16 of the Best Watches Under $500

Released in 2022, Seiko's SSK003–also known as the Seiko 5 Sports GMT–is a budget-friendly GMT that builds on the legacy of Seiko's beloved SKX007. It's got the SKX's familiar shape and overall look, but with a more modern engine within that familiar chassis. (Namely, the caliber 4R34, which grants a lengthy 41-hour power reserve.) It's rare to find an affordable GMT, let alone an affordable GMT that can hold it down against way pricier competitors. The Seiko 5 Sports GMT is a true unicorn, batting way out of its league and still knocking it out of the park.If the all-blue colorway isn't doing it for you, Seiko offers an array of other options, including this delicious variant in chocolate brown and black topped with a tasteful gold on the bezel.The Bulova Computron—released in 1976 and reintroduced as a retro in 2019—is one of the enduring symbols of the quartz-slash-LED craze of the ’70s. It’s the late bookend on what I’d say was a big mid-century for the brand. It was a cultural centerpiece of the ’50s, lucked into a moon walk in the ’60s, and created this freaky little watch in the ’70s.The trapezoid shape, tapered bracelet, and LED display are just so fun. It’s like an extension of KITT from Knight Rider or something I imagine a coke addict scenester wore to The Odeon in the ’80s. Great watch that also looks cool in the silver version with blue LED.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowWhile we’re on Bulova, how about the Devil Diver? The Oceanographer is a classic, capable, if somewhat pedestrian dive watch. But, that 666 foot water resistance and the nickname that comes with it just make it so much more whimsical. I especially love the all business safety orange. This watch frequently pops up for under retail (and under $500) on Amazon.I’m a big fan of a Seiko Presage. Simple dress watches, ultimately, but there are a few cool details that help these stand out under $500. The dauphine hands always give it an elegant look, and the matching indices make these Cocktail Time versions especially sleek. Add a real leather strap, date feature, and that gorgeous dial, and you start to wonder why Seiko sells theses things at $450 retail.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowThis one is a short explanation. I’m a sucker for an old-school undersized dress watch. That’s partly for style, partly for my small wrists. These 1960s manual-wind Timex Marlin reissues will always hit for me. The simplicity, the embossed strap, and the script-y even numerals always look elegant.Now it looks like I’m just doing marketing for the Timex reissued line. I do really like the Q Timex lineup, all inspired by the watches the brand was making in the late ’70s, in quartz (hence the Q). This GMT for under $250 is just stellar. You’ll get compliments on it everywhere you go with only the odd, “I thought this was a Pepsi,” joke, to which you can respond, “Not bad company to keep.”Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowEvery budget watch list ever written ought to have a Casio Duro somewhere in the lineup.Brew is a favorite out of our Under the Radar Watch Brands story. A little New York-based microbrand that takes its inspiration from coffee culture. Unique shapes, fun colors, and coffee break timers—thank God someone is having fun with watchmaking.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowOne of those watches that frequently gets called out for looking more expensive than it is. The 40mm case size makes it a nice in-between fit.I love these little things. Thankfully Timex and Todd Snyder did this release with what appears to be a good bit of stock. The dial colors (blue and silver are the other options) give enough variety for multiple buys, and that mesh bracelet is just so vacation-y.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowCitizen has plenty of "traditional" mechanical watches, including many automatics. But this is a brand that boasts proprietary technology that converts any light source into energy as a means to power its watches–a technology that Citizen calls Eco-Drive. So, if you're going out of your way to get a Citizen, why not see what it's all about?That brings us to Citizen's Brycen Super Titanium, a sporty sub-$500 chronograph with additional features and movements like a perpetual calendar, a tachymeter, and a date complication at 4 o'clock. The sexy navy blue dial of the Brycen compliments the almost charcoal gray of the watch's Super Titanium dial and bracelet. The result is a beautifully smooth and lightweight watch that simply feels great to wear all day. Though its MSRP is at $595, the Brycen Super Titanium is often sold by retailers for way below that price; as of this writing, Citizen themselves are selling it for just $357.Japanese brand Orient, established in 1950 and now a subsidiary of Epson, has amassed a dedicated cult following for giving budget-conscious watch collectors some utterly gorgeous pieces to drool over. Made with in-house proprietary movements, Orient's watches give its customers the same artisanal quality found in the Swiss dynasties at a fraction of their cost. Among Orient's most popular offerings remains the Bambino, a line of dress watches that evolves with totally new personalities like a long-touring rock band. But of all the different Bambinos that have sprung into existence, we're still taken by the Bambino Version 8, a piece that looks thousands of dollars more expensive than it is. (Total cost: $285.) Featuring Orient's own automatic Caliber F6B22 movement (boasting 40 hours of power reserve), separate day and date complications and a 24 hour sub-dial, there is quite a lot of bang for your back here. If the Version 8 has your eye but you want a teeny bit less complexity, the Orient Bambino Version 2, priced at an even more affordable $230, is in many ways Version 8's direct predecessor, with virtually similar watch faces but with only a date complication.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowNicknamed “turtle” because of that fat cushion case, these Seiko’s have a pretty rich history in the tool watch world. Since the original versions back in the ’70s they’ve been good everyman options to all the higher-end divers.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowIn the Venn Diagram of watches that are sporty, tough, nerdy, and nostalgic, you'll find the G-SHOCK DW-6900. Released in February 1995, the DW-6900 is still ticking strong 30 years later with an array of new colors that help spice up this old favorite. Even our pal John Mayer came up with his own colorways for this piece.Just as it was three decades ago, the DW-6900 boasts 200-meter water resistance in a tough resin exterior. It has other nifty features like a stopwatch, a countdown timer, alarms, an internal calendar until the year 2099, and a very helpful backlight that can be accessed through an oversized "G" button.If you can spring a little more, the GW6900-1, priced at $140 and released in 2009, is a solar powered descendant that retains virtually all of the DW-6900's features with additional atomic timekeeping, a 48-city world timer, and a solar-powered battery.Dating back to 1854 when it was founded in Waterbury, Connecticut, the spirit of Americana runs through Timex's DNA. From its brand identity to the clean design aesthetics of its pieces, Timex is all about vintage elegance with stray hints of nostalgia for midcentury America. This is apparently true in its regular collaboration with Peanuts. And it is especially true in its Marlin line, which are all watches you can picture Don Draper wearing through a four-hour lunch.Of its current offerings, the Marlin Chronograph Tachymeter is by far the winner of the bunch. Priced at $209, this watch marks many firsts for Timex's Marlin series; it's the first quartz movement watch in the line, as well as its first chronograph. This makes the piece adaptable to bring from the board room to the race track (assuming your days are similarly adventurous). If nothing else, it's simply a classy chronograph with the benefit of quartz accuracy. Wear it on your wrist and you'll turn as many heads as a Ford Mustang making another lap.