Fashion watches are often the subject of ridicule from watch enthusiasts, and sometimes that is fair. At full retail, the quality-to-price equation does not always make sense, especially when the buyer is paying primarily for branding, styling, or presentation rather than horological substance. Of course, value in a watch—like value in anything else—is ultimately in the eye of the beholder.

The conversation changes once those same watches hit the secondary market.

The Brighton Highland Park is a good example. Brighton sold this model at $125, yet used examples now sell well below that level, often under $50. At that point, the question is no longer whether this was the best value at original retail. The better question is whether a well-cleaned, well-presented example with a reliable Japanese movement becomes a very reasonable buy once depreciation has already done the hard work. In this case, I think the answer is yes.

This particular watch has been fitted with a new crystal, given a new battery, and cleaned up some. That matters. Used watches often suffer from neglect more than from fundamental design flaws. Once the crystal is fresh and the watch is running properly again, it becomes much easier to evaluate the piece on its actual merits.

And there are real merits here.

The Highland Park has a kind of vintage charm that does not depend on a famous watchmaker’s name on the dial. The silver-tone case is simple and rounded, but the watch avoids looking generic because Brighton gave it a few distinct touches: the heart marker at 12, the heart-shaped crown detail, the brushed silver dial, and the decorative bracelet elements that make the piece feel more like jewelry than a plain utilitarian watch.

That is where many fashion watches live or die. If the design is weak, there is not much else to defend. But when the design is attractive, balanced, and wearable, the conversation becomes more interesting.

The bracelet is also better than the term “fashion watch” might lead some buyers to expect. It has real visual presence, with heavy substantial links and a clasp system that gives the watch a more finished feel than a flimsy throwaway bracelet would. The overall effect is more convincing in person than one might assume from the category label alone.

Inside, the movement is signed Miyota Co. Japan, which is exactly the kind of thing that makes a used fashion watch more appealing. The exact caliber number is not visible in these photos, but it appears to be from Miyota’s well-known small three-hand quartz family. That is a meaningful point in the watch’s favor. Miyota quartz movements have long been used because they are inexpensive, durable, serviceable in practical terms, and generally reliable for ordinary wear. From a value perspective, that matters more than whether the dial name impresses a watch forum.

This is really the heart of the argument in defense of fashion watches on the secondary market.

When new, a fashion watch may ask the buyer to pay for styling that exceeds the underlying watchmaking value. When used, that imbalance can shift dramatically. If the watch can be bought at one-third or one-quarter of original retail, and if it contains a proven Japanese quartz movement, and if it has been refreshed with a new crystal and battery, then the buyer may actually be getting a fairly attractive design with dependable guts at a sensible price.

That does not mean every fashion watch deserves a second look. Many do not. Some are cheaply made, weakly designed, or simply not worth the effort. But it does mean the category should not be dismissed automatically, especially when the underlying movement is solid and the watch has enough design personality to justify wearing it.

The Brighton Highland Park is not trying to compete with a dedicated enthusiast brand. It is not pretending to be a tool watch, a heritage piece, or an exercise in fine finishing. What it offers instead is a pleasant, wearable design with vintage-adjacent charm, jewelry-informed styling, and a proven Japanese quartz foundation. At the right secondary-market price, that is enough.

For buyers willing to look past the label “fashion watch,” there can be real value here.