Top 20 Best Affordable Watches of 2024 Ranked

2024, wow, what a year for budget watches. It was easily the best year since I started reviewing them back in 2018. We just kept getting banger after banger. Over the past 12 months, I got hands-on with 153 watches across my two channels. And today, I'm bringing you the cream of the crop, the top 20 best watches I reviewed this year, or last year if this comes out in January. There's a little bit of everything in here, and a few are frankly remarkable for the money, so stay tuned until the very end. They're all linked in the video description if you wanna check them out. Now, some of these were provided by their respective brands or retailer, the specifics of which I'll also mention in the description. And if you wanna learn about watch releases like this before anyone else does, you should check out my free newsletter called In The Loop, where I give you my thoughts on the new watch releases every Thursday. I'll link that below too if you wanna sign up. Now, this year was so competitive that some great watches actually missed out, and they only made it onto this honorable mentions list. The most expensive models I looked at were from Christopher Ward. They were built excellently, and the C63 Sealander GMT 36 mil is lovely, especially in dragonfly blue. The 12 Sports watch is also cool, but both are pushing the limits of affordability for a list like this. As far as looks go, the Aviate Flyboy Air Master Sector was also a great low-cost surprise with fantastic color combinations and incredibly high potential. Sadly, it had an overly strong anti-reflective coating that hindered far more than it helped. If this were a list purely about build quality, the Wyze ADX-110 would probably sit at the top. It has monstrous specs, including 904L steel construction, top-tier finishing, and impeccable luminescence. It narrowly missed out because the styling isn't at the level of others on this list, and with import fees, it's also a little pricey for this video. For that amount of money, I'd have to love it, and I didn't quite. Daddy's Dive AD2-101 is worth a shout on the opposite end of the price spectrum. While it lacked originality, it was a complete spec monster, with features rivaling watches nearly 10 times the price. During sales, this can be had for almost $40, which demolishes anything on Amazon or the high street, for that matter. A true bargain banger. Similarly, you have the Landmaster and the Voyager 38mm, each from Boderi. Both are surprisingly good-looking field watches and can usually be had for around $120 and $100, respectively, with great specs and pretty thin cases. They could well be Boderi's best watches to date. Rounding out these nearly men is the limited edition Timex WW75 V3. As soon as I saw it, this was a must-buy for me, with a slim handwound movement and a beautiful crosshatch dial. The case finishing was also upgraded versus some similarly styled Q Timex models, but I had trouble with one of the seagull movements, resulting in me having to replace it. It's also not the most versatile choice due to the really bright colours, so it didn't quite make the cut. Now we're into the upper echelons, the top 20. Kicking things off, we have the Citizen Zenshin, also known as the Forza in some regions. I actually reviewed three versions of this watch, all of which feature the same highly textured dial and lightweight titanium construction, which instantly made them a community favourite. My pick of the bunch was the EcoDrive Solar 3 Handa, which offered the slimmest construction and cleanest dial, as well as the lowest retail price. This watch comes in some pretty attractive colours and the dial certainly gives off some luxury watch vibes. So why isn't it higher on this list? Well, after some testing, I discovered that Super Titanium is a highly misleading technology, with the majority of watches bearing this name, not performing anywhere close to Citizen's five times more scratch resistant than steel performance claims. In short, there are multiple tiers of Super Titanium, which you'd only know if you went to this specific Japanese webpage and then translated it. There's no English equivalent of this page and Citizen product pages don't differentiate these tiers either. They're all thrown under the same Super Titanium moniker, regardless of performance, which is extremely misleading. This Forza, for example, which ships with Citizen's coveted Duratect coating, still scratched more readily than three different stainless steel watches, despite its reputation. So while the material is still an interesting inclusion, it's not the second coming of Christ as loads of reviewers would have you believe. Still, it's a solid watch that squeezes into my top 20. At 19, the Merkur Sector Dial. This one came straight out of left field. It didn't even have a model name, or at least not one I could find. My wife was simply browsing AliExpress, spotted this, and thought I should review it. So I ordered one. And wow, it's surprisingly smart in person, particularly in this vibrant green color that really provides some on-wrist punch. It's worth noting that some other versions of this watch have slightly different, and in my opinion, more