6 Watch Brands under $300 Worth Checking Out

Smartphones should have been a death knell to the traditional wristwatch, but instead they’ve seen a massive resurgence. Everyone can appreciate the craftsmanship behind some of the iconic luxury watch brands like Rolex, Tag Heuer and Breitling, but if you’re planning on building a collection, there are other options that won’t break the bank.

There are a lot of watches under $300, but all watches aren’t created equal. That’s why instead of creating a list of watches I THINK are good, I’m only touching on watch brands that I own multiple watches from and can attest to their quality.

Jord

($139 – $395)

Jord makes some great wood watches.  Their design is unique, so I get a lot of compliments while wearing their watches. Out of the three Jord watches I own, all have sapphire crystal glass to reduce scratches and two of them are self-winding automatic watches. You should also know that due to the wood construction of their watches, they are splash proof, but shouldn’t be used in the pool. I’ve also noticed that some of their less expensive options don’t include sapphire crystal, so that’s something to look for.

Kapten & Son

($99 – $199)

Kapten & Son is another great brand who offers both sunglasses and watches.  I know this is an article about watches, but I had to mention their sunglasses as well, because they’re one of my favorite sunglass companies too.

Their watches have a thin case, which give them a more refined look and are a waterproof to 5 ATM (50M). I own three of their watches as well, and have enjoyed all of them. My favorite is the Silver Mesh watch shown below, because it goes with almost anything.  They also sell different straps if you’re looking to change things up.

Daniel Wellington

($195 – $229)

Daniel Wellington is another brand that’s similar to Kapten & Son, but with some additional styles.  They have a thin case on their watches as well, but are only water resistant to 3 ATM (30M), which isn’t a concern unless you’re a frequent diver.  They also have a lot of different band options, with my favorite being their NATO straps.

MVMT Watches

($95 – $160)

MVMT was founded in 2013 and supposedly has sold 1.5 million watches since then.  These watches are water resistant to 5ATM (50M) as well and have hardened mineral crystal instead sapphire crystal on the face.  My favorite is the black faced watch with blue hands shown below.

FES Watch

($299)

This is another very unique watch brand.  The watch face and band is made out of e-paper, so the entire watch changes design with the push of a button.  They’ve also built an accelerometer into it, so when your arm is resting, the watch band and face shows nothing, but once you lift your arm to check the time, the time display and strap patterns turn on. Due to the uniqueness, this is another one that gets a lot of questions when I wear it, and usually leads to a conversation.

TIMEX

($34-$265)

Timex is a much more established name than many of the other brands I’ve mentioned above, and they have a lot of attractive watches to offer.  Due to their large selection and price points,  you’ll want to check the water and scratch resistance, because the specs on each watch can vary.  One feature I like on tow of the Timex watches I own is the hidden INDIGLO light up watch face at you can turn on with the push of the crown.  It a small detail, but makes it much easier to use in low-light.

Any other watch brands under $300 worth mentioning? Let me know in the comments below.