The Best Watches Under $200, Tested by Style Editors

<p>We’ve spent two years field testing over 150 watches under $200. We’ve worn them to work, on cross country flights, on boats, out biking, and virtually everywhere in between to find the best under $200 watches for every occasion. Our fashion team also tested watches across different case and band sizes to find the best tickers for every wrist size. If you’re on the hunt for your own sub $200 watch, here are a few things to look out for. </p><h2 class=”body-h2″>What to Look for:</h2><p><em></em><strong>Movement:</strong> Most watches in the sub-$200 range run on a <strong>quartz movement</strong>, <strong></strong>because it is much easier to produce. Smaller and lighter with far fewer moving parts, a quartz watch can be much thinner than an automatic. That isn’t to say a <a href=”https://www.menshealth.com/style/g43838945/best-automatic-watches/” target=”_blank”>solid automatic watch</a> can’t be found in this price range, they’re just few and far between.</p><p><strong>Case Size: </strong>Case size is the outside diameter of the watch body, not including the crown or any buttons. Modern <a href=”https://www.menshealth.com/style/g38596438/best-watches-for-men/” target=”_blank”>men’s watches</a> measure from <strong>34mm to 46mm</strong>, with some tool watches running even bigger. You want the size of the case to complement the size of your wrist. Meaning that, when sitting flat on top of your wrist, there should be at least ½ inch of band visible before it hangs over. </p><p><strong>Water Resistance: </strong>Affordable watches are generally built to be everyday watches. There are many different features out there, all designed to assist you in your daily life. If you spend a lot of time in and around water, then make sure you buy a watch that is water resistant to at least 100m. To make things easier, we translated the meters to a functional rating of what level of watch each watch can handle: none, splashes, swimming, diving </p><p><strong>Band Material:</strong> Expensive watches come with expensive bands, so when brands are cutting costs to make affordable watches, the band is the easiest place to start. <strong>Nylon and rubber watch bands</strong> are cheap to make even on high end watches, so they are reliable on bargain watches. For metal bracelets, you want to look for <a href=”https://www.menshealth.com/style/g43452782/stainless-steel-watches-for-men/” target=”_blank”>stainless steel watches</a>. Faux leather bands can deteriorate with time. Of course, if you are getting a great deal on a watch that you like, you can probably replace it with a better band if needed. </p><ul></ul>” />