Affordable Watches Loved by Collectors

Introduction

Anyway, the topic of this article is not to discuss luxury articles or investments, but the opposite. In this post, the focus is to show some affordable but good-looking watches that will look like a luxury watch and will not disappoint any watch collector.

1. Orient Bambino

We start the list with a fine piece coming from Japan. It may be a non-famous brand for some, but Orient belongs to the Seiko group

The Orient Bambino is possibly one of the best affordable automatic dress watches available on the market today. A piece appreciated even by the most demanding collectors, despite not being a high value jewel.

Essentially, we are dealing in this case with a vintage-style watch with a clean and traditional design equipped with a precise mechanism, whose quality is endorsed by Orient, a Japanese watch brand whose tradition dates back to 1950, although it currently belongs to Seiko, another guarantee of quality.

The best thing about the Orient Bambino is that they move in a fairly affordable price range, so they are an excellent starting point for those who want to start collecting watches without spending a fortune, but who also want to be recognized among others. the connoisseurs in watches.

Due to the success and the sales of the Bambino, there are around 10 version of this watch. If I had to choose one, my favorite one will be the one with the blue dial.

If you are starting with your collection, the Orient Bambino will be ideal as a dress watch

From the first glance you will be fascinated by the contrast of the dial of this Orient Bambino v4 fac08004d model. The dial is characterized by an ocean blue color in the central part that gradually intensifies until it reaches the edges, where it reaches a contrasting black.

The strap is black and made of high-quality leather, a feature that makes it extremely comfortable and easy to wear.

The diameter of the case is 42.5 mm, ideal for any type of wrist, both small and large, the case has a perfectly round shape that is very reminiscent of vintage watches.

All bambino versions are water-resistant up to 30 meters. However, since it is a dress watch and because of the leather strap, swimming with it will not be recommendable.

If you are looking for a classic watch, the best value for money out there may be the Bambino and one of their versions.

2. Seiko Save the Ocean Series

Since we have introduced one Orient model, there is no doubt we would be also taking about Seiko. If we are presenting affordable and quality watches, there is no doubt that Seiko must be on the list. As it would be impossible to include the different models that could be included in this list, we have decided to include a limited edition of Seiko, which not be known to some.

The new Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean are another example of how Seiko continues to dive deeper and deeper into its passion for underwater watchmaking, of which we have already seen some examples). Back in 2018, at Baselworld, the Japanese manufacturer announced Fabien Cousteau as the new ambassador, grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, the French biologist and oceanographer who taught us to love the oceans.

If you have realized about the name, you may guess that here we are talking about a watch related to the sea. When it comes to orology, this is of course related to diver watches, which also means that they are certified.

The Save the Ocean models are ideal for wearing on the beach (or pool)

There are so many unique models in this limited edition and for that reason it is not possible to focus on all of them. That’s why I will focus on my favorite version of this edition is the Seiko Save the Ocean Black Series. Since they a covered by black PVC, they have a more elegant look

We have already said that there are different models, colors, and type of watches: Turtle, Samurai and these models will adapt to your wrist. Therefore, in this collection you will find multiple versatile options for your collection.

3. G-Shock GA-2100

We end our trip to Japan, with a low-cost but high-quality company producer Casio. In the 80s, a small team of engineers from Casio led by Ibe Kikuo started working a new project. Due to the fragility and delicacy of the watches at that time, their goal was to create an indestructible watch that would be valid for different occasions. One of them was the one related to those workers in the industry.

With not very success at the start, mainly because the sales on the home country did not bring the attention of the Japanese, it started surprisingly to catch the eye of Americans and Europeans. It has now become one of the watches that almost every collector and part of a niche-market.

Ever since, they have brought different breakthroughs to the watch industry. From solar energy to Bluetooth connectivity, it has always remained at the forefront of technology, design, and functionality, accompanying its evolution.

The same that happened with other Casio models, there is no doubt that the GA-2100 will become a classic

G-Shock has created different iconic watches over the years. One of the most recent ones, Nicknamed the CasioOak for having a similar - but much more affordable - design (octogonal shape too) to the one of the Royal Oak from the Audemars Piguet, the G-Shock was an instant hit when it was released in 2020.

The G-Shock GA-2100 is not as rough as other G-Shock models. It’s quite thin. For instance: example: at 11.8mm, it's the thinnest G-Shock currently makes. It's also a predominantly analog piece, with two hands and a physical day indicator. On the other hand, it also has a number of digital complications, including a timer, stopwatch, world time, calendar, and LED light. The most iconic version is the total black CasioOak, and that my seem that it is not easy to read, this is not true once you try it.

In the past, one of the characteristics for which G-Shock had some detractors, is that their design was not the most sophisticated and elegant one. However, with the GA-2100, this is not an argument they may use. The GA-2100 model combines both elegance and robustness, making it an indestructible yet beautiful piece.

4. Tissot PRX

The decades of 70s and 80s were good decades for music lovers with special mention to disco music. In 1978, the first Superman was released in the cinemas and Argentina – without Maradona- won their first football world cup home. It was also in 1978 when the Swiss manufacturer Tissot released the PRX.

Tissot is making very interesting products in the last years and the PRX is probably the most relevant surprise

The PRX had an integrated steel bracelet, a barrel-shaped case which evoked a classic and clean design. In 2021, Tissot decided to reedit this model and generated very good reviews and good opinions.

The name maybe a bit unknown for the users, but they are synonyms of:

• P: Precise
• R: Robust
• X: It’s a reference to the water resistance of 10 (X) bars.

The reedition of this watch was an instant hit. It can be used as both dress or sports watch, and it also has some similarities with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. Because of the good feedback, Tissot had also the idea of having new versions in 2022, like the chronographer, which is slightly bigger

Either for a classic version or one of the latest versions, you will get a polyvalent and elegant watch that will not disappoint.

Conclusion

We have seen watches from different types: sport, dress, or a combination of both. They have been selected taking into account the quality, design and affordable. If you are interested on some luxury watches, there is a link to some classic watches in this article too, but these will also excellent and very good looking in your wrist. In following weeks, we will try to show other affordable watches that will also grab the attention of many watch lovers.