Best Affordable Style of 2021 – The Watch

The end of the year means it’s time to hand out some awards. No, there aren’t any little statues to pass along, but over the next few days we’ll still highlight some of the best in affordable men’s style from this past year. Feel free to send in additional nominations to joe@dappered.com.

The Timex 1978 Reissue Day-Date 37mm – $169

The epitome of an affordable, classy, every day dress watch. Yes, Dappered covers a ton of divers and other tool watches, but the Timex Reissue 1978 is like a pair of well executed cap toe dress shoes. You’re gonna need a pair, and they/it is more versatile than you’d think.

It’s pure class. 37mm diameter cushion(!) shaped case is on-trend with the “less is more” watch size movement, yet it wears great even on average to thicker wrists. $170 isn’t cheap for a quartz Timex. Hardly. But it looks and feels a noticeable step above many of their other watches. And it does NOT have the loud Timex “tick” some of their other, cheaper watches are saddled with. Full review here.

The evolution of Timex continues to be fueled by their design team leaning on the brand’s back catalog for inspiration. And the Timex 1978 Reissue is even more evidence that their future is bright, as long as Timex keeps borrowing from the past.

Also Receiving Votes: The Seiko 5 Sports SRPE line, Dan Henry’s Mecha-Quartz 1937 Dress Chrono, The Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 600, The Lorier Hyperion GMT as well as their Gemini Chronograph, The Seiko Presage Style 60’s (could we PLEASE get the black option here in the U.S.?), The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze, Casio’s new Blue and “Soda” dial divers, and the Nodus Retrospect III.