Diver: orient mako ii - 170 Dress: seiko sarb - 300 Casual: seiko 5 - 50 Just over 500 but you're getting real watches. Don't spend 150 on a plated watch with a cheap 3$ Miyota Quartz movement
You can tell the watch people who prefer mechanical to quartz! I agree though, my MAKO USA ii is amazing and I have an expensive Tissot as my dress. Seiko 5 is great casual.
Ferien7 The Fifth are cheap Chinese watches that cost $1 to built and are sold for $100. It’s obvious he doesn’t know anything about watches. If you went to Teddy Baldassarre’s channel he details it better than I can, but the Fifth, Daniel Wellington, and MVMT are all the same fashion watches being sold to gullible customers thinking they’re getting something quality made.
My recommendations for 3 budget friendly watches: Casual: almost any Timex watch (Weekender is a great choice) and Seiko 5 series watches Diver: any Seiko diver Dress: Orient Bambino (I have 1 Seiko, 1 Timex, 1 Tudor, and 1 Rolex watch)
Invicta Pro Diver is also a great entry level diver. Specially the 8926OB. Great seiko movement, affordable at $85 (don't buy it for that, there's tons of deals where it goes for around $60 and below)
Patrick Lau Nope. Timeless designs never go out of style regardless of manufacturing quality. Fashion watches are here to stay and generally, they are considered to be much more attractive than japanese and swiss watches.
Right on the nose. And you can't really teach people who believe that fashion watches are worth the money when they are not. They just have to find out for themselves when one day they look at that drawer full of junky watches and realize that they could have bought a few grown-up watches and been set.
Laurens Arthur One very simplistic alternative is the Junghans Max Bill version. I think its impossible to find the design of fashion watches unpleasing to the eye. However, their design can also just be called straight up lazy. The Junghans Max Bill is a watch with horological history, designed by the famous minimalist artist Max Bill. Take a look at the Junghans please, because whilst much more expensive they offer so much more in a watch compared to the average MVMT or DW watch.
I would add one more item to this list and bring the budget up to $500. Every collection needs a beater. That is, a watch that is designed to take a beating! A $10 Casio will do the job!
Kieron Rowe no, watches are fashion accessories nowadays, so any activity in which looking decent isn’t required (sports, gym, home, etc) wearing a watch isn’t needed.
For anyone looking to start a modest watch collection but don't want to break the bank yet still be able to match a variety of outfits and occasions, Seiko is definitely a good place to start.
Brock, I like your content but you can get away with one watch for any/all occasions (a simple Seiko or Timex with 3 hands) the key is simplicity coupled with bracelet/strap selections. NATO or rubber for the beach, metal for casual up to but NOT including a suit and leather for more formal attire. One watch with a few straps for much less than $400.
i have been looking for a decent watch for almost all occasions and eventually bought a seiko sarb. great movement and overall quality. it looks dressy on a leather strap and casual (but not too casual) on a nato strap or the metal strap it comes with. picking an extra "everyday" watch is nonsense in my opinion - a good watch survives everyday use (when you are not a doing particularly hard work) and looks great in all situations.
Thank-you. The Timex Weekenders are also excellent for those who have vision issues, like presbyopia (reading glasses). It’s not just all about youthful fashion!
Awesome! While I am a taller guy, your advice in this case applies to men at any height. I am an older guy trying to dress better and find your videos very educational. My budget is somewhat modest, but will splurge on a a nice suit or shoes whenever I can afford to. I needed advice on watches, so I thank you my friend!
Diver: Orient Kamasu - $230 I love this watch, as the amount of watch you get for this price is unbelievable. A completely in-house F6922 automatic movement, which is extremely reliable and packed with hand-winding and hacking. Majority of other automatic watches at this price point to not offer a sapphire crystal, let alone a diver. Casual: Seiko SNK809 - $70 This was my very first automatic watch, and I wear it nearly everyday as it is extremely versatile, has a very reliable movement, and it can't be beaten at this price. Dress: Orient Bambino (Gen 2 V1) - $130 Again, a completely in-house movement with hacking and hand winding, a very attractive design (cream dial with roman numerals, with blue hands is my fav), and again, a hell of a lot of watch for the money. Just my personal list but I think a lot of people would have similar choices.