unsightly text beneath the logo. This version says Peking, which is the old English name for Beijing, whereas the others bizarrely say Watch & Co, which looks a bit out of place. You'd think it would just be Watch Co. So I'd stick with this green one if you can. It offers a beautiful Art Deco-style minimalist design, and even packs a decorated hand-wound movement into its slim housing. You can buy this watch on a strap or bracelet, and overall, it's a little-known bargain that's often available for around the $100 mark. It cost me 101 Great British Pounds to ship to the UK, including import fees. If you're on a tight budget, this Merkur over-delivers. At 18, another great green dial watch, the Casio Edifice EFR-S108D. Now this one does come in a range of other dial colors and textures as well. I covered the original release of it a few years back. However, Casio recently revamped the lineup with metallic variants that look a whole lot more premium. The Edifice EFR-S108D has a sapphire crystal, a wafer-thin case, and high water resistance to boot. This reinterpretation is so good, it made some of Casio's other releases, like the EF-B108D, near-obsolete, with more versatile proportions and a higher-quality appearance. The crystal atop is far from the clearest, and the integrated bracelet is also pretty average. Nevertheless, it's a strong, durable sports watch that can be yours for very little cash. At 17, the San Martin SN0116. This Chinese-made automatic GMT marks the first appearance of this highly-revered brand in this video, and it almost rivals the previous Casio in terms of slimness, at 12 millimeters with the domed crystal and just 10 mil without it. Accompanying that is elite-level case finishing and minimalist styling that marked somewhat of a turning point in San Martin's repertoire. The SN0116 was one of the first original-designed San Martin models that actually looked good. In fact, this guilt-laden Root Beer variant really is an attractive piece of kit, but also looks far more expensive than the shockingly low AliExpress price tag. Of course, it comes with the big specs commonly offered by Chinese brands, and is now available in a wider variety of colors and versions, including a non-GMT equivalent. The only real letdown is that the black dial surface is somewhat rudimentary, but aside from that, it's a very pretty choice. Number 16 is the Erebus Ascent. This was the second watch I reviewed from Erebus, and it was comfortably the best. Erebus is a brand co-founded by YouTuber Just One More Watch, and the Ascent is their strong first attempt at a gather watch, a go-anywhere, do-anything watch. The dials are what popped the most, with some surprisingly vivid colors, elaborate textures, as well as multifaceted Hansa markers that you don't normally find on such young brand watches. It's got top-of-the-line specs, but the Ascent even packs in stealthy extras, like color-matched date wheels, a sublime sculpted case shape, and a super adjustable clasp. Admittedly, the branding isn't my absolute favorite, and I've not worn this watch as much as I first expected. I just don't find myself reaching for it all that often, which is why it isn't further up the list, but I could see how this could sit further up yours. It doesn't have any major weaknesses, though, and it's very deserving of a spot on this list. At 15, the Peren Regia X. This Swiss-made watch is incredibly unique, and unlike anything else I've covered. I called this the Nintendo of watch designs for good reason, as the Regia X boasted a completely fresh approach to wristwatch minimalism, with rounded accents and meticulous styling that should leave most fashion watch brands embarrassed. The predominantly matte case is still the most impressive blasted case I've seen, or at least the most extreme. I've no clue what differentiates this one, but the final result is captivating, to say the least. In a similar vein, the double-edged bezel is also gorgeous, and has both the secure feeling and sound of an old bank vault lock. The Regia does have some minor drawbacks. The crystal could be clearer, the watch could also be thinner, and it is quite expensive. This is a budget watches list, after all. Also, the bi-color bezel version looks nicer. If I'd reviewed that version, it may well have scored better. Nevertheless, Peren is a very interesting brand that I'll certainly be keeping my eye on. At 14, the Zelos Nova II 37 millimeter. There's one reason that this watch is on the list, the dial, or should I say dials? These watches have some of the most extravagant textures I've seen on any dress watch, and the kicker is that most of them work. Each has a unique art deco design, my favorite being the salmon version, with deep scale-like ridges that look immaculate in person. Now, the legibility is far from ideal on these, and the buckle choices, nothing short of bizarre. Nevertheless, the Nova II is incredibly high quality, and the case back is virtually flat, giving you a silky smooth on-wrist experience. These are some of the fanciest dress watches you can get for the money, though they are among the more expensive watches on this list, and some colors have now sold out, hence why it sits at 14. At 13, the 36 mil Dan Henry 