Best Watch Brands for Men
So it’s your lucky day, today. Life is great when all your goals have been met and taken care of. Everything is settled: no issues, qualms, no problems. Suddenly, you have disposable income!
Whatever can you do?
Now, you can be a responsible adult and save up a substantial chunk for a rainy day. You can also take your chances at the stock market and see where life will take you. But what if you did both of those, and still have $15,000 to play around with? Well, the horologist in you will be taken care of, courtesy of Gracious Watch.
Here’s an extensive list that will hit every price point and make your life even harder. But this is a good problem to have, so cherish the moment.
Contents
Watch Buying Guide
– Low-End (Under $200)
– Low-End To Mid-Range ($200 To $499)
– Mid-Range ($500 To $999)
– Mid-Range To High-End ($1,000 To $4,999)
– High-End ($5,000 to $15,000)
Top 3 Watches In Each Category
– Low-End (Under $200)
– Low-End To Mid-Range ($200 To $499)
– Mid-Range ($500 To $999)
– Mid-Range To High-End ($1,000 To $4,999)
– High-End ($5,000 to $15,000)
Buying watches looks pretty easy on the surface and then you start to dig in and quickly get sucked into a whole new world that is complicated, intimidating and almost impossible for any newby or amatuer to make sense of.
If you’re shopping for a nice watch as a gift that makes life harder than you expected and you often give up. If you are shopping for yourself (often trying to buy your first nice watch) then it can be a letdown or you end up with a watch you don’t love.
At Gracious Watch one thing we try to do is make watch research and buying a little less intimidating and more approachable for people who aren’t experts on watches. We want to help narrow down choices so that you can find great value for money when buying a watch whether your budget is $200 or $10,000. We try to identify the diamonds in the rough at every watch price-point by doing tons of research and updating that research often so we’re always on trend with what is latest and greatest.
That’s why we created this mens watch buying guide, categorizing the market in buckets from under $200, $200 – $499, $500 – $999, $1,000 – $4,999 and $5,000 – $15,000. We figured they were the right price categories people looked at when shopping for a watch. This post is focused on the best brands, articles and then top watches in each category.
We focused on Men’s watches for this post but will be following up with a Woman’s watch post in coming months so look out for that.
Watch Buying Guide: Low-End, Under $200
Some of our favorite watch brands make great timepieces that can be bought for very reasonable prices. Here’s a list of brands that make sub-$200 watches.
Under $200 Recommended Watches
Sport Timepieces, Under $200
Fashion Timepieces for Men, Under $200
Dress Timepieces, Under $200
Casual Timepieces, Under $200
Sales and Discounted Timepieces for Men, Under $200
Other Entry-Level Watch Articles
2015 Best Timepieces for Men Under $200
Top 7 Most Popular Men’s Watches Under $200
Good and Affordable NATO Watches
Discounted Men’s Watches Under $200
Top 7 Minimalist Watches for Men Under $200
7 Elegant Watches that will Fit Most of the Occasions (Under $200)
Watch Buying Guide: Low-End to Mid-Range, $200 to $499
Great news. Once you raise your budget to just under $500 there are many solid options. Watch brands are really investing in this price range with a broad assortment of watch types and brands.
