Five best watches under £50.
You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds to enjoy wearing a watch. A great watch can be found at every price point. Whether you are buying your first watch, looking for a weekend beater, or simply wanting to add something different to your collection, there are plenty of super affordable options. In this list, I’ve focused on watches I’ve owned that demonstrate real value, reliability, wearability and quality for less than £50.
Casio FT500WC (Forester)
The underrated field watch.
Price: £33
Why it made the list
The FT500WC for me is one of the most underrated watches out there, often overlooked in favour of other super affordable Casios like the MRW200h or Digital F91’s. The watch is lightweight, easy to read and offers genuine outdoor practicality with a genuinely impressive backlight and 100m of water resistance.
The Forester is a simple, reliable field watch at a super low price point.
Highlights
- Extremely lightweight
- Excellent Legibility
- Superb Backlight
- 100m Water Buy
Why it is good value
Most watches under £50 compromise on functionality or water resistance. The Forester gives you both, whilst remaining comfortable to wear. It’s a genuine grab-and-go watch. Perfect for that outdoor camping trip, festival or trip to the beach.
My Verdict
A watch that proves practicality can beat luxury. This watch remains a staple in my collection and is my go-to gig watch. It’s one of the easiest picks for me on this list. And a watch I highly recommend as a good quality affordable watch.
Buy this if….
You want a simple, reliable field-style watch that is great for seeing in the dark.
Ratio Quest
The Adventure Bargain
Price: £42
Why it made the list
The Ratio Quest delivers the kind of field watch aesthetic normally associated with brands costing significantly more. It sports a clean dial design, solid specifications, and excellent everyday versatility, making it a strong contender in any value-for-money budget watch list.
Watch Highlights
- Excellent Field watch styling
- Solid build quality for the price
- Easy to read and good looking dial
- good quality strap
Why it is good value
The Ratio Quest gives buyers a proper field watch experience without having to pay Hamilton-level money. For someone wanting an outdoor-inspired watch for less than £50, this one is hard to beat.
My Verdict
A watch that could easily pass for one well above its price point, with solid specs and good build quality, this is, for me, the watch enthusiast’s choice on this list.
Buy this if….
You want a clean-looking watch with a military/field watch styling.
Casio A500W
The Travellers Watch
Price: £45
Why it made the list
The A500W is one of Casio’s most underrated digital watches, often overshadowed by the F91W or A500. What sets this apart is the world-time functionality, Retro styling and slim profile, making it a surprisingly useful daily wear.
Watch Highlights
- World time feature
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Vintage/Retro Charm
- Excellent Battery life
Why It is good value
Many Watches costing several times more don’t offer the functionality packed into the A500W. It remains one of the best travel watches available at any price point.
My Verdict
The World time functionality and retro design make this one of the most useful watches on this list.
Buy this if….
You enjoy retro styling and travel frequently.
Addiesdive AD2089
The Budget Diver Champion
Price: £41
Why it made the list
The AD2089 offers specifications that would seem impossible at this price point. 316L Stainless steel construction, ceramic bezel, screw-down crown and 200m water resistance all packaged up and centred around a truly stunning-looking dial.
Watch Highlights
- Ceramic Bezel
- 200m Water Resistance
- Solid Stainless Steel construction
- Great Lume
- Stunning Dial
Why it is good value
Few Watches in this price point offer this level of specification as well as a great-looking watch. The overall quality and value of this watch make it a must-have diver at this price point.
My Verdict
Pound for pound, the best spec’d watch on this list. This watch represents real value at this price point and looks great too.
Buy this if….
You want true value for money with a great look and strong spec sheet.
Casio MRW-230h
The Fun Watch
Price: £40
Why it made the list
The MRW-230h doesn’t try to be a luxury diver. Instead, it offers solid styling, a rotating bezel, excellent readability and the dependable reliability Casio is known for.
Watch Highlights
- Unique bezel design with a nice pop of colour.
- Great Legibility
- Super affordable
- Lightweight
- Reliable Casio quartz.
Why it is good value
It captures the spirit of a dive watch but at a fraction of the price of watches with similar functionality. If you want a fun, no-stress watch, this is an easy recommendation.
My Verdict
The Watch that is most likely to surprise people due to its great look, build quality and super low price point.
Buy this if….
… Just simply buy this watch, it is amazing.
