OP, I think you could probably find a used Tudor 1926 in that price range. It would be a great daily. Elegant looking, and with a screw down crown and 100m water resistance.

I have been wearing mechanical watches daily for over ten years, and I am at the point where I am only buying watches I am likely to keep in the long term. Part of that is acknowledging that eventually, they are all going to look quite scratched up. I try to take reasonable care of them, and I keep a Seiko SKX as my “beater” watch for rougher use, but I just don’t worry about the daily bumps and bruises because I’m in it for the long haul and they’re all gonna get knicked and scratched.

Quality over quantity. The last watch I bought was two years ago, and I have no plans to purchase another any time soon.