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Elegant & Affordable: Black Friday Watch Extravaganza With Timepieces under £200!
Many people want a high-quality watch that will both look and feel great on their wrist. But at the same time, they don’t want to torpedo their bank account by purchasing a £8.5k luxury timepiece way above their means… The question is: how can we make sure to find a beautiful watch of the highest possible quality, without having to spend a fortune? Is it really possible to find well-made, reliable timepieces for less than £200?
The answer is yes, if you know where to look for…
In this article, our experts explain how to find those rare watchmaking “hidden gems” that offer exceptional quality and value for their price, to help our readers find their ideal watch without “breaking the bank”. We also curated a selection of five high-quality watches for less than £200 that you should definitely keep an eye out for during this year’s Black Friday.
And don't miss out - Secure yourself 10% off your next order at Nordgreen
ON TOP of all the Black Friday Deals!
[Code: SUPREME10]
Our Specialized Ranking System to Spot the Best Deals
This specialized ranking system follows a unique and comprehensive process in which we measure the value of the products by carefully evaluating the design, quality of materials, value for money, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction. These factors, combined with the insights from reputed watch makers and designers, make it easy to choose the best quality affordable watches available on the market under £200, saving you both time and money.
The Top 5 Affordable Watches For Black Friday 2023
After hours of extensive research, in consideration of professional watch advice, combined ratings and verified online reviews from customers just like you, we’ve compiled a list of the current top five affordable watches for men that you should definitely put on your shopping list for Black Friday.
1. Nordgreen – Native (Exclusive 10% discount code: SUPREME10)
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Make sure to check out Black Friday at Nordgreen with an additional 10% discount with SUPREME10:
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Native is a very high-quality, elegant-looking casual watch made by the renown Scandinavian watchmaker Nordgreen. This sleek, smart and modern timepiece was designed by Jakob Wagner, a world-class designer acclaimed for designing collections for Bang & Olufsen, Hay, and Capellini. He is also a five-time recipient of the IF Product Design Award and Designer of the Year.
The watch was designed to look and feel “high-end casual” for a competitive price, by only using high-quality materials and precise craftsmanship. It’s powered by a state-of-the-art Japanese Miyota mechanism for maximum precision, and the case (36mm) is entirely made of premium 316L stainless steel. The interchangeable strap system brings endless variety as the watch can be adjusted to match with different outfits and looks – truly the perfect companion for every occasion.
With a price tag of only $150-$200, the Nordgreen Native is regularly seen as having one of the best price-quality ratios on the market – with many watch models of comparable quality selling at 4 to 6 times that price.
According to Nordgreen representatives, the Scandinavian watchmaker was able to “pack” many high-end watch features into this model, by radically cutting marketing costs to the benefit of craftsmanship.
The company Nordgreen also deeply cares about making the world a better place with its own Giving Back Program that supports three leading NGOs in the health, education, and environmental sectors. For every Nordgreen watch purchased, you can either give two months of clean water to one person in the Central African Republic, one month of education to a child in India, or preserve 200 sq ft of rain forest in Latin America.
Therefore, people who buy a Nordgreen watch not only get a fine piece of craftsmanship: they also make a positive and measurable impact on the world. It is currently one the rare watch brands that offers such kind of sustainable initiatives.
Overall, many wearers of The Philosopher can vouch for its superior quality, elegant look, and exceptional value for money. The company Nordgreen has a score of 4.8 out of 5 on Trustadvisor based on 3,000+ reviews.
Taking all these into our consideration easily places Nordgreen – Native at our #1 spot.
In addition to the massive Black Friday deals, Nordgreen is offering an exclusive 10% discount to Supremefive readers. Shop the offer today – Use code : SUPREME10
PROS
- Unique, minimalistic Scandinavian design with respect for the planet and people
- Robust steel case using premium 316L recycled stainless steel
- Sapphire glass ensuring the longevity of the watch
- High precision Japanese Miyota movement
- Incredible level of detail, with engraved crown, distinct case shape, and blade-shaped second-hand “slicing through time”
- Interchangeable strap system allowing the watch to match every look and occasion
- Giving Back Program offering the ability to give back to a charity of your choice
- Exceptional price-quality ratio
- 14-day free return policy
CONS
- Limited stock only with an offer that will end soon!
2. Solios – Solar White Silver Mesh
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Solios Solar White is an original, distinctive minimalist watch that is a great fit for those who want to buy a sustainable watch, in line with environmental values. The watch is made of green technology and durable materials to offer a clean and elegant look, while making a positive impact on the environment.
