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The Best Watches Under £200 That You Can Buy in 2023

It used to be almost impossible to get a decent man's watch at this price. Not anymore

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Timex

Prestige costs, we're so often told. And they're so often right. Or, at least watchy types are. For big banner brands have HQs still located in their home country of Switzerland (expensive) and pride themselves on hand-assembled craftsmanship that ensures there's a long shelf life of your trophy watch (which is even more expensive). But what if we told you that some great watches could be secured for sub-200 pounds?

You'd scoff, wouldn't you? You'd say "don't be so ridiculous" and laugh us out of the place. But it's true. Several no-lesser marques pride themselves on being a little more accessible, just with a whole lot of watch.

You just need to look beyond the Jura. Some watches may not tick away with a minute repeater/tourbillon/platinum-plated movement, but they look just as classic. Others lean into their distance from the old guard, riffing on novel aesthetics that'd make a Neuchatel-based watchmaker wince (plastic cases, for instance, or even the retro appeal of *whispers* digital). And others are just best-suited to everyday watches that can take a few bruises on the commute without invoking an insurance claim.

Yes, we've a lot of time for the big horological greats. Though do consider more affordable options - of which we've collated the best below.

1

Seiko

seiko
Seiko

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There's a reason Seiko reset the entire watch industry. That's because they're very good at making them, with Seiko 5 Sports watch becoming something of a style statement in recent years, to boot.

Seiko 5 Sports Watch, £195

2

Casio G-Shock

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Seiko

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For all the emphasis on sleek, slight minimalism, Casio G-Shock has long bucked the trend for a bulked up watch. And, with a skeleton design, you can see brawny, showboaty watchery on full display.

Casio G-Shock Skeleton Series, £109

3

Seiko

best watches under 200
Seiko

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Despite its thought-provoking name, this timepiece from Seiko leans towards vintage designs rather than brash attention grabbers.

Seiko Conceptual, £17

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4

Timex

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Seiko

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Simple and understated: two characteristics often indicative of the best Swiss watches, but something Timex does just as well in the Q Diver Chronograph. The models also houses a day and date function.

Timex Q Diver Chronograph, £175

5

Rotary

best watches under 200
Rotary

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As the official watch supplier for the British Army since 1940, Rotary has always combined military-efficient practicality with design inherent to its native soil. The Ultra Slim is a prime example; cut into a square silhouette from stainless steel case, its sea-blue face is water resistant.

Rotary Ultra Slim, £199

6

Citizen Eco-Drive Vintage Sport

Citizen Eco-Drive Vintage Sport
6

Citizen Eco-Drive Vintage Sport

£187 at watchshop.com

Finding a chronometer that doesn’t require a bank loan can be a difficult task, but Citizen’s Eco-drive Vintage Sport watch proves that it isn’t impossible. Cut from stainless steel into a plush pine green dial, the Japanese brand has imbued this design with its renowned Eco-Drive technology, which uses light as a power source instead of a battery.

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7

Daniel Wellington

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Daniel Wellington

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In 2006, a Swedish entrepreneur met an English chap while backpacking in Australia, who wore his Rolex on a battered nylon "NATO" strap. Three years later, Daniel Wellington watches, named after that very Brit, was launched to instant fandom and made the easily switchable strap a sensation.

Classic Sheffield, £153

8

Casio

watches under 200
CASIO

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A true classic, this Vintage Retro timepiece features all the defining elements of the brand’s signature style. With a backlight illuminator, stopwatch function, daily alarm and automatic calendar, this digital design is equally as practical as it is easy on the eye.

Casio Vintage Retro, £59.90

9

MVMT

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MVMT

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As a homegrown brand that went global, MVMT has become something of a 'thing'. And with good reason. Pieces like the Legacy Slim channel a strain of minimalism rarely seen in horological circles, with a sizeable diameter and a domed sapphire crystal shell.

Legacy Slim Panther Black, £109

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10

Tissot

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Tissot

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From the same parent brand that owns Omega and Longines, Tissot pack in years of watchmaking know-how into more pocket-friendly products.

Carson, £184

11

Seiko

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Seiko

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Another timeless classic from the Japanese watchmaking giant, this model adds some retro appeal to the dial.

SRPC87K1, £192

12

Mondaine

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Mondaine

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A business built on taking the classic design of the Swiss railway clock and transposing it onto wristwatches. And why not? There’s a reason why the trains in Switzerland are always on time.

EVO2, £199

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13

Citizen

citizen
Citizen

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Japanese giant known for investing in unfussy futuristic tech. This model uses ‘Eco Drive’ technology and is charged by any light source, it doesn’t require a battery.

Eco-Drive, £163

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Carmen Bellot
Style Editor

Carmen Bellot is the Style Editor of Esquire, writing on all things menswear and grooming.

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