I'm a watch collector and here's my take on this video: if you don't have a big budget skip the casual watch. You don't really need one. Buy a diver instead; because these can be worn with anything (casually or for formal events). If you already have a diver buy a dress watch next (to mix it up). That's it. That's literally all you need. Once you save up some money you can then buy yourself what I like to call an "heirloom" piece. A watch that's good enough to be given away as an heirloom. One of my personal favorites is the Omega Seamaster. This watch is the only watch that's approved for space travel by NASA. It's also the only watch that has been to space. This watch is almost indestructible (it's really sturdy and looks amazing). And best of all it's not too expensive; you can get one for a really good price if you buy it second hand. Rolex watches are nice too but IMHO they're a little bit too flashy. Omegas are more affordable.
So much wrong information lol. First of you meant the Speedmaster not seamaster. also there have been many watches in space, also the speedmaster is not even the first in space, but first on the moon. The first watch in space was the poljot strela. Also Bulova, Sinn, Fortis also have all been to space.
AntonioKowatsch yeah the seamaster is a dive watch and never went to space. that was the speedmaster, secondly what he probably meant by a casual watch is a beater watch. not everybody is okay with scuffing their 200Dollar watch, for some people that's serious money. And Speedmaster isn't indestructible, the model they sell to the common man is not the same as the one that went to space, bar the few limited edition pieces.
Nice entry video into watches. I'm not a believer in having to have watches for certain occasions but you can't go wrong with the Weekender, or Timex Expedition Scout and the SKX is one of the best sub $500 watches you can buy. As for a dress watch (which I think can also be worn at any time) I'd opt for something vintage. An Omega is my choice and isn't a great deal more. You would need to have a smaller wrist though.
A steel bracelet watch is the most versatile. Orient makes a great one, Seiko has a few as do Citizen in automatic and quarz. If you want to go Swiss, Oris makes fantastic pieces that are not on the ridiculous side of pricing.
I would get a Seiko SNK809 as casual, a Casio MDV106 quartz as diver, a Sekko SNK789 with a leather strap as a dress watch (not very thin but with a 37mm case it wears small) and a Casio F91W or F105W as a "dirty works/don't care if it breaks" watch. This is under $200 and gets you 2 automatics for daily and dress and 2 rugged quartzs as sports/diver and "disponsable" watches. Add a smartwatch for your other wrist if you want to reach the $500 pricepoint for your collection!
Honestly, you don't really need a watch at all - by now, they're luxury items, and an outfit can still be complete even without a watch. That said, I think if you really like wearing watches, you still don't have to drop too much money - especially if you're willing to pick quartz pieces. As far as casual watches go, it's hard to go wrong with Timex, even 4+ years later; the Weekender is still available at a great price of around $50. I think the Casio Duro is a great dive watch at around $50, as is the Invicta Pro Diver (despite Invicta's notoriety). In particular, Pro Divers are available around that price with automatic movements, and quartz versions cost slightly less. - though I've heard that the Duro's quality is better for diving. I'm looking around for a dress watch, and the Orient Capital looks great (currently available on Amazon for about $70). I'm not sure how The 5th stands, but their watches are likely functional and reliable enough, though looking at their website, the pieces seem to be priced around $150 - a little steep for me. That said, I hear they donate a portion of their profits to charity, which is genuinely admirable. That's a total of about $170 (admittedly not counting tax or shipping). Beyond those 3 roles, I'm very partial to my Casio MTP4500D-1AV, a solid chronograph featuring a slide rule bezel(!) for around $60. I also think you may as well pick up a Casio F91-W, which is available for about $15.
Casual/Everyday "Beater": Rolex - Explorer w/ an assortment of bands (Classic/Business) and/or Casio - G-Shock that fits your style, *Mudmaster for me (Modern/Tactical) Diver/Sport: Omega - Seamaster Professional, Planet Ocean Chronograph (If you only buy one watch in your life, it should be a watch of this caliber.) Dress/Luxury: Cartier - Tank and/or Bvlgari - BVLGARI Chronograph (Formal/Black tie jewelry for men.) Most men only wear 2 pieces of jewelry in their lives, a wedding ring, and a watch. Live a little, and invest in quality pieces that will last a lifetime (and can be passed down as heirlooms.) If it must be inexpensive/budget... Casual: Seiko - 5 ($50-150) Diver: Seiko - SKX ($175-250) Dress: Seiko - SARB ($350-400) Yes. They are all Seikos. If that bugs you then tell Seiko to stop making absurdly high-quality watches for every price point. Also, yes, their combined retail prices are over the $500 budget. Deal w/ it. If you refuse to pay more than $500, then wait for a major sale to make your purchases (or buy used/vintage.)
