Culture
The Best Watches for Every Price Range and Budget
It’s common to believe that you have to spend an arm and a leg in order to get a good watch. Fortunately, this belief couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, you may be surprised to know that there are actually a lot of high-quality timepieces to be found in all areas of the price spectrum.
Many watches tend to rely heavily on their popular brand names and often end up failing to live up to their lofty price tags. To sort through the noise and find a watch that’s worth your time, you just need to know where to look. That’s where we come in.
In this article, we have compiled a list of must-have watches that span the range of low end to high end. These watches manage to pack a lot of value for their price. Here are 10 of the best watches you can find for any price range.
*Best for Under $100*
Casio G-Shock GD-100-1B
Price: $69.98
Best Feature: Multi-timezone settings
Why We Picked It: The Casio G-Shock GD-100 is one of the most robust hiking watches out on the market. This timepiece comes with a large digital face, LED backlight, water resistance, and five separate alarm settings. If you consider yourself to be an outdoorsman, this is the watch you’ll want to pick up.
*Best for Under $100*
Stührling Aviator 699
Price: $99.95
Best Feature: Alligator Embossed Genuine Leather Strap
Why We Picked It: The Stührling Aviator 699 combines luxury and ruggedness into one beautiful package. This timepiece is tough enough to take on the trail, yet attractive enough wear on your daily commute.
*Best for $100-$200*
Garmin Vivomove Sport
Price: $149.99
Best Feature: Doubles as a fitness tracker
Why We Picked It: You might not be able to tell by just looking at it, but the Garmin Vivomove Sport is a fitness tracker disguised as a traditional watch. This deceptive timepiece can accurately track your activity, sleep, and other data which you can view later on your phone or computer.
*Best for $100-$200*
Jack Mason Aviator 3-Hand Watch
Price: $195
Best Feature: Genuine Italian leather strap
Why We Picked It: The Jack Mason Aviator 3-Hand is a casual and comfortable watch that’s perfect for almost any occasion. The simplistic face with the luminescent markings makes for a bold look that leaves a strong impression.
*Best for $250-$500*
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Price: $329.97
Best Feature: Can be used with almost any Android phone and with iOS.
Why We Picked It: Shedding the Gear moniker, the new Galaxy Watch is the best smartwatch Samsung has ever made. This smartwatch packs plenty of features and introduces a rotating bezel that makes scrolling through menus much easier.
*Best for $250-$500*
Garmin Forerunner 645
Price: $429.11
Best Feature: Great battery life
Why We Picked It: If you’re into fitness, the Garmin Forerunner 645 is one of the best smartwatches you can own. This watch manages to fit in all the necessary sensors and hardware workout lovers need without sacrificing its sleek, stylish look.
*Best for $500-$1,000*
Autodromo Stradale Automatic
Price: $875
Best Feature: Transparent back that shows automatic movement rotor
Why We Picked It: The Autodromo Stradale has an alluring and distinctive appearance that sets itself apart from similarly priced options. Its design is said to be inspired by dashboard instruments from mid-century Italian sports cars.
*Best for $500-$1,000*
Baume & Mercier Classima
Price: $834
Best Feature: Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
Why We Picked It: The Classima series of watches are some of the most affordable watches you can get from a historic Swiss brand. This particular watch has an attractive minimalistic style that hides its complex inner mechanisms.
*Best for $1,000-$2,000*
Tag Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph
Price: $1,075
Best Feature: Water resistant up to 200 meters
Why We Picked It: The Tag Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph is a watch for anyone who wants to make a statement. It’s hard not to stare in amazement at the watch’s multi-color strap and blue dial with silver-tone hands.
*Best for $1,000-$2,000*
Hamilton Broadway Chronograph Automatic
Price: $1,428.29
Best Feature: Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
Why We Picked It: The Hamilton Broadway Chronograph has a dressy and urban aesthetic that emanates big city energy. The unique burgundy and blue dial with a silver case is sure to leave your friends, family, and coworkers in awe.
