12 of the Best Men’s Watches Under $1,000

The Autodromo Stradale collection draws inspiration from the dashboard instruments found in the 1950s and 1960s Italian sports berlinettas. The multi-layered dial offers a unique 3-dimensional effect, and buyers can choose between a black dial with a burgundy strap, a cream dial with a brown strap, and a white dial with a black strap. The watch comes with a vintage-inspired map that is hand stamped with your purchase date. This watch is definitely one of the best watches under 1,000 dollars. 

Price: $875

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 40mm

Movement: Miyota 9015 automatic movement

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Leather 

Caseback: Sapphire crystal

Features: Date window at 3 o'clock 

On August 2, 1971, Apollo 15 landed on the moon with the mission commander and his Bulova moon pilot chronograph that was customized for lunar conditions. This was the first of forty six times that Bulova partnered with NASA. Today, Bulova celebrates this history with their Special Edition Moon Chronograph Watch. This watch replicates the original timepiece, but it's been updated with the brand's high-performance quartz movement.

Price: $550

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 45mm

Thickness: 13.5mm

Movement: High-performance quartz with a frequency of 262 kHz

Water resistance: 5 bar

Caseback: Sapphire crystal

Features: Chronograph, Date window, Tachymeter scale 
 

There's a reason why the Frederique Constant Classics Index is a part of the brand's Classic collection. The watch's clean dial, understated colors, and professional leather strap ensure that this watch can be worn for business meetings or formal dinners. However, the Frederique Constant Classics Index can also be worn as a more casual everyday watch. 

Price: $950

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 40mm

Movement: FC-303 Automatic Movement

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Leather

Features: Date window 

 

As the name suggests, the Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto offers a titanium case, meaning that the watch is hypo-allergenic, durable, lightweight, and dent- and corrosion-resistant. This automatic watch was made for men who are active and adventurous.  

Price: $995

Case: Titanium

Diameter: 42mm

Movement: Automatic Caliber H-10

Water resistance: 10 bar

Strap: Canvas

Caseback: Sapphire crystal

Features: Date window at 3 o'clock, 24-hour watch

With its clean dial, classic colors, and easy-to-read Arabic numerals, the Junghans Max Bill Automatic is an everyday watch. Buyers can choose between a wide variety of options, including a silver dial, a black leather strap, a milanaise bracelet, or indices instead of numerals.

Price: $985

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 38mm

Depth: 10mm

Movement: Automatic movement caliber J800.1 

Power Reserve: 38 hours 

Water resistance: 3 bar

Strap: Leather 

Glass: Hard plexiglass with coating for enhanced scratch resistance

The Movado Ultra Slim is a minimalist watch that is ideal for formal events and business meetings. The stainless steel dial is finished with yellow gold PVD to give this watch its classic look. Gold and black is a combination that never goes out of style. 

Price: $695

Case: Stainless steel with yellow gold PVD finishing

Diameter: 40mm

Movement: Swiss quartz movement

Water resistance: 3 bar

Strap: Leather 

Features: Signature Movado dot and stick indices

Featuring a 20-bar water resistance, a screw-down crown, LumiBrite hands and markers, and a unidirectional rotating elapsed timing bezel, the Seiko Prospex Solar Stainless Steel Dive Watch is ISO approved for scuba diving. This watch is powered by light energy, and it can last for 6 months once fully charged.

Price: $425

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 43mm

Depth: 12mm

Movement: Solar-powered Caliber V175

Water resistance: 20 bar

Strap: Stainless steel

Features: Chronograph with a split-time measurement function that measures up to 60 minutes in 1/5 second increments. Date indicator, 24-hour indicator, screw-down crown, lumiBrite hands and markers, and a unidirectional rotating elapsed timing bezel

The Shinola Runwell Chrono is made in Detroit and comes with a lifetime guarantee. This watch in particular offers a brown leather strap, a midnight blue dial, silver sub-dials, and super-luminova hands and indices. 

Price: $750

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 41mm

Movement: Argonite 5021 quartz movement

Water resistance: 10 bar

Strap: Leather 

Features: Chronograph, date window, end-of-life technology, screw-down crown

This watch is slightly over our $1,000 limit, but we couldn't help but include it in this list. Because of its performance, durability, and classic design, the Sinn 556 I is one of the brand's best-selling watches of all time. The dial on this watch features indices instead of numerals, and at 3 o'clock you'll find a date window. This watch offers a 20-bar water resistance, which is unusual for an automatic watch at this price point.

Price: $1,080

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 38.5mm

Depth: 11mm

Movement: Automatic ETA 2824-2 mechanical movement

Water resistance: 20 bar

Strap: Leather 

Caseback: Sapphire crystal

Features: Date window 

With a vintage and modern design, this Tissot Heritage Visodate is a classic pick for an everyday watch. The dial features dauphine hands, applied indices, and a day-date feature at 3 o’clock. Powering this Swiss-made watch is the automatic ETA 2836-2 movement. 

Price: $650

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 40mm

Depth: 11.6mm

Movement: Mechanical ETA 2836-2

Power Reserve: 38 hours

Water Resistance: 3 bar

Caseback: Sapphire

Strap: Black leather

Features: Day-date, curved dial that mirrors the sapphire glass
 

The Tissot PRC 200 Chronograph is a Swiss-made watch with a sporty yet classic look and feel. The bezel has been reduced from previous versions, which enhances readability since the dial has been enlarged. As for the chronograph, it includes 30-minute and 6-hour counters as well as a 60-second central chronograph hand. 

Price: $995

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 44mm

Depth: 16.3

Movement: Swiss automatic 13 1/4 caliber

Power Reserve: 45 hours

Water Resistance: 20 bar

Caseback: Sapphire

Strap: Stainless steel

Features: Chronograph, date window, superluminova applied to the indices and hands

The Victorinox Swiss Army AirBoss Mechanical is powered by a Swiss-made automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. Buyers can view this mechanical movement through the sapphire crystal caseback.  This pilot's watch features a date window, 24-hour military time, and the standard 12-hour time. Its classic design pays homage to the pilot watches of the past. 

Price: $950

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 42mm

Movement: Swiss automatic movement

Water Resistance: 10 bar

Caseback: Sapphire

Strap: Leather

Features: Military time, date window, screw-in caseback, grinded finish

We've included four quality watches that are popular with watch aficionados; however, the retail prices for these watches are just above 1,000 dollars. Instead of ignoring them completely, we've decided to include the watches in this bonus section. If you're interested in expanding your thousand-dollar budget, then these watches would be a great place to start. 

Longines Hydroconquest : Prices start at $1,275

Alpina Startimer Pilot Chronograph : Prices start at $1,150 

TAG Heuer Formula 1 : Prices start at $1,200

Oris Big Crown ProPilot : Prices start at $1,750