30 Best Affordable Watch Brands for Men

It holds true to a large extent because those watch brands that have heavily invested in upping the quality standards and implementing horological innovations have indeed delivered masterpieces worthy of admiration.

However, not all brands sell their timepieces for premium prices. Can they be called low-quality, then? Absolutely not! 

Dozens of affordable watch manufacturers have implemented awe-inspiring innovations and mouthwatering styles that have shaped the course of the industry, luring millions of wearers to buy their products. 

Quite often, the watches will also last for decades when adequately taken care of.

To take much of the research of discovering these brands off your shoulders, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best affordable watch brands.

What Is Considered Affordable?

There are loads of watch brands with low-priced timepieces. However, not all of them can be called affordable. 

The thing with the term is that affordable refers to something with some quality besides the low price. 

Another widely used term, cheap, on the other hand, refers to a low-cost and low-quality product. Naturally, there’s a huge difference between affordable and cheap, and they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.

Consequently, an affordable watch brand has good-quality watches, yet they are reasonably priced. It’s a brand that has shown consistency in producing value for buyers. 

On the contrary, a cheap watch brand doesn’t invest as much into the quality as it does in the appearance of watches. For example, most dirt-cheap Chinese brands and world-famous fashion brands fall under this description.    

Another thing with the term affordable is its quantitative meaning. Is $500 considered affordable? Or $1,000? Or maybe even $2,000? 

Although for some buyer segments, paying more than $1,000 for a wristwatch is affordable, the reality is that affordable means a price that doesn’t exceed the $1,000 mark. 

Naturally, an affordable watch brand is a manufacturer with a plentiful selection of sub-$1,000 watches.

Best Affordable Watch Brands

Now that the term affordable is backed with some tangible dimensions, it’s about time to find out the watch brands that produce these timepieces. 

Along with the brand description, I’ve also provided some information regarding the foundation year, notable watch collections, and an approximate price indication. 

If you’re also interested in an extensive list of affordable Swiss brands, visit the list here.

And if you’ve made up your mind regarding the brands you would like to lay your eyes on, make sure to check the different types of watches they offer because not every watch may be appropriate for the purpose you would like to wear it for. We have an extensive list of different types of watches with descriptions you can have a look at.

Without further ado, here are the watch brands.

• Seiko
• Citizen
• Tissot
• Hamilton
• G-Shock
• Bulova
• Orient
• Victorinox
• Casio
• Timex 
• Frederique Constant
• Luminox
• Raymond Weil
• Fossil
• Movado
• Wenger
• Shinola
• Alpina
• Junghans
• Rotary
• Swatch
• Spinnaker
• Certina
• Torgoen
• Nixon
• Invicta
• Stuhrling Original
• Nordgreen
• Skagen Denmark
• Daniel Wellington  

Seiko

Founded: 1881
Notable collections: Prospex, Seiko 5, Astron
Price: quartz from $100, automatic from $100

Often regarded as the best affordable watch brand of all time, Seiko surely leaves no space to doubt in it. Pioneering quartz timekeeping, Kinetic movement, and GPS solar technology, the Japanese powerhouse has written some bold chapters into the history books. 

These days, Seiko is best known for its wide variety of top-notch automatic and dive watches with very appealing price tags. For instance, Seiko’s automatic and dive watches typically cost around $300-$500, often eclipsing those brands with similar quality levels that cost well above the thousand dollar line.

Another trait of the brand is that it catches the eye with the array of different watch calibers, ranging from classic quartz and automatic to unique Kinetic and Spring Drive movements. 

With that being said, Seiko is truly a watch brand that works in the best interests of a buyer in offering thought-out technologies combined with appealing aesthetics.

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Citizen

Founded: 1918
Notable collections: Promaster, World Chronograph A-T, Chandler, Brycen
Price: Eco-Drive from $150, automatic from $200

Citizen is another Japanese powerhouse that has contributed to the country’s success story in the watchmaking world. Frequent comparisons between Seiko and Citizen vividly showcase how close these two brands really are in terms of quality and prices. 

