cigars (if you do your research)- Cohibas can be traced back to Fidel Castro and his special one-of-a-kind unbranded production exclusive for Castro and crew, perfect for Monsieurs who enjoy a geopolitical item of reference in their study or home library and if you can get a watch out of it? All the better. [This limited edition watch and humidor set can be found on here]