The particularity of the watch is that it uses a solar cell to recharge itself, meaning that the watch can keep functioning without changing the batteries. The case is made of 316L stainless steel – a sign of high-quality and robustness.
With that, we note that aside from its solar power movement, the watch looks relatively undifferentiated. Even though it has a clean and elegant appearance, it is rather hard to distinguish it from other minimalist watches on the market, just because each component – whether it’s the case, the crown, the hand, or the case – is very simplistic, perhaps too simplistic, in our view.
PROS
- Simple and elegant dress watch offering incredible versatility
- High-quality craftsmanship for the price
- Very strong price-to-quality ratio
- Precise Japanese automatic movement
- Robust and effective design
- Strong water resistance
CONS
- The watch looks relatively undifferentiated. Extremely basic components
- Slightly expensive considering the lack of visual differentiation
3. Skagen – Ryle Two-Hand Silver-Tone
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Skagen – Ryle Two-Hand Silver-Tone is a sleek affordable watch with a classic, modern, and elegant design. It really distinguishes itself with unique Roman numerals on the face of the watch, and a rectangular face which is quite rare for this range of affordable watches.
It can be worn very easily on any type of occasion – whether it’s casual or professional – because the watch looks incredibly versatile. It is made of relatively high quality ingredients, at least considering its affordable price, and users appear to be satisfied with the look and feel of the watch. The price is very competitive for the quality, at $145. Further, the brand Skagen has a strong reputation when it comes to producing good quality watches at reasonable prices.
Perhaps one of the main weaknesses of the watch is that the crown looks extremely basic, there is no sign of distinction on this critical part of the watch, which is somewhat disappointing for a watch that is otherwise audaciously designed. We could also expect more transparency on the building materials.
The company mentions that the case is made of stainless steel, but we don’t know if it’s 316L stainless steel or a lower-end steel. Finally, some users have mentioned that the watch was a bit “too thick” – but this could just be a matter of taste.
PROS
- Unique Roman numerals and rectangular-shaped case make the watch stand out among other affordable watches
- Clean and highly versatile design, can look great in any circumstances
- Competitive price
- Reasonably high-quality materials considering its affordable price
CONS
- The crown looks extremely basic – disappointing craftsmanship on this part
- Lack of transparency regarding the grade of steel used for the case
- Some users have mentioned that the watch was a bit “too thick”
4. Daniel Wellington Classic St Mawes 36mm
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Daniel Wellington Classic St Mawes is a unisex, Scandinavian affordable watch with a sleek and ultra-simple design. Due to its quintessential yet elegant look, this watch can match with any type of clothes and styles, which makes it incredibly versatile.
It is powered by a precise Japanese movement, and the beautiful rose gold case is built of stainless steel (no more indication on the type of steel). Many users who have never worn a watch before seemed satisfied with this simplistic yet appealing modern timepiece, which can be bought at an affordable price (around $190).
With that said, this watch model is not for those who want a truly distinctive timepiece. The design is extremely basic, with no clear signs of differentiation. Hundreds of other models of watches use similar case shapes, similar crowns, and similar hands.
Even though the quality appears reasonably good for the price, it doesn’t really stand out from the crowd of affordable watches, and higher quality models can be found for cheaper prices, in our view. Further, we note that there is a noticeable lack of transparency with regards to the quality of materials used. The brand doesn’t mention the calibre of steel used for the case, and we don’t know anything about the grade of leather either – which is somewhat disappointing.
But it might satisfy those who want a simplistic and good-looking watch for an accessible price.
PROS
- Affordable price
- Clean and elegant look
- Highly versatile
CONS
- Highly undifferentiated watch. Looks extremely similar to other affordable watches
- Clear lack of transparency on quality of materials
- Brand has become rather unoriginal
- No sign of dedicated craftsmanship
The Truth About Expensive Watches
There are a lot of people who think that the more expensive a watch is, the higher its quality. But there is something that luxury watch brands don’t tell you:
Expensive luxury watches are often selling at a price which is 10 to 20 times higher than their true cost. For instance, many watches with a retail price of $5,000 can actually be manufactured for just a few hundred dollars!
But why are they so expensive then? Well, contrary to what many people think, that’s not necessarily because they are better made than lower-end watches (although they might be). That’s mainly because luxury brands spend millions on advertising to make their watches seem more exclusive, and if they want to recoup these costs, they have to raise their prices.
That’s why, according to Edward Faber, founder of luxury watch gallery Aaron Faber in New York, most of a watch price actually comes from advertising:
“Cartier, Rolex, Patek Philippe and all of the major luxury brands imbue a greater investment in marketing and advertising than other mass-market brands,” Faber explains. “They make their watches more exclusive, and more difficult to obtain ― that adds to its value.”
