10 Excellent Affordable Watches for Your Wrist in 2026

The new year is prime intention-setting time, but if your vision board for 2026 includes a fine timepiece, you don’t have to manifest another zero on your salary to make it happen. That’s because there’s truly never been a better time to find an enviable watch for well under a grand. From American microbrand Brew to Italian tool watch cool kids Unimatic, and from recently revived Dennison to international megaconglomerate Seiko, all sorts of companies are happy to sell you a distinctly affordable timepiece that you can cherish forever. Think these watches must be shoddily made or carelessly designed? Think again. One look at Nodus’s painstakingly detailed pilot’s watches or Paulin’s design-forward offerings, and you can be sure you’re getting a timepiece that’s meant to—well—stand the test of time.

Here are 10 of our favorites—but there are plenty more where these came from.

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Baltic Aquascaphe MK II

If a new dive watch is in the cards for you this year, you’ll have a hard time finding a handsomer one for under $1,000. Looking like a classic ‘60s diver but powered by a modern Japanese automatic movement, it comes in two sizes, four colors, and an array of bracelet and strap options.

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Unimatic Modello Uno UT1-GMT Toolwatch

What do you get when you mesh Brutalist aesthetics with Italian design sensibilities and a Swiss-made quartz movement? Unimatic’s lineup is the answer, and we’re particularly partial to the UT1-GMT, a tough-as-nails ticker with a clean, modern look.

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Dennison Natural Stone Lapis Lazuli In Steel

If you aspire to make your entrée into the teeny-tiny watch club this year, this is the watch to do it with. Housed in a steel cushion case measuring a comfy 33.5mm in diameter, it features a beautiful lapis lazuli dial and clocks in at just 6.05mm thick.

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Nodus Sector II Pilot

There are more microbrands than ever right now, but American brand Nodus consistently produces some of the most thoughtfully executed watches among them, especially in the under $1,000 bracket. The Sector II Pilot (our pick is the black DLC version) is a perfect entrypoint to its catalog.

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Seiko 5 Sports SRPK67

If you thought there couldn’t possibly be another must-own Seiko 5 Sports model, the motorsports-inspired SRPK67 line would like a word. Inspired by 1960s motorsports (hence the checker flag bezel), you’ll have a very hard time finding a more stylish automatic watch for this price anywhere else.

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Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical

Based on the brand’s mil-spec models made for the U.S. government in the 1960s, the 38mm Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical has been a fan favorite since its debut in 2018. The white-dialed version on a dark grey NATO strap diffuses some of the military character, creating a modern take on the field watch that’s perfect for everyday wear.

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Q Timex 1972 World Time

Planning a trip this year? Then you could do a lot worse than this nostalgic reissue from Timex. Its world-time bezel allows you to quickly and easily keep track of the time in multiple cities at once, while its sub-$200 price means you don’t need to stress about traveling with it.

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Brew Super Metric

Brew’s watches are inspired by coffee culture, which lends them a whole other layer of appeal in addition to their funky looks. With its integrated bracelet and colorful “exotic” dial, the Super Metric is suited to anyone in search of a design that’s as bold and smooth as a perfectly-pulled shot of espresso.

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Furlan Marri Nero Sabbia

This Mechaquartz-powered watch (a hybrid design that combines the accuracy of quartz and the satisfyingly crisp feel of a mechanical chronograph) offers the looks of a vintage Patek Philippe chrono for a tiny fraction of the price. Available in several dial configurations, the Nero Sabbia, with its “gilt” aesthetics, matching leather strap, and pulsations dial, is a definitive budget banger, and the perfect way to level up your wrist in 2026.

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Paulin Modul D Quartz

Scottish brand Paulin combines Bauhaus-inspired looks, ’70s case architecture, and a Glaswegian sense of humor. What could be more fun? The Modul D Quartz, with its black or silver dial, bold pops of color, and wide choice of bracelets, will earn you the approval of watch nerds and design nerds alike.