Time On A Budget: The Best Watches Under $250 (Part I)
The watch a person chooses to wear can say a lot about them even if they don’t intend it to. Whether it’s a $5000 to dive watch or a $10 Casio it sends a message. I like to think think I am someone with pretty good taste but not a lot of money. That does not mean I can’t find a great looking timepiece. So over the past few years I’ve tried to find the best watches at an affordable price point. Plus I’ve put together a few outfits based around the different styles of watches.
What Is Affordable?
So what am I calling affordable? I would say that for the most part a watch under $1000 could be called affordable by the average person. This is based on the idea of wanting a single watch that you are going to wear for a number of years. A watch is one of the few pieces of jewelry that many guys will feel comfortable wearing. So this particular post is going to look at watches under $250 that I’ve found to be the best bang for the buck.
The Breakdown
This list is not meant to be comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination. What it boils down to is this is a break down of the watches in my collection and why I picked them out.
Just to make sure everyone is on the same page here are my definitions for some of the terms I am using:
This list is not meant to be comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination. What it boils down to is this is a break down of the watches in my collection and why I picked them out.
Just to make sure everyone is on the same page here are my definitions for some of the terms I am using:
Movement - Traditionally a movement is mechanical which means that there are an interlocking series of moving parts that are powered by either hand winding or is automatically wound by the kinetic force created from being worn on the wrist. A quartz movement uses an oscillator paired with a quartz crystal to create a pulse which keeps time and moves the watch hands. A quartz movement is cheaper, more accurate, more durable and far less desirable. The popularity of quartz watches from the early 70s on almost killed the Swiss mechanical watch industry. It was only through some clever marketing that allowed luxury mechanical watches to survive. You can tell the difference between and a mechanical and quartz movement by looking at the second hand. On a quartz watch the second hand ticks every second whereas on a mechanical movement it seems to make a continuous sweep.
Complications - Any part of the movement that is not hours, minutes or seconds. This includes the day and date indicators, chronographs, world time hands etc.
Crystal - Not to be confused with the the crystal movement in a quartz movement a display crystal is the piece of mineral glass (or sapphire on higher end watches) that covers the face of the watch.
Hacking - On an automatic watch hacking means that when you set the time by pulling out the crown the second hand stops moving. A watch that does not hack means that the second hand will continue to move while you are setting it. That makes it a little more difficult to synchronize the time between multiple devices.
Water Resistant - The degree to which the watch can withstand submersion without flooding. It is usually measured in meters and the depth rating that it claims to have may not always be what it is actually suited for. For instance I would be hesitant to go snorkeling with a watch that is rated to less than 100m of water resistance. Scuba Diving is suggested to have at least 200m of water resistance.
Dive Watches
Personally, I am partial to tool watches. In particular I like divers. Chances are if I am looking at watches I am looking at a diver. I’ve been a Scuba Instructor my entire adult life and the that is a huge part of who I am.
Dive watches are a visual signifier of something that I have dedicated over 20 years of my life to. For most divers the dive watch is a vestigial instrument. The average modern diver will be using a dive computer to measure their time underwater. It’s there for backup and a quick way to check time. Despite the fact that it’s not a required piece of Scuba kit a dive watch still holds an important role in the watch marketplace. This is in no small part thanks to the Rolex Submariner and James Bond.
James Bond’s Rolex Submariner
It wasn’t the first dive watch but it’s probably the most iconic. Originally introduced in the late 1950s the Submariner is the watch worn by Sean Connery (as in the picture above,) Steve McQueen and many many others.. A lot of manufacturers have taken what the Submariner pioneered and adapted it and made them their own.
The Bond Submariner is definitely not an affordable watch by the definition of most people. It does however make for a good springboard.
Tiger Concepts JB 5508
Tiger Concepts (TC from here on out) is a small Hong Kong based company that is doing something pretty cool. Rather than making a straight ahead knockoff of a modern Submariner they are recreating rare and historic models.
Bond in Thunderball wearing his Rolex Submariner
Before Connery’s Bond the Submariner was a fairly well-regarded dive watch but nothing more. Being on the wrist of James Bond is arguably the reason for the Submariner’s ubiquity today.
Looking at it from the modern perspective it’s hard understand the absolute cultural phenomenon that Bond was in the early 60s. When Goldfinger was released some theaters stayed open for 24 hours to accommodate the demand it was so popular. The old saying that “Men wanted to be him and women wanted to be with him” may as well have been coined for Connery’s Bond. This desire to be Bond extended to what was on his wrist. After Bond men who before wore smaller dress watches into the office were starting to wear the giant (for the time) Rolex Submariner.