1964 Gran Turismo. Now, this one isn't as well-built as the last few. I'd be lying if I said it was. Instead, it ranks so highly because it fills a long, vacant void. It's finally a truly small chronograph for small wrists. At 36 millimeters across, this is perhaps the first chronograph that fits me properly and is readily available new for a fairly low price. That's a pretty good combination. It's substantially smaller than alternatives like the Seagull 1963, and I think it looks much better in the process, especially the standout Mother of Pearl variant. Now, due to the highly domed sapphire-coated crystal, the overall thickness is pretty big on paper, and most versions do look a little vanilla. Case finishing is only average, too, and the specs can be beaten by similar Mecca Quartz options on AliExpress. That said, the dial detailing on the 1964 is much better than most of those. It's not just a direct clone of another watch either, which surely counts for something. Unless you fancy venturing into the vintage watch space, the Gran Turismo is a very solid chronograph for skinny arms, and I've gotta say, I've had no regrets paying full retail price for this one. In fact, I've been wearing it much more than I expected. At 12, the new braceleted version of the Orient Bambino 38 millimeter. This is essentially a re-release of the 38-mil Bambino dress watch that Orient released a couple of years ago, but with sportier dials and a stainless steel bracelet. Pretty simple. In all honesty, this one wipes the floor with the previous and fairly bland 38-mil Bambinos, with a much higher quality appearance and a bracelet that thoroughly trounces the previous leather straps. The green version in particular is stunning in person with a tasteful, forest-like metallic dial that boasts a glorious sunburst finish. This version of the Bambino shares the same mediocre case finishing and middle-of-the-road specs as the older models, but as a whole, it's still much better than the Orients from a few years back and more than deserving of a spot in this list. At 11, the Casio A700 WEV. Like the previous watch, this is again a new version of an existing design. In this case, the already handsome A700. Casio wiped this piece with a minimalist pen, removing the majority of text and leaving you with arguably the best-looking digital design ever made. Now, it does lack some of the retro charm of the old colorful models, so this new A700 may not scratch the same itch. Nevertheless, from a purely aesthetic perspective, I think it's hard to argue against this one. It's wonderfully thin, just like the original A700, shares the same decent backlight, boasts enhanced symmetry, and even has a swanky metallic surround for extra flashiness. As far as materials go, it's not exactly impressive with resin construction and an acrylic crystal, but the watch looks killer and is typically available for very low prices, so it's hard to complain. If Casio made this exact watch in steel and with a better bracelet, it would probably be my favorite ever. For now, though, it still makes it onto this best of the year list. At 10, the Q Timex GMT. Now, this one didn't actually release in 2024, but I had to shoehorn it in somewhere because it surprised me so much when I finally got my hands on it. I'd say this is comfortably the best quartz GMT you can buy right now, with a stylish design, a sleek case, and a modest price tag. Originally, I skipped it because I assumed it would be overhyped, like the original Q Timex, which actually looks quite cheap in the flesh. However, the GMT looks much better when the two are side by side, as you can see here, with a far more premium appearance. It's undoubtedly one of the most fun and versatile watches I've tried this year and deserves more attention, despite the subpar bracelet and clasp. At nine, another Timex, but this time the Marlin Jet Automatic. The Marlin Jet came in towards the start of the year with a striking space-age design comprising an all-encompassing acrylic dome and a hyper-stylized internal bezel. From above, this thing looks phenomenal, with a chic, minimalist layout and a theme-appropriate monochrome color scheme. This piece retains some mystery and luxuriousness about it, despite the mediocre specifications, with the main downsides being the low-quality strap and the overall chunkiness. Timex has since released this in a few other colors and versions, which may be your only opportunity to get one, as the original model seems to still be out of stock everywhere. If you can find one, it's a pretty good pick-up. At eight, the Casio Edifice EF-B730D. I knew this late addition to the list would be decent when I saw the product shots. With a zenith-like case shape and an extreme sunburst dial, this chronograph is a strap monster that's arguably Casio's smartest release in several years. All three colorways are commendable, though the silver and black dial one I've got here is the one that seems to have captured the zeitgeist, selling out everywhere almost immediately. Now, it's a new model, so they should be back in stock at some point, and Casio seems to have given this one extra attention, kitting it out with better-than-average case finishing by their standards, as well