While some watch aficionados and collectors are willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on high-end watches, lots of our readers are looking for reliable and affordable watches that look good, tell accurate time and will last a long time.
While fifty dollars really doesn’t get you that much nowadays, there are plenty of watches that met our criteria. The main challenge in this budget range is that a lot of the options you’ll find are brands we’ve never even heard of. Many of them just sell through online retailers but don’t even have a website, warranty information or e
So for this list of best watches relies on a well-known brand in the watch industry that has a history of making affordable yet reliable watches. All of these are brands we know and many. The list
Some guys call these watches because you can wear them without having to worry at all about getting them beat up and worn out. Unlike dress watches.
(Please note, prices were last checked in April of 2021 and all watches were selling online for $50 or less. However, prices may have fluctuated since then possibly pushing them over the original budget).
Table of Contents
Best Men’s Watches Under $50
Timex Unisex Weekender
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Timex is known for its affordable yet durable watches. The Timex Weekender, at 38mm makes it a versatile watch for men and women. The weekender comes in many different styles but all of which have Arabic numerals and 24-hour military time, a brass case, and water resistance up to 30m.
There’s a number of straps to choose from, like this olive green nylon. Other designs include stripes, leather, and fabric, as well as different case colors like black, blue, and white. Because this is a Timex, it has the famous Indiglo feature the brand is known for.
Casio Men’s Vintage A168WA-1
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Casio is an affordable and trusted Japanese brand which, like Timex, has a wide range of models to choose from. One of the most classic models is the Casio A168WA-1.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive watch with that vintage 1980s feel, this is a good model to consider. This 32mm watch with a quartz movement has the Electro Luminescence feature, which provides a backlight. This watch has a plastic case, a stainless steel case back, and a day/date calendar. You can also use this as a timer, as the watch has a 1/100 second digital stopwatch.
Timex Men’s Expedition Metal Field
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If you’re looking for a larger watch dial with legible markers, this easy-to-read Timex Expedition is for you. Built for those who want an affordable and stylish watch to use outdoors, this 40mm Timex field watch has a rugged, genuine leather strap and a black dial, and has bold Arabic numeral markers powered by Indiglo.
This has received a lot of excellent reviews on Amazon. Some of the other notable features include a 50m water resistance, which means it can take minor water activities like recreational swimming; a date window at 3 o’clock (which has a Quick Date function); and 8-year battery life.
Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1V
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The Casio G-Shock line has a wide range of models to choose from. This model (DW5600E-1V) has the rugged construction that the brand is known for.
Whether you’re using it outdoors or as a casual, everyday watch—this is one of the most affordable watches in the G-Shock lineup.
This 45mm watch is shock-resistant, water-resistant to 200m, and has the Casio EL backlight with afterglow, allowing the wearer to check the time no matter how dark the setting. Some of the most important features include a 1/100 second stopwatch, a countdown timer, an auto-calendar that is pre-programmed until 2038, and an hourly time signal.
Timex Ironman Classic 30
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The Timex Ironman Classic 30 is a tough and lightweight sports watch that you can take outdoors and in races. This is a 38m watch with a water resistance of 100m, Indiglo, and an adjustable resin strap.
Some of the most important features included are a 100-hour chronograph (30-lap memory), a 24-hour countdown timer that can repeat up to 99 times, 24-hour military time, occasion reminders, and a day, date, month calendar.
The Ironman Classic 30 has a number of colors to choose from (with accents like lime, blue, orange, red, and yellow), and is available in full and mid-size cases.
Casio F91W-1 Classic
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This is a Casio best-seller, perfect for those looking for a durable, no-frills watch that can be worn daily, or during outdoor/sports activities.
The Casio F91W-1 Classic is a water-resistant 33mm rectangular watch with a resin case that has chronograph functions, an alarm and backlight, a 1/100 second digital stopwatch, an auto calendar, and a day/date function. The band is ribbed resin with buckle closure. It looks like a simple watch but has a lot of useful features for such a simple build. The “mode” and “adjust” buttons are intuitive and user-friendly.
This digital watch is well-known for its durability, water resistance (not indicated, but it is estimated that it’s 30m), and of course—the very affordable price tag.
