The first place to start when looking for the best watches for men is your budget. You'll find watches under $1,000, under $500, and under $200 from a variety of brands like Omega and Seiko; Watch manufacturers like Timex, G-SHOCK and Casio offer an even bigger sweet spot for watches under $100.
Everyone wants a good deal, but few are willing to do the work required to find it, so we've done this for you.
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Our favorite watch under $100 in our 2024 Watch Guide is the G-SHOCK GA700F-1A; It has everything you could want in an affordable watch: LED Super Light, countdown timer, fully automatic calendar, and it's both analog and digital. But don't worry, if it's not for you, there are loads of brands below to suit your needs, as well as several highlighted in our 2024 Watch Guide.
The Best Watches Under $100 at a Glance
- Best Watch Under $100 Overall: G-SHOCK GA700F-1A
- Best Digital Warch Under $100: Casio F108WH-2A
- Best Sustainable Watch Under $100: Timex Spend More Time Watch Timex Legacy Ocean
- Best Watch Under $100 for Francophiles: Swatch x Center Pompidou Eiffel Tower, Written by Robert Delaunay
- Best Stainless Steel Watch Under $100: Skagen Signatur Three-Hand
- Best Classic Watch Under $100: Fossil Minimalist Three-Hand
- Best Fashion Watch Under $100: Nixon Time Teller OPP
- Best Dress Watch Under $100: Sekonda Classic 1097
Best Watches Under $100 of 2024
Best Watch Under $100 Overall: G-SHOCK GA700F-1A
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Finding a watch with G-SHOCK durability for under $100 is a big win. The GA700F-1A has a particularly good feel thanks to its numerous features such as LED Super Illuminator light, countdown timer, fully automatic calendar and can be both analogue and digital. However, it does not offer Bluetooth like some other models of the brand. Another note is that the 55mm case is quite large, but if you're looking for something eye-catching at the right price, this is it. And we love that it comes in matte black.
- CASE: Resin/Bio-based resin
- MOVEMENT: Quartz
- TO CALL: Black
- DIMENSION: 55mm
- STRAP: Bio-based resin tape
Best Digital Watch Under $100: Casio F108WH-2A
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Being square isn't always a bad thing, especially when it comes to a classically styled Casio like the F108WH-2A. Inspired by the G-Shock DW5600, these hour markers feature an octagonal case shape and a seven-year battery life. Like other G-Shocks, it also comes with a wide range of functions, including stopwatch, LED backlight, daily alarm, automatic calendar and more; It also costs less than $25.
- CASE: Rosin
- MOVEMENT: Caliber 4R36 automatic
- TO CALL: Blue
- DIMENSION: 42.6mm
- STRAP: Rosin
Best Sustainable Watch Under $100: Timex Legacy Ocean
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The Timex Waterbury Ocean collection includes cases, bracelets and dials made entirely from upcycled, ocean-bound plastic. The hours begin with waste being collected along the coastline, washed, shredded and then shipped to Switzerland via carbon-neutral transport. Finally, they're being turned into sustainable watches, like this navy blue Legacy Ocean with luminous hands and water resistance of up to 30 meters.
- CASE: #tidal ocean material
- MOVEMENT: Quartz analogue
- TO CALL: Blue
- DIMENSION: 42mm
- STRAP: #tidal ocean material
Best Watch Under $100 for Frenchies: Swatch x Center Pompidou Eiffel Tower, Written by Robert Delaunay
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Paris was at the center of summer 2024, and Swatch made sure to keep that in mind when designing the Swatch X Center Pompidou Eiffel Tower, which celebrates Robert Delaunay's classic painting “The Eiffel Tower.” The orange print on the watch stands out with its translucent light blue strap, making it a great addition to any pro-French watch collection.
