You don’t have to drop hundreds of dollars to get a reliable, feature-packed watch to track your workout, take into the field, or wear around town. “Now the technology has come to a point where there’s a lot of good inexpensive watches out there,” says Michael Scriniere, a Pennsylvania-based watchmaker certified through the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute. The price of some smart watches has come down considerably without sacrificing much functionality, and there are plenty of lower-tech options that look great and get the job done.

Types of Watches
The world of watches is a vast one, and differences go far beyond analog and digital. You can choose specific functions, various strap and case materials, and, in the case of analog, how your watch actually ticks. Think about how you plan to use your new watch, and that should help you navigate the options to the model that will serve you best.

A sports watch, and possibly something more specialized such as a smartwatch or altimeter watch, is the way to go if you plan to work up a sweat. These usually have digital displays and feature rubber or resin straps. They are designed to track a smattering of activities and typically offer greater water-resistance than analog watches.

If you don’t need many special features, consider an analog model like a field watch that can be used for diving, hunting, and even casual wear. Originally used by the military, field watches traditionally feature quartz movement for accuracy and a stainless steel case for durability. Today, field watches can also have titanium cases, and crystals—the clear covering over the dials—are commonly mineral or sapphire (the latter is the most scratch-resistant). Field watches can have leather, nylon, or metal bands.

Understanding Analog Watch Movements
Analog watches can run on one of two movement types: quartz or mechanical. Quartz mechanisms are powered by batteries. Electrical currents from the battery cause a small quartz crystal to vibrate, and those vibrations advance the hands. Because they have few moving parts, quartz watches are more affordable, but eventually, the battery needs to be replaced.

Other timepieces operate on more complex (and expensive) mechanical movements that require manual or automatic winding. That winding tightens the mainspring, and as this spring loosens, it sets the gears and other parts in motion to move the watch hands. A watch with manual movement requires you to wind it, whereas the more common automatic movement harnesses the energy from your body movement to turn a rotor that does the winding, instead. Although they do not need regular battery maintenance, mechanical watches should be serviced every five years or so to ensure accuracy.

Choosing the Right Water Resistance
No matter what type of watch you choose, Scriniere recommends evaluating the water-resistance rating. “It’s amazing how far case construction has come,” he says. “It’s really a feat of engineering, how basic they are but how much pressure they can withstand.” Some models are built with high-quality materials that handle the pressure 1,000 meters or more below the surface, but anything greater than 30 meters offers the protection you need for most activities, including swimming, Scriniere says. Even if the case is water-ready, most companies recommend not adjusting the buttons underwater just to be sure. Also, watches with leather bands, which become brittle when water binds to the leather’s oil and then evaporates, are best left on land.

How We Tested
To find the cheap watches that don’t skimp on performance, we set a $200 limit, researched the market, consulted user and expert reviews, and spoke with product managers about the latest releases. We considered features, construction, style, and price and had our test editors use the most promising options for at least a week or, in some cases, several months. They wore them while exercising, adventuring, walking around town, sleeping, doing the dishes, and even showering, then told us how easy the watches were to use and how they felt on hand. Among the dozen that made the cut, there’s a watch that’s right for you.

AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT

Seiko 5

 AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT
amazon.com

Case Width: 37mm | Water Resistance: 30 meters Materials: Stainless steel case with Hardlex mineral crystal | Available Bands: Canvas and stainless steel | Movement Type: Automatic mechanical

When it comes to classic wristwatches, it’s hard to beat the value of the venerable Seiko 5. First released in 1963, the Japanese-made watch is widely regarded to be a dependable option that can hold its own against many pricier watches. It was easy to set the time and date, and the automatic movement saved us from hand-winding or eventually needing to replace the battery. Although it will lose power if you leave it sitting for a few days, that won’t be an issue for everyday watch wearers (who will appreciate the timeless appearance). It’s clean and simple, and the canvas strap can be swapped for a dressier stainless steel bracelet, like the one our test sample had.

