3 of the best watches under US$50, defining the value for money proposition

Buffy Acacia

Usually when we revisit our buying guides, we’ll end up adding to the list as new, exciting options come up. For the first time, this list of the best watches under US$50 has actually shrunk. It’s symptomatic of much scarier issues tied up with inflation and the cost of living crisis, all of which have affected people in far worse ways than making budget-friendly watches less attainable. Plenty of people will say you should just save up for longer, but that’s missing the point entirely. In the spirit of optimism, here are three of the best watches you can buy for less than US$50.

Casio F91W-1

Casio is one of the only brands that actually sells a lot of watches under US$50, but the F91W-1 has got to be the most iconic, as well as one of the cheapest. From its black resin case and strap, to the playful zaps of blue, yellow and red on the dial, no watch does a better job of capturing an aspect of ‘80s and ‘90s style that never feels outdated. It’s charmingly retro, but its functionality is still useful for modern life. The features include a 1/100-second chronograph with several measuring modes, a daily alarm, annual calendar, and hourly time signals. The 35.2mm case feels at home on absolutely any wrist, and its little LED backlight ensures its visibility in darkness. Even though it’s not a G-Shock, it’s also renowned for its durability and water resistance exceeding all expectations. Price: US$22.95

HMT Plus JGSL 02 B Grey

HMT watches have been around since the early ‘60s, originally beginning as a collaboration between an Indian state-owned manufacturing company and the Japanese watchmaker Citizen. It was an absolute powerhouse in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and although you don’t see much brand presence outside of India these days, its new watches are cult classics of affordable design in the international arena. One thing HMT is notorious for is the watches looking far better in person than in the official photography, and if that’s the case for the HMT Plus JGSL 02 B Grey, it has to be astounding for the price. It’s quartz-powered in a 38.5mm (D) x 44.4mm (LTL) x 7.7mm (H) case, and the grey fumé dial is incredibly enchanting behind the tidy indices. Price: ₹2200 (~US$26)

Timex Easy Reader 35mm

If you ask someone to quickly draw a watch, it’d probably look pretty close to the Timex Easy Reader. With its large, legible Arabic numerals and simple baton hands, it really is the most watch-like a watch could be. The 35mm case is quite gender-neutral and may even be suitable for kids, so it’s versatile in both accessibility and style. One thing which makes it particularly special is the Indiglo feature, which illuminates the entire dial with a push of the crown. This completely negates the need for luminous markers or shining your phone torch on your watch when it gets dark, and it brings a bit of technological fun to the analogue watch world. Price: US$49

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: A second-hand bargain

There are plenty of sub-US$50 watches to buy, it’s just that they’re not for sale at the same outlets as most new watches with warranties and fresh batteries. They’re out there in the charity shops, vintage markets, garage sales, eBay and Facebook Marketplace listings. If you know what you’re looking for, it’s actually not too difficult to get a great deal. Not everyone will be so lucky as me when I found a solid gold Universal Genève for less than US$5, but there are plenty of undervalued vintage watches in amongst the nameless junk.