Six affordable retro watches take us back to the 1980s

We love the refreshing vibe of the Swatch Neon collection, and the new flamboyant 34mm Flumotions invites us on a journey to Italy. The ultra-slim watch is inspired by the 1980s Swatch Gent, and we clearly see traces of mid-1980s Milan and the Memphis design movement. The watch's sharp, graphic personality rocks a dynamic play on shape in yellow, black and neon pink, and the fun Swatch move of two mismatching straps only accentuates its pop appeal.

With a beefier personality at 42mm, the new Neon Emerald Chrono is one of a brace of new chronographs just released by the Swiss brand, and its primary colour charm comes packed with sports-watch functionality. With a mere 30m depth rating, it may be no dive watch, but its multi-coloured dial and contrasting monochrome fit will appeal to many. A clear green case and red rubber strap, and touches of candy yellow on the dial and the chronograph pushers are surely enough to cheer up the dullest autumn day.

Designer and brand founder Jonathan Ferrer has a passion for coffee brewed to perfection, hence the company’s name. The Metric’s visceral red and yellow markings, from 0 to 25-35 seconds, mark a perfectly timed espresso shot. Coffee puns aside, the distinct steel case of the latest colourful Super Metric has its roots in the early 1980s. At well under £500, it also offers big value for less, and is powered by a trusty Seiko meca-quartz movement. Our favourite detail besides the wild-dial graphics is the purposeful red of the chronograph pusher at ten o’clock, reminding us of how much we need that shot of caffeine, well brewed, of course.

Before the age of micro watch brands, Seiko was the go-to brand for tool-watch value, and the Seiko 5 series of timepieces carries the legacy with panache. With a vast array of value-driven sports watches with the aesthetics of the pre-Reddit forum fave SKX, you'll find it hard to beat Seiko’s in-house quality for under £1,000. Rocking a Miami-esque turquoise-popping dial, this 38mm ‘midi’ 100m dive watch is a bright entry into mechanical watch ownership with a Japanese twist. 

With Japanese charm in abundance, the aesthetic of Casio digital watches is ubiquitous. However, few brands manage to strike the balance between accessibility and surprising appearances on the wrists of football royalty. Steeped in 1980s lore, the recently released AQ-800E captures vintage charm with everyday legibility and, as ever, remains surprisingly packed with functionality. The steel-toned wedge features a pure 1980s-style graph paper dial with demure hands, above a legible albeit tiny digital display that offers a simple yet efficient way of displaying two time zones.

Appearing on the scene in 1986, three years after the first G-Shock, the Ironman is one of the few Timex watches that has transcended its sports utility nomenclature to become part of wider watch culture. This particular model from Timex Japan infuses resin with poppy shades.