6 Awesome New Watches Under $1,000

From a rock-solid Japanese diver to a sub-$200 Day-Date dupe.This is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.One of my favorite things about watch collecting is that the affordable end of the spectrum is just as rich and interesting as the absurdly expensive stuff. As an outsider, it can feel like breaking into this world requires a trust fund—or at least a really generous credit limit. In reality, there are enough incredible, wallet-friendly Seikos on the market alone to keep you occupied for the rest of your life.The affordable watch scene feels even more exciting lately, with a handful of beloved microbrands growing into regular-sized brands, and big collaborations—from the Royal Pop to Rowing Blazers’ latest linkup with Seiko—delivering the type of hype typically reserved for a new Rolex. That’s what made putting this list together both easy and difficult: there’s simply too much to choose from.Citizen Promaster Dive ($450 but currently on sale for $360)A handsome, rock-solid dive watch from a 102-year-old manufacturer for less than $500? Absolutely. Water-resistant up to 200 meters and available in a trio of classic dial colors—navy, black, and white—this piece was made in a lab to be an everyday driver you won’t ever have to baby.Seiko x Rowing Blazers Rally Diver ($495 retail; $700-ish on secondary market)Though it sold out immediately upon release, the fourth collaboration between RB and Seiko (featured design input from dealer Eric Wind), is still available for less than a grand on sites like eBay. Part of the reason for the demand is that it offers head-turning looks—the checkerboard-bezel design comes in deep-green 38mm and sea-blue 42mm versions—and serious watch-guy bona fides (mega-collector John Goldberger is a big fan) for a fraction of the price of your luxury sport watch. This is truly about as good as entry-level watches get..Casio MTP-B146D ($110)Love the Rolex Day-Date but hate the idea of paying over 30 grand for one? Well, how does $150 sound? This new Casio might not have the weight and gravitas you get from a solid-gold Presidential, but it’s absolutely one of the most solid bargains at the market. The day-of-the-week function brings some real sophistication to a model that’s cheap enough to impulse buy.Swatch What If...Jelly? ($105)Here, Swatch combines two of its icons: one historic, the other imagined. The brand launched its “What If…?” series a few years ago to fantasize a world where its debut 1982 model was square rather than round. It’s a funny bit, especially since square watches are a much more specific flavor—it’s like wondering if mint chocolate chip could replace vanilla at an ice cream shop. Swatch’s history of jelly watches is not fictional, however. The brand’s beloved “Jellyfish” model—with its gummy, see-through construction—is a longtime hit. These new pieces share that same funky texture and come in a series of fun colors.Split GMT ($900)A newcomer to the US, London-based Split delivers solid horology in a funky new way. These days, it’s not enough to simply douse a watch in the weirdest shade in the Crayola box and call it a day. (Although the orange-brown Fuzzy Wuzzy crayon would look great as a timepiece.) Split succeeds because its color pairings do what all good designs should: It gives you something you’d never think to ask for, but instantly can’t live without. The watermelon-esue Westbourne is the most successful colorway to me. This is a perfect vacation watch. The fun colors are just right for a summer fling, while the GMT functionality lets you track time in two time zones at once.DWC Terra ($45)OK, this one isn’t all that new, but I’d strongly urge you to sign up to be notified when the Terra is back in stock. Hailing from Indian manufacturer DWC for just $45, the watch boasts one of the most unique designs out there right now. It puts a new spin on the idea of a tool watch: The case is a rectangular metal plate, with carabiner-inspired hooks for the bracelet. This watch has been all over my Instagram lately, and I’m increasingly jealous I don’t have one myself.BONUS: Studi0 Underd0g 02Series (Second Generation) ($1,200)Had to include this new release from Studi0 Underd0g, one of my favorite young microbrands, even though it just missed my price cap. The company was founded during the pandemic as a means of bringing some cheeky humor to the very stuffy watch world—while still taking its watchmaking very seriously. That’s why this second generation of its flagship field watch now features text like “Assembled in Great Britain” on the dial to burnish SU’s technical chops. Still, it’s mostly fun and games with a quartet of exciting dial variations. My favorite is the dark blue and red “Nightshade” version, with its almost golden-yellow numerals.See all of our newsletters, including Box + Papers, hereCam Wolf is GQ’s Watch Editor. He joined the magazine in 2017 after working at Racked (RIP) as the site’s (first!) (and only!) Menswear Editor and Complex in the role of Style News Editor. Shortly into his GQ tenure, he immersed himself in the world of watches and quickly fell ... Read More