C Ward is Nice but for the price and if your wrist is big enough Ill go for Ollech and Wajs. If you want a beater their model are perfect, used by many adventurers and with a very long story as a brand (so not a micro brand).
Then there is Sinn, Damasko, maybe Oris ?, Laco with their Pilot Pro...
For 1k to 2k I would avoid the miyota movement, as they are not as precise as the Sellita or Soprod for example (and yes angry redditors you can have an amazingly regulated miyota but you need to find the micro brand that will do the régulation well and blablabla)...
C Ward is a good option for dressier classier brand. But I would go for the ones I mention mostly O&W as theyr regulate their movement themselves and all in switzerland and they are just made to take a shitload of abuse !