Pretty much what the title says…I’ve been researching dozens of watches in the sub $1k budget and have found many “popular” watches that have super positive reviews, but when I go to a store to handle and experience the watch, it’s very underwhelming. It’s gotten to the point now that I’m questioning anyone’s advice on watches in this budget.
For example, many reviewers and people love the Tissot PRX line, but after seeing those in person and holding those pieces, I think they feel cheap and overpriced for what you’re getting. FYI - I’m only interested in automatic watches, so I’m not considering quartz for this discussion.
I’m mainly here to chat about whether others have or are currently experiencing this too or I’m alone in feeling this way? Also, does it get significantly better at $2k, $3k, etc.?
Watches sub $1k that I didn’t like…
- Tissot PRXs
- Seiko SSKs
- Seiko SRPFs
- Orient Kamasu and Mako
- Nezumi Aviera
- Swatches
- Citizen
- Victorinox
Note: I own a couple other watches in this price range, but they are at the tippy top of $1k budget and I wouldn’t say they’re the go-to popular brands, i.e., Mido, Doxa, Hamilton, Jack Mason GMT.
For 200-500, I don’t necessarily feel the need to be blown away. Orient, seiko, hamilton etc may have their issues, but for the price many of them make me pretty happy.
I feel like the 500-1000 range is kind of a no man’s land. A lot of stuff there doesn’t offer much of an upgrade over the cheap stuff, but costs a lot more. I bought a used NTH recently that I love, but a new one is 750, and at that price, it really doesn’t seem to offer much value. And I haven’t seen anything in that price range that I feel much different about.
As you go up the scale, quality does improve, but as with so many things, you’re dealing with diminishing marginal returns. A hydroconquest isn’t 5x as nice as a Kamasu…
Very well said! I’d say crappy bracelets is #1 for most watches under $1k, but they do get better at the upper range from what I’ve seen. I guess if I didn’t care about swapping the metal bracelets to leather or nato, I could go for a couple of those watches
You can get very nice aftermarket bracelets for popular orient and seiko models from strapcode and Long Island watch. I feel like this is where cheap watches really suffer. My NTH at least came in a nice one, as did my Steinhart. But even some of the 500 buck seikos come on junk bracelets. My Steinhart gmt was eye opening. Everything about it was an upgrade from seiko for like 500 bucks