10 Great Men’s Watches for Under $1000

If you’ve got a love of watches but don’t want to break the bank on a timepiece purchase, you’re in luck because you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get a quality accessory on your wrist. There are plenty of awesome men’s watches available for under $1000 and we take a look at 10 of the best below:

Seiko Prospex “Arnie” Watch ($525)

This is a modern interpretation of the 1982 Hybrid Diver’s Watch and will add an adventure-ready aesthetic to any man’s wrist. At $525, this is great value for money and a seriously badass timepiece, which is iconic because it was famously worn by Arnie in classic flicks like “Predator” and “Commando”. ($525)

DuFrane Dark Fume GMT Watch ($899)

The DuFrane Dark Fume GMT Watch ($899) is ay super stealthy timepiece, with a black dial, and a black PVD case in 42mm. The Dark Fume is the sort of watch that Batman would likely wear. It boasts a Swiss made GMT movement, with a black leather gaucho strap, record inspired dial aesthetic and SuperLumiNova numerals. ($899)

UNDONE Terra Daybreak Suede Watch (£336)

Designed for modern men, the Terra Daybreak Suede Watch from UNDONE (£336) boasts a tartaruga (tortoise) shaped case, which is a first for UNDONE. The effortlessly cool timepiece comes with a 2-coloured lume – its 12-hour numbers illuminate in blue, while the thick indices markers, the iconic triangle at 12 o’clock, and the hour & minute hands light up in green under low-light conditions. The Terra Daybreak Suede is delivered with a devilishly dapper light brown suede strap. (£336)

AVI-8 Blakeslee Chronograph Watch (£255)

The new P-51 Mustang watch from AVI-8 is a wearable tribute to the exploits of American fighter ace and commander, Colonel Don Blakeslee, who is often thought to be one of the greatest heroes of the Allied forces during the Second World War. The dial of the AVI-8 Blakeslee Chronograph Watch (£255) leans on both the inner and outer detailing of the P-51 Mustang. Carefully considered and exquistely proportioned, the dial is an effort in legibility and visually arresting layout. The pushers in particular are custom crafted and shaped within the line of the wings and fuselage.

By making use of the famed Seiko VK series Meca Quartz movement, the P-51 Mustang Blakeslee Chronograph is armed with an exceptionally reliable and precise performance of quartz split time chronograph timing along with the satisfying and nostalgic hand feel of high beat automatic movements. The end result of this is a high spec timing instrument that looks and feels like no other chronograph on the market. (£255)

Boldr Supply Co Odyssey Free Diver Watch ($799)

Built for adventures in the deep blue sea, Boldr’s new Odyssey dive watch ($799) is sure to deliver the goods. The young brand continues their success with their Odyssey collection which is a capable and affordable contemporary dive watch that we’re loving here at Coolector HQ. It takes its design inspiration from the minimalist nature of the sport of freediving and it has a 300m water resistance and is ideally sized to accommodate a wide range of wrists. It keeps Boldr’s angular and contemporary design aesthetic and is the brand’s take on the pared-down dive watch. ($799)

Hamilton Khaki Field Watch ($995)

The Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium’s Field Watch ($995) boasts an inspired design which is both bold and legible. Regardless of whether you opt for the natural brushed titanium case, or the stealthy blacked-out PVD version, it’s going to add a real visual impact to your wrist. At 42mm wide, the case is on the larger side of medium by contempoary standards but at 11.75mm is nice and streamlined. 20mm lugs let you use a wide range of straps for this watch, even though it ships on a dapper, brown calf leather strap. Above the dial, you’ll witness a robust sapphire crystal that is highly resistant to scratches from everyday bumps and scrapes. The whole package is waterproof to 100m, which is more than enough for the daily splash and some surface activity on the water. ($995)

Farer Ainsdale Watch ($625)

Built around the Farer classic 39.5mm diameter 316L high grade stainless steel case, at 11mm depth and 20mm lugs, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with the Farer Ainsdale Watch ($625). It has been developed to hold 3 chronograph button pushers set at positions 2, 4 and 10 for split-second timing with the Farer solid bronze tapered crown. The sapphire box case crystal is held by a highly polished rim onto a brushed case, and the whole thing is finished off with a polished back featuring a Farer engraved turbine design and individually numbered. ($625)

VAER D5 Arctic US Diver Watch ($549)

The D5 Arctic Dive Watch from VAER ($549) effortlessly combines best-in-class robustness with timeless design and the distinct characteristic of full USA Assembly. It is at the same time rugged and refined and the Vaer D5 represents the watchmaker’s vision for the future. This classy timepiece features a scratch resistant double domed top crystal, and a sapphire caseback and each one is assembled and tested in America, and includes a signed certificate from the technician. ($549)

YEMA LED Watches ($249)

In the 1970’s YEMA first launched its LED display watch. This amazing reissue is a nod to the historic quartz crisis period during which the watchmaking industry was turned upside down with the release of bold designs equipped with non-mechanical movements that were affordable and reliable. The YEMA LED Watch ($249) perfectly captures the 1970’s retro-futuristic style while being functional and stylish. ($249)

Marloe Bonneville Watch (£329)

Speed was the name of the game for Sir Malcolm Campbell, and so it seems appropriate that Marloe take inspiration from the instruments that presented his speed as he charged across the Bonneville Salt Flats. Being connected to the car through feedback from the dials, his touch and his senses, would have been essentil to know when to push harder, and when to ease off. The Bonneville Watch from Marloe (£329) takes its aesthetic inspiration from the main speedometer on the Campbell-Railton Blue Bird that captured the Land Speed Record in 1935.

The matte black dial with no-nonsense, clear white markings, makes time telling on the Bonneville effortless. Around the dial is an inner plateau, chamfered on the edge to expose the polished metal beneath. The yellow section on the bezel, covering minutes 25 – 35, is inspired by Blue Bird’s main speedometer – the target speed was clearly indicated in a segment of yellow from 280mph to well past 300mph. Marloe have taken that segmented aesthetic and applied it to either side of the 30 minute marking – a striking dial design quirk, and a understated nod to the challenge that lay ahead. Last but not least, the dial boasts Marloe’s logo and a very important designation; “301 MPH” – the official World Land Speed Record of Sir Malcolm Campbell. (£329)