Cheap Time – The Best Looking Watches Under $100

Under $100 Watches – Fall 2011

When you were a kid, did you ever wonder when you’d stop liking toys?  You’d get dragged along to some carpet store or patio furniture outlet and you’d think to yourself:  “How can adults LIVE like this?”  All the crap grown-ups liked was boring, visually bland, and it was a mystery why they even wanted any of that stuff.  For a lot of us, watches are the closest most affordable thing we get to the toys of our youth.  They’re Legos and little green army men we fell out of love with long ago.

Visually appealing yet plenty functional, watches are one of the few things men can adorn themselves with.  In a way, a watch is your own personal hood ornament.  But that doesn’t mean you have to spend Bentley level cash to get a good looking one.  Below are ten pieces of proof, all costing less than $100.
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Kenneth Cole New York Iconic Chronograph – $95.75

By far the best looking watch Kenneth Cole makes and it’s not even close.  The font and smaller numbers are perfect, the hands are thin, and it has the look of an old school classroom clock or maybe a watch a doctor would have had half a century ago.  Equipped with a chronograph and great looking pushers that make it run.

 

Orient Chief Automatic – $100 w/code DAPPEREDAUGUST

The leather band versions are out of stock, but, you could still easily buy one with a stainless band and swap it out for your preferred leather version.  Incredible day cutout that gives you a full spelling.  Automatic too.

 

Bulova 96B104 Silver Dial – $76.57

All class, a low price, and a brand that won’t be embarrassing in the least if anyone happens to notice.  These get mentioned every once in awhile in the likes of Esquire and GQ along side much more expensive time pieces.  Bulova sometimes stumbles with the “keep it simple” method, but they’ve nailed it here.

 

Seiko SNDC Series – $80.00 – $100.00

Kind of like the SNZJ series, only not automatic, and comes inexplicably with black hands sgainst a black dial.  Which would make it pretty hard to tell the time wouldn’t it?  Save up the extra $30 – $50 for the SNZJ.

 

Armitron Nordstrom Exclusive Military – $65.00

Kinda like the J. Crew / Timex collaboration only on a less publicized level. Could be the cheapest Bell & Ross lookalike ever.  Flight dial hands, big numbers, and a larger 44mm diameter but it doesn’t look or feel gigantic on the wrist.  Comes in four different color combinations.  Japanese quartz with a nice and lightweight stainless steel case.

 

Casio G-Shock Rescue – $89.95 | G-Shock Solar Analog – $89.98

For the guys who need a watch they can continuously beat the living sh*t out of.  The G-Shock rescue is a classic that’s rated 200m water resistant and cold resistant to -4 F.  The G-Shock Solar Analog is powered by the sun/light like a Citizen Eco-drive and trades in a full digital display for hands.

 

Hugo Boss Orange Nylon Strap and Rubber Strap – $100

Comes with a little more modern edge than most other canvas/nylon/rubber strap weekend watches.  Just different enough without losing it.

 

Nautica Windseeker – $87.09

The links are more than iffy at best, but that racing inspired dial makes it look like a Tissot.  Another band swap out should do the trick.  Try black leather with white contrast stitching or even one in rubber.

 

Invicta Pro Diver Automatic – $83.99

Invicta makes a hell of a lot of watches.  Some of them are brutally big and obnoxious.  Their pro-diver series isn’t, thanks to the obvious style homage to the Rolex Submariner.  Instead of a coin edge bezel, this one comes with slight indentations that are easy to grip.  Rubber strap, and looks plenty good if you switch that out for a brown leather one as shown here.

 

Timex Weekender Slip-Thru – $32-$50