Have you read our introductory guide to watches? I’d strongly suggest you check it out first, if you haven’t. With that out of the way, let’s know take a look at some of the most popular yet affordable watch brands out there. We won’t cover any microbrands or luxury brands in this post (check out these posts instead: entry luxury watch brands, watch microbrands).
Introduction
All brands on this list were established in the XX century (a few date even back to the late XIX century). Hence, these brands possess a reputable history in developing several modern technologies found in wristwatches. Some are veritable industry leaders that produce great quality products. Others may offer lower quality products (in clear correlation to retail price), though they may possess a cult following within some collector circles.
We have representatives from many countries, including global market leaders like Switzerland and Japan. Half of them were established before the mid 1950s, which means they started by producing mechanical watches. The other half started manufacturing watches less than 70 years ago (after quartz movements were introduced), yet they also have acquired some renown since then.
In any case, all these brands manufacture affordable watch models that meet the following criteria:
- At least one watch model/line retails for less than $500 USD.
- Employ massive production and industrial construction in manufacturing.
- Most movements (both quartz and automatic) are of Asian origin.
- Lenses are primarily made out of mineral crystal.
Any affordable watch produced by these brands can be easily purchased from jewelries, watch dealers, online retailers, or directly from the manufacturers. We’ll group them by country and list in alphabetical order, so no direct comparison or ranking will be made – except for the casual commentary in relation to quality or reputation when applicable.
China
Reef Tiger
- Established: 1898 (originally Swiss)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Aurora Pioneer
- Website: reeftiger.co.uk
Reef Tiger is a Chinese-owned brand that employs Swiss traditional design and manufacturing process. They produce watches with movements of Chinese origin. Reef Tiger offers various lines of dress, sport, military, and dive watches.
Sea-Gull
- Established: 1955
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: 1963 Original
- Website: seagullwatches.com
Manufactured in Tianjin, China, Sea-Gull pioneered the development and production of original Chinese mechanical wristwatches. Sea-Gull offers various models of skeleton, military, diver, and even tourbillon watches.
Germany
Laco
- Established: 1925
- Movements: Automatic / manual
- Iconic line: Pilot Watch Original
- Website: laco.de
Laco has a rich history with a particular past manufacturing pilot watches. Back in the 1940s, they were one of the few companies authorized to produce reliable watches for pilots of the German Luftwaffe. Besides their famous pilot models, Laco also offers field, chronograph, and dress watches.
Junkers
- Established: 1987 (POINTtec)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: A50 GMT
- Website: junkers.de
Produced by German company POINTtec, Junkers watches are inspired by Junkers aircraft, which have been around for over 100 years. The spirit of Bauhaus design is also reflected in their watch designs. Junkers produces pilot, chronograph, field, and dress watches.
Zeppelin
- Established: 1987 (POINTtec)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: 100 Years Zeppelin
- Website: pointtec.de
POINTtec expanded its portfolio to also include the Zeppelin brand. This line aims to remind us about aviation history pioneers, combining classical elements with technical sophistication. Zeppelin offers dress and sport watches, with complications like chronograph and moon-phase.
Japan
Alba
- Established: 1970 (originally Pulsar)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Mechanical Series
- Website: albawatches.com
Alba is our first brand belonging to the Seiko Group. They started as Pulsar, an American brand owned by Hamilton, purchased by Seiko in 1978. Pulsar was famous for introducing the world’s first electronic digital LED watch in 1972. In 2020, Alba replace Pulsar as a brand, they manufacture mostly dress and sport analog watches. They use the same quartz or automatic movements produced by Seiko.
Casio
- Established: 1946
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: G-SHOCK
- Website: casio.com
Casio is a Japanese electronics corporation, established after World War II, with a huge reputation in the wristwatches industry. Their first digital watch (Casiotron) was the first in the world with an automatic calendar function. Casio produces both digital and analog watches, the latter being the most popular, all powered by Japanese quartz movements.
Citizen
- Established: 1918
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: Atomic Timekeeping
- Website: citizenwatch.com
Another iconic Japanese brand, Citizen started as Shokosha Watch Research Institute in 1918 before being taken over by Swiss investors in 1930. Maybe it’s best known for introducing the first multi-band atomic timekeeping watch in 1993. Citizen offers a variety of sport and dress watches, with proprietary technologies such as Eco-Drive and Radio Controlled.
Lorus
- Established: 1982
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: Classic Series
- Website: loruswatches.com
Also owned by the Seiko Group, Lorus is a Japanese brand introduced in the European market in 1982, to complement their already popular other Seiko brands. Their affordable watch designs are made with the highest technology qualities in mind. Lorus produces a wide variety of digital and analog watches, with functions like duo-display, alarm-clock, and chronograph.
