Watch Subscription

The watch subscription space is a fascinating and curious one. Let’s dig into it with some worthwhile options to see if it’s right for you.

If you’re weary about watch subscriptions, I don’t blame you. And this isn’t just coming from the traditionalist in me. There’s a very strong part of me that believes timepieces shouldn’t come to your door in a watch subscription box. Wine, sure. Watches, I just don’t know.

Still, there’s another equally strong part of me that wants the watch box subscription industry to exist. Business innovation and market disruption keep things fresh. And this isn’t the first “Netflix for what-have-you” business to come about.

Heck, I even worked for a rotating art program that the art industry once called “the Netflix of art.”

Watches are different, though. Promising subscription service Eleven James famously shut down in 2018, prompting many to assume that watch subscriptions may simply not be a sustainable business model.

After deep diving into it though, I think there are a few options with legs and you might want to consider them. 

Well, depending on what you’re looking for. 

I’ve got some of the most worthwhile ones rounded up here. There frankly aren’t a lot of great ones, but these have specificity in their offerings, allowing you to self-select based on your priorities.

Best Watch Subscription

Here they are, in no particular order!

Wrist Mafia

Wrist Mafia is unique in that, out of all the watch subscriptions, I feel confident in its ability to satisfy a specific demographic fully.

If you’re a beginner, don’t know where to start, and want to discover watches on a budget, Wrist Mafia’s basic and cheapest subscription is perfect for you.

You’ll never be fully disappointed because, if you’re a true novice, whatever comes to you will be new, possibly exciting, and definitely educational. And it starts at around $34 to $40 a month, depending on your subscription format.

All of the watches are guaranteed to have retail prices lower than your subscription fee.

It’s sort of a hands-on yet passive way to discover watches. You don’t have to do any active research, and you learn as you go. It’s an immersion of sorts.

And as you start to feel comfortable, you can move up subscription levels, which is a common feature with watch subscription services. 

Watch Gang

If you’re looking to roll the dice a bit more, Watch Gang is an effective choice. Like many watch subscriptions, you get a mystery model per delivery. However, they start you off with a quick and kind of fun survey to curate around. 

To give you an idea, one of the questions was “Which best describes you?” and the answer options were simply lifestyle-oriented images, including a guy at a fancy dinner and a guy on a construction site. 

It allows you to create a collection organically. Each watch you receive can be up to five times the price of the subscription, which I find deeply intriguing.

They also do pretty cool giveaways that I think are great incentives to join. That is if you’re not a control freak over how you grow your watch collection.

They give away a Rolex every Friday to a random subscriber, as well as a Tag Heuer every Tuesday, among other partner-based giveaways.

Monthly Watch Box

If you love a good workhorse brand (think Seiko or Casio or Casio’s G-Shock), Monthly Watch Box is a solid choice for a subscription. I think it’s a less risky venture, and here’s why. 

I know that workhorse lovers have their model preferences like any other watch buyer. However, there’s real consolation in receiving a $350 silver G-Shock GST-B100-1ACR for $150, rather than the GST-B100-1ACR you might have slightly preferred.

At least, that’s the case compared to receiving a slightly less preferred model at a much higher price point in a less practical category of watches. Truly, all high-value workhorses are practical, and they’re what Monthly Watch Box has for you.

The starter watch plan is only $29 a month, and there’s even a G-Shock-specific plan for only $149 a month.

Breitling Select

Breitling has a subscription service. I’ll only quickly highlight this one because, well, if you don’t like Breitling, it isn’t for you.

I fully believe Breitling watches are exceptional, though, and I love their new Avenger line. And if you love aviator watches, then I highly recommend looking into this unique, brand-specific service.

It requires a one-year contract and a subscription fee of $450 with a monthly fee of $129. Or you can pay for the whole year all at once for $1,884. You get three watches a year, each of which you can try out for one to six months.

Are Watch Subscriptions Worth It

Now that you know what the watch subscription world has to offer, whether or not it’s worth it for you depends on what you want. If you’re hyper-specific about how to learn about watches or what you want to add to your collection, then subscriptions aren’t always the best choice.

I think that Wrist Mafia is a great, easy education for beginners that allows you to level up, so to speak. Meanwhile, Watch Gang can be a fun experience, while Breitling is almost like a watch rideshare.

If you’re looking to start or expand your watch collection, check out this 101 guide. From there, you can decide whether or not a watch subscription is a good way to start or supplement your acquisition journey.

Conclusion: You’re Paying for the Experience

If you can have fun with the overall randomness and often temporal nature of the experience, then a watch subscription box is for you.

Since subscription services are meant to put unused stock into use, there’s really no such thing as a truly “affordable” option. You’re always overpaying, even if a little. But if you find value in the lack of commitment or lack of in-depth thought processes that come with a conveniently passive model, then it’s worth it.

Have you tried a watch subscription service? Did you like it? Otherwise, are you considering one now? Let me know in the comments!