SHOP MEN’S  SHOP WOMEN’S

BEST SMART WATCH

Amazfit Bip

BEST SMART WATCH
amazon.com

Screen Size: 1.28 in. | Water Resistance: 30 meters Materials: Polycarbonate case with Corning Gorilla Glass | Available Band: Silicone

For the price, the Amazfit Bip is a pretty great (albeit basic) GPS watch. It’s very light at 1.1 ounces, just as accurate in its tracking as pricier models, and the battery life is astounding. We started our testing when it was 45 percent charged and didn’t have to touch the power cord once. (Amazfit says it can last more than a month on a single charge.) We liked that the watch created route maps of our runs, but our tester reported the heart rate sensor can be temperamental and the sleep tracking function didn’t always log data. She found the most accurate readings when the watch was cinched tightly around her wrist. The touchscreen is intuitive, though many of the watch controls are found on Amazfit’s app, including switching the display to 12-hour versus the default military time.

BEST VALUE

Casio W800H-1AV

Casio W800H-1AV
amazon.com

Case Width: 38mm | Water Resistance: 100 meters Materials: Resin case with mineral crystal | Available Band: Resin

There are cheap watches, and then there are really cheap watches. While many might not be worth even the couple of bucks they cost, the Casio W800H-1AV is a genuinely durable timepiece that’s easy to use and water-resistant to 100 meters. Switch between 12- to 24-hour display modes with the tap of a button, and when you navigate away from the default timekeeping mode, say to set the alarm or work the stopwatch, you can still see the current time in the bottom corner of the face. The band is nice and long for larger wrists, and although the mostly black styling won’t please everyone, our biggest complaint was that the W800H-1AV doesn’t have a timer like some similar models. But if you don’t need many bells and whistles, you won’t be disappointed.

FIELD WATCH

Bertucci A-2S Ballista

Bertucci A-2S Ballista
amazon.com

Case Width: 40 mm | Water Resistance: 200 meters | Materials: Stainless steel case with sapphire crystal | Available Band: Nylon | Movement Type: Japanese Quartz

Bertucci is known for its affordable and lightweight field watches. This spring, the company doubled down on durability in its tactical series, which includes the A-2S Ballista. The Ballista has the same heavy-duty nylon strap as many other Bertucci models, but it features a premium sapphire crystal, 10-year lithium battery, and up to 25 years of illumination powered by the tritium gas-filled tubes inside the stainless steel case. We liked that the watch face automatically glowed, though the illumination was best suited for low-light situations more so than total darkness. The screw-down crown never dug in when our wrist was flexed because it’s thoughtfully placed at the 4 o’clock hour (a hallmark among Bertucci watches). A secondary dial displays the day of the month up to 31 days, so you’ll need to reset it after the five shorter months in the year.

BEST VALUE FIELD WATCH

Timex Weekender Chrono

Timex Weekender Chrono
amazon.com

Case width: 40mm | Water resistance: 30 meters Materials: Brass case with mineral glass | Available bands: Leather and nylon | Movement type: Quartz

Since debuting in 2011, Timex’s Weekender series has been comprised of good-quality watches at bargain prices. The quartz mechanism lends accuracy, and before you write it off as being too old-school, the watch comes with an Indiglo backlight for night use and—as the name implies—a chronograph function. Thanks to the large face and hour markers, it was easy to read the watch with a quick glance. We liked the date window near the 4 o’clock mark, too. The heavy brass case had a tendency to shift unless the band was snuggly against our wrist. Like all Weekenders, the Chrono is available in several colors and with numerous fabric and leather bands that are easy to change.

MOST STYLISH

Fossil Grant Chronograph

Fossil Grant Chronograph
amazon.com

Case Width: 44mm | Water Resistance: 50 meters Materials: Stainless steel case with mineral crystal | Available Bands: Leather and stainless steel | Movement Type: Quartz

Fossil’s Grant is a good-looking watch with some substance. We found ourselves using the stopwatch—displayed as three small dials within the larger face—every day. Reading an exact time from the analog display is more challenging than a digital stopwatch, but it was perfect for our casual needs. The 50-meter water resistance rating also provided assurance that the watch wasn’t at risk of breaking from a little sweat or other moisture. If you’re not a fan of the black and brown appearance, Fossil makes the Grant in a variety of case, dial, and strap colors.

