In this edition of “Watch This,” timepiece enthusiast Robert J. Mair features some of the hottest wristwear entering the market as well as some financially modest suggestions for your hard-earned, recession wary bucks.

Black must be the “in thing” for limited edition watches with particularly Omega, Breitling and Tag Heuer showing some exclusive wrist love. For the past decade, secret service agent James Bond has rocked an Omega Seamaster watch while carrying out all of those virtually impossible secret missions. Brilliant marketing has coincided new versions of the watch with Bond movie releases throughout the decades, as is the case with Quantum of Solace. Omega’s latest offering is the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m Quantum of Solace limited edition. What sets this model apart from the rest of this distinguished product line is the black textured surface of the dial which purposely favors Bond’s Walther PPK pistol. Also, the blood-red tip of the seconds hand operates in contrast to the black dial. The caseback also features black chromium reminiscent of the face with the 007 logo that’s prominently displayed. This watch is a certified chronometer with features essential to professional divers including a water tolerance to 600 meters (2000 feet), plus a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and a case diameter of 45.5 mm. With a limited production of 10,007 pieces (notice the 007 reference), this model will surely be a collector’s item.

Breitling is producing only 3,000 of their slick Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph which sports the all-black look, a 48mm steel case and an automatic Breitling caliber 13 movement. Also, keep an eye out for the all-black Tag Heuer Grand Carrera (Singapore Grand Prix). With only 150 pieces available for purchase, this model is a rare find — especially outside of Singapore, where the watch honors the first Formula One night race. Crazy!

If you want a style that stands out from the crowd regarding space age looks and stimulating conversation, look no further than Tokyoflash. Their futuristic models look like they’re from another galaxy, but be forewarned, some models are so abstract that reading the time might take a little, well, time to master. For example, the Tokyoflash “Negative Series” displays the hour by looking at the black space (negative space) rather than the lit area. There’s another one, the Tokyoflash Rogue IPB, that utilizes glowing rings to give you the time of day. Their new LED watch that is simply titled “Fire” is a bit more complicated. Reading the time with this model requires knowing what the different LED light colors represent (yellow for hours, red for 10-minute intervals and green for single minutes). All in all, Tokyflash products may not be the most convenient for telling time, but they’re definitely unique attention grabbers. Once you grasp the concept, this Star Trekesque blingwear from Japan overshadows traditional timepieces when it comes to the question, “What the hell is that?!!”

For affordable, rugged, yet functional wristwear, the Casio G-Shock series is still kicking major derrière. While there are some people who think of affordable plastic watches when G-Shocks are mentioned, the MTG1000 series dramatically erases that misconception. At $400 retail, it is not the cheapest G-Shock available; however, its features hold their own against the significantly more expensive watches including multi-band atomic timekeeping, solar power ability, 200 meter water resistance and a reverse countdown timer. To add, the very attractive two-tone band laced with stainless steel perfectly mates this model to your wrist. If you are a serious watch collector with some bucks to spare, look for the ultimate Casio G-Shock, a limited edition MRG8000-G with a titanium bezel and 18 karat gold accents throughout. There are only 200 models available only in the United States, Japan, Germany and England, and retails for $4,600 if you can find one.

And remember, as you continue to search for that perfect wrist companion, time is of the essence.

For information on any of these watches, please visit the following websites: www.omegawatches.com, www.breitling.com, www.tagheuer.com, www.tokyoflash.com and www.casio.com.