The luxury watch market is booming, to be sure. But you don’t need a direct line to Tiffany & Co.’s head office to get yourself a worthy timepiece. The best watches under $ 1000 are proof of that. With a dizzying array of brands and models – from $ 40 sports watches to minimalist Japanese masterpieces – there has never been a better time to score high-quality wrist candy at a price point that doesn’t. not give your accountant night terrors.
But with so many options at your fingertips, how do you determine which actually are the best men’s watches in your price range? But with so many options at your fingertips, how do you determine which actually are the best men’s watches in your price range? Whether you need a rubber strap diver with serious water resistance, a black dial dress watch with a premium mechanical movement, or a simple beater with oversized digits for daily timing. , we have found coveted, ultra-portable parts for all possible styles and functions. These are the absolute best watches under $ 1,000, narrowed down to our freshest guaranteed picks in eight essential categories, all of which can be ordered online with minimal hassle.
The best dress watch under $ 1000
Apply the same philosophy to your dress watch as to your tuxedo: less is more. With a case just 5mm thick (perfect for disappearing under a white shirt lapel), this classic wristwatch is ready to make you feel like a boss.
Honorable mentions
All the style of the Rat Pack era, minus the fedoras and chain smoking.
Affordable elegance, your name is Seiko.
The best dive watch under $ 1000
With its combination of a 1960s design, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and modern Swiss automatic movement, the main difference between this diver’s watch and those that cost thousands more is the name on the dial.
Honorable mentions
In the 1980s, action movies didn’t need CGI. Instead, they made do with eye-catching one-liners, leading men with telephone pole-sized biceps and the occasional cameo of a high-tech digital watch.
Dive like a pro, watch good while doing it.
The best everyday watch under $ 1000
The perfect everyday watch looks a lot like the perfect jeans: it goes with everything, doesn’t cost a fortune and fits like a second skin. This California-designed field watch does all of that and adds a screw-down crown so you can take it surfing too.
Honorable mentions
High precision, superior style.
Is it any surprise that in addition to costumes, perfumes and films, Tom Ford also makes a very good timepiece?
The best digital watch under $ 1000
After nearly 40 years and countless riffs on the iconic original design, there is still no better combination of looks, price, functionality and ruggedness than the G-Shock. With a slimmer case, a carbon reinforced protective structure, and an octagonal bezel reminiscent of a certain highly coveted Swiss watch, this is perhaps the best G to date.
Honorable mentions
The best example of Bauhaus-meets-digital since Kraftwerk.
Like Voltron, Megatron and Tron, the techno-futurism mark of this retro banger never gets old.
The best chronograph under $ 1000
It wasn’t the first NASA-approved lunar watch, but it proved more than worthy on its 1971 trip to the lunar surface aboard the Apollo 15. With comparable styling at a fraction of the price, you don’t have to be a science rocket to do the math here.
Honorable mentions
Like a pair of crisp white sneakers, this Swiss chrono lives at the crossroads of sport and sophistication.
Speedys and Daytonas are great and all, but this Seiko has two things they don’t: a solar powered movement and a triple-digit price tag.
The best automatic watch under $ 1000
With a few exceptions, the world’s most elite watches all have automatic movements (that is, those that wind automatically when you move your body). Fortunately, you don’t need an elite budget to get your hands on yourself, especially with the reveal of this new Grail-worthy specimen from Timex. Designed by Timex Creative Director Giorgio Galli, the S1 has everything you could want in an automatic watch, including a sapphire crystal and a back case, all for under $ 500.
Honorable mentions
If automatic watches are cool, this one’s Miles Davis.
Green and Gold: the most powerful combination since Pop Rocks and Coke.
The best Beater watch under $ 1000
Watches are generally designed to last a long time, but some are certainly more durable than others. Leading the pack is the INOX from Victorinox, which is apocalypse ready with a carbon case and woven paracord strap. We’re not suggesting dropping it off the roof and knocking it over with your car, but that would probably be great if you did.
Honorable mentions
If you manage to destroy this legendary rugged Timex, at least it won’t cost you a lot to replace it.
Designed for US Air Force paratroopers and pilots and manufactured by the official watch supplier to the US, Canadian and British Forces, this watch is literally made for the battlefield.