Invicta Men’s 8932OB Pro Diver
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The 37.5mm Invicta Men’s 8932OB is for those looking for a diver-style watch that does not have a hefty price tag.
This has a stainless steel case/bracelet with a fold-over clasp and safety closure. It has a date window at 3 o’clock, a unidirectional bezel, and is water-resistant to 200m.
This Invicta model made it on our list of affordable Rolex Submariner look-alikes. As a budget watch, it’s not even comparable but for the price, it does have the decent hommage look of the classic luxury timepiece.
Bewell W086B Men’s Wooden Analog Quartz
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Looking for a unique-looking and environment-friendly watch? If you’re going for the natural look and like the idea of wearing natural wood on your wrist, the Bewell W086B made is the only wooden watch on the list.
Available in brown and ebony wood, this handcrafted timepiece is hypoallergenic, lightweight, and very comfortable to wear.
Other features of this 42mm watch include a date display at 3 o’clock, a case and band made of wood, and a folding double push-button safety clasp.
An excellent gift to give loved ones, this watch also comes with a link-removing tool, which allows the wearer to easily make adjustments when needed.
Casio G-Shock Classic DW6900-1V
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This is another Casio G-Shock model that we love. The Casio G-Shock Classic DW6900-1V is a shock-resistant watch with features such as a countdown timer, a 1/100 second stopwatch, and auto-calendar (programmed until the year 2039).
This is a step up from the previous G-Shock we mentioned. Available in 12 and 24-hour formats, this watch also has a 200m water resistance so you can take it with you to more serious water activities. It also has an EL backlight with afterglow and has a flash alert with a buzzer that sounds for the alarms.
Timex Men’s Expedition Digital Chrono
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This Timex Expedition model is a sporty chronograph watch that you can wear to your adventures, or simply as an everyday watch.
Available in different colors (silver, black, charcoal, and brown cases) and added features (mini compass, Fast Wrap strap), this Timex Expedition model is durable, lightweight, and legible.
Some of the main features of this 41mm watch are a resin case, Indiglo, stopwatch, countdown, timer, and alarm. These watches are also water-resistant to 100m.
This is another highly-rated watch from Timex, with many reviewers highlighting its durability, value-for-money watch that can take a beating.
Casio Anti Reverse Bezel Watch
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This is another watch with good water resistance.
The Casio Duro (MDV106-1AV) one of the top-selling budget dive watches and made it on our list of best dive watches under $100.
The overall quality for this price range is impressive with a 200M water resistance that few watches in this category deliver.
Dive watches aren’t cheap, but Casio was able to pack this watch with excellent features. Some reviewers even compare it to expensive brands like Tag Heuer.
This is for those looking for the classic diver’s watch look. This has a black stainless steel case, dial, and resin band. It also has a date window at 3 o’clock, a sweep seconds hand, luminous hands and markers, and an anti-reverse bezel.
Timex Easy Reader leather
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The Timex Easy Reader leather model is for those looking for a good quality analog watch.
This 38mm watch is pretty straightforward in terms of design—clean, legible Arabic numerals on a brass case with mineral glass crystal, a date window at 3 o’clock, a brass case, and a leather band. It also has a seconds hand, an Indiglo light, and a water resistance to 30m.
This model has a wide array of genuine leather strap colors: black, white, orange, brown, tan, red. It’s also available in white, black, brown, and blue dials.
Casio MQ24-1E Resin Watch
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This is one of the most affordable watches on this list. The Casio Men’s MQ24-1E resin watch is a three-hand analog watch that you can wear every day.
This is a simple watch that has a black rubber bracelet with an adjustable buckle clasp, a mineral window, and gold-tone hour indexes and minute markers.
One of the qualities that reviewers highlight aside from the affordable price tag is the simple minimalist design and durability. They also love that the watch is very lightweight—many reviews are actually by people who have repeatedly bought the same model.
Timex Men’s Expedition Scout
We’ll end the list with a solid watch by Timex.
Inspired by vintage military watches, the Timex Men’s Expedition Scout is a classic field watch with a canvas strap, easy-to-read dial, and numbers thanks to its indiglo illumination.
This model has different strap types and colors to choose from—nylon and leather, in colors such as brown, green, tan, and black.
Featured Image adapted from image by (CC BY-SA 2.0) Evert Jan Hoek