While I do love the Timex Weekender, I think that for about the same price ($50 on amazon), you're better off with the Seiko 5 (SK809) which is also an automatic watch.
+alejandro vergara I've got a SNK805 and love it. Power reserve sucks, though, so be ready to use a winder or reset it a lot (assuming you don't want to wear it daily).
The Modest Man how do you do that? I just ordered mine today and should get it tomorrow (amazon prime). I have an SKX as my diver watch and haven't had any issues at all with power reserve, granted I wear almost everyday or every other day.
+alejandro vergara nice, love the SKX. I've just noticed that the SNK stops if I don't wear it for one day (sometimes less). If I take it off in the afternoon, for example, it will be dead the next morning.
Great topic!!!! My current collection is... casual: Timex Waterbury World Time $160 (for going out with the kids); Marathon U.S. Gov't with plastic case $300 (I fly and I need the tritium illumination in the dark cockpit and the 12-hour bezel for Zulu time); Invicta stainless $100 (beater for gardening, sports) dress: Walthum gold-plated hand-wind refurbished ($100); Skagen titanium thin-line, blue dial $60; Seiko quartz in silver stainless $100 (someday: Grand Seiko if my ship comes in) inbetween: I don't like divers, as I don't dive--seems pretentious, at least to me. Seiko 5 automatic $180 (plan to replace with a Hamilton automatic someday) I'd like to add a dedicated sports watch, like the Timex Ironman, or the Casio G-Shock.
My Opinion 1. Silver metal watch (For dress clothes) 2. Brown leather watch (for dress or casual) 3. Rubber straps watch (sometimes bright straps for casual or light sports) 4. Digital watches like G Shock or any with a timer (For sports) Also you could have a couple of watches for different categories to much your outfit. Changing Blue, Red and white watches with these colours of straps for different outfits look pretty cool. My personal experiences with these watches is I would get compliments and approached by different people.
The only 4th category I'd add is a tactical watch for bug in home defense situations, or travelling to iffy parts of the world. A rugged, trusty blacked out digital watch that can tell you all you need, take a beating, will barely reflect any external light and won't draw unwanted attention of robbers.
i only own Steinhart OVM, and i wear it on any occasions. Just change the strap to leather or nato then youre basically good to go. Diver watch is the go-to watch
I have Seiko SKX007 + Rodina ST17 R005 watches. SKX though works for anything, except suits.. But I can wear it with a suit too. The Rodina is more classy and smaller so its dressier, can wear that for formal situations if want to.
If you are smaller wristed a 35mm easy reader will work as well or better than a weekender.For a dive watch SEIKO is a great choice.Orient Bambino is another good dress watch.
Only thing with the timex weekender is that ticking is supposed to be substantially loud, but it varies with everyone as to how much it bothers them. Make sure you're ok with the noise.
Ramza I don't know what everyone's talking about I have two and have to have to have them within a few feet of me and really listen and focus to hear them.
This is a good plan for someone new to watches and sure to please. I’m no watch snob, but I’ll avoid Timex from now on. Even on a budget you can do better than cheap junk. I have never been disappointed with any Seiko or Casio watch.
Seiko 5 (one like the SNXS79K) for about $100 but with a good leather strap and a Casio G shock for $40-50. The casio is good for swimming, hiking, gym etc and the Seiko for smart casual to formal occasions.
Your vid was suggested to me - I can see you put a great deal of thought and effort into your channel. I'm sure you'll do well here on YT. My 2 cents for viewers: for the same budget, do some homework and get a (mechanical) watch you love - something in the dress or diver categories - and then dress it down with a Nato strap (or other strap) for the more casual situations. Now you've got the start to a real collection, not just throw away pieces.
I enjoyed your video! But these would be my choices: Casual watch: Rolex Explorer 214270 Diver: Rolex Explorer 214270 Dress watch: Rolex Explorer 214270 I love the Explorer because it's so versatile. It's robust yet minimal enough to be classy. It was Ian Fleming's choice and the original James Bond watch (in the books). It's also Tom Hanks's and Matt Damon's choice. You can dress it up or dress it down. And when you're done with it, it'll make a wonderful heirloom.
Agreed! My collection has changed a bit since this video (to include more affordable autos). The SNK series is probably the best entry-level auto available right now.
