Affordable wristwatch?

[Highwayman]

Sad to say after flipping my house upside-down for two days I've somehow lost the Seiko 5 that was a gift a year and a half ago. Looks like I'm on the market either for a new Seiko 5 for $60, which for me is a rather high price for a vanity piece, or I'm on the prowl for something that would be dependable, passable in a suit and tie, and ideally something monochrome and low-key. What fits this bill on a thrift store shopper budget?

[GHERKIN05]

Perhaps a gen 1 Monster. Or a Seiko field watch if you want simple and clean.

[glocked]

Timex Expedition. Best bet in the budget friendly range.

[steve_k]

The Timex Expiditions are a nice watch for the price. The last one I had lasted about 10 years and now I'm on a Seiko 5 that I've had for about 5 years. Someday I'll step up to something more exotic, but I always worry about busting them up.

[Jon Payne]

Maybe a Citizen Eco Drive?


The two most dangerous places in today's world:
1.) a gun free zone
2.) your comfort zone

[H60DoorGunner]

"Affordable" is relative. I've also seen some expensive thrift stores.

Whats the price range we're shopping in?

[Highwayman]

Ideally, under $60 or so. Student loans and car payments will have to come before brand name.

[Wilburt]

I like G-Shock for that money or timex for around $40

[336Whiskey]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=seiko+5

[shooterb]

Casio G-shock.

[EDELWEISS]

Do you really need a watch? How many other devices do you carry that tell time? YES Im still a huge fan of watches but I question the "keltec" grade watches. If youre limited to $60 Id wait

[pangloss]

I've had good luck with the digital Timex watches I've owned, but I don't know how that'll translate to their non-digital products. I've been thinking about trying a Timex weekender just out of curiosity.

[Shotgunwillie]

G-shock.

I've had mine for 5 years. It's been 252' below the ocean's surface, 350' above, worn and welded in everyday for several years.

[ERN]

Timex Ironman lasted me 20 years with lots of water time. Preferred it to the G-shock it replaced.

[Shotgunwillie]

This thread is perfect. I have been considering replacing my G-Shock since the lens is so burnt up from welding. I was just gonna get another one but maybe I'll try something different:

[strengverboten]

Seiko 5 auto isn't keltec grade at all.....

[H60DoorGunner]

Casio G-shock...I think I paid more like $80ish for it.

I wore it every day for eight years, and on four deployments and many trips to the field. It finally gave up the ghost when I got some MEK splashed on it and the face clouded up real bad. I'm sure it was still working, but I couldn't see any of the indications anymore. For the money, it was one of the best watches I ever owned.

[336Whiskey]

Seiko 5 auto isn't keltec grade at all.....

Exactly

[strengverboten]

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/sswaffenk98/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsk0zowsw4.jpg (http://s901.photobucket.com/user/sswaffenk98/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsk0zowsw4.jpg.html)

[noonesshowmonkey]

When I worked in EMS, I used a simple Timex Sport with a digital face (24 hour digital is great for report writing!) that I picked up for maybe $30. Black, medium bezel, tough, and able to be dipped in hydrogen peroxide to clean it. That last part is a must-have on any watch that I own.

That said, a G-Shock 6900 is like $75 online (I got mine for $43 off Amazon). You can even just go with their oldschool 9052 series for around $45. A Seiko 5 Sport can look well when wearing a jacket & tie, where the G-Shock will stand out against a dress-up look. The Seiko is also ~$100. Timex makes the nice & inexpensive Expedition series, which I wore for a while, too. They are maybe $50. If I had to get just one watch in your position, I'd lean on the Seiko 5 or the GShock 6900, as the former can be worn across many different applications, and the latter is about as bomb-proof as you can get for the money.

[David Bowman]

I have a Citizen Eco Drive dive watch that my wife got for me at Costco for $99 dollars about 3 years ago that I wear daily. Plus side, good watch that doesn't need batteries. Minus side, any servicing and it has to be sent away to the service center. Off getting a new band at this writing.

My back up is a G-Shock that I can wear in its place. They are good value for the money. One of them I bought in 1999 and the batteries ran out in 2010. The G-Shock series has gotten me through a couple deployments and I wore a 1st gen Citizen Pro-Master dive watch on my very last deployment overseas.

[jlwilliams]

I picked up a Vostok Amphibia that I kind of dig. It's Russian, so it goes without saying that it's brutally simple. They were originally made as military diver's watches. All stainless, waterproof and rugged as hell. I got the inertia winding one with the date feature. It isn't a Rolex. Not in any way shape or form is it a Rolex. It is a good looking watch and it has some Cold War history. The inertia winding works if I wear it every day, but if I skip a day I have to re set and wind it.

I paid about a hundred bucks delivered (I think it was less than a hundred) on ebay shipped from Ukraine or some such place. The instructions were in Russian so I youtubed it and found all I need to know.

