There was a time when having a watch on your wrist was a luxurious necessity. Back then, it was a sign of wealth, and most often, only those with the necessary finances owned them. To be fair, keeping track of time has always been important.
Over time, as cheaper versions appeared on the market, it became common to own at least one watch that could be used as a versatile everyday watch. However, this does not mean that they are not expensive. They remain costly, which is why people take care of their watches. Some even pass them down as heirlooms. However, with the advent of mobile phones, the situation quickly changed. Slowly but surely, these devices, especially smartphones, with their effective timekeeping capabilities, pushed watches out of everyday use.
But these people do not know that there are affordable watches on the market, and despite their price, they still look good. At the very least, they are good enough for everyday use and have features you might find in more luxurious models.
The purpose of this article is to help you learn about the best and most versatile options available for everyday use, especially watches priced under $500.
Mido Multifort M0054171105100
The Mido Multifort is entirely made of stainless steel, making it a good option for daily use. This gives the user confidence that it is made to last and resist rust. Additionally, it ensures durability, as stainless steel is one of the hardest materials available for use.
The watch dial is black, creating a good contrast with the indices arranged around the dial, and the minute markers are engraved outside the dial, right before the bezel, which is fixed in place. This is important to highlight because these everyday watches have a water resistance of 100 m, which is quite high. This means that the Multifort can be used for underwater diving and water sports that you might not do every day, but it gives you an idea of how powerful the watch is for a price below $500.
Furthermore, the watch has three additional sub-dials and a date indicator around the four o'clock area, making it an unusual design choice but allowing it to stand out among the rest.
As for technical specifications, the Multifort from Mido operates on a quartz movement, which means it runs on a battery that needs to be monitored to ensure it doesn’t run out.
Junkers Bauhaus Ref 6060-05
The watch looks ordinary, but it is far from mundane. The Bauhaus watch from Junkers is equipped with a Swiss automatic movement. As a result, the watch has 26 jewels, which is why its power reserve is 40 hours.
The Bauhaus case is made of stainless steel, ensuring high quality and durability. On the other hand, the dial stands out because the strap is made of leather, further accentuating the white dial located at the center. Every five minutes, the time is displayed with elongated indices stretching towards the middle and a minute marker just before the end of the dial.
The only concern with the design is the inconveniently long indices mentioned above and the second complication located at the top, where the MIN sign is. It's just awkward to look at. Nevertheless, it is one of the two additional sub-dials in the Bauhaus design. Additionally, a date window can be seen at the three o'clock mark.
On the other hand, the dial's glass is made of mineral glass. It is of lower quality compared to the material used in the previous watches. However, for a watch that will be used every day, this material is good enough.
Additionally, the Bauhaus watch has a water resistance of 30 m, allowing it to withstand splashes of water and light rain.
Seiko SARB033
This model from Seiko is equipped with an automatic movement. Therefore, when fully wound, the watch can operate for 50 hours. Additionally, the watch is designed to withstand water exposure during swimming or diving. In general, more than just occasional splashes of water. However, it may fail at deeper immersion.
In terms of aesthetics, the SARB033 has a classic look. Its entire case is made of stainless steel, ensuring the user that with proper care, it will last as long as possible. This material also helps prevent rust. Moreover, the black dial creates a sense of class. It maintains its clean appearance thanks to indices positioned in a way that does not disturb the center of the watch, and their length matches their size.
Furthermore, this Seiko watch has only one complication - a date indicator located at the three o'clock mark.
Bulova Lunar Pilot
The Bulova Lunar Pilot watch was created through a combination of stainless steel for the case and leather for the strap. This creates the illusion of the night sky, where the case is the moon and the strap is the night sky - we're just connecting the name, but it makes sense.
In line with the lunar theme, the designers ultimately use black for the dial. All inscriptions on it are white or silver for clarity, and despite the many complications in the design with three additional chronograph sub-dials, they are neatly placed in the design so as not to look cluttered. Additionally, the date is also indicated, which can be found between the demarcation indices “four o'clock” and “five o'clock.”
There are two things that make this watch unique from all the others mentioned so far. First, the display window is made of sapphire. Its uniqueness lies in its anti-reflective properties, making the dial clear, even on a very sunny day outside, preventing glare.
The second feature is the tachymeter. This function allows the user to approximately determine the speed of a moving object. This feature works in tandem with the chronograph, which overall is a useful feature.
On the other hand, the water resistance of the watch is only 50 m, which is lower than most of the watches mentioned above. However, this should be quite sufficient for a watch used every day.
Orient Neo 70’s Panda
This watch from Orient exudes elegance despite being suitable for everyday use. The watch is made of stainless steel from the case to the strap. The only hint of another color in the watch design is the black of the outer part of the dial, where the indices are located, as well as the minute divisions which are reflected on the fives. Otherwise, everything else is white, which is perhaps why the watch looks very stylish. Additionally, this makes it unique among all those made of pure stainless steel, as the rest retain their original color. Orient ensured that this watch stood out among all those that experts consider best suited for everyday use, and the price below $500 is a bargain.
Although stores lack the details to tell us more, further research revealed that Orient claims the watch is solar-powered. Solar power is a welcome change in the industry. It also means that the watch can start up on its own as soon as it is exposed to sunlight. Furthermore, Orient claims that the watch's power reserve is six months, meaning it has one of the longest reserves currently available on the market.
Looking at the mentioned watches and considering their features and capabilities, it seems they are worth more than $500, but trust us, they all cost less, making them one of the best values currently available, and worth every dollar.
Again, there was a time when everyone had a watch, and it was a necessity, and now everything has returned to where it was needed only by the rich. However, at a price below $500, but with many features and functions that you can see only in elite watches, perhaps this will change your opinion.