- CASE: Silicon
- MOVEMENT: Quartz
- TO CALL: Blue
- DIMENSION: 34mm
- STRAP: Silicon
Best Stainless Steel Watch Under $100: Skagen Signatur Three-Hand
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Finding a new, all-black, stainless steel watch for under $100 can be quite a challenge, add a dash of Danish design and it can seem downright impossible. Luckily, there is Skagen, and their Signatur Three-Hand watch is basically a lesson in mid-century modern simplicity. The band is made of genuine leather and is water resistant to meters, which means it should be swim-proof.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Quartz three hands
- TO CALL: Black
- DIMENSION: 40mm
- STRAP: Skin
Best Classic Watch Under $100: Fossil Minimalist Three-Hand
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Fossil may not be as visible as it once was in the watch game, but when you find a stainless steel watch like The Minimalist Three-Hand from a name that's been around this long for $100 (or less), you know you've stumbled upon it. in the face of something special. The watch has a quartz movement and is water resistant up to 5 ATM; This means it can be worn while kayaking, swimming, or even in the shower.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Quartz three hands
- TO CALL: White
- DIMENSION: 44mm
- STRAP: Skin
Best Fashion Watch Under $100: Nixon Time Teller OPP
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Made from recycled plastic, the Time Teller OPP is a classic among Nixon watches, newly added with an eco-friendly upgrade. Its minimalist design makes the watch perfect just about anywhere, and add to that the fact that it's water resistant to 100 meters, and that's really saying a lot. Additionally, a portion of all Time Teller sales will go to SeaTrees to save coastal ecosystems.
- CASE: recycled plastic
- MOVEMENT: Miyota Japanese quartz three-hand
- TO CALL: White
- DIMENSION: 39.5mm
- STRAP: Silicon
Best Dress Watch Under $100: Sekonda Classic 1097
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A classic stainless steel silver watch that's neither too big nor too small can be hard to find on today's market, especially when there's pressure to keep the price under $100. With the Classic 1097, Sekonda manages to keep the price low and not to stain the metal, while also adding a few more unique design beauties by adding rose gold colored batons on the black dial. It also has water resistance up to 50 meters.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Quartz
- TO CALL: Black
- DIMENSION: 41mm
- STRAP: stainless steel bracelet
What Makes a Good Watch Under $100?
Everyone has their own sense of style and design; therefore, judging a watch based on taste is in the eye of the beholder or judge. When it comes to a high-quality watch at an affordable price, there are a few things you should look for: the movement of the watch, the material of the watch, water resistance, and the finish.
Watch the Motion
Clock movements are basically the engine that makes everything work. Without going into too much detail, they range from relatively simple to extremely complex, which is usually reflected in the price of the watch. In most affordable quality watches, you will find a quartz movement or a certified mechanical movement (COSC); but most handmade mechanical movement watches will cost you a minimum of $10,000.
Despite the irrational negative energy around them, quartz movements tend to be more accurate and more affordable because they require fewer moving parts. Seiko (original), Timex and Swatch all use time-tested quartz movements.
Watch Material
While platinum, gold, ceramic and titanium watches are great, you're unlikely to find them for under $100, so you'll usually have to look for resin or silicone, but you can also find stainless steel if that's what you're really looking for. for.
Water Resistance
Few things damage a watch more than water, so waterproofing is a must. Some watches are made to go deep underwater, just like diving watches, and are water resistant to more than a hundred meters. Others are built for a night on the town, but even these need to be able to stand up when a sudden rainstorm hits. Overall, better insulated watches provide advantages and peace of mind in many situations.
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After all, a watch should look and feel good on your wrist; This is what separates affordable from cheap. There should be no loose screws or odd protrusions, and if it's metal it should be nicely polished without any scratches.
Why Should You Trust Me?
I've been collecting watches almost since I could tell the time. Around the age of 10, I started taking apart pocket watches to see what made them tick. Today, if I accidentally leave the house without a watch on my wrist, I feel naked; So I'll go back and get one. (Is this horology or OCD? Only my psychiatrist knows.) My cache currently includes a variety of vintage and contemporary pieces, from microbrands to G-Shock. I wear the Explorer II (Ref. 226570) most days, but my grandmother's Mickey Mouse watch will always be my favorite.
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