I think brathwait makes a much nicer dress watch both in terms of quality and design (sapphire crystal actual rose gold plating, even a better quartz movement) pretty sure it costs about the same if not a little less.
I am always skeptical to make a watch purchase on Amazon. We’re you satisfied with you purchase of the SKX013? Any issues or concerns? Great video by the way. I love how you show the watch, not only on your wrist, but also with an outfit or two. Great job and keep up the great work!
my watch collection everyday/work watch: casio g shock AWG-M100B £70 diver watch: seiko 7002-7000 £80 dress watch: hamilton jazzmaster day date £570 weekend watch: speedmaster professional £3,300
+Pete Kaloudis I'm thinking about adding a g shock or something digital and waterproof to my collection. Only problem is the g shocks are so big and bulky. Any suggestions for something smaller?
I find Timex quality to be hit or miss - I've gotten a couple that were DOA. The price is right though, and if you find a decent quality one, it's a nice way to go. The confident man doesn't need a high profile watch to showoff, just one that works well. Of course you may also want something more appropriate to respect the occasion, but that's more of an exception.
Optidorf Bambinos suck. Mineral glass, odd case size, wrong lug width (horrible design choice as you cannot change the strap), not minimalistic enough. Very overhyped watch. Also, the sarb033 is plain ugly. Seiko and swiss watch companies need to get with the times and make more attractive watches.
Three watches for $500? Let's see what I could come up with: - Dress watch: Some vintage watch from the 60's, those are pretty cheap and it is pretty easy to find a good deal. And it is easy to make it dressier or more casual with just changing the strap. And service isn't that expensive for that kind of a watch, if the watch has some popular movement on it. And smaller size is a bonus; dress watch should be relatively small. Let's say for the prize like $250, here you can get tasty 60's Zenith watch for that money. Every now and then even Omega, but those go quickly with that kind of a price tag. - Diver: Most likely Seiko SKX or Citizen NY0040-series. Personally I have Citizen NY0086, looks nice and is pretty accurate and reliable. Might get one around $200 as new. - Casual watch: Personally I would get some cheap quartz-watch for a "casual watch", even though I wear my diver as a casual watch. I happen to have Casio AW1200 with a NATO-strap as my casual watch, if the criteria for it is "not diver and not dress watch". Don't have to worry about services or other stuff; it's always on time when I pick it up. Let's say like #$30. Less than $500 for a total sum.
if you get one watch it should be the omega speedmaster professional. if don't have that much to spend, get the orient Ray 2. end of story. Both respectable. the unassailable by watch snobs. the second is only 150 bucks. best diver for the price period. If you're a budget watch lover, look at the orient watches. automatic movements that don't cost a lot and are respectable (as or more so than seiko).
Thank you very much for this very useful video because to look good and elegant does not involve big amount of money . Giving us the option to get also discount in what we need . Thank you
My Top 3 "Watches You Really Need": Dress Watch: Orient Bambino 2nd Gen. 2nd Ver. (FAC00009N0) = $175 Diver Watch: Orient Ray II (FAA02005D9) = $167 Casual Watch: Seiko 5 Automatic (SNZG15) = $97 Total = $439 Cheaper than the total of the watches shown in the video. And if you want to add a chronograph: Casio Aviation Quartz Chronograph (MTP4500D-1AV) = $44 or Seiko MecaQuartz Chronograph (SNN241) = $99 or Seiko Quartz Chronograph (SNDC89P2) = $100 Total = $483 or $538 or $539
Hey Brock, good advice for a modest budget. I have a dress watch, similar to yours, that I bought over 10 years ago. After I stopped wearing it, my wife wore it. If it looks nice on your wife, you shouldn't have anything to do with it :) I would stay away from thin watches, too feminine in my opinion. A nice leather strap with a thicker case that lays on top of your sleeve would be my choice. Show that thing off with pride!
Just a quick question that's bugging me -if you don't have the right watch for the occasion, is it ok to wear whatever you got or maybe it's better not to wear any?
Hey Brock, i am a 16 year old teen and desperately want to change my wardrobe, what are the basic REQUIREMENTS for me to buy without spending too much money, i hope you help me out😊
Some good advice there. But why get a divers watch with a bezel? If you are not a diver when are you ever going to use it? Personally I would opt for an Accurist Gunmetal grey stainless steel bracelet WR 100m for £90. It is tough & rugged for outdoor sports/casual wear but still slim enough to be worn with a suit & look good. To complement that I would add a Rotary Windsor with brown leather strap for smart/casual wear £109.
