Looking for a list of the best watches under $500? We’ve got you covered. Here are 24 awesome options to choose from.
Maybe you wear a watch every day. Maybe you just want one nice timepiece for special occasions. Or maybe, like most guys, you’re somewhere in between.
Either way, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get an amazing wrist watch. Even guys on tight budgets can even find some great watches under $100.
Choosing the “Best” Watches
In this article, we’ll look at watches that cost less than $500. We won’t be including “fashion watches” in this list – just great watches from respectable brands that offer a ton of value for the price.
This list will include both mechanical and quartz watches, and it will include lots of different styles and sizes, so there’s something for everyone here.
Quick Take
Short on time? Here are our top three picks for the best men’s watches under $500 you can buy right now:
The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is one of the most famous field watches of all time and definitely one of the top Hamilton watches.
Vintage charm with a contemporary dial size, the Timex Marlin Automatic is a much loved recent release from the long established brand.
A favorite among Seiko enthusiasts, this piece from the Japanese watch behemoth’s higher end Presage line is an absolute beauty.
Watch or read on for the full list…
Best Men’s Watches Under $500
Let’s dive in (pun intended, we’re big fans of dive watches). Here are the best under $500 watches right now, in no particular order…
Seiko 5 Sports SRPD77K1
- Diameter: 43mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $190
The Seiko SRPD-77K1 is the green colorway of the new Seiko 5 Sports collection.
With its gunmetal grey case, textured avocado dial and bright orange second hand, it’s one of the coolest designs Seiko has come out with in recent years.
Of course, if you prefer a different color, there are many other models to choose from in this new collection.
The SRPD-77K1 is powered by an automatic movement. Specifically, the 4R36 movement is a hacking and hand-winding upgrade over Seiko’s trusty 7S26.
This watch has a unidirectional bezel and scratch resistant Hardlex crystal.
Unlike many watches in this price range, this one has applied indices (as opposed to painted on indices like we see in the SKX007, for example).
You can find a full SRPD77 review right here.
Baltic HMS 002
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $385
In a sea of typecast watch brands, Baltic stands out. The dressy HMS 002 is one of the most unique looking watches on this list.
With a modest 38mm case and three hand automatic movement, this is an easy-wearing, practical everyday watch, especially if your style leans smart casual.
The domed Hesalite glass, stepped case and calf leather strap give the HMS 002 a vintage art deco vibe without relying on false patina or other tacky design choices.
Plus, it’s a Baltic. If you want to stand out from the crowd of people wearing Swiss and Japanese watches, this French brand might be for you.
Laco Augsburg
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $
Laco is a German watch brand founded in 1925 and known for making watches worn by World War II fighter pilots.
Modeled after these original designs, the Laco Augsburg prioritizes legibility with its clean, uncomplicated dial, large sans serif numerals and SuperLuminova markers.
The Augsburg isn’t the smallest watch at 42mm in diameter and 12mm thick, but this makes sense given its utilitarian roots.
Even watch snobs respect Laco for its intentional aesthetic and overall value proposition.
If you’re into aviation watches and can spend $300-500 on a timepiece, Laco is probably your best bet.
Boldr Venture Titanium
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $339
There are microbrands, and then there are microbrands. Boldr isn’t just another “affordable luxury” get rich quick scheme. It’s actually a really cool up and coming watch maker that’s worth your consideration.
The Boldr Venture Titanium is a lightweight 38mm automatic watch with a 24 hour subdial.
Its screw down crown helps produce 200m of water resistance. Other practical touches include Superlume filled hands and an AR coated dial.
The author of this Boldr Venture review notes how easy it is to wear and says, “if you’ve got the funds, put this watch in your collection”.
Sternglas Naos Automatic
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $427
At first glance, you might think that Sternglas is just another “Scandinavian” minimalist watch brand, a la Skagen or Nordgreen.
But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that Sternglas is different. They actually care about the design, materials and workmanship that goes into their watches.
Case in point: their popular Naos is available with an automatic movement and a sapphire exhibition case back, something you don’t see from most fashion watch brands.
An affordable alternative to the Junghans Maxbill, the Naos Automatic is a simple, understated watch with an undeniably German design language.