FITNESS TRACKER

Fibit Charge 4

Fibit Charge 4
walmart.com

Screen Size: 1 in. | Water Resistance: 50 meters | Materials: Resin case with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Available Bands: Elastomer, silicone, recycled polyester, and leather

For 2020, Fitbit finally brings built-in GPS to its most robust fitness tracker, and that makes the Charge 4 a better coaching tool for people looking to get back in shape or take their performance up a notch. In the Fitbit app, we could see not only where we ran, walked, rode, or hiked, but also how our pace and heart rate changed over the course of our route. The real-time heart rate zone notifications (a series of vibrations) helped us know when to push the gas and when to pull back during our workouts. The GPS functionality did significantly shorten the battery life, though. Our testers averaged three to five days depending on how much they used it compared to Fitbit’s promise of up to a week between charges. On sunny days, we wished the black-and-white screen had been brighter, but overall, its 1-inch size struck a nice balance between readability and discreteness when displaying our text and call notifications, calendar items, or the weather forecast. The Charge 4 also monitors your sleep and lets you control Spotify from your wrist, though not while you’re also tracking a workout.

SMART ANALOG WATCH

Withings Move Timeless Chic

Withings Move Timeless Chic
amazon.com

Case Width: 38mm | Water Resistance: 50 meters Materials: Stainless steel case with mineral glass | Available Bands: Silicone, leather, and metal | Movement Type: Quartz

Touchscreens have made digital displays sleeker than ever, but if you’d prefer an analog face that has the functionality of a smart watch, choose the feature-packed Move Timeless Chic. It boasts an impressive 18-month battery life and features a secondary dial that acts as a step counter. Most of the watch operation happens in Withings’ app. Here, you can adjust the time, set alarms, check your heart rate, and analyze your sleep and stats from more than 30 activities. (We noticed the most robust tracking when we synced the app with RunKeeper.) We liked the sleep tracking and that the alarm has an optional smart function to vibrate at the optimal point in your sleep cycle to gently wake you up. But for a watch that’s designed to be worn 24/7, it could use some backlighting, and the silicone band was slightly irritating from time to time.

COMES WITH TWO BANDS

Solgaard The Milano

Solgaard The Milano
solgaard.co

Case Width: 42 mm | Water Resistance: 10 meters | Materials: Stainless steel case with mineral crystal | Available Bands: Stainless steel and nylon | Movement Type: Japanese Miyoto

The Milano is as simple a timekeeper as they come, without even a date tracker. But its modern design and two included bands set this watch apart from the others. The hexagonal copper-colored case is eye-catching and earned us several compliments. And although the minimalist dial lacks numbers, the inclusion of 1-minute markers made it easy to read. It was even easier to swap out the watch bands. Whereas many watches require tools for this procedure, the Milano has a sliding pin mechanism that let us release and attach the bands in seconds flat. Surprisingly, the fashionable case looked right at home alongside the (more comfortable) black nylon strap, but for a more formal look, switch to the black stainless steel mesh band. (If you prefer rose gold, opt for The Monaco instead.) And through a partnership with The Plastic Bank, Solgaard pledges to pull 5 pounds of plastic out of the ocean for every product sold. This is a watch that does good and looks good to boot.

MOST INDESTRUCTIBLE

Casio G-Shock GM5600-1

Best Watches
zales.com

Case Width: 49.6 mm | Water Resistance: 200 meters | Materials: Resin and stainless steel case with mineral crystal | Available Bands: Resin | Movement Type: Quartz

Whether you’re constantly working with power tools or charging down single track, your watch needs to be tough enough to keep up. Enter the G-Shock GM5600-1. It’s vibration-, electric shock-, and water-resistant down to 200 meters. Padding around the key internal mechanisms protect against drops, and the protruding case and bezel keep force from directly impacting the mineral crystal or the four buttons, though this design did make it more difficult for us to push them. Although we love its durability, we found the GM5600-1 wasn’t the most user-friendly and had to play around with the settings before we got the hang of all the features. We also thought the light-on-dark display was a bit dim, but the backlighting helped. Casio adds a stainless steel cover to the square resin case, creating a retro vibe we dig. The large case size isn’t for everybody though, especially people with smaller wrists or anyone who prefers more inconspicuous design.

Credits: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gear/g19863873/best-cheap-watches/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=arb_ga_pop_d_bm_g19863873&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3NX_BRDQARIsALA3fIJ4pMZJSZFMgg8prCh20-f62v7ytfx7S6LpmmCNtIhborhmp1hPy8AaAmSCEALw_wcB