What is the best budget watch brand?

Timex, based on name, and variety. Nobody else at their price range offers the variety and quality.

Honestly, I think the Chinese own the budget end of the market now, assuming you can stomach a lot of homages. You can get something with a NH-35 or Mecha quartz or Miyota movement, ceramic, sapphire, solid links and end links, milled clasps for under $100. Hard to beat.

I love Timex, but I voted Casio for the immense variety they offer!

I miss-voted when I put Seiko. Overall, I like Seiko more but quality-wise Casio is unbeatable <$500.

Casio are cheaper than Timex with more variety and comparable quality. Timex are getting more expensive. Aliexpress NH35 variants beat Seiko with their own movements for the mechanical side and they can come with sapphire for a lot less.

Probably Orient.

Citizen

San Martin

Joking aside - even though I like Seiko the most of these, Casio is the best producer of pound for pound value imo.

I feel like this is a loaded question coming from a user named @CasioCarter . 😀

Just wanted to bring up that vintage watches can be great for anyone on a budget but you have to know what you’re doing. I recently got a 1990 tag heuer night diver for 400 bucks

I would agree with the Orient comment as far as mechanical watches, Casio out of the list here. I'm not sure you could consider Seiko an "affordable" brand as a whole anymore, with most of their new releases approaching Grand Seiko range for pricing. They still do well in the Seiko 5 range, but other than the GMT, which is over $500, there haven't been any new releases in that range since they revamped all of them in 2019.

There is always tension between 'best' and 'budget'...

Casio definitely in Europe, Timex is more available in the US.

Seiko is getting more expensive, but is better in finishing and movements.

I reckon Sinn would have to qualify not as budget but best for bang for your buck .

Who's budget? Voted Timex, but wouldn't drop below Seiko myself.

I disagree in part: I love Casio and have three, a DW7100, a GWB5600 and a GA2100 - but I think Timex (of which I own none) has a wider variety, they cover way more ground than Casio.

For one Timex does both digital and mechanical. And they range from the cheap LCD display to low-tier three-handers to more interesting watches like the beautiful Expedition North Titanium and Giorgio Galli S1.

yes but for the money timex can sometimes feel expensive, like the m79 or weekender which cost 60 euros new on nato where i live

casio has a greater distribution and better value, besides they both have a big selection plus casio makes their own movements and have higher end watches too

I don’t even count Seiko as a budget brand anymore. They have budget options, but I don’t consider them a budget brand anymore.

I would say invicta, yes a very polarising brand but hear me out, you can have a pro diver (200m wr, NH35 with custom rotor, and a good bracelet, decent bezel) for 70-80 euros depending on the bracelet, when on sale (they have like a million of those a year(wait for black fridays).

you can also check out some of their vintage re issues, and the 1953

point is, if you browse their endless catalogue of junk you will eventually found like 8 watches that will peak your interest.

How are we defining budget??? And are we just talking about purchase price or also long-term quality that may affect your budget down the road? Honest question and honestly probably a loaded one in a community where a lot of us collect luxury watches haha. I feel like the longer I've been in this hobby, the more my sense of what is budget or not has quickly been warped.

Pulsar the other Seiko brand that everyone forgets about.

The Timex digital watches are copies of the Casio ones. Casio has budget hybrid watches far less expensive than Timex. They have the mech side on Casio but do not use their own movements and are expensive for what you get. Timex is on the expensive end of the budget category. Casio puts out the cheaper product if you compare features.

These days, I'd say Orient.

A few years ago, Seiko would have gotten my vote.

Seiko intentionally vacated the budget end (arguably more so in pricing vs higher quality offerings). Seiko was the unquestioned king for years.

Islander

At one time I would have said Seiko, but not now. Casio and Orient are also good value for money.

Is Seiko still "budget"?

This is a tough vote because I think it varies based on what you’re going for. I you want a cheap but reliable beater/daily, Casio. If you want a nice dress watch on a budget, Seiko. Of course there’s more to it, but that’s just what I think.

I think sub $1k is considered budget, so yes. But budget could mean different things to different people, but at least I think sub $1k is widely considered budget.