Complicated only by a small date window at 6 o’clock, this watch will appeal to anyone who appreciates clean design and the Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic.
Orient Bambino V5
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $220
The fifth generation of the internet’s favorite entry-level automatic watch offers just as much value as its predecessors.
(Which is to say, a lot.)
What’s to love about this watch? Well, it has a Japanese automatic movement, domed dial and crystal, decent water resistance for a dress watch (30m), a wearable 40.5mm case and surprisingly supple stock leather strap.
Technically, nothing has changed with the most recent iteration of the Bambino, so if you prefer the dial design of V4, V3 or earlier models, you should buy one of those.
If you want a smaller version of the Bambino, check out the 36mm “ladies Bambino” (a better size for a dress watch, in my humble opinion).
Seiko Prospex “Turtle”
- Diameter: 45mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $549
There are numerous versions of Seiko’s beloved “Turtle” diver, many of which can be found for under $500 on grey market shops like Amazon (Amazon affiliate link) and Jomashop.
Even at $525 or more, these Prospex line dive watches offer a ton of value for the price.
What do you get when you buy a Seiko Turtle? You get an automatic movement with hacking and hand-winding, 40+ hours power reserve, a quickset day/date window, 200m water resistance and a bracelet that punches way above its weight class.
The only potential “con” of the Prospex Turtle is its size. At 45mm it’s not a small watch and will be too big for guys with smaller wrists.
Of course, you can always opt for the so called Baby Turtle, a slightly smaller version of the original that doesn’t compromise on water resistance (or anything else, for that matter).
Orient Mako II
- Diameter: 41.5mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $137
Speaking of reasonably sized Japanese dive watches, no list of watches under $500 would be complete without the Orient Mako II.
Available with a marine blue, black or Pepsi dial, this stainless steel diver gives you just as much water resistance as the Seiko Turtle (200m) for a fraction of the price.
It has a unidirectional 12- click bezel, screw down crown, day/date complication and in-house automatic movement.
The steel bracelet is comfy, but it’s not going to feel as good as Seiko’s Prospex bracelets. For the price, it’s perfectly fine.
All in all, the Mako II is one of the best entry-level automatic dive watches you can buy.
Spinnaker Bradner Automatic
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $284
Just in case you’re not finding enough affordable automatic dive watches on this list, here’s one more: the Spinnaker Bradner Atuomatic.
Based in Hong Kong, Spinnaker is well known (and mostly loved) for their fun, colorful divers that offer plenty of performance for the price.
In general, their dive watches are a bit quirkier than similar offerings from Seiko and Orient, and the Bradner is no exception.
With its colorful accents, beads of rice bracelet and unique inner turning bezel, this watch will either turn you off or make its way to the top of your wish list.
Personally, I think the textured dials on the Pacific Blue and Emerald Green colorways are really cool, but you can’t go wrong with any version of the Spinnaker Bradner.
Seiko SARB033
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $425*
We had to include what used to be arguably the best watch under $500 in the world: the Seiko SARB033.
In the past, this was usually my #1 recommendation for first time watch buyers who want something they can wear every day and who didn’t want to spend more than $500.
The SARB033 can be worn with almost any outfit and for almost any occasion. The stainless steel and black combo will look just as good in 50 years as it does now, which is a good thing because this watch will probably still be ticking.
This classic Seiko is powered by a Japanese automatic movement that has a 50 hour power reserve (this means it will keep ticking even if you don’t wear it for a couple days).
Complicated only by a subtle date window at 3 o’clock, this mechanical watch is an understated masterpiece.
*Update: Since this watch was discontinued in 2018, it’s been increasingly hard to find for its original price. It often goes for $600-1,200 these days! I kept it on the list because it’s still a steal on the secondhand market.
Timex Marlin Automatic
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $260
Dripping with vintage charm, but at a contemporary dial size, the Timex Marlin Automatic is a much loved (and somewhat recent) release from the long established brand.
Available in a silver or gold finish, this 40mm watch gets some additional character from the mesh band and acrylic crystal.
The small date window at 3 o’clock is a practical touch on an otherwise minimally designed watch.