$200 to $499 Recommended Watches
Sport Timepieces, $200 to $499
Fashion Timepieces for Men, $200 to $499
Dress Timepieces, $200 to $499
Casual Timepieces, $200 to $499
Sales and Discounted Timepieces for Men, $200 to $499
Other Low to Mid-Range Watch Articles
7 Masculine Black and Blue Fashion Timepieces That Will Make Your Jaw Drop
7 Limited Edition Seiko Watches You Should Consider Investing
7 Most Unique and Cool Watches for Men
Cheap and Affordable Automatic Watches Under $500 (For Men)
7 Cheap Designer Watches You Can Afford
Watch Buying Guide: Mid-Range, $500 to $999
$500 to $999 Recommended Watches
Sport Timepieces, $500 to $999
Fashion Timepieces for Men, $500 to $999
Dress Timepieces, $500 to $999
Casual Timepieces, $500 to $999
Sales and Discounted Timepieces for Men, $500 to $999
Other Mid-Range Watch Articles
Best Designer Watches to Wear to the Office for Men, Under $1,000
Best Watches for Navy Seals
Top 7 Most Affordable and Reliable Aviator Watches
Best Edox Watches to Own For Men
Best Selling Zodiac Watches for Men
Best Victorinox Swiss Army Watches to Own (for Men)
Watch Buying Guide: Mid-Range to High-End, $1,000 to $4,999
$1,000 to $4,999 Recommended Watches
Sport Timepieces, $1,000 to $4,999
Fashion Timepieces for Men, $1,000 to $4,999
Dress Timepieces, $1,000 to $4,999
Casual Timepieces, $1,000 to $4,999
Sales and Discounted Timepieces for Men, $1,000 to $4,999
Other Under $5,000 Watch Articles
7 Cheap Luxury Watches You Can Afford
Top 7 Best Pilot Watches
Cheap & Affordable Luxury Watches for Men
7 Must Designer Watches for Men
Luxury Watches at a Reasonable Price
Best Ball Watches to Own (for Men)
Watch Buying Guide: High-End, $5,000 to $15,000
$5,000 to $15,000 Recommended Watches
Sport Timepieces, $5,000 to $15,000
Fashion Timepieces for Men, $5,000 to $15,000
Dress Timepieces, $5,000 to $15,000
Casual Timepieces, $5,000 to $15,000
Other High-End Watches Over $5,000 Articles
Invest and Build Your Collection Portfolio with These Incredible High-end Watches
Best Bvlgari Watches to Own (for Men)
Best Chopard Watches to Own (for Men)
Best Ulysse Nardin Watches to Own (for Men)
Best Breitling Watches for Men
Top 3 Watch Picks For Each Price Category
A watch is a personal accoutrement and one that is chosen only after making careful consideration of all available brands and their prices. While this post was not written to tell you what particular watch to buy, we strongly believe that it will empower you to make the right purchasing decision. We’ve come up with a list of watches from the low-end to the high-end categories, with each watch per category having been chosen carefully. Again, while we highly recommend these watches, the decision of which piece to buy and wear all comes down to your personal preference.
Best Watches: Low-End Watch Brands – Under $200
Winner: Casio Edifice EF527D-1AV
Quick Links: Shop Casio Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Casio Edifice EF527D-1AV - This is our favorite low-end pick. We have received tons of positive feedback and reviews from our customer on this particular Edifice.
If you’re extremely tight on budget and are still looking for a reliable and durable watch then you should really consider this pick. It has extremely high water resistant for it’s price tag and the Quartz movement provides accurate timekeeping for owners with very little margin of error.
It’s suitable for many occasions such as casual dates and formal events. A warranty is covered by the manufacturer as well.
It’s really a no-brainer as the top low-end timepieces.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up: Daniel Wellington 0106DW
Quick Links: Shop Daniel Wellington, Product Details, Read Full Review
Daniel Wellington 0106DW – Next on the list will be the very classy and elegant timepiece from Daniel Wellington powered by Japanese quartz movement.
Most of us know that the design of Daniel Wellington watch is extremely breathtaking.
Nevertheless, design in itself had made very limited impact on our decision to make this watch our second pick.
The main reasons we picked this watch is because of it’s performance, comfort and lightweight.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Third Place: Fossil JR1437
Quick Links: Shop Fossil Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Fossil JR1437 – The face of this watch is huge, that’s the only disadvantage if you have a smaller wrist.
Other than that, this watch is a huge bargain in our opinion. It has a water resistant of up to 165 feet or 50m. Guarantee to survive water submersion and splashing. Also suitable for showering, swimming, snorkeling (definitely not scuba diving though). The aesthetics of this watch is built to perfection.
It looks very classy and sophisticated. You can wear this watch in any type of day and night activity.
