Different people buy watches for different reasons. I find that little fact very interesting. Fashion, function, formality, the list goes on… As a city dweller, I enjoy scoping out the types of watches people have on their wrists. It fascinates me as to what people choose. Especially the 30 under crowd who see watches more as fashion items, even though you see a lot of Rolex and Omegas. Each of these people will choose a watch that they can afford. So what “luxury” is will really depend on the person. As long as they want a “nice watch.”

This Ritmo Mundo watch, for example, retails for $500. A price in a strange gray area between “not enough” and “too much.” I find this range to be one of the hardest for people to stomach. I recommend to brands to be either $350 and under or $800 and over. Maybe you disagree, I am clearly not on the sales floor all the time. Anyhow, for $500 you can get this Carnival 241 Swiss quartz chronograph watch. Aside from Carnival being an awful name for a men’s watch, the piece certainly has a bold showiness that I consider fun. This version is in black and gold tone with a dial that I can only refer to as a cross between camouflage and mother-of-pearl. Ritmo Mundo also makes it in a variety of other tones to best suit your picky, picky tastes.

At about 50mm wide, this watch is on the larger side of what most might want to wear but Ritmo Mundo managed to make the beast bloody comfortable. This is in thanks to sloping lugs and a silicone strap that has a bit of stretch to it. However, the down side of silicone is that it is a dust magnet – so wash frequently. The top and bottom parts of the watch are steel and sandwiched in the middle, with large screws, is black plastic. Some people will never buy a watch with plastic, and others don’t care. By the way, each time you see a really high-end watch with the term “resin” anywhere in the technical details … Yea, that’s plastic. For $500 I would like a bit more metal – or perhaps ceramic – but the plastic does translate to weight savings. This watch really is not as heavy as you’d think by seeing it on my wrist.

Also, it is only 14mm thick which isn’t as thick as it looks, either. I, personally, would have liked more than 30 meters of water resistance, for this price range, in a unit that appears to be a sport watch. The dial is clear and the best part of the watch; I like the large Arabic numerals and colorful display. I don’t, however, believe that the hands needed to be skeletonized – that just doesn’t feel necessary. This piece has a mineral crystal which is just barely acceptable on a watch at this price point; any more and I would certainly demand sapphire crystal.

The case, especially bezel and screws, looks very industrial. Ritmo Mundo is certainly aiming at a youthful customer who seem to surf and own a wrecking ball. The brand is quite popular and I can see how that is so among the right audience. Seasoned watch enthusiasts might be looking for a bit more, but those interested in unique designs, and fun-focused timepieces that don’t require excessive cognition to understand, will feel at home here with Mr. Mundo.