Arguably, the best selling argument for Citizen watches is the Eco-Drive solar technology. It has become so characteristic of the brand when over 70% of its timepieces run on solar power. Furthermore, the technology can be found in a broad selection of timepieces, including dive, dress, chronograph, and pilot watches. 

Although the solar movement is overwhelming, Citizen also produces some magnificent automatic watches that are comparable to Seiko automatics.   

The best part of Citizen watches is that they won’t cost you an arm and a leg, considering the excellent quality they feature. A typical solar-powered timepiece will cost you around 300-500 dollars, which is a fraction of what you’d have to pay for a luxury label.

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Tissot

Founded: 1853
Notable collections: Le Locle, Seastar, Chemin de Tourelles
Price: quartz from $250, automatic from $500

Tissot is one of the founding members of the predecessor of the Swatch Group, currently the largest watch conglomerate in the world. Being a subsidiary of the organization has its numerous perks, which have eventually helped Tissot build on its glittering reputation. 

Unlike its luxurious compatriots of Rolex and Omega, the Swiss brand Tissot caters to the affordable market segment. Yet, it doesn’t mean the company lacks in quality. In fact, it’s the most recognized Swiss brand that sells its watches for less than $1,000.

Tissot watches come with Swiss ETA quartz and automatic movements that are reliable and accurate. One of the standout calibers, for instance, is the automatic Powermatic 80, which holds a magnificent 80 hours of power reserve, which is rather unusual for an automatic movement at a given price range.

The watches cover all the major types, including dive, chronograph, and dress watches. They have superb attention to detail, quality materials, and great specifications. 

With the majority of timepieces staying conveniently between $200-$700, you’ll receive the utmost Swiss quality for the bucks spent.

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Hamilton

Founded: 1892
Notable collections: Khaki Field, Khaki Navy, Jazzmaster, Ventura
Price: quartz from $300, automatic from $500

Hamilton is a former American brand that often features on the big screen in Hollywood. Today, it belongs to the Swatch Group, carries the Swiss-made tag, and harvests the crops that come with this prestigious label. However, the American roots are still deep within its design, and Hollywood appearances keep coming.

The so-called celebrity brand has featured in more than five hundred blockbusters, including The Martian, Men in Black, Interstellar, and Tenet. The reason for Hamilton watches’ ongoing inclusion in world-famous films is quite simple – they possess high-quality standards and look worthy of displaying on the screens.

Like Tissot, Hamilton employs ETA quartz and automatic calibers that are the cream of the crop in the affordable range. Besides high-quality movements, Hamilton equips its watches with durable materials, including sapphire crystal and high-grade stainless steel.  

In terms of styles, the brand has a broad selection that ranges from vintage timepieces honoring the American heritage, classic dress watches for formal occasions, and unorthodoxly shaped triangle wristwatches, alongside the contemporary analog and chronograph styles. 

With prices well below the $1,000 line, Hamilton is watch brand to thrive for.

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G-Shock

Founded: 1983
Notable models: GW-9400, GA-100, GWG-1000, G-Steel
Price: $50 to $1,500

Although G-Shock is not an independent brand but instead a sub-brand of Casio, the scope of various watches is so enormous that it could well be an independent brand of its own. 

G-Shock is the Chuck Norris of watches – the timepieces look tough and act tough. All the watches are 200m (660ft) water-resistant, come with an electro-luminescent backlight, and possess several resistances to shocks. The G in G-Shock stands for “gravitational,” which means the watches are purpose-built to withstand the extremes.

The timepieces are not just rugged and tough but feature numerous functions the wearers could make use of, such as atomic time, altimeter/barometer, compass, thermometer, stopwatch, and timer. And the list is ongoing. Naturally, you won’t find any more complete outdoor watches than the G-Shocks.