Overall, this watch is extremely affordable, reliable and a must-have if you’re looking for a masculine design timepiece.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Best Watches: Low-End to Mid-Range Watch Brands ($200 to $499)
Winner: Bulova 97A109
Quick Links: Shop Bulova Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Bulova 97A109 – Seldom will you find a mechanical watch that costs only around two-hundred dollars, but is looking very stellar and one that you would probably rave about. This 97A109 from Bulova is one of those watches.
Featuring a black dial and a gold-plated bezel, this piece is a proof of how Bulova gives great emphasis to the details of their watches. It comes with a brown genuine leather strap, too, one that’s easy to match whatever you’re outfit of the day is. With a mineral dial window, this is one tough cookie to scratch.
The watch only weighs around 3 ounces, which means you can wear it all day long without noticing that it’s there all along.
Due to some recent changes in design of Bulova watches, however, this model does not carry the tuning fork symbol anymore, but that doesn’t affect the performance of the watch anyway.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up: Tissot T0636171603700
Quick Links: Shop Tissot Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Tissot T0636171603700 – Excellent value and quality are the reasons that this beautiful watch from Tissot is on this list right now.
You’ll definitely love this watch if you like getting compliments for your outfit all the time. It features a classic styling, but is large enough to suit today’s fashion. A truly versatile wristwatch, this piece works both as a dress watch and as a casual watch, making it an excellent choice for an everyday watch.
It features an anti-reflective sapphire dial window, making it a hardy watch. The brown band is made of genuine calfskin, on the other hand, adding to its overall toughness.
Clear, simply, and quiet, this is one beautiful and classy watch that’s not very difficult to fall in love with.
So, if you’re looking for a Swiss-made watch at a very reasonable price, look no further as this piece from Tissot perfectly fits the bill.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Third Place: Seiko MECHANICAL x Shinobu Ishigaki SARB065
Quick Links: Shop Seiko Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Seiko MECHANICAL x Shinobu Ishigaki SARB065 – There is no question that this elegant-looking watch from Seiko is one of the best dress watches you will ever find under a thousand dollars. This is a very accurate watch, thanks to its 23-jeweled automatic mechanism. The finish is also absolute perfection.
The dial window, for one, is made of Hardlex, which makes it very tough and highly resistant to impact. The overall quality and polish of the components is also very stunning, especially when they’re hit by sunlight.
Moreover, the combination of the black calfskin leather strap with green stitches, silver face, and blue minute and second hands, really gives an upmarket feel to the watch. Combine that with the sweeping motion of the second hand and you get a genuine classy Seiko watch made purely in Japan.
For a bonus, the caseback is transparent, allowing you to take a glimpse of what keeps this beautiful thing running.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Best Watches: Mid-Range Watch Brands ($500 to $999)
Winner: Raymond Weil 2847-ST-00209 Maestro
Quick Links: Shop Raymond Weil, Product Details, Read Full Review
Raymond Weil 2847-ST-00209 Maestro – Simple elegance is what the “Maestro†is going to give you with its stainless steel finish and Swiss automatic movement.
It features an eight-link bracelet with a deployant-buckle, plus a textured sunray dial that testifies to the amount of detail given to designing and creating it. It also comes with an anti-reflective sapphire dial window, plus an exhibition window on the case back, allowing you to peek inside its Swiss mechanism.
Meanwhile, its black dial features Roman numeral batons, plus a date display window right beside the 3rd-hour mark. A water-resistant piece, this watch is suitable swimming, too.
Overall, this is a very stunning watch with a workmanship that is clearly exquisite and to the detail. And since it’s a Raymond Weil masterpiece, you can expect it to carry a unique and elegant look combined with a rugged toughness that gives it its unparalleled overall quality.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up: Movado Men’s 2600096 “Series 800”
Quick Links: Shop Movado Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Movado showcases its ability to combine tradition and innovation with this piece of Swiss quartz watch. It’s a stainless steel beauty that features a white dial with three chronograph sub-dials and a date window.
Designed and built to add style and glamour to your life, this watch comes with a black genuine crocodile leather strap with a high-quality buckle closure. It’s encased in a 42 mm stainless steel case and is protected by a synthetic-sapphire dial window. Adding to the functionality and aesthetics of this beauty is a tachymeter scale.