The Orient Ray
The Ray (and it’s cousin the Mako) is a hell of watch at most price points. Orient is a Seiko owned Japanese company that uses an automatic mechanical movement. It has a look all its own while still being indebted to the classic look of the Submariner. It’s also a fantastic dive watch with 200m of water resistance.
The problem with a lot of affordable watches is that, if they aren’t a homage, they are pretty ugly. I think what’s cool about Orient watches is that they are doing their own thing and not creating another homage brand. Almost every Orient watch I’ve seen looks great and won’t break the bank.
Both the Ray and its cousin the Mako are available in a brilliant blue face and dial. It’s hard to capture in photos but the blue quality in the face almost seems to shimmer when it catches the light right. It’s a very subtle touch that I think makes the Ray look a lot more expensive that it is.
TC 16800 (Modified)
For my second TC I had them modify their 16800 homage to look like the Rolex Military Submariner.
The Rolex Military Sub
Based on the Submariner Ref. 5513 and 5517 the MilSub was produced for the British Ministry of Defense in the early 1970s. There are a few distinguishing features on the MilSub with the most prominent being sword shaped hands. Because the MilSub was a tool watch in the purest sense not a lot of them have survived thanks to the beating they usually took on the job.
Little bit of trivia, the Tiger Concepts logo is based on the T on the Milsub dial. On the Milsub it stand for tritium which was the radioluminescent material used on the dial.
Quality with the 16800 is the same as the JB5508 but with a bit bulkier case and unidirectional clicking bezel rather than the bi-directional friction bezel found on the JB5508. So what’s the difference between the bezels? Well it’s in the name. A bidirectional means that the bezel can turn either counterclockwise or clockwise which makes quick setting easier. A unidirectional means that the bezel will only turn counterclockwise. Modern dive watches have a unidirectional bezel to prevent the watch from gaining time if the bezel gets moved while underwater.
These are obviously not the only dive watch designs or affordable dive watches out there. I just happen to like Sub styles. There are a lot of other affordable diver options with some of my favorite being
Casio MDV106 ($40) - This is the probably the best bang for the buck when it comes to dive watches. For $40 you get an actual 200m rated dive watch that has the Sub look without being a slavish copy. My only complaint is that it runs a bit big for my taste. At 44mm it’s substantially bigger than the average Sub style which is usually around 40mm. If bigger is your thing this may be good option.
Invicta 8926OB ($90) - The closest in looks to a modern Rolex and a great bang for the buck. Some of their branding is a bit much (it has Invicta branding on the side of the watch opposite the crown.) I wore one for years and years as my main dive watch when I was teaching Scuba full time. It only died when I accidentally forgot to screw down the crown after setting the time and it flooded on a dive. Invictas get a lot of flack because of their inflated MSRP’s and horrendous customer service but I’ve never had a problem. Because of it’s affordability and rock solid movement the 8926OB is used quite a bit as a platform for watch modding.
Orient Mako ($100 - $150) - The cousin of the Orient Ray. The movement is the exact same in both watches with the difference being in the dial indicators with the Mako sporting numbers at 12,6 and 9. Also a 200m rated actual dive watch.
Seiko SKX007K2 & SKX009K2 ($150) - No discussion of dive watches would be complete without mentioning these two watches. Both are absolute classics in their own right and my father (who is also a Scuba Instructor) wore a SKX007 for decades. His is floating around his dive shop somewhere after he stopped wearing it when he retired from teaching. Maybe someday it will turn up and I’ll be able to snag it from him. I personally prefer the Blue and Red “Pepsi” dial of the SKX009.
Seiko 5 SNZH57 ($150) - Seiko 5’s are perennial champions when it comes to affordable watches. The 5’s were originally introduced in the 60s as an affordable watch and they have definitely lived up to that ideal over the years. The SNZH57 is a great retro looking diver style. It’s got swords and the gold color makes it look like it has some age to it.
The Old Man & The Sea
I decided to make a few outfits based around the history of the watches. You run the risk when making an outfit based on a particular look of making it look too much like a costume. I hopefully was able to avoid that with these looks.
Peacoat - J. Crew ($200) - This one is currently on clearance and can be had for a little over $100 if I remember correctly.
Sweater - Zara ($35 on clearance) - This one will be hard to find nowadays. A chunky fisherman’s sweater or a shawl neck sweater would be a good substitute.
