While a wristwatch’s primary function is straightforward, choosing the perfect timepiece can be anything but simple. With an overwhelming variety of options available — from high-tech digital smartwatches to timeless mechanical designs — finding a watch that complements your personal style can be a daunting task. Add to that the fact that luxury designer watches can cost thousands, and the search becomes even more challenging. To help make your decision easier, we’ve consulted with fashion stylists and watch experts to curate a list of the best men’s watches under $500, combining style, reliability, and value.
Best men’s smartwatches
Apple Watch Series 10
“Do yourself a favor and get the Jet Black Aluminum Apple Watch Series 10,” New York-based stylist Altorrin McIntyre says. “It will keep your look tight and chic.” Besides being a stylist-approved choice, it also impressed our tech team with its large display, thin profile and 18-hour battery life.
Read our review
From $383 at Amazon
From $399 at Best Buy
From $399 at Apple
From $400 at Target
Garmin Venu 3 GPS Smartwatch
Jon Bonacolta, a men’s watch expert and US photography manager at Mr Porter, calls Garmin’s Venu 3 a “good all-around choice,” emphasizing the watch’s “slim bezel and low-profile function buttons.” He adds that Garmin’s timepieces are usually “geared to the sporty user with plenty of apps to track and analyze performance.”
$450 From $350 at Amazon
$450 $400 at Best Buy
$450 at REI
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
“If you are anti-Apple, I’d pitch the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4,” McIntyre says of this smartwatch that features a date window, sleep monitor and GPS technology. “Oftentimes I find that smartwatches can feel a bit kiddy. This one is for very grown folk,” he adds.
From $149 at Amazon
$149 at Walmart
Withings ScanWatch 2
“I love the Bauhaus design of the ScanWatch2 [that] won’t immediately be recognized as a smartwatch,” Bonacolta says. Withings’ innovative and stylish timepiece comes with day and night temperature tracking, among other features.
$350 at Best Buy
$350 at Target
$350 at Withings
Casio Men’s G-Shock Move GBD-H2000 Series
Celebrity and editorial stylist and costume designer Engie Hassan recommends Casio G-Shock Move watch, noting its heart rate and step-counting monitors that make it “perfect for the athletic enthusiast or an actual athlete.” She notes that it also is equipped with solar charging in addition to USB.
$399 at REI
$399 at Macy’s
Best men’s leather watches
Victorinox Fieldforce Watch
Victorinox is known for its famous Swiss Army knives, whose functionality and aesthetic the watchmaker has translated to its Fieldforce timepiece. Bonacolta points to this watch’s “day and date apertures, LumiNova display and rugged crown guards [that] make this a very functional watch.”
$700 $374 at Amazon
From $500 at Victorinox
Movado Face Watch
McIntyre loves the sold-out all-black version of this Movado watch, but the minimalist design is just as cool in its other color combinations. He notes that this is “the watch you don’t have to take off, nor do you want to.”
$395 at Movado
Timex Expedition North Field Post Mechanical Watch
Crafted out of eco-friendly leather, the dark-brown strap on this Timex piece adds an elevated accent to its silver hardware and belt-like clasp. Bonacolta notes that this watch also features quick-release spring bars for an easy, tool-free strap change.
$229 From $200 at Amazon
Bulova Frank Lloyd Wright Occulus Automatic Watch
For the more experimental crowd, Bonacolta loves Bulova’s Oculus Automatic Watch that boasts a design that pays homage to the famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. “Its unconventional aesthetic isn’t for everyone,” he says, “but Bulova has certainly turned my head with this timepiece.”
$450 $427 at Amazon
$495 at Bloomingdale’s
$495 at Bulova
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