What gives life to this watch, though, is its very exquisite-looking face. It’s very bright despite having just enough silver accent, and glimmers very nicely when hit by the sun. The bezel is also thin adding to its elegance without being chunky and bulky. All in all, this Movado beauty makes an excellent dress watch, as well as a great everyday watch because of its simple elegance.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Third Place: Victorinox Swiss Army Men’s 241421 Dive Master
Quick Links: Shop Victorinox Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Victorinox Swiss Army Men’s 241421 Dive Master – Engineered for perfection, this Victorinox diver’s watch is a rugged, tough-tool watch.
One look at it and you’ll immediately know that a great deal of attention was given while designing and constructing it. The watch features a gunmetal stainless steel case combined with a black rubber bracelet.
The black dial, on the other hand, displays luminous hands and luminous dot hour markers, with the minute markers positioned around the outer rim. It also features two subdials, plus a date display window just below the 6th-hour marker.
What you’ll love about this watch is that aside from the fact that it looks really good, it feels really good to wear as well. It has a solid feeling, but it’s not bulky or heavy at all. It’s obviously very durable and sturdy, too, with an overall quality that goes beyond what it costs.
A great price for an outstanding men’s watch, this is one piece you would be very happy to purchase and add to your collection.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Best Watches: Mid-Range to High-End Watch Brands ($1,000 to $4,999)
Winner: Omega 231.10.44.52.04.001 Seamaster
Quick Links: Shop Omega Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Omega 231.10.44.52.04.001 Seamaster – Looking for an excellent deal? This Omega men’s Seamaster watch might just be what you need.
We’ve included this watch to this list not only because it’s practically a deal screaming right in front of you waiting to be grabbed, but because it’s actually a very consistent watch in terms of appearance and performance.
Built with a stainless steel case and bracelet, this watch looks rather unique, with not a lot out there that’s like it, even one coming from Omega itself. It features a black ion-plated bezel where the 24-hour markings are embedded, as well as an outer rim for the minute markers.
This is an automatic self-wind watch with a white dial that features luminescent hands and markers, plus three chronograph sub-dials and a date display window. Its face is protected by a tough, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and comes with a skeleton case back. Personally, I would say this is an excellent choice if you’re on the lookout for a watch that can serve both as a sports watch and a dress watch.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up:Â TAG Heuer Men’s CV2A10.FC6235
Quick Links: Shop TAG Heuer Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
TAG Heuer Men’s CV2A10.FC6235 Carrera Automatic Chronograph Day-Date – If you’re a fan of all-around wristwatches, you’ll surely love this automatic watch from TAG Heuer. It provides a flurry of functionality, which can be clearly seen from its seemingly cluttered dial. Taking a closer look at it, though, will reassure you that every piece and bit it possesses is not there by accident, but has been added for a purpose.
This handsome watch dons a 43mm stainless steel case and black bezel that features a white tachymeter scale. At the right side of the watch are two prominent pushers and an accentuated crown. It’s powered by Swiss Automatic movement and features a black dial with silver-toned hands and Arabic numeral markers.
The dial, which is covered by a scratch-resistant sapphire window, also features 3 chronograph sub-dials and a date display window right beside the 3rd-hour marker. Instead of a rubber strap, however, this sports watch graces a black leather bracelet with high-quality stitching.
True to its brand name, this watch is not only brilliant looking, but is precise and very practical at the same time.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Third Place: Ball Storm Chaser DLC Glow CM2192C-P2-BK
Quick Links: Shop Ball Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Ball Storm Chaser DLC Glow CM2192C-P2-BK – Third on the list of our mid-range to high-end picks is the Ball Storm Chaser, which is a limited edition.
All over the word, there are only 1,999 of these watches made, which makes it very special. It’s a high-caliber sports watch with a black dial featuring a tachymeter scale with graduations on the bezel. It features a DLC, or Diamond-Like Coating, which is a very hard, wear-resistant coating that gives the watch its black appearance.
