With watches, it’s true that you typically get what you pay for.
There are very few shortcuts to a well-made watch complete with mechanical movement, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass and a high-quality leather strap.
But there are some watches that buck the trend.
While many watches under £100 won’t be worth looking at, there are a number that combine attractive design with good build quality and brand heritage.
Of course, for such an affordable watch you’ll have to forget about mechanical movements, intricate detailing and things like signed crowns, grand complications and precious metals. But you’ll be surprised at what you can get, especially if you keep it simple and opt for a classic dress watch or diver.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
From what to look out for to the best budget watches around, here’s everything you need to know about buying an entry-level watch.
What to look for when buying affordable men's watches
Dress watches
For under £100, it’s entirely possible to get yourself a perfectly serviceable dress watch.
Simple in style, dress watches are typically smart, time-only pieces with clean dials, metal cases and leather straps. They are your classic, daily watch that look as good with a suit as they do chinos and T-shirts.
While dress watches are traditionally mechanical, you can find plenty of quartz pieces for under £100 that look far more expensive than they are.
Diving watches
Diving watches are also perfectly achievable within this price range. Sure, they won’t be serious sub 300m dive watches you’ll actually take on an expedition, but they’ll look and mimic the appearance of the classics you know and love.
When looking for one, be sure to go for a dive watch with a unidirectional bezel that only clicks one way. This will ensure accuracy if you plan to time anything, as the bezel won’t move both ways.
Plastic watches
For this price point, you can definitely get hold of a decent quality metal-cased watch, but perhaps more common are plastic watches.
Made by the likes of Casio and Swatch, these pieces are affordable and rugged, and will take a beating if needed.
Usually digital, they also often come with plenty of cool features like alarms, calendars and chronographs, making them far more functional than traditional analogue watches.
Best watches for men under £100 at a glance:
- Best budget option: Casio Standard Digital Watch
- Best value option: Invicta Pro Diver
- Best minimal option: Lorus Men's Leather Strap Watch
- Best statement option: Casio Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
Timex Expedition Scout Men's 40mm Watch
- Timex Expedition Scout Men's 40mm Watch, £70 £54.99 from Amazon - buy here
When it comes to affordability, it’s difficult to top Timex. The American brand has long produced some of the coolest and cheapest watches around.
I’m a savvy shopper – best time to shop for Xmas 2023 is sooner than you think
From diving watches to chronographs, Timex’s offering tackles every style and taste and comes with impressive build quality, too.
Among its best designs are its field watches, which reference classic military-issued pieces from the 20th century. The Expedition is just one of them, and it ticks all the boxes with its rugged style and multiple versatile colour ways.
Casio Standard Digital Watch
- Casio Standard Digital Watch, £15.68 from Amazon - buy here
For many, Casio is the king of the budget watch.
Based in Japan, the brand’s quartz watches changed the game in the ‘80s with their high accuracy time telling, low price point and durable plastic construction. They’ve remained a key proponent of the budget watch since, and continue to be many people’s first watch purchase.
This classic black plastic, square-cased design is something of an icon, but it's incredibly functional too. A digital screen tells you the time, day and date, and it lights up at the push of a button, making reading it in the dark a breeze.
READ MORE:
- Best watches for men
- Best Chelsea boots for men
- Best jeans for men
- Best long sleeve polo shirts
- Best men's socks
- Best aviator sunglasses
Swatch Twice Again
- Swatch Twice Again,
£73£70.95 from House of Watches - buy here
There’s really not too much to say about Swatch’s classic white-dialled, black-cased Twice Again watch.
As simple as it gets, it tells the time accurately and offers a day and date function as well.
A minimalist example of timekeeping at its purest, it continues to be a staple of modern design.
Lorus Men's Leather Strap Watch
- Lorus Men's Leather Strap Watch, £49.99 from John Lewis - buy here
A clean, classic dress watch, this Lorus piece is incredibly easy to wear, and references decades of timekeeping design.
It comes with simple, minimal hour markers, a small crown and a stark black dial, which makes the silver hands pop.
Casio Men's G-Shock Day Resin Strap Watch
- Casio Men's G-Shock Day Resin Strap Watch, £99.99 from John Lewis - buy here
G-Shock is a brand loved by everyone, from watch snobs to casual fans, and for good reason.
The Casio sub-brand has made its name from producing incredibly tough, virtually indestructible watches that can handle anything you throw at them.
This one comes with a hexagonal bezel, an analogue and digital readout, and a classic G Shock form factor that’s surprisingly easy to style.
Sekonda Taylor Men's Watch
- Taylor Men's Watch, £54.99 from Sekonda - buy here
Coming with a stainless steel bracelet and matching polished case, this Sekonda piece looks far more expensive than it is.
The fairly minimal design incorporates a small date window at 3 o’clock while its 50m water resistance ensures swimming in it is no trouble.
Timex Standard 40mm Eco-Friendly Leather Strap Watch
- Standard 40mm Eco-Friendly Leather Strap Watch, £80 from Timex - buy here
Another modern classic from Timex, the Standard is a simple time-only piece that references watches from the early 20th century.
Its throwback case shape and lugs hark back to better times, while its quick-release strap means you can swap it out for something else entirely.
Invicta Pro Diver
- Invicta Pro Diver, £103.20 from Amazon - buy here
Rather remarkably, this Invicta watch bucks the trend of cheap quartz watches being the only thing you can pick up under £100 (although the price sometimes fluctuates to a smidge over that).
It’s essentially a Submariner copy that houses a Seiko automatic movement in a stainless steel case rated to 200m water resistance.
The only downside? The Invicta logo embossed on the side of the case; but for this price you can’t have it all.
Casio Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
- Casio Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch, £44.99 from H.Samuel - buy here
Casio has made plenty of noise with this piece, not for its classic looks, but because of the ‘Tiffany blue’ shade of its dial.
A proper eye-catcher, it elevates the piece into something loved by both hype beasts and traditional watch collectors.
Looking for more stylish savings at your favourite fashion chains? Visit Sun Vouchers where you’ll find amazing discounts and voucher codes for hundreds of fashion retailers including ASOS, Very, River Island, Roman Originals, New Look and more.
