New watch on a budget
Hi all,
I’m looking for a new watch. To be fair, I’m always looking for a new watch. But around this time of year my funds are a little depleted. I was wondering what everyone thought about the best brand for under $100. I’m familiar with the go-to’s: Timex, Casio, Seiko, etc. I’m looking for a more unknown brand. Not necessarily a micro maker but a quality, substantial watch on the cheap. I have no real preferences other than 40-45mm case size. Thoughts?
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John
My name is John. I live in Pilot Point, TX. I started collecting in spring of ‘22. I don’t have a very high-end collection but hopefully it’s an interesting one. Wolf Pack 4 Life.
Denton, TX
Member since
Last active: 1 year ago
I am partial to Merkur. I bought this for less than $100US. All Chinese brands seem to be on sale now.
I am partial to Merkur. I bought this for less than $100US. All Chinese brands seem to be on sale now.
I’ll d look into that. Thanks!
Aside from Ali express (where I think you can get an NH34 GMT from Pagani sub $100), I might search out some orient Bambinos on eBay. Im seeing them new for sub $100. Absolute true classic there for very little.
Aside from Ali express (where I think you can get an NH34 GMT from Pagani sub $100), I might search out some orient Bambinos on eBay. Im seeing them new for sub $100. Absolute true classic there for very little.
Yeah, I’ve bought a few from Ali. I’ll check those Bambinos. Thanks
Honestly I'd stick to the good stuff. With Casio and Citizen you get a ton of features and huge reliability. The Citizen was 125 and the Casio 160. Even cheaper if you get them used.
That Casio is one of the best tool watches ever. Titanium, solar, radio controlled, sapphire, digital timers and alarms etc, and ultra lightweight with a flat back that makes it insanely comfy.
If you go with Alifartspress please avoid the leather. A ton of it is cat and dog skin coming from the most nightmarish industry on earth. Often they don't even kill them before removing the skin. There's a documentary called Dominion on YouTube. Personally I just avoid those brands all together because I just hate what they do and don't want to support them.
Just my 2 cents. Japan or USA is the way to go. They actually care about quality and design and it really shows in their products. and you can pick up some great stuff for $30+ that's normally so much higher quality than Chinese at that same price.
Also most the stuff from China is a 1 to 1 rip off of someone else's work which I also find unappealing personally. I'm not against homages but in my opinion there's taking inspiration (perfectly fine) and then there's just lazy copying.
(Edit: China is the world's biggest producer and exporter of leather - so I avoid all of it even from other countries. It's just unnecessary in my opinion as there's lots of great alternatives.)
Vostok? But I would have a bad taste in my mouth wearing on nowadays....
Honestly I'd stick to the good stuff. With Casio and Citizen you get a ton of features and huge reliability. The Citizen was 125 and the Casio 160. Even cheaper if you get them used.
That Casio is one of the best tool watches ever. Titanium, solar, radio controlled, sapphire, digital timers and alarms etc, and ultra lightweight with a flat back that makes it insanely comfy.
If you go with Alifartspress please avoid the leather. A ton of it is cat and dog skin coming from the most nightmarish industry on earth. Often they don't even kill them before removing the skin. There's a documentary called Dominion on YouTube. Personally I just avoid those brands all together because I just hate what they do and don't want to support them.
Just my 2 cents. Japan or USA is the way to go. They actually care about quality and design and it really shows in their products. and you can pick up some great stuff for $30+ that's normally so much higher quality than Chinese at that same price.
Also most the stuff from China is a 1 to 1 rip off of someone else's work which I also find unappealing personally. I'm not against homages but in my opinion there's taking inspiration (perfectly fine) and then there's just lazy copying.
(Edit: China is the world's biggest producer and exporter of leather - so I avoid all of it even from other countries. It's just unnecessary in my opinion as there's lots of great alternatives.)
Wow! Thanks for the insight! Yeah, there’s probably a reason those are still in my rotation and others aren’t. My Citizen and Casios are among my favorites. Thanks!
Vostok? But I would have a bad taste in my mouth wearing on nowadays....
Yes, I’ve definitely been avoiding anything from there.
Wow! Thanks for the insight! Yeah, there’s probably a reason those are still in my rotation and others aren’t. My Citizen and Casios are among my favorites. Thanks!
Don't forget you can sell some watches or random crap from your home and increase your watch budget. I do this all the time with anything I don't use anymore. Great on the wallet and also keeps the house tidy. And it's pretty easy once you figure out a way of selling that's easy for you. Currently I only do Facebook (I meet people near my house) but sometime soon I might get back into eBay and ship stuff.
Well, I found 3! A 70’s Citizen automatic, an 80’s Seiko 5 automatic and a Casio CA53WF. I’m excited to either show them off or be ridiculed. Only time will tell.
Vostok? But I would have a bad taste in my mouth wearing on nowadays....
I don't think that's really fair. we are all fine wearing Merkur watch but not Vostok? Watch is a watch its not geopolitics
I don't think that's really fair. we are all fine wearing Merkur watch but not Vostok? Watch is a watch its not geopolitics
I have owned a Vostok before, but buying a new Vostok or anything else from that regime now means support ing supporting bombing of civilians and civilian infrastructure (and not by accident, but as a strategy). That taks the fun out of all things russian for me.
I have owned a Vostok before, but buying a new Vostok or anything else from that regime now means support ing supporting bombing of civilians and civilian infrastructure (and not by accident, but as a strategy). That taks the fun out of all things russian for me.
I understand that, but then does buying US made or French made watches mean one supports the War in Iraq or Afghanistan where civilians were also killed as a strategy? Or does buying Merkur mean one supports Chinese concentration camps for undesirable ethnicities?
I understand that, but then does buying US made or French made watches mean one supports the War in Iraq or Afghanistan where civilians were also killed as a strategy? Or does buying Merkur mean one supports Chinese concentration camps for undesirable ethnicities?
Correct. And not that the US or the rest of the west had anything to do in Iraq or Afghanistan, nor did they act like saint, but they did not do warfare strategy with the only intent of killing civilians like Putins regime are doing today. I think you understood where I came from in my initial comment, so I'm done with this conversation. I live on the border of Russia too and we could very well be at war too by now if it wasn't for NATO... So this hits close to home. I hope you understand
I would try Titan, Sonata and Fastrack these brand from India they wear these a lot basic brands.