Top 10 Cheap Durable Watches (All Under 100 Pounds)
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Nothing feels better than a low-cost product which exceeds your expectations. While there are plenty of cheap watches to steer clear of, thankfully, there are some fantastic wristwatches that offer a great deal of performance for very little cash.
Here is a quick roundup of the best cheap durable watches that are on the market right now. Most of these are available for far below £100 at the time of writing, meaning they’ll hardly break the bank. If you’re after a watch that will last, you’ve found the right blog post.
Casio Edifice EFV-100D/110D
The Edifice line of watches spectacularly combines class with durability. I’ve heard many a reviewer praise these as the best-looking low-cost watches around
My pick is the EFV-100D/110D, which combines a versatile dressy-sporty design with a gorgeous semi-matte case. If you’re after a durable analogue watch that you can wear with everything, this is it. It features a black dial with strong white markers and hands; making the watch very easy to read. I particularly like the splash of colour, from the yellow second hand and water rating. Many have compared the aesthetic to the Rolex Explorer, however, given Casio’s reputation, it wouldn’t surprise me if this beast was the more durable of the two.
Indeed, this watch has very respectable water performance, boasting 10ATM thanks to the screw-down case back and screw-down crown. Outside of the end-links, the bracelet also features solid steel links; rarely seen in watches at this price point.
What’s even more fantastic is that this watch comes in two sizes and multiple colours. The 100D sits at 42mm in diameter, whilst the 110D is smaller at just below 38mm. This gives two very competitive sizes to choose from and should suit any wrist size.
Casio A1000
For years, Casio digital watches have reigned supreme in the lower price brackets. Their simple, functional design and legendary durability make them a consistently good choice. However, I’ve always wished for a full-metal alternative to their scratch-prone resin cases. In 2019, my wish was granted, as Casio released a range of quality stainless-steel digital models.
Known as the A1000 series, they feature stronger bracelets and construction, whilst maintaining the comfortable and compact dimensions associated with their predecessors. The faces feature unusual designs that play with the light, whilst still looking retro and charming. This makes them a stylish, small and long-lasting alternative to the much chunkier G-Shock watches; whose steel models are often more expensive.
Casio state that these have an expected battery life of around 3 years and the module comes kitted with all the expected features, including a stopwatch, light and alarms. There are several colourways to choose from, with some even featuring inverted displays. The A1000D and A1000M are the best options for men, from this unisex range.
Timex Ironman Triathlon
If you’re into sports or the outdoors and are looking for a tough watch to adorn your wrist, the Timex Ironman Triathlon is certainly worth considering.
The Ironman range is Timex’s answer to the Casio G-Shock series and at 42mm, the large ‘Triathlon’ model is still more compact than most G-Shock offerings; making it more comfortable in most cases. It also features shock resistance, to survive almost any impact, along with diveable levels of waterproofing at a stonking 200m.
At around £45 at the time of writing, I think you’d struggle to find a better-rugged option. You even get the famous Indiglo night-light technology, which is arguably the best on the market. During the daytime, the large and clear display is extremely legible, even in direct sunlight – which is ideal for glancing at when running.
This watch is highly customisable, featuring dual time mode, timers, muting options and more. The water-resistant silicone strap is comfortable and an ideal complement to the sporty design.
Seiko SNK809
When it comes to durable field watches, you actually have a fair amount of choice in the sub-£100 category. One of the best options is the venerable Seiko SNK809. As part of the Seiko 5 range, this one packs in the reliable 7S26 automatic movement and features surprisingly good build quality.
The matte finish bezel does a good job of disguising scuffs and scrapes and the small overall size makes this a very wearable option for small to medium-sized wrists. Water-resistance is present, however, is somewhat lower than other options on this list; at only 3ATM. As such, if you are looking for a similarly styled watch to also swim in, it might be worth opting for a quartz alternative, such as the Lorus field watch mentioned later. Nevertheless, this is still an impressive budget offering from a fantastic brand.
Even the default fabric strap is half-decent, featuring a reinforced section around the holes for added durability. The recessed crown also tucks away neatly, to prevent it getting caught on anything, an underrated handy feature that also makes the watch look more symmetrical.
Seiko SNDC31P1
When it comes to cheap durable watches, there’s a single chronograph that instantly comes to mind. The Seiko SNDC31P1 is practically unbeatable when it comes to price performance. It contains a decent Seiko quartz movement, providing all of the chronograph functions you could wish for.