as a solid bracelet and a sapphire crystal. Even the markers are fairly detailed, as are the hands, which appear to have been specifically modified for this piece. It's comfortably one of the best quartz chronograph watches I've seen. If you can look past the divisive Edifice branding, this one's a winner. At number seven, the Orient Bambino SmallSeconds 38. At present, this is the closest we've gotten to the ultimate Bambino, with far better dial and case proportions than previous entries in the Bambino series. In short, this is a great all-around classic dress watch, combining the highlights of other models into a much more refined package. The dial is gorgeous, the build quality is more than adequate, and the 38-mil steel case finally matches the retro design to an appropriate degree. Undoubtedly, this particular model will become a future classic. It tastes just like Goldilocks' perfect porridge. The primary downside is the plasticky-feeling strap, and while the bubble-effect mineral crystal is mid-on-paper, such a dome would have proven very expensive if made of sapphire. Likely bumping the price further, I go into why in the full review. At six, the Nizumi Ton-Air Monochrome. Wow, what a last gasp addition. In any previous year, this one could easily have topped the list. It's the king of cool, with a slick black and cream design that just hits all the right notes for me, and a sweeping case that's almost as sexy. It's a darker refresh of the original Ton-Air chronograph that I reviewed a few years back, with most of the same specs, including a Seiko Mecaquartz movement, 5ATM water resistance, and a competent selection of straps. What you might not realize is that Nizumi has also sneaked in some subtle upgrades that enhance performance, too. For starters, the brushed handset provides a massive legibility improvement over the former polished hands. The high-contrast color scheme boosts this even further. Additionally, they've completely overhauled the luminescence, meaning the new Ton-Air is very competent in low light, unlike its forebearer. As a whole, this is a top-tier affordable watch that both looks and feels the part. It's worth every penny, no doubt. The only asterisk is, if you have a particularly skinny wrist like me, the strap may be a touch too long. As long as you bear that in mind, you're bound to be impressed. So we're here at the top five, and kicking things off, the Citizen Siosa Small Seconds. The first iteration of the Siosa saw widespread acclaim due to its attractive, sporty design and punchy colors. I thought it was good, but it looked a little too much like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual clone for my taste, with an unnecessary and unsightly cyclops to boot. Then, out of nowhere, Citizen launched a much more unique successor, which fixed both of these issues. The Small Seconds Siosa boasts an elaborate guilloche dial with microscopic ridges that fan out from the center, forming a surprisingly sophisticated radial pattern akin to those you might find in nature. This helps the piece look way more distinct and expensive than its predecessor, and quite frankly, most alternatives at its price. The movement is also superior to that in the original Siosa, with a quieter operation, partly thanks to the hollowed-out rotor and a strong 60-hour power reserve, which is rare at this price. On the wrist, it doesn't feel quite as chunky as the dimensions would suggest, but I still wouldn't call it thin by any means. It's best suited to average or larger wrists, as you can see from the wrist shots. While the water resistance is quite low considering the sporty styling, I'd still say it's my favorite Citizen to date, with an air of class and prestige that's hard to quantify. At four, the San Martin SN0144, sometimes known as the SN0144GX. This absurd watch has a dial that looks straight out of a museum, not because it's dated, because it's mesmerizing. They call this a Jianxian dial, a type of low-temperature enamel finish that gives a 3D effect akin to a type of Chinese pottery, despite the top layer actually being flat. You get these texture-rich veins splaying out from the center like a mythological stone, which is insane, considering this can often be had for $300 or less. What's even more insane is the case and the bracelet. This watch has quartz-rivaling thickness and Rolex-rivaling finishing. I'm not kidding either. In the review, I compared this one side-by-side with a real Rolex. You can see it for yourself. The bracelet is comfortably the best-finished bracelet I've seen on a sub-$1,000 watch, and it even ships with a Glidelock-style super-adjustable clasp. San Martin has since launched this in two further sizes, meaning you can now choose between 36, 39, and 42 millimeters depending on your wrist size. The SN0144 is easily one of the most impressive watches of the year and probably the best built for the money on this list. At three, the Adizdive AD2030. Now, I can't stand the Adizdive name and logo. It reads poorly, it looks dreadful, and historically, I haven't been able to look past it. That all changed with the groundbreaking AD2030. Despite the shoddy branding, this dirt-cheap AliExpress find was so undeniably good that I