Moreover, this is a chronograph with day and date display, as well as a telemeter with the scales displayed on the outer rim. This watch features a total of 66 Trillium gas tubes incorporated into the line markers, as well as the hands, making it luminescent.
Meanwhile, the case back of the watch is made of solid stainless steel and engraved with an image of the Doppler Radar on Wheels truck.
With a G-shock level of 5,000 and a water resistance of 100 meters, this is a very hardy sports watch like no other.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Best Watches: High-End Watch Brands ($5,000 to $15,000)
Winner: IWC Pilot Top Gun Edition IW388001
Quick Links: Shop IWC Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
IWC Pilot Top Gun Edition IW388001 – Part of the top gun collection, this watch represents a sort of an avant-garde and adventurous variant of IWC’s Pilot watches.
Compared to its counterparts, it’s a little bit more expressive and flamboyant, but nevertheless captures the mechanical integrity and instrument aesthetic of what you would expect from a watch of its class.
Featuring a 16 ½ mm thick ceramic case, the watch sits nice and flush on the wrist, and although it’s part of the Pilot series, it’s not big and bulky at all. Its combination of textile and calfskin leather strap is also very comfortable to the skin and is counterweighted a titanium full-deployment buckle.
Meanwhile, the titanium accents on the crown and pushers compliment the high-tech look of the watch, adding to its modern appearance.
This is a chronograph as well, but doesn’t look cluttered at all, as it only has two sub dials and a three-display date window.
Finally, if you are a fan of the big-watch look, this should be a great option for you.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up: Rolex Submariner Green Dial – 116610LV
Quick Links: Shop Rolex Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Rolex Submariner Green Dial – 116610LV- Arguably one of the most iconic dive watches in the world, the Rolex Submariner is the type of watch you would expect someone driving an Aston Martin to wear.
It’s a very, very classy wristwatch, and can be a great addition to any watch collector’s pool of high-end watches. This watch features a rotating bezel that is made from ceramic, which means it is virtually scratch proof. It adds to the luxurious feel of the watch as well, not to mention that it attracts attention when hit by sunlight.
The dial, on the other hand, is made from gold, although it’s been treated in a way that it appears to be of green color on this model. It’s protected by a sapphire crystal window and a stainless steel casing.
Approximately 40 millimeters thick, this watch is very comfortable to the wrists, and weighs just enough for you to know that it’s very durable and of an excellent quality.
Finally, the fact that it’s made by Rolex makes this piece an absolute bang for buck.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
Runner Up: Chopard 168513-3001 Mille Miglia Limited Edition
Quick Links: Shop Chopard Watches, Product Details, Read Full Review
Chopard 168513-3001 Mille Miglia Limited Edition – Last but not least on our list of high-end watches is this limited edition Mille Miglia from Chopard.
It features a stainless steel case with a beautiful, robust rubber strap that represents a Dunlop tread. Its 44-mm thick casing comes with a fixed stainless steel bezel where a tachymeter scale is embedded.
This is an automatic watch with a gray dial that features silver-toned, luminescent hands, as well as index hour markers. The 12th and 6th hour markers, though, are represented by Arabic numerals, which are very prominent, too.
This watch is also a chronograph with four sub-dials. Turning the watch over, you’ll see that this has a transparent case back, which reveals the attention to detail given to this masterpiece.
Overall, this is a very superb watch, which is a mix between a luxury watch and a sports watch.
What you would love about this watch, though, is that it fits very, very well and delivers the comfort and functionality that all Chopard watches do.
Check Prices & Options on Amazon
More of the Best Watches
The Best Watch Brands in the World
The Best Watch Brands For Men (Under $15,000)
7 Most Affordable Swiss Made Watch Brands
5 Most Popular Rolex Watches Of All Time
7 Affordable Dynamic Skeleton Watches
Top 7 Best Selling Japanese Watches Of All Time
Top 7 Most Popular TAG Heuer Watches
Best Tissot Watches To Own (For Men)
Top 7 Most Affordable Aviator Watches
The 9 Most Powerful Casio G-Shock Watches
){kind=link}