Hey brother, I've had good luck with my Timex Weekender with a custom leather band from form:function:form, found on this page under "Button Stud Weekender":
http://formfunctionform.com/product-category/watchband-watch-pairings/
It may be a little casual for your gig, but my job is also more casual then some. The leather is extremely comfortable, and the Weekender is a cheap reliable watch. For all in around $150, you can't beat it, IMO.
However, I've also always been fascinated with this company and these watches:
http://www.tsovet.com/shop/all/
Cool, vintage-looking watches, but still can be worn formal. Never owned one though, so can't really attest to Tsovet.
A final stop worth making as well is
www.huckberry.com. It's a website that has flash sales on guys stuff; usually artisan, American-made goods. Their prices aren't usually super marked down, but their customer service is great. Requires a signup, but they update their sales weekly, and feature some really cool stuff. Worth checking out. Good luck on the watch search and congrats on the job, my friend!