Though what you should bear in mind is that G-Shock watches are oversized, while most timepieces measure around 50mm. Therefore, this brand is through and out a sports and adventure brand, with limited suitability for universal wear.

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Bulova

Founded: 1875
Notable collections: Precisionist, CURV, Marine Star, Maquina
Price: quartz from $150, automatic from $300

Bulova Precisionist

This Japanese-owned American brand attracts attention with eye-catching and bold designs for fashion-minded wearers. However, what sets Bulova apart from the mainstream fashion brands is the high level of quality and innovations put into the watches.

Take, for example, the Precisionist quartz line watches that offer a magnificent +/-10 second accuracy per year; or the CURV watches with curved chronograph movements. These are top-notch innovations that showcase Bulova’s commitment to contributing to the development of watches. 

Besides Precisionist and CURV watches, as well as the flashy diamond-covered and gold-toned timepieces, the brand has a broad selection for every taste. For instance, it manufactures dive watches, chronographs, dress watches, and pilot watches, among others.  

Bulova offers an extended 3-year warranty period, which is a year longer than typical warranty policies. Naturally, it’s a sign that the watches are built to last.

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Orient

Founded: 1950
Notable models: Mako, Ray, Kamasu, Bambino, Star
Prices: quartz from $100, automatic from $120

Orient Ray II

Orient is another success story of Japanese watchmaking, along with Seiko and Citizen. Although this affordable brand is not as famous as the other two, its quality standards are very much comparable. 

What makes Orient special is that it manufactures its mechanical calibers in-house. Only a handful of affordable manufacturers do that. Moreover, these calibers are extremely reliable and keep a wonderful time.

The best-selling Orient models are its dive watches. The likes of Ray, Mako, and Kamasu are not only the brand’s best watches but also the best in their immediate price points throughout the whole industry.

You’ll also come across the Bambino line of watches. It’s a classic dress watch with an automatic caliber that barely exceeds the $100 mark. 

Overall, Orient is considered among the best brands to turn to if an entry-level automatic watch is under consideration.

Victorinox

Founded: 1884
Notable collections: I.N.O.X., Alliance, Maverick, Airboss
Prices: quartz from $200, automatic from $800

 

The next entry on this list is Victorinox – a Swiss company that took up the challenge and entered the watchmaking industry after a successful Swiss Army knife production. And it really has been a blessing for all the military watch devotees because the level of craftsmanship and durability is world-class.

The brand’s flagship line, the I.N.O.X. collection, is the most tested and quality-checked line that you can get for $500 or so dollars. By going through more than 130 assurance tests, including a 10-meter drop, 8-ton pressure resistance, and temperature shock resistance, the timepieces can freely compete with G-Shocks for the most resistant watches in the world.

Victorinox is also one of the most affordable Swiss watch brands, with the majority of quartz tickers available for only a couple of hundred dollars. Its automatics, on the other hand, cost several times more. 

However, Victorinox is not only for rugged army watches. For instance, it has quite a decent selection of elegant dress watches, as well as casual chronographs that go with various outfits.

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Casio

Founded: 1946
Notable collections: G-Shock, Pro Trek, Edifice
Prices: $20 to $1,500

Casio Super Illuminator

Casio has a proven reputation in the industry, which often places the brand in front of the queue when it comes to affordable yet highly durable timepieces. Due to the high number of various models, the question of whether to buy one of the brand’s watches is secondary to the matter of which one to choose from the hundreds on offer.

Besides the famous G-Shock line we covered earlier in this post, Casio produces a plethora of other ultra-reliable timepieces. For example, the Pro Trek collection is spot-on for hikers and other outdoorsmen, while the Edifice line offers sophisticated chronograph watches in combination with long-lasting materials.

The brand is also famous for its retro digital watches, which are legends among vintage-style admirers. These function-packed timepieces often sell for as little as $30-$50. Even better, the watches will most probably last you a lifetime.

However, if you’re after automatic watches, you’ll not find them here because Casio offers only quartz watches.

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