The key takeaway is this: price is not a reliable indicator for quality, because it mostly reflects how much the brand spends in marketing, rather than the sheer quality of the watch.
A watch from a niche, discreet manufacturer selling for $270 might display a similar level of craftsmanship than a heavily marketed luxury watch retailing for $4,800.
We will see in a second that there are three simple steps to evaluate the quality of a watch, so you can pick the best quality ones at the best price.
Why Top Quality Watches Can Be Found For Less Than $200
Now, is it really possible to find top quality watches under $200 on the market today? 20 years ago, it would have been very difficult, if not impossible.
But due to the declining cost of production and rapid technological progress that have been seen over the past few decades, it’s now possible to manufacture very high quality, simple watches for less than $100 (assuming no advanced complications).
As a result, many high quality watches models, like the Seiko Redraft or the Timex Fairfield, can be found at less than $200 – while still leaving enough margin to the watch manufacturer to remain profitable.
In fact, many watch specialists will tell you that some good quality watches under $200 sometimes offer far greater reliability and accuracy than “luxury” pieces selling at ten times the price… just because they spend their budget on pure functionality instead of marketing.
A recent surprising Swiss expert review has shown that it’s possible to find watches from $150 built in top-grade “316L stainless steel” – the same premium material used on the iconic Rolex Submariner, selling for well over $8,000…
What this means is that you can get a timepiece that both looks and feels very high-end for a fraction of the price of luxury watches, by searching for companies that don’t charge you for fancy front-page marketing – companies that don’t sponsor F1 events, or use A-List Hollywood stars as ambassadors…
This is what we call the “hidden gems” of the watchmaking industry: exceptional pieces of craftsmanship sold at extremely competitive prices.
How To Find The Affordable “Hidden Gems”
At this point, you’re probably wondering: how can I make sure to pick the best quality watches if my budget is under $200? We got you covered!
We prepared a checklist of three expert criteria to help you find the highest quality timepieces out there within this price range. If you keep these three criteria in mind when choosing a watch, you can be virtually certain that what you buy is of high quality, and will last for years – if not decades.
Criteria #1: Has to use a high-quality movement
A watch movement is the “engine” of the watch that acts as the powerhouse to make the watch and its functions operate (hands, calendars, chronograph, etc.). If you want a watch that is precise and reliable – and which remains so for decades – you need to choose one that uses a high-quality movement.
According to most watch experts, the best quality movements available on the market, used by nearly all high-end watches, are the Japanese and Swiss movements.
For example, the Japanese “Miyota” movement is widely considered as one of the most reliable and accurate quartz movements in the world. This Japanese movement uses top-grade quartz crystals that vibrate at 32,768 times per second, to guarantee an incredible accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month. The “Swiss Ronda series 5 movement” also has a strong reputation in terms of precision.
When choosing a high-quality watch, it’s therefore good practice to look for these types of movement (which are usually indicated in the watch characteristics). Some models of affordable watch do offer these types of movement (usually from $150).
Criteria #2: Watch parts need to be distinctive and show high attention to detail
One of the best ways to appraise the quality of a watch is to look at the level of detail of each of its parts (including the case, the crown, the hands, etc.). If you look at a watch and see that each of its parts has been precisely crafted, using a very distinctive shape, then you can be confident this watch was made by a quality watchmaker.
For example, high-quality affordable watches tend to have unique engravings on the crown, like the signature of the watchmaker. They also usually use unique and very distinctive shapes for the hands – specifically the second-hand. In other words, high-quality affordable watches have a distinct design “personality”.
On the other hand, poor quality watches are often designed exactly in the same way, with no distinctive elements. They use very basic crowns, unoriginal hands, and undifferentiated cases. Many well-known high-street brands are selling these poorly designed watches for over $200, so it’s very important to look for these details when you buy an affordable watch.
Criteria #3: Has to use high-quality materials
Finally, the best and most reliable affordable watches all use high-quality materials. You can tell if a watch is well made if the case is built using stainless steel, or, even better, “316L stainless steel” – a high-end steel that has a very high purity level and which is virtually unbreakable. It’s also called “marine grade stainless steel”, because it is often used in marine environments due to its ultra-high resistance to corrosion.
If you’re looking at watches with leather straps, make sure it uses at least “genuine leather” – it’s a sign that the strap is made with smooth, comfortable, and reasonably durable leather.
And don't miss out - Secure yourself 10% off your next order at Nordgreen
ON TOP of all the Black Friday Deals!
[Code: SUPREME10]
