6 of the best watches under US$100

Buffy Acacia

This list would have been much easier to write just a handful of years ago, but watch price inflation has been making low benchmarks such as US$100 much more difficult to achieve. As such, we’ve had to double-dip into a couple of brands. That said, there are still some great options out there which will give you change from a US$100 bill, and you don’t even have to lower your standards.

Casio F91W-1

Casio is one of the only brands that actually sells a lot of watches under US$100, 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yellow, and red on the dial, no watch does a better job of capturing an aspect of ’80s and ’90s style that never feels outdated.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. Price: US$22.95

Timex Expedition Scout

Timex has a reputation for reliability hand-in-hand with affordability, so the Expedition Scout’s field watch style is well-suited to an adventurous person on a budget. The monochromatic dial with its 12 and 24-hour markers has its origins in the military, but overall it’s just a highly legible approach which can work for all preferences. The pop of yellow on the seconds hand adds a nice little drop of characters, too. Its Indiglo function lights up the dial after-dark, so you’ll never be unable to see the time. At 40mm, it carries a solid amount of presence without feeling overly bulky. Price: US$65

Casio G-Shock DW-5600UE-1

Casio may have had a turn on this list already, but the G-Shock line absolutely needed to be recognised. Short of taking a hammer and nail to it, you’d have a hard time even trying to destroy one. The modern-day DW-5600UE-1 is about as close as you can get to the original release from 1983, preserving the octagonal shape, the ridged shoulders, the protected pushers, and the easily-legible black numeral dial. Small pops of colour around the LED screen’s frame inject it with a bit of fun, and the full resin case and bracelet ensure its lightweight practicality. Price: US$74.95

Swatch Clearly Gent

Based on the Jellyfish from 1983, Swatch’s first ever limited edition release, the Clearly Gent is an affordable dose of childlike wonder. The plastic case, TPU strap and clear movement components aim to make as much of the watch as see-through as possible, highlighting the colourful hands and the movement’s metallic components. It’s cool from a style point of view, and also fun to just stare straight into the quartz movement. Despite being called the Clearly Gent, its 34mm diameter can suit any wrist at all. Price: US$80

Timex Standard Sub-Second

So Timex has gained a second ranking on this list too, but there really aren’t many classically styled dress watches around for less than $100. Not only is the Timex Standard Sub-Second charming for the price, it’s legitimately one of the nicest small-second, time-only watch designs around. The vertically brushed grey dial carries a lot of sophistication, as does the polished pebble case and the straight lugs that so perfectly evoke the 1940s, with the exception of the modern 40mm case diameter. Price: US$99

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: A discontinued Seiko 5

It’s no secret that Seiko has been upping its prices and overhauling its catalogue over the last five years, however Seiko’s production numbers were always insanely high. That means there are still plenty of new-old-stock Seiko 5 watches available for sale, featuring the now-outdated 7S26 movement. While it may not have hand-winding or hacking seconds, those movements are still fantastic value for money, and you can find them floating around inside some cool designs for under $100 pretty easily.