It makes sense that those of you still new to the watch world will likely limit your financial dedication to watch collecting until it proves a worthy hobby. And of course, there’s still plenty of us seasoned horologists that don’t have the funds to spend thousands on our next timepiece purchase. So, in that instance, affordable, entry-level watches are a good place to start.
Thankfully, if 2023 has taught us anything, it’s that this industry has an expansive selection of brands, styles and price points to choose from. Sure, there’s plenty on the cheaper end of the spectrum that are worth avoiding but there are also several fantastic watch brands out there doing “affordable” right.
So, as we enter 2024, we thought we’d highlight some of the best entry levels watches from 2023. These are watches that have perfectly balanced price with quality and functionality and we believe they are timepieces worthy of any new or seasoned collector. All of them are under £700 and as of writing this, still available to order today.
Baltic Hermétique Tourer
Baltic Hermétique - Credit WatchGecko
A French watchmaker with a penchant for affordable vintage-inspired timepieces is Baltic and for 2023, they launched one of their best models yet: the Hermétique Tourer. Half dress watch, half field watch, this design feels incredibly versatile and retailing from only €550, it offers plenty of bang for your buck. The compact 37mm wide cases are engineered from 316L stainless steel with brushed and circular finishing and a polished bezel.
I say half dress watch because for a field-inspired timepiece, the Baltic Hermétique Tourer wears incredibly slim on the wrist at just 10.8mm tall. It arrives in four stunning colourways: blue, brown, green or beige (the latter two being my two personal favourites). Each has a brushed outer ring, printed railway track and raised Superluminova markers to match with the syringe-shaped hour and minute hands. The model is powered by the Japanese-made Miyota 9039 automatic winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve.
Timex Marlin Chronograph
Timex Marlin Chronograph - Credit Timex
A particular watch coveted by many collectors is the panda chronograph, a design which presents a dial in silver or white adorned with contrasting black counters. Some notable mentions include the Rolex Daytona and the TAG Heuer Carrera. As you’ve probably guessed though, these don’t come with entry-level prices, so when Timex launched their Marlin Chronograph watch with a very similiar aesthetic, it got a lot of people excited.
First of all, this watch retails for only £180. It has a lovely 40mm-wide stainless steel case and matching five-row link bracelet with a domed acrylic crystal lens and a 50 metre water resistance. For most of us though, the quartz-powered dial is the real star. It has a sunray-brushed silver surface detailed with a black tachymeter index along its outer minute track, black retro-style numerals and three black subsidiary dials.
Geckota Ocean Scout Frost
Geckota Ocean-Scout Frost - Credit WatchGecko
Another style of watch not always easy to find at entry-level prices is the robust, adventurers watch. Thankfully, the Geckota Ocean Scout collection fills the gap nicely from only £499. A new edition launched at the end of 2023 was the Ocean Scout Frost which takes inspiration from winter exploration with a special dial evoking the textures of freezing landscapes and freshly fallen snow.
The light pastel-blue dial contrasts fantastically against black outlined markers which like the hands are adorned in glow in the dark Superluminova. For the case, Geckota Ocean Scout Frost delivers a 38.5mm wide 316L stainless steel housing topped by a steel insert bezel with unidirectional functionality and a luminous pip. Theres also box-shaped sapphire crystal glass, a 200 metre water resistant rating and the Miyota 9039 automatic movement housed inside. That’s a lot of spec for under £500.
Seiko 5 Sports SKX ‘Midi’
Seiko 5 Sports SKX ‘Midi’ - Credit Seiko
Seiko have a huge range of entry-level watches that deserve to be on this list, but one that continues to impress for both it’s price and list of specs is the Seiko 5 Sports SKX ‘Midi’. Like all of Seiko’s 5 Sports watches, it promises five key attributes for high levels of quality and performance. These include an automatic movement (in this case it’s the 4R36 calibre with a 41-hour power reserve), day and date display, water resistance, recessed crown and solid case and bracelet.
The case dimensions mirror the first SKX diver’s watch with a 38mm width and 12.1mm height. It is machined from brushed and polished stainless steel and features a black aluminium unidirectional rotating bezel. There are currently four colourways of the Seiko 5 Sports SKX ‘Midi’ watch to choose from: black, cream, teal or orange, with each dial generously adorned with glow in the dark Lumibrite and protected by Hardlex crystal glass. You can obtain any of the four for just £300.
Tissot PRX
Tissot PRX - Credit WatchGecko
Finally, completing our run-down of the best entry-level watches of 2023 is the Tissot PRX watch. I’ve raved about this model multiple times over the past twelve months, and for good reason. It’s become one of the most talked about integrated sports watches of the year, offering barrel-shaped stainless steel cases in 35mm or 40mm with brightly polished bezels and integrated metal bracelets.
You can find both case sizes with either quartz or automatic movements, the former retailing for £320 and the latter available from £640. The quartz models arrive with smooth sunray-brushed dials while the automatic editions feature textured, waffle-like displays. There’s no shortage of dial colours to choose from either. Those powered by the automatic-winding Powermatic 80 movement impress with an 80-hour power reserve and an exhibition case back. Both versions come with a 100 metre water resistance.
So there you have it, the top 5 best entry-level watches from 2023. Do you think I chose correctly? Or is there another model that should be included on this list. Let me know in the comments below!