G-Shock GGB100-1A
- Diameter: 55.4mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $380
G-Shock, a Casio brand, is known for making bulletproof watches, and the 55mm Mudmaster is no exception.
With the incorporation of an altimeter and thermometer, this mud resistant watch is a great option for the outdoorsy man, adventure race enthusiast, soldier or law enforcement officer.
Brew Retrograph Remington
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Meca-quartz
- Price: $350
Most of the watches on this list are made by companies that have been around for decades, but that doesn’t mean we’re not paying attention to newer “microbrands” that are doing it right.
This watch from NYC-based Brew has been raising eyebrows with its rectangular case, meca-quartz movement and chronograph complication.
At 38mm it will work well on almost any wrist.
Withings Steel HR Sport
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Movement: Hybrid smart watch
- Price: $200
We wanted to include something a little different with this Withings hybrid smart watch.
We’ll always love classic watches, but we also understand that times change, and some men are going to want something with a bit of modern tech built in – without sacrificing the analog look and feel.
This is nothing like your average smart watches. It’s not a clunky, digital hunk of plastic and rubber that overtakes your wrist. It wears more like a traditional analog wrist watch.
Plus, with built in heart rate monitoring, GPS and smartphone notifications, it’s a very practical little device.
Vintage Omega Seamaster
- Diameter: 39mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $385
Would this list be complete without something vintage and oh so classic like an Omega Seamaster? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
The truth is, if you’re looking for a great watch under $500, you should definitely consider going pre-owned, and Omega has some of the best watches available on the secondhand market.
It’s a different buying process. You figure out which reference you like best, you keep an eye on the used market, then you nab that perfect vintage piece.
Keep your eyes peeled on sites like eBay, Reddit’s r/watchexchange, Crown & Caliber and WatchBox to find a great vintage Seamaster for less than $500.
Seiko SKX007
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $315
I’ll admit it: I’ve never been scuba diving. But for some reason, I’ve always found dive watches to be fascinating, and the Seiko SKX007 is an absolute classic.
Get it on a rubber strap or jubilee bracelet, or replace the stock band with an aftermarket oyster or NATO. You really can’t go wrong with this classic diver.
This watch boasts 200m of water resistance and it has 007 in the name. What could be cooler?
If you need something smaller, check out the SKX013 instead.
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Mechanical
- Price: $495
If you think I have a thing for field watches, you’re right! I love the idea of a watch that’s rugged but still sharp enough to wear on a casual date or running errands.
Keeping the price point under $500, the Hamilton Khaki Field is a great introduction into mechanical watches.
This 38mm hand wound watch has a brushed steel case that’s just 9.5mm thick, which means it will wear very close to your wrist.
The stock canvas strap isn’t bad at all, although you could put this on a leather or nylon strap if you’d prefer a different look.
Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver
- Diameter: 40mm or 44mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $290
Like all Dan Henry watches, this automatic diver is inspired by vintage pieces and designed by a total watch nerd.
Powered by a Seiko automatic movement with 200m water resistance, this affordable dive watch is available in two different sizes, with or without a date window.
It features details typically found on more expensive divers, such as an inner rotating bezel and applied indices.
The Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver is definitely worth checking out if you’re into microbrands.
Baltic HMS 001
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $366
The Baltic HMS 001 is cool at first glance, and it only gets cooler when you notice the “sunray” finish on the dial and the high domed Hesalite crystal.
In an ever-expanding sea of wrist watches to choose from, it’s those little details that can make one piece stand out from the rest.
Featuring blue and white analog hands and available with your choice of three different leather straps, this automatic French-made watch could easily become a unique staple in any man’s collection.
Brathwait Automatic Minimalist
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $269
While some watch lovers would simply disregard Brathwait as another “fashion watch” brand, we like to give credit where credit is due.
Think of Brathwait as the Everlane of wrist watches. They focus on high quality materials and manufacturing, reasonable prices and a transparent business model.
For example, they tell us that this Automatic Minamalist watch cost $146 to produce, and they sell it directly to customers for just $269 (an incredibly low markup for this industry).
Of course, none of this matters if the products don’t look good. Lucky for us, Brathwait watches are actually gorgeous, especially if you like the minimal aesthetic.