[mongooseman]

43289
My everyday watch was a Tag Carrera. My son jokingly asked for it so I surprised him (look on his face was priceless). I fell back on a Seiko my wife purchased for me years ago but had to send it off for servicing. I was looking for a replacement to get me by when this thing grabbed my attention. It's pretty much the opposite of everything I look for in a watch, but I LOVE it. And if I break it, I'll go spend another $10 at Wally World. Save up your beer money and get a Seiko Monster.

[Big Mike]

Gotta put my vote in for the C-shock. I am on my second one. The first watch lasted longer than the band did. I replaced the band and, after a good 10 years, the watch gave out. I can't remember exactly what happened but it had a long life. The second one I have had since 2009 and it is awesome. No issues with it and the band is still holding up. I have been in the market for a new watch, but I am a cheapskate on some things. After seeing that Russian watch, it has me thinking about a new purchase.

[resqr1]

Try this.
http://www.amazon.com/Timex-T49612-Expedition-Trail-Black/dp/B001GUKPGC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433087654&sr=8-1&keywords=timex+expedition+shock

I've had mine for almost 2 years now. Lots of features, including a compass. Goes with everything. And tough as nails. I will probably not get a different watch for EDW. I will tell you that the backlight is not very bright. But that is supposedly by design. Enough to see but not give you away...

[Shotgunwillie]

43309

My my wife got me this as a wedding gift. I love it so far.

[RayMich]

43311

I realize that this is a little more expensive than you want to spend ($128). But this is the most accurate watch I have ever owned. Water resistant down to 200 meters. It recharges itself via built-in solar cell and automatically resets itself 4 times a night via the National Bureau of Standards WWV station in Fort Collins, CO. - Mine is 12 years old and still ticking. The only times I take it off is when I'm working on my car/truck or when I sleep. I just don't like any jewelry on me while I sleep.

I have other more expensive watches, but this is the one I wear most every day.

Casio® G-Shock Men's Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping Solar Watch
http://www.jcpenney.com/casio-g-shock-mens-multi-band-6-atomic-timekeeping-solar-watch/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002361164&catId=cat1003480052&subcatId=cat1003450012&deptId=dept20000020&cmJCP_C=labeled&cmJCP_T=XGN3&_dyncharset=UTF-8

[Monte]

I picked up a Vostok Amphibia that I kind of dig. It's Russian, so it goes without saying that it's brutally simple. They were originally made as military diver's watches. All stainless, waterproof and rugged as hell. I got the inertia winding one with the date feature. It isn't a Rolex. Not in any way shape or form is it a Rolex. It is a good looking watch and it has some Cold War history. The inertia winding works if I wear it every day, but if I skip a day I have to re set and wind it.

I paid about a hundred bucks delivered (I think it was less than a hundred) on ebay shipped from Ukraine or some such place. The instructions were in Russian so I youtubed it and found all I need to know.

Vostok Info @ http://www.webwatchworld.com/vostok-amphibia/

[jlwilliams]

Vostok Info @ http://www.webwatchworld.com/vostok-amphibia/


Good link. IIRC that was one of the pages I read before I bought mine. They aren't Swiss watches by a long shot, but they aren't Chinese watches either. They are a mechanical watch that works well.

The Cold War history is appealing to me. Vostok watches have a sort of "Chernoble chique" about them.

[MRick]

When I worked in EMS, I used a simple Timex Sport with a digital face (24 hour digital is great for report writing!) that I picked up for maybe $30. Black, medium bezel, tough, and able to be dipped in hydrogen peroxide to clean it. That last part is a must-have on any watch that I own.

That said, a G-Shock 9600 is like $75 online. You can even just go with their oldschool 9052 series for around $45. A Seiko 5 Sport can look well when wearing a jacket & tie, where the G-Shock will stand out against a dress-up look. The Seiko is also ~$100. Timex makes the nice & inexpensive Expedition series, which I wore for a while, too. They are maybe $50. If I had to get just one watch in your position, I'd lean on the Seiko 5 or the GShock 9600, as the former can be worn across many different applications, and the latter is about as bomb-proof as you can get for the money.

I believe you mean the 6900 gshock. If you're a fan of Gshocks it is indeed bomb proof. I have one that has been on my wrist while shooting thousands of rounds over the last 5 years. That said when I need a more formal watch I wear a decent Auto by Seiko or Marathon.

[noonesshowmonkey]

I believe you mean the 6900 gshock. If you're a fan of Gshocks it is indeed bomb proof. I have one that has been on my wrist while shooting thousands of rounds over the last 5 years. That said when I need a more formal watch I wear a decent Auto by Seiko or Marathon.

You are indeed correct. Dyslexia is a bitch, and requires better proofing. Editing my main post to reflect the correct model number.