After 8 years to collect and recommend automatic watches, I have acquired some certainties in this world where affordable watchmaking is often watched with condescension.
Today, I share with you my experience on these little mechanical jewels which prove that elegance and limited budget can be handled.
See the Orient FNR1Q005W0 and opinions on Amazon
“A quartz is a battery. A car is a heart that beats. Guess which one has a soul?”
This is generally how I explain the difference to those who do not see the interest of an automatic watch. What attracted me to these watches was precisely this living character: an object that works without battery, which transforms each of your movements into energy. It’s fascinating.
Contrary to popular belief, having a nice automatic watch does not necessarily mean emptying your bank account. My personal definition of a “inexpensive” watch in this segment is below 200 €. Below, you have to remain vigilant about the quality of the caliber, but nuggets exist.
See the Seiko Symg42k1 and the opinions on Amazon
My first automatic watch was an Orient Bambino – classic, reliable, with an unbeatable value for money. Orient remains my favorite brand in the entry -level: it’s clean, reliable, cheap. Their house movements (like the F6) are simple but robust, and some models even offer up to 50 hours of power reserve – a rarity in this price range.
The legendary Seiko 5 is probably the most common gateway to the world of automatic watches. I have one that I have “martyred” for 8 years and that still works. The 7S26 movement is not the most precise (+/- 20-30 seconds per day), but its robustness is foolproof.
An anecdote that illustrates their perceived quality well: a colleague was convinced that my Seiko 5 cost € 800, while it was worth 120. And I was even asked if a seiko with golden background and steel bracelet was a longins!
In the entry level, some movements have proven themselves:
Not all affordable automatic watches are equal. I had some disappointments, notably with Invicta: mastoc case, glass that scratches in the blink of an eye … Tap-to-l’oeil without bottom.
Some points of vigilance based on my experience:
Some design elements make a watch much more expensive than it really is:
For female watches, I favor a minimalist style (too much decor kills refinement) and a housing size between 30 and 34 mm. Beyond that, it’s often male. On the color side, white or glacier blue generally meet the most success – it’s classy and it goes everywhere.
My advice to extend the life of your affordable automatic watches:
I have found a significant evolution in the quality of affordable automatic watches in recent years. What we find at € 150 today was unthinkable 10 years ago.
If you start in the world of affordable female automatic watches, here are my tips:
To summarize what makes the charm of affordable female automatic watches: “It is the luxury of the living, without the price of marketing.”
Over the years I have understood that we can have watchmaking pleasure without spending a minimum wage. True intelligence is to know how to recognize the quality where it is, not where the prestigious logos would like us to believe that it is.
And when a snob look at you high with its overpriced watch, remember my favorite answer: “You paid € 5,000. Me 150. We both have the hour. Who is the pigeon?”
Do you have experiences to share with affordable female automatic watches? Brands or models that you would recommend? Share your discoveries in comments!
