Top 5 Dress Watches for Men on a Budget

The misconception that only the expensive watches are nice and worth the buck is usually the reason behind many men’s hesitation and doubt when shopping for dress watch.

However, it is totally possible to find durable and stylish dress watch that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. In spite of that, we do acknowledge that the quest to find a good and affordable dress watch is a lot easier said than done.

Especially when there are thousands of models available on the market, you obviously don’t have the time and effort to browse through every single one to find a hidden gem.

In order to spare you the trouble, we have put together a list of the “Best affordable dress watches for men” at three different price points: under $300, under $500 and under $1000.

The list was developed based on our personal experience and customer reviews taken from popular shopping sites and prestigious online communities.

Best dress watches under $300

1. Orient Bambino Gen 2 Ver 2

If you are looking for a high-quality dress watch with a classic vintage feel, this watch proved itself as a strong contender.

Orient Bambino Gen 2 Ver. 2 has stunning design that pays tribute to the watches from the past with elegant details such as onion crown, domed mineral crystal, Roman numeral markers, thin hands and a train track chapter ring. The watch has an average case size of 40.5 millimeters and a case thickness of 11.8 millimeters.

Thanks to Orient’s exquisite craftsmanship and smart arrangement, the dial remains sleek and polished despite carrying a great number of details. This model is powered by an excellent 24-jewel Orient automatic movement, caliber F6724 with an accuracy of +/-10s to +/-15s a day and a 40-hour power reserve.

This watch has been one of the top fan’s favorites from the Bambino line for a while and judging on the design, quality and functionality; it’s definitely here to stay. However, many are not fans of the glossy and stiff leather bands so feel free to replace them if you think it’s necessary!

2. Seiko SNKL23

This, friends, is a $75 watch pretty much any day of the week, on Amazon (or elsewhere). It looks great (albeit on a strap, yeah yeah, that costs three times what the watch does) feels good, will run reliably for longer than you will in all likelihood and while every Seiko 5 is certainly not a home run, it is in a dishonest world full of so-called luxuries of often questionable value, a piece of solid value –maybe the solidest in watchmaking – that we often take for granted. But every once in a while it’s nice to take a fresh look at the Seiko 5 and remind ourselves just what a real Value Proposition can look like.

3. Orient President Day-Date

One of the nicest made pieces you can get for the money. Orient did a fantastic job creating a 36mm Rolex Day Date homage with its own characteristics. First of all, it has a sapphire crystal, date magnifier and sapphire indices. It has a waterproof screw down case back and crown with 100 meters resistance. A very reliable and accurate "in house" automatic movement which is simply a rotor wind without stem wind or hacking seconds hand similar to a workhorse Seiko 7S26 but featuring Orient's unique 2 way winding clutch. This watch will more than likely run for years without service. The jubilee style bracelet features solid links with compression pins, hollow end links which evens out the overall weight nicely and single fold dual push button clasp. The case and bezel finishing is very detailed. All indices have perfect alignment on the dial. For $300 you won't find a nicer watch than this. Especially this well made.

4. MVMT 40 Series Black Rose Gold

In the watch industry $200 typically doesn't get you very far, in some cases you can't get a single watch, in others you have to settle on one style. With MVMT, I was able to get three styles for less than what most companies charge for one watch.

I chose the Rose Gold 40 Series watch for $125, a black leather strap, and a brown leather strap for $35 each, for a total of $195. The watch features a 40mm rose gold case and bracelet, black dial with rose gold hands and hour markers, and white second hand and minute markers.

The combination of colors paired with the simple design, make it very appealing. There are no displays for A.M. or P.M., day, date, or month, just set the time. While those extra features are sometimes nice to have, in many cases they clutter the display, and become useless the moment they're not accurate.

What I like most about the Rose Gold 40 Series is how versatile it is. The color combination used on the case and dial is already attractive, but the ability to change the band makes it perfect for wearing every day. The best part is that it doesn't take my time or effort swap bands. A small lever on the band releases it from the case, making room for the next style. You won't need tools like a small screwdriver or a magnifying glass to do it.

Personally, I like the brown leather strap the best, but I've switched it to black when wearing black shoes and the rose gold links when I wanted a flashier look.

Whether you have one distinct style in mind or looking for several looks, MVMT is where you want to buy your next watch. Instead of spending hundreds one watch or thousands on multiples, pick up just one MVMT to enjoy versatility and at a great price.

You can get one for a BIG discount by using our exclusive PROMO CODE: BYEPAYCHECK

5. Tissot T-Classic

A great way to join the Tissot family of watches for a very reasonable price, this T-Classic banks on its clean, attractive design and couple standout features. The small-ish case and simple design mean this watch eschews most of the fashionable elements of the day. In that regard, I would fully expect this watch to not go out of style, it looks good enough to wear no matter the current trends. As such, I view this as a great buy for anyone looking for a long-term daily wearer, something you can put on every day for years without having to worry about reliability or being out of fashion. Really, the only concern you will mostly likely encounter is a battery change every once in a while. So there it is; an inexpensive yet classic offering from a well-known and admired Swiss manufacturer.

Conclusion

Above is my full list of the best affordable dress watches for men based on recommendations and personal experience. I've included watches from different price points to make sure you find the one that best fits your budget.

I've mentioned watches that have different styles and different target customers to make sure you find the one for you no matter who you are and what you like. However, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect watch. What works for you may not work for others.

The watches I've recommended have some flaws but at the end of the day, they are still some of the finest options you can find with a tight budget.