Okay, I'll play but I'll be making some of my own rules!

Some questions to ask before we even start. Does the friend have a theme in mind? Do they even want a themed collection?

Let's assume they do. And let's also assume the theme is sports, rather than dress, chronos.

3 names stand out in that field as far as I am concerned; Heuer Carrera, Omega Speedmaster and Rolex Cosmograph/Daytona. Good luck getting a straight Daytona for the budget, so that leaves us with two. We're looking fir a mix of modern and vintage? Let's fill the modern slot with a Speedy - much more faithful to the original in their modern incarnations than any Carrera. Let's also make it one of the larger ones. Because with the Carrera, we're going vintage and we're going small. First execution then, and let's make it a 45 as we have 3 registers covered with the Speedy. We'll go silver dial for contrast, and a scale watch for an injection of colour.

And then we pause for thought. Wear the watches for a while. What do they give you and what do they not give you? Do you want another Carrera, more Speedies, something different like a triple calendar, different brands?

I've been discounting the Navitimer, too fussy and cluttered for me ever to recommend. But if we want a Breitling, let's go for one of those new Transoceans. We now either have 2 silver dials and 1 black or vice versa. Let's stay modern but go a but more vogueish on colour and get one of the brown-dialled Bell&Ross 'Vintage' models.

One slot left. Modern's covered, let's go vintage again. And Heuer again, why not. Blue dialled manual Monaco. Or White dialled Autavias.

Hmmm, happy with that as a starter collection for now...