If anyone is thinking about buying a Daniel Wellington or MVMT, they should definitely consider Brathwait instead.
Seagull 1963 Chronograph
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Mechanical
- Price: $379
Most people have never heard of Seagull, but since 1955 this Chinese watch company has been making the movements that power up to ¼ of the world’s watches.
Seagull is especially well known for it’s hand wind chronographs, like this official 1963 remake of a traditional Chinese Airforce chrono.
Available in black, white or a colorful red/blue/yellow dial, this watch would easily cost 2-3x as much if it were sold by a Swiss brand.
Junghans Max Bill
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Quartz
- Price: $359
A quintessential bauhaus inspired wrist watch, the German-made Junghans Max Bill is much loved among watch enthusiasts and design students alike.
This watch features minimalist design elements, a large dial and thin bezel, matte dial and generously domed plexiglass crystal.
The quartz version is just 7.9mm thick, which is extremely thin and will slide under the cuff of even the most fitted dress shirt.
If you want a mechanical watch, check out the 34mm “unisex” hand winding Max Bill or the higher end Men’s Automatic version.
Tissot Everytime Automatic
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $395
Here’s an average size, minimal, stainless steel watch from Tissot, a well established Swiss brand founded in 1853 (and now owned by Swatch Group).
This is a simple watch that can be worn casually or with formal outfits. It does have some flair with its date window, subtly domed sapphire crystal and see-through caseback.
If you like the minimal look and only want to own one or two watches, the Tissot Everytime is a great choice.
Seiko Presage Cocktail Time
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Price: $475
A favorite among Seiko enthusiasts, this piece from the Japanese watch behemoth’s higher end Presage line is an absolute beauty.
The Cocktail Time is an automatic watch manual winding and a hacking second hand. It has a 41 hour power reserve, so it will keep ticking even if you don’t wear it every day.
This watch is available in a wide variety of dial color and strap combinations, but we’re partial to the blue sunburst dial and steel bracelet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about watches under $500:
What are the top 5 men’s watches under $500?
There are some many great watches under $500, so your top 5 would really depend on your personal preferences. Our top 5 include the Hamilton Khaki Mechanical, Seiko Presage Cocktail Time, Timex Marlin, Seagull 1963 Chronograph, and Orient Mako II.
What are some good watches under $500?
All of the watches on this list are not only good: they’re great. If you want good watches under $500, look at brands like Seiko, Orient, Hamilton, Baltic, Brew, Lorier, Timex, Seagull, Laco and Spinnaker.
Watch moon phase watches under $500 would you recommend?
The best moon phase watch under $500 is the Zeppelin LZ129 Hindenburg. It’s made in Germany and powered by a Swiss quartz movement from Ronda.
What is the best Seiko watch under $500?
There are many amazing Seiko watches under $500, including several from the Presage line. Our favorite is the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time.
What is the best automatic watch under $500?
There are many amazing automatic watches under $500, so it really depends on what you’re looking for (dress, diver, field, etc.). Two fantastic watches automatic watches under $500 are the Orient Mako II and the Timex Marlin 40mm.
What is the best skeleton watch under $500?
The best skeleton watch under $500 is the Bulova 98A177 automatic. Just keep in mind, it’s a large watch at 46mm. Another great under $500 skeleton watch is the 42mm Rotary Greenwich.
Plenty of Options Under $500
We hope this list proves that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get a high quality, good looking watch that’s built to last.
If one of these watches caught your eye, don’t be afraid to save up for a while until you can afford it. The anticipation is half the fun!
What’s your favorite watch under $500? Let use know in the comments below!
Nice article!
I personally love G-shock. I think it is perfect for someone who loves the outdoors, like me.
Stay safe and healthy!
Cheers!
Oldie, but still a goodie….
Q: What do you call a trouser belt made entirely of Rolex watches??
A: A waist of time…
(D’oh!!)
The Citizen AT9030-55L Eco-Drive watch is a solar (quartz) watch in a stainless steel case with 200M water resistance, world time, and “radio controlled” via atomic clock for high accuracy. Very nice watch, overall.