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Watches You'll Want to Wear
Time is money, but that doesn't mean you need to spend over a thousand bucks to get an investment-worthy piece
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Shopping for watches around $1,000 can sometimes feel like a bleak endeavor. It’s a middle ground between grail-level timepieces and affordable sets you can buy at department stores. If you’re currently in this situation, fear not: $1,000 can get you a great timepiece. The best watches under $1,000 have the build quality and features to compete with the most prestigious brands, and they can outlast cheaper, more common watches.
At a Glance: The Best Watches Under $1000 of 2024
- Best Sports Watch: Seiko 5 GMT
- Best Casual Watch: Mido Ocean Star 200
- Best Everyday Watch: Shinola Runwell Watch
- Best Affordable Watch: Orient Star Automatic Watch
- Best Overall Watch: Tissot Gentleman Watch
Many of the watches in this price range are top-of-the-line offerings from companies known for more affordable watches. This means you might not get that instant clout of, say, a Rolex, but real watch lovers will recognize and appreciate these timepieces for what they are. In terms of specifications, you can expect the best that watchmaking has to offer: automatic movements, sapphire crystal, and high-quality materials. These premium touches are what will make a watch not only look expensive, but last as an heirloom for future generations.
“When choosing a watch under $1000, stick with basic colors for the dial like black or white,” Laurent Martinez, Owner of Laurent Fine Watches in Greenwich, CT, tells Rolling Stone. “Other colors might be fashionable at the time, but not in five-years, especially on the second market. If it’s your first watch, stay in the range of 38-40mm, because depending on the brand, servicing the watch or getting new parts can be very pricey.”
Read on for our watch buying guide, as well as our picks for the best watches under $1,000.
Casual Pick
Seiko 5 GMT
The Seiko 5 line is jam-packed with some of our favorite budget-friendly watches in the world. Examples like this Sports watch prove why: You get a classic, mid-century-inspired design that’s at once casual and sophisticated, pairing easily with jeans and sneakers as well as suits.
On the technical side, the Seiko 5 Sports watch is as competent as it is good-looking. Inside is a 4R36 automatic movement that can also be hand-wound if the watch sits for too long. Details like time-zone crossing capabilities and LumiBrite hands and markers up the convenience, while a 100-meter water resistance lets you shower, swim, or even dive with the timepiece.
Everyday option
Mido Ocean Star 200
Mido, a Swiss brand with over a hundred years of experience, makes some excellent diving watches that fly under the radar of most shoppers. This Ocean Star is a great example, boasting a classic diver look and an impressive automatic movement under the hood. Although it’s stylish as a daily watch, the Ocean Star is capable of real adventure thanks to a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and 200 meters water resistance. Plus, the power reserve lasts up 80 hours, so you won’t have to worry about it running out while you’re submerged in the “sunlight zone.”
Hot collaboration
Todd Snyder x Timex The Black Marlin Watch
This vintage-styled Marlin from Timex and Todd Snyder might be a fifth of your budget, but it’s good enough to hang with watches well out of its price range. It’s one of the only automatic watches you’ll find for under $300 (you read that right), which gives the watch some admirable prestige. In terms of looks, the Marlin matches its old-school movement with clean lines, a classic gold-tone case, and a black leather strap. One of our editors has owned this watch for years now, and it’s still a regular in his rotation — especially when it comes time to suit up for a wedding or any other dressy event.
solar option
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Watch
If you don’t have tens of thousands to spend on the coveted Rolex Daytona, this Seiko Prospex Speedtimer is an excellent dupe — and it currently costs less than $500. The Prospex line is Seiko’s higher-end range, upgrading the brand’s already-great watches with better materials and more robust movements. For example, this Speedtimer boasts a solar-powered movement and a split time function for ⅕-second measurements. It’s also water-resistant up to 100 meters and features scratch-resistant stainless steel.
vintage-Inspired choice
Zodiac Olympos Watch
Zodiac has always been somewhat under-the-radar, but their timepieces are beloved by watch enthusiasts around the world. We’re big fans of this Olympos, which features a black leather strap, stainless steel case, and chic gold accents. This watch is a remake of the same style from the Sixties, and it comes in a handful of other vintage colors.
sturdy option
Shinola Runwell Watch
Detroit-based watchmaker Shinola was founded as an affordable competitor to high-end Swiss brands, and we think they make a compelling case for buying American. This Runwell is one of Shinola’s best-sellers, featuring a casual, everyday look that pairs very nicely with a modern wardrobe. It features numbers with a bright lume — just like vintage military watches — circling an eye-catching white dial with a durable brown leather strap. This sturdiness continues in the face thanks to a domed sapphire crystal.