simply had to cover it. A full stainless steel case, a surprisingly capable steel bracelet, a Seiko MecaQuartz movement, and a bonkers 3D desert effect dial all for the price of a couple of Domino's pizzas. And that dial is the real showstopper here. We may have seen cheap watches with high specs before, but until the AD2030 came along, we'd never seen a sub-$50 watch with anywhere close to this level of dial complexity. The applied markers and hands were surprisingly clean, and the dune-like ridges even boasted a grainy sand texture to complete the illusion. To my knowledge, Adizdive was the first one to attempt this desert dial concept, at least in any guise that looked like this, which has since been copied by a plethora of brands, big and small, none of whom have been able to replicate it for such a low amount of money. The AD2030 undoubtedly set a new benchmark for what can be obtained at the lowest end of the market, a price point usually occupied by plastic Casio's and trash-tier fashion watches, though it wasn't without compromise. It only ships in one size, 36 millimeters at the time of recording, and because it's thin as well, it wears as small as you'd expect. It also has no lume, and then there's the unsightly logo, of course. Thankfully, Adizdive has somewhat addressed the latter issue by releasing a logo-free version, which does look a little vacant, but I guess it fits the theme, right? Not much life in the desert, is there? At two, I'll runner up the San Martin SN0129. If the previous Adizdive set the standard at the sub $50 mark, the SN0129 did the same at the $300 mark, only without any notable weaknesses. The first version I looked at had a desert dial not too dissimilar from that on the Adizdive, only with a slightly crisper surface, neater text, and nicer markers. I'd say the San Martin branding is also slightly less of an eyesore, which helps. San Martin could well have nicked the dial from their rival, but the rest of the watch is still really impressive. The case finishing is ludicrously good, especially the polished portions. The bracelet is top-tier with a super-adjustable clasp. The low-light performance is great, and it still ships with high water resistance and a sapphire crystal. Moreover, this isn't just an automatic watch with these features at this price. It's an automatic GMT, as you can see from the extra hand and the Seiko NH34A in the back. The SN0129 didn't just smoke the big brands in terms of looks, but in terms of performance too, all at a price tag that's at least one zero shy of what other companies were probably charging. Even the size is in that Goldilocks zone, aided by the female end links, which conform well to a huge variety of wrists. San Martin continues to launch other versions of this watch, including some lower-cost bezel-free automatics, as well as variants with alternative dials, like the Aventurine option I covered in that same video. Arguably, that one looks even more luxurious, with a hypnotizing starry night effect that big brands do charge far more for. Essentially, this piece is like the Michael Schumacher of affordable watches, the best I've seen in terms of performance and the benchmark that others should be compared against. But surprisingly, it's not my watch of the year. Number one, the Vair D5 Pacific. It was never in doubt. From the moment I laid eyes on it, the D5 Pacific instantly became my favorite dive watch, and it was more than a quick fling. Each and every time I take this piece out, I can't help but marvel at its beauty. I'm absolutely in love, and it doesn't even fit me properly. Yeah, it's a touch over 40 mil wide and with a 39 mil bezel. It's a great size for most arms, but it's admittedly ill-fitting on my tiny six-and-a-quarter-inch wrist. The D5 Pacific is the first and only watch I've continued to wear, despite such an obvious size discrepancy. I can't help myself. It might not be proportionate, but it still looks so stylish. Now, I'd never considered tropical theming to be my kind of thing, but all three colors the D5 ships in look immaculate, each offering up the same dynamic dial, comprising of a checkered outer edge, a lighter-toned channel just inside, and perfectly poised markers bridging the space beneath. The Anacapa Green version I reviewed is nothing short of breathtaking. The sapphire bezels atop are equally well-engineered, not only looking the part, but also providing smooth, higher-pitched clicks during operation. Beneath, the sweeping Omega-like case has top-notch brushing and polishing with a reassuring weight to it. And the watch is powered by a Miyota 9015, meaning the whole package is relatively slim if you exclude the domed crystal. Luminescence is fantastic, with parts of the bezel even lighting up. The crown is very secure and clean to operate, and the bracelet is also better than most. It's pricier than many options on this list, sure, but I think the immaculate design and attention to detail earn every penny. It's not perfect. I did have a slight issue with the clasp, which you can learn about in the review video on screen now. But for me, the D5 was about as close as we got in 2024. Surely 2025 won't be as good for low-cost watches. If it is, I'm gonna be one busy boy.