Alongside the stainless steel case and mineral glass, this traditional-looking watch provides a surprising 100m of water resistance to boot.
While this watch can’t be abused quite as much as some others on this list, if you’re after a classic watch that will keep on ticking and not let you down; this is a solid choice.
Lorus RXF41AX7
I recently featured this watch in a comparison of the best cheap field watches. There’s no doubt that Seiko subsidiary Lorus make some of the highest quality low-priced watches around; this being one of them.
The sub-£40 Lorus RXF41AX7 has build quality rivalling field watches at triple it’s RRP. Not only do you get a well-finished matte stainless steel case, but you also get a surprising 100m of water resistance and a super comfortable form factor. At only 37mm in diameter and 7mm in thickness, it tucks away very nicely.
It also features Lumibrite, which illuminates the entire dial in low light conditions. While it doesn’t stay at maximum brightness for extended durations, it still works incredibly well for such a cheap watch.
Wenger ‘Avenue’
Did you know, for under £100 you can get a Swiss-made watch on your wrist? For once, this isn’t a swatch, it’s the much more durable Wenger ‘Avenue’. Wenger is a smaller Swiss watch company and while they have a large range of watches available, this model in particular has a crowd-pleasing simple design, featuring easy-to-read numbers against a clean backdrop.
I was surprised to discover that this watch not only has a stainless-steel case (which is to be expected), but also contains a piece of sapphire crystal over the dial. This is the most scratch resistant material you can get on wrist watches, it’s properties make it one of the hardest substances on Earth. Unless you have diamonds in your pockets, you’re unlikely to ever scratch the glass, even after many years of usage.
The stock bracelet is of surprisingly good quality, though others in the range include a leather strap in it’s place, should that be more to your taste. With a 3 year international warranty and 10ATM water resistance, this could be your daily driver for work or play. Just be aware that at 42mm, it’s slightly larger than the uncomplicated design would suggest.
Vostok Amphibia/Komandirskie
When it comes to cheap durability, it might be worth looking to Eastern Europe. Born out of the Soviet Union, the Vostok watch brand was the go-to choice for the ‘Red Army’ during the cold war days, due to their low-cost hardy timepieces.
To this day, the Vostok brand still creates remarkably affordable automatic watches in a plethora of styles and designs. They are experts in dive watches, with the ‘Komandirskie’ being the smaller brother of the typically larger ‘Amphibia’ range. Their shock-resistant design and high water resistance, combined with the unusual ‘wobbly’ crown design make these almost indestructible for us mere mortals.
Throw one of them at a Nokia 3310 and the Vostok will probably come out on top!
You get the other expected dive watch gadgets, including a graduated rotating bezel and a steel case that any military would be proud of. In their quest to make a ‘wrist submarine’, I think they succeeded and you can usually grab one for under £100. The only catch is that from some Russian suppliers, delivery can take longer than you might be used to with other products.
Casio W800
This lesser-known Casio is probably the most durable £25 watch on the market. While far from a looker, the Casio W-800 is like a big brother to the super-popular F-91W; meaning it could probably get you through the apocalypse.
Swimming? No problem. DIY? No problem. Rock climbing? No problem. Nuclear missiles? Probably! The only time this watch will let you down is when you need a watch to wear with a suit. It’s chunky, with a reinforced design to alleviate hard impacts; though remains well-sized at 38mm in diameter. It also has strong water performance and astonishing 10-year battery life (as mentioned above the display).
It features a 4 pusher design, which looks more symmetrical than the older 3 button models, allowing for further functionality. Along with a stopwatch and dual time, you also get a light that blows the cheaper F-91 out of the water. I think it’s a phenomenal achievement that Casio can offer this much performance for such a low price.
Phoibos PX002C
Chinese watchmakers Phoibos have shaken up the watch industry in the last couple of years, by offering aggressively priced high-quality dive watches to the western market. Many reviewers have compared their build quality to alternatives retailing upwards of £500.
As far as I can tell, outside of sending their watches to a few online reviewers, the brand spends virtually nothing on marketing and ships their watches to customers directly from China. Therefore, they’re able to undercut other brands and use higher quality materials in the process.
Alongside sapphire crystal covering the dial, you get a whopping 300m of water resistance, full stainless steel construction and bright night-time luminescence for around £100. Unlike the slightly cheaper Invicta Pro Diver, this contains a quartz movement, though this is more accurate and impact-resistant. Similarly specced watches from higher-profile brands will cost you far more than this bargain dive watch.