budget friendly
Tissot Gentleman Watch
Tissot is one of the biggest names in the Swiss watch world, making this sub-$500 Gentleman Watch a steal. But don’t let the attainable price tag deceive you: this watch brings premium materials and a versatile, classic style. With a stainless steel case, the Gentleman Watch strikes a good balance between casual and smart: wear it with a suit to dinner or jeans and a t-shirt while traveling. Wherever you take it, the watch’s sapphire crystal ensures protection from bumps, and its 100-meter water will stop it from getting ruined when you inevitably forget to take it off for a shower.
classic look
Orient Star Automatic Watch
If you’re in need of a classic, no-frills timepiece, check out this Automatic from Orient. The watch’s stainless steel build, minimal face and versatile size make it ideal for everyday wear. But one of our favorite features is the watch’s 40-hour power reserve, which means fewer resets when you put it on. Plus, the power reserve level is indicated underneath the 12 o’clock position. The watch also features a handy date complication and water resistance capabilities.
versatile choice
Frederique Constant Chronograph Watch
Coming out of Switzerland, Frederique Constant is younger than most watch companies (founded in 1988) but their pieces are as good – if not better – than many of the old guys. This Chronograph watch (Model FC-259NT5B6) is proof of Frederique Constant’s expertise, sporting a classy, modern look and premium materials. One of the watch’s standout features is a sapphire crystal, which, combined with its 50-meter water resistance, makes for real durability. But our favorite thing about the Classics piece is its style: the watch isn’t too old-fashioned or too modern and looks great with just about everything in your wardrobe.
unique choice
Hamilton Ventura Chrono Watch
If the Hamilton Ventura looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen Men in Black. The watch’s original iteration is part of the alien-fighting uniform, and it looks just as exciting in the real world as it does in the Will Smith films. Because watches are now less about function than they used to be, we think the unique shape of the Ventura (and its cinematic history) makes it a great addition to any collection. This Chrono model of the Ventura upgrades the standard watch with a three-dial chronograph function
digital pick
Apple Watch Series 10
We love analog watches, but smartwatches are fantastic too. With far less than $1,000, you can pick up the latest and greatest: the Apple Watch Series 10. Using the smartwatch’s crystal-clear, crack-resistant retina display, you can check texts, track heart rate and blood oxygen levels, stream music or podcasts, make phone calls and so much more. With the independent cellular connectivity, you can connect the watch to the internet and make calls without being attached to a smartphone.
How We Chose the Best Watches Under $1000
For some enthusiasts, watch buying is a full-time hobby. But unless you’re looking for an ultra-rare (or ultra-expensive) timepiece, a few key considerations are enough to identify a great watch. Below are a few things that our team kept in mind when compiling a list of the best watches on a budget.
Movement: The three main types of watch movements are automatic, mechanical, and quartz. Automatic is the gold standard (used by famous brands such as Rolex and Omega), harnessing the kinetic energy of the wearer’s movement. This allows the watch to “charge” itself and continue running without any intervention. Mechanical watches are the true vintage choice and must be hand-wound every couple of days. Quartz is the most common movement today (and the cheapest) using a battery that needs replacing every couple years or so.
Brand: With watches, a trustworthy brand typically means a trustworthy watch. Old, established brands often have well-founded reputations for lasting quality. A watch’s origin matters too, as some countries have higher quality standards and more competitive watchmaking culture. This is why Swiss watches are so desirable, and why Japanese watches have become synonymous with reliability (similar to car manufacturing).
Crystal: A watch’s “crystal” refers to the material used for the dial cover. Sapphire is the most desirable as it’s very hard to scratch, and reduces glare. Seven of our eight picks use this sapphire crystal. The other type of crystal you’ll encounter is mineral, which is a specially-treated glass. Cheaper watches also use plastic-like acrylic crystal, but none of our picks use this.
Water-Resistance: Almost all watches are labeled as water-resistant, but many watches can’t actually withstand a shower or prolonged submersion. If a watch is rated at 30 meters water-resistance, try not to get it wet at all. Fifty meters of water resistance is enough to withstand rain and occasional splashes. Any rating over 50 meters is safe for swimming, and 100 meters means a watch is ready for real diving.
Features: Some watches have added features such as a day or date reader or a chronograph (a stopwatch separate from the main dial). These can be convenient, but they’re also just cool.
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