If you buy a Cheap watches for less than £100, it doesn’t sound like you’ll get much. These days, that amount isn’t even enough for a night out in London. Changing your expectations a little doesn’t mean this price range isn’t worth looking at.
Very little technical could be found, but quartz is excellent now that it’s been 50 years, so that’s fine. Also, sapphire crystal isn’t a given, and steel bands aren’t our first choice because they are usually finished poorly, which means that every piece of clothing comes with arm hair removal as standard.
However, you can buy something new, experimental, or out of your comfort zone without worrying about making a significant investment. Want to buy a fun watch? It would be best if you looked into that thought.
1. TIMEX ALLIED COASTLINE CHEAP WATCHES
At this price of cheap watches point, Timex shines, as this sporty little number shows. After you take in how cool that orange watch is, you’ll see that your Sterling gets you a lot of features.
The bezel can only turn in one direction, so you can keep track of time while you swim or while your tea is brewing. The matte case feels solid, and the fabric strap was designed so the colour won’t fade in the sun or sea spray. As a 43mm watch, it stands out on the wrist and is perfect if you have another dive watch you want to avoid scratching up.
2. LARSSON & JENNINGS CODE DOT
Larsson & Jennings has been the leader in high-concept, mid-range cheap watches since it started in 2012. Its designs mix Swedish and British styles, and Swiss movements power all its watches. This new Code collection is different from what you usually see.
It still has a Swiss movement, and if you pay a little more for this bracket, you get extras like a sapphire screen that won’t scratch and a genuine leather strap. However, you have something much more Bauhaus than modern standards. For a modern take on the style of the movement, wear it with an Adidas x Eric Emanuel sweater and some Takara shoes from Hermes.
3. SEIKO 5
Remember how we told you you couldn’t get certain things for this price range of cheap watches? This Seiko pretty much breaks all of those rules. For only five pounds more than five pieces of sashimi at Sexy Fish, you can get an automatic movement made in-house, a display case back, and Hardlex, Seiko’s trademark scratch-resistant mineral crystal glass.
The stars on the outer ring and the hour and minute hands are filled with Lumibrite. The whole thing looks like it was made in the 1970s in a military style. On top of that, this watch was the choice of Gene Kranz, who was in charge of the Apollo 11 and 13 trips for NASA.
4. MVMT BLACK LINK
Jake Kassan and Kramer LaPlante, two people from Los Angeles, were tired of the low quality and high prices of many fashion watch brands. They decided to see if they could improve the quality and lower the price without going down on style.
This Classic 45mm number from MVMT is an excellent example of what they do best. It’s a black stainless steel three-hander, so there’s not much to say. But the little things, like the red second-hand and the perfectly placed date window, make it stand out and make you want to “put it on my wrist now.”
5. FOSSIL COMMUTER THREE-HAND
Even though the name might be a turnoff, this Fossil is an excellent piece from the 1960s. First, there’s the very trendy green dial for 2019, slowly replacing blue dials as the colour of the moment.
Next, there’s the unique lug shape, which, along with the rough brown leather strap, gives the idea of being retro. A lot of thought was put into this design, and as the name suggests, it will go well with your work week.
6. SWATCH SCUBA LIBRE DEEP TURTLE
There is so much trust in the Scuba Libre that people who already own divers from Omega or Rolex will also get one of these. It has a 200-meter water protection, a unidirectional bezel, and plongeur hands, just like a regular diving cheap watches.
But it comes in the fun, colourful style that Swatch is known for. It might be better for pros, but if you want the best beach knockabout, look no further.
7. NIXON TIME TELLER
A bit of laid-back Californian cool is just what your wrist needs now that summer is (hopefully) coming. Right? That’s what Nixon is known for. The brand makes everything from tiny digital watches to oversized clocks, but the Time Teller, with its retro oval shape, is always a fan favourite.
The case shape is off-the-wall. It’s light, so it won’t be too much of a chore to wear when the temperature rises, and it comes in 24 different colour choices, from a dull grey to this bright turquoise.
8. CASIO ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL DISPLAY WATCH
From 1974 until now, Casio’s primary goal has been to make high-tech watches that are also cheap. And that’s the case here. It has five alarms, a clock, two countdown timers, and world time for 48 cities. This makes it perfect for interval training.
On top of that, it has both traditional and digital day/date functions, which makes it easy to read even though the dial and numbers are all black and black. You can’t find a better sports watch for £50.
9. ANDREAS OSTEN
This Danish brand might be right for you if you want something basic and straightforward but also a little different from what everyone else is wearing. This is a genuinely minimalist watch design at its most basic, with a case that is as smooth as glass.
The blurb says that the simplicity is partly a nod to the Scandinavian style and partly meant to inspire the user to live a simpler life. No matter your opinion, it looks so casual that it will go with everything in your closet. It is as simple as it can be.
10. SEKONDA MEN’S SPORTS WATCH
This Sekonda is a tribute to the great dive watches made in the past. The arrow-shaped hands look like a particular “master of the sea” in length, the markers look like a watch that could tell you the time to fifty fathoms, and the blue colour looks like something the king of watches would make.
There’s no shame in getting all those references in one watch that costs less than a Saturday night round, though, if you love them all.