Orient
- Established: 1950
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: Classic Series
- Website: orient-watch.com
Our last brand owned by Seiko in this list, Orient started as an independent company in 1950, becoming a subsidiary of Seiko in 2009. Orient is famous for its dress and sport watches, manufactured with automatic or quartz Japanese movements. They also market a few solar powered models. Famous complications in Orient watches are chronograph, calendar, and day/night tracking.
Seiko
- Established: 1881
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: 5 Sports
- Website: seikowatches.com
Seiko is probably the oldest and most reputable Japanese watch manufacturer, also the largest conglomerate group (Epson). Seiko is acknowledged as the first to introduce a commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969 (Astron). They also introduced the world’s first watch with a stopwatch function and diver watch with a titanium case. Seiko offers watches in all existing styles and movements.
Spain
Festina
- Established: 1902 (originally Swiss)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: The Originals Watch
- Website: festina.com
Created in Switzerland, Festina relocated to Spain during World War II. 30 years ago, it consolidated into a group by purchasing several Swiss brands. Nowadays, Festina manufactures skeleton, dress, diver, and chronograph watches.
Switzerland
Mondaine
- Established: 1951
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Official Swiss Railways Classic
- Website: mondaine.com
Mondaine watches are inspired by Swiss railway clocks, which they have produced exclusively since the beginning. It wasn’t until 1986 that they also started manufacturing dress watches, with a clean and minimalist design. Mondaine products may only include limited additional functions like chronograph and calendar.
Swatch
- Established: 1983
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: MoonSwatch
- Website: swatch.com
Swatch started from an idea to produce a fashionable yet affordable watch made entirely from plastic. The end result helped to re-popularize analog watches in the midst of the digital watch rise. Swatch nowadays enjoys a cult following worldwide, offering colourful watches with complications like calendar and chronograph.
Wenger
- Established: 1893
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: City Classic
- Website: wenger.ch
Perhaps more known by their Swiss army knives or travel and camping gear, Wenger also started producing watches in 1998. Their watch lines are mostly focused on dress and sport styles, including a few diver and racing watch models. Simple in design, Wenger watches feature complications such as calendar or chronograph.
United Kingdom
Rotary
- Established: 1895 (originally Swiss)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: RW 1895 Heritage Chronograph
- Website: rotarywatches.com
Another company of Swiss origin, Rotary became an official watch supplier for the British Army in the 1940. Their products use movements from Japan or China, though assembled in Switzerland. Rotary offers dress and sport watches, with complications such as skeleton, GMT, chronograph, and moon-phase.
Sekonda
- Established: 1966 (originally Russian)
- Movements: Quartz
- Iconic line: Easy Reader Watch
- Website: sekonda.com
Originally produced in the Soviet Union, Sekonda mechanical watches were branded as Poljot and Raketa in the West during the Cold War. Nowadays, they only manufacture models with quartz movements made in Asia. Sekonda markets both dress and sport watches, including diver, pilot, and chronograph styles.
United States
Bulova
- Established: 1875
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Lunar Pilot
- Website: bulova.com
Bulova is one of the most widely known brands on this list. Perhaps remembered by losing the competition to be the first watch on the moon to Omega, finally accomplishing it on the Apollo 15 mission. Bulova offers a variety of dress and sport timepieces, with chronograph and calendar functions.
Ingersoll
- Established: 1892
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: The Jazz Automatic
- Website: ingersoll1892.com
Another American brand with a long history, Ingersoll became popular in the late XIX century with their $1 pocket watch. Even more so with their Mickey Mouse wristwatches introduced in the 1930s. Nowadays, Ingersoll manufactures dress, skeleton, and sport watches with Chinese movements.
Invicta
- Established: 1837 (originally Swiss)
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Jason Taylor
- Website: invictawatch.com
Established in Switzerland in the first half of the XIX century, Invicta operations went bankrupt in the 1980s. It was later bought by American owners and re-established in 1991. Invicta produces a wide range of watch collections with a clear Swiss design inspiration. They offer models in various dress and sport styles.
Skagen
- Established: 1989
- Movements: Automatic / quartz / solar
- Iconic line: Melbye Titanium
- Website: skagen.com
American brand Skagen, originally made only watches but has since then delved into other fashion items. Their products are inspired by Danish design, which aim to achieve purpose and simplicity. Skagen mainly offers dress and sport watches of quartz/solar movement, with a handful of automatic mechanical options.
Timex
- Established: 1854
- Movements: Automatic / quartz
- Iconic line: Timex Expedition
- Website: timex.com
A timeless affordable watch brand from the USA is without a doubt Timex. The oldest American brand on this list, they specialised during World War II in military watches. In the 1980s, Timex became a leader in quartz digital watches. Nowadays, they offer a vast lineup of digital and analog watches in all styles.