I find the rotating useful for basic timing tasks. You can time anything under an hour with it. But watches (like much of style) aren’t all about function. Technically, most guys don’t *need* work boots or denim pants, but we still wear them because we like how they look and feel.
@@BrockMcGoff Thanks for replying. By removing the bezel you actually get more style options than if you opt for a 'divers' watch. If people cannot tell how much time has elapsed since a given start point then I feel sorry for them. I can use mine to tell how much time has elapsed in the last 24 hours by using a device that always goes with me - its called a brain/memory. It is just as effective as a bezel. But if people want to buy toys that make them feel that they are playing at being divers then who am I to stand in their way? In my experience 'real divers' do not go for pricey watches they go for functional disposables. Each to their own. I like the idea of having a watch that I can wear pretty much anywhere that is up to the task and the occasion. Wearing a bezel feels to me like turning up in boots & denim pants to an event where everyone else is wearing a suit.
Good initiative. As with wines, pens, and other products subject to subjetive valuation, watches need to be approached as you do. In addition to that, I liked your practical advice on how to choose a watch. Kudos!
if u want a affordable and minimalistic watch check out the 5th watch ! cuz jose the type of zuniga to talk about 4 watch for he can promote the 5th ! lol
Recently ordered a timex Fairfield (weekender) cause of you! I got a women’s (37mm) since my wrists are small so I’ll have to get a new strap for it lol.
Casio G-Shock are for loosers. They look horrible and there is nothing classy about them. They are too big and they look ugly staying on your wrist. Why would you want to wear something so mainstream that looks so bad and its with rubber/silicone band. If you add a little bit more money you can buy something like Seiko, Timex, Citizen, Orient which will look 100% better(IMO) and it will have a stainless steel or leather band.
Mishael Christian Yahya wear what makes you confident and what you want there isn't a one watch is the best. the whole concept of buy these are based on a biased view.
A G shock or the classic Casios with the rubber strap are great for working out at the gym,or a beater watch.You don't want to sweat all over a watch with a canvas or leather strap.
matqrory I happen to be a watch enthusiast too with great respect towards mechanical watches and I also own a couple of them. But what I also own are 3 'beautiful' G shocks. Casio came out with G shocks in 1983 so it's not like they are new or anything. There is also a good story behind how the G shocks came into existence. You say G shocks are for 'losers' but I can name 10s of people who collect luxury watches including Rolex, Audemars, Omegas etc and also have a G shock in their collection. So you are totally wrong calling it a watch for losers. Also, the term ugly is subjective. The Yacht master ii costs upwards of $30,000 but I think the two tone version is one of the ugliest watches ever but you might disagree. Further what you called as 'cheap bands' are actually really, really tough, durable and high quality bands. G shocks are built like a tank and can withstand almost anything. You don't have to worry about accidentally running your wrist into an object and getting the watch damaged like with all other watches. They do have respect from many aficionados and aren't so famous for no reason. The watches you mentioned apart from timex have my respect but they can't do half the things a G shock can do. It's a waste to compare Seiko and orient with Gshock. It's like comparing a rolls Royce to a formula 1 car.
1) Dont collect worthless crap 2) Buy a cheap (but reliable) Seiko 5 automatic in stainless steel for everyday use 3) Save your money until you have enough to buy something worth having for your whole life, e.g. Rolex oyster perpetual, Omega Speedmaster or aquivalent
Hey there, I happen to have the same wrist size as you do. Just curious, how does the Tribeca watch fit? I see on the site it’s 41mm and I never use anything over 40mm
i will buy 3 watces 2 for wearing 1 for colection datejust 41 for everyday seiko sky 997 because i will wear it 3 months / year in the summer gmt master 2 for rotation but more for colection
Here's option #4 on what to spend that leftover $20 on... how about a Casio F-91W? A great beater watch with its own history and "icon" status for around $16 at any Wal-Mart!
my lineup is a G-Shock for outdoor and sports purposes, a DW Classic for Dress Watch, and a Casio Edifice for the stainless band watch, not quite into watches yet when I bought the last two, now I got Orient Bambino and Seiko Diver or Mariner on my list to replace my mediocre watches lol
When I look at the weekender on amazon it says "water resistant up to 30m but not meant for submersion" can someone tell me what this means? How can something be 30 meters underwater without being submerged? I'm so confused like can I swim with this or not? I'm not a diver I just want to swim in a lake.