Henley - Merona ($11)
Watch - Orient Ray ($150)
Bracelt - H&M ($12)
Trousers - Levi’s 511 Trousers ($45)
Boots - St. John’s Bay ($50)
Watch Cap - Target ($10)
Total - $513
Warmer Sailing
We had a blizzard hit the midwest yesterday and it really hit home how much I miss summer. So I put together a warmer weather outfit out of wishful thinking.
Jacket - J Crew Factory ($50)
Breton Sweater - J Crew ($30 on clearance)
Denim - Levi’s 511 Garment Dyed Jeans ($45)
Shoes - Sperry Topsiders ($60)
Belt - J Crew Factory ($15)
Bracelet - J Crew Factory ($12)
Total - $222
Chronographs
If people started wearing dive watches to look more like a badass scuba diving James Bond-type then why did chronographs start becoming popular? Well, because people want to look like badass race car drivers and astronauts too. Even if you drive a Kia and are afraid to fly.
So let’s talk chronographs.
Buzz Aldrin and the Omega Speedmaster
In July of 1969 Buzz Aldrin stepped out of the Eagle lander with a Omega Speedmaster strapped to his wrist. From this point on this watch with a racing name will always be nicknamed the “Moon Watch.” Now you might ask why was the Speedmaster the first watch on the moon and why was it on Buzz Aldrin and not Neil Armstrong. Neil had to leave his Speedmaster in the Lander to fill in for the Lander’s electronic timer that had failed. A Speedmaster is also responsible for Jim Swigert’s accurate timing of a course correction to get Apollo 13 back to earth.
So where is old Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster now? Who knows it’s been lost to history. While being sent to the Smithsonian for safe keeping it was lost in the mail. Somewhere the descendant of an unscrupulous USPS employee has a priceless piece of history on their wrist.
Steve McQueen and the Heuer Monaco
Funnily enough Steve McQueen will forever be associated with the Heuer Monaco because it’s what he wore in Le Mans. In his everyday life though McQueen was a Rolex Submariner guy.
Casio Edifice EF503D
Even though I’m a diver kind of guy I think this watch may be the best bang on the buck for affordable watches. Right out of the box it’s impressive. I’m not much of a bracelet guy but I was really impressed by the one on the Casio. Solid end links and not too shiny.
On The Wrist
The EF503D is also a very very good looking watch. It gives off a timeless feel without actually copying anything from any other design. It obviously shares some DNA with the Omega Speedmaster but it’s not a homage. The blue hands are reminiscent of Nomos but are not ripping it off. It’s just a very tastefully designed chrono that does not try to add any bells and whistles where they aren’t necessary.
The Movement
The movement is a Japanese made Miyota OS10 quartz movement. Miyota is part of the Citizen group and are normally used in watches that are twice the price of the Casio. It’s about as reliable as you can get, are known to last and to be easy to service. Overall just a really great bang for the back.
(photo from Hodinkee)
Other Chronograph Options
The Tudor Heritage Chrono in blue is the watch that made me take a second look at chronographs. It’s an absolutely gorgeous watch that I don’t think I will be picking up anytime soon. Either these are some of the watches that I’ve found in my hunt to find a suitable affordable substitute for the Tudor.
Seiko SNDF87P1 ($150) - Probably the next on my list. It’s got a very subdued design for a chrono and it’s blue and orange accents will look great with an orange, blue and white NATO. Can’t go wrong with Seiko either. My only complaint is that at 43mm it will probably wear a little big on my skinny wrists.
Fossil CH2952 ($155) - Fossil’s are usually a little too busy but this is another great looking minimalist chrono face. Again, a bit big though at 43mm.
Timex T49904 ($60) - When it comes to bang for the buck you can’t go wrong with Timex. This particular model has a great military look to it. If you’re looking to scratch a black chrono itch this is a good choice (as is the black Casio EF503D.)
Timex T2P380 ($90) - A bit outside of the ordinary from your normal chrono. The blue face and black case give it more of a contemporary look than a lot of what I have listed here. I wonder if the Timex chronos are as loud as the Weekender?
Again it’s hard to make outfits like this that don’t come off looking like a costume but I gave it my best shot.
Jacket - Barbour Motorcycle Jacket ($150 on clearance) - This jacket has long been discontinued and I got it for a hell of a price. Amazon has a similar jacket for the same price by a company called Vedoneire that would make a good substitute.
Shirt - Old Navy Chambray ($25)
Pants - Levi’s 511 Garment Dyed Denim ($45)
Boots - Clark’s Desert Mali ($145)
Scarf - Mossimo ($15)
Watch - Casio EF503D ($75)
Bracelet - Topman ($13)
Total - $478
This does it for part 1. Part 2 will dive into other affordable watch options including dress watches and other military influenced watch styles.
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