Maserati Watches: Automatic Movements Under £200

Maserati is the outlier in our range. Almost everything else at this price is quartz; most of the Maserati line is mechanical, with an exhibition or skeleton dial that lets you see the movement running. At £199, that is unusual — and it is the reason this brand attracts buyers who would otherwise ignore fashion watches entirely.

The brand, briefly

Maserati has built cars in Bologna since 1914, and the trident badge — taken from the fountain in the city's Piazza Maggiore — has been on its bonnets since 1926. The watch line carries that identity deliberately: trident on the dial, trident engraved on the crown, deep blues and blacks borrowed from the car palette. Maserati watches are produced under licence rather than in the car factory, which is why the price sits where it does.

Potenza: the automatic core

Potenza references (R8821108001, R8821108002, R8821108011, R8821108036, R8821108039) are the heart of the range. Black dial, steel case, automatic movement, and a caseback that lets you see the rotor swing. The plain black-dial version is the most restrained; the skeleton variants remove most of the dial surface so the movement becomes the design.

Skeleton dials: honest expectations

A skeleton dial is harder to read at a glance — hands can disappear against the movement behind them. In exchange you get a watch that looks mechanical rather than printed. If legibility matters more than character, take the solid black dial. If you are buying this watch because you want to see gears, take a skeleton.

Sfida and the blue-dial automatics

R8823140001 and R8823140007 (Sfida) shift the palette to blue, which suits the automotive reference better than black does. R8823140004 is a diamond-set limited edition — the only reference in our range where the intent is genuinely decorative rather than sporty.

Chronographs at £179

R8853100011 and R8853100013 are quartz chronographs rather than automatics. They cost £20 less, they are more accurate, and they never need winding. If you want the trident styling without mechanical ownership, this is the sensible route.

Owning an entry-level automatic

• Winding — wear it daily and the rotor keeps it running. Left in a drawer for several days, it will stop; set the time and wear it again.
• Accuracy — expect roughly ±20 seconds a day rather than the ±2 seconds of quartz. Over a week that is a couple of minutes.
• Servicing — a mechanical movement needs a service every four to six years in normal use. Budget for it.
• Water resistance — these are not dive watches. Keep them out of the shower and the pool.

Is it the right £199 watch for you?

If you want precision and zero maintenance, buy quartz — the Tommy Hilfiger chronographs at £129 are better value on those terms. If you want a mechanical watch with visible engineering and you like the automotive reference, nothing else in the range competes at this price.

Browse the Maserati collection, all men's watches, or read automatic vs quartz watches before you decide. Every order includes 30-day returns and a two-year warranty.