Buying guide · under €100
The best men’s watches under €100
Under €100 there is no serious automatic movement and no sapphire crystal. There is something better to do: choose a reliable quartz from a maker that produces its own modules. On that score, Casio holds almost the whole field.
The short answer
Which watch to choose
The best choice
Casio G-Shock GA-2100: water resistant to 200 m and almost indestructible.
The lowest price
Casio F-91W: under €20, accurate, light.
For retro style
Casio A158 or ABL-100, on a steel bracelet.
With hands
Casio MQ-24 or MTP-1302: analogue and discreet.
Ranking
The ranking at a glance
- Movement : Quartz, calibre 5611
- Diameter : 45.4 mm
- Thickness : 11.8 mm
- Movement : Digital quartz
- Case : Resin
- Water resistance : Splash resistant
- Movement : Digital quartz
- Case : Chrome-plated resin
- Bracelet : Steel
- Movement : Quartz, calibre 3565
- Dimensions : 41.7 × 37.9 mm
- Crystal : Acrylic
- Movement : Quartz
- Dimensions : 38.8 × 34.9 mm
- Thickness : 7.8 mm
- Movement : Quartz
- Dimensions : 44.2 × 38.5 mm
- Thickness : 9.2 mm
- Movement : Quartz
- Dimensions : 38.8 × 29.8 mm
- Thickness : 8.1 mm
Selection
The 7 watches, one by one
- 01
Photos: Tempus Shop
The best choice
Casio G-Shock GA-2100
A carbon-fibre-reinforced resin case, 200 m of water resistance and both hands and a digital display, for under €100. Despite its 45 mm, it is slim for a G-Shock.
- Movement
- Quartz, calibre 5611
- Diameter
- 45.4 mm
- Thickness
- 11.8 mm
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Water resistance
- 200 m
Who it is for
Anyone who wants a watch for sport, manual work or travel.
The real flaw
The crystal is mineral, and the small digital display is hard to read.
- 02
Photos: Tempus Shop
The lowest price
Casio F-91W
The best-known digital watch in the world. Stopwatch, alarm, light, a battery that lasts for years, and almost nothing to break.
- Movement
- Digital quartz
- Case
- Resin
- Water resistance
- Splash resistant
Who it is for
Anyone who wants the exact time without thinking about it.
The real flaw
A weak light, and a resin case that marks.
- 03
Photos: Tempus Shop
Retro on a steel bracelet
Casio A158
The digital watch of the 1980s, with its chrome-plated case and a steel bracelet that adjusts without tools.
- Movement
- Digital quartz
- Case
- Chrome-plated resin
- Bracelet
- Steel
- Water resistance
- Splash resistant
Who it is for
Anyone who wants the look of a vintage watch for under €30.
The real flaw
The chrome plating, laid over resin, wears at the edges.
- 04
Photos: Tempus Shop
The best-equipped digital
Casio ABL-100WE
The design of Casio’s vintage watches, with a more recent module and a steel bracelet. The one to choose if you find the F-91W too basic.
- Movement
- Quartz, calibre 3565
- Dimensions
- 41.7 × 37.9 mm
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Bracelet
- Steel
Who it is for
Anyone who likes vintage style and wants a fuller-featured module.
The real flaw
An acrylic crystal and a resin case, for four times the price of an F-91W.
- 05
Photos: Tempus Shop
The simplest analogue
Casio MQ-24
Three hands, a black dial, under 8 mm thick. A watch you do not feel on the wrist, here on a steel bracelet.
- Movement
- Quartz
- Dimensions
- 38.8 × 34.9 mm
- Thickness
- 7.8 mm
- Crystal
- Resin
Who it is for
Anyone who wants hands and nothing else.
The real flaw
A resin case and crystal, and no date.
- 06
Photos: Tempus Shop
The all-steel analogue
Casio MTP-1302
A steel case and bracelet, a mineral crystal and a fluted bezel, for €50. From a distance it passes for a watch ten times the price.
- Movement
- Quartz
- Dimensions
- 44.2 × 38.5 mm
- Thickness
- 9.2 mm
- Crystal
- Mineral
Who it is for
Anyone looking for a steel dress watch at a very low price.
The real flaw
Simple finishing, which shows up close.
- 07
Photos: Tempus Shop
Hands and a display
Casio AQ-230
A small rectangular 1980s case that combines hands and a digital display, on a steel bracelet.
- Movement
- Quartz
- Dimensions
- 38.8 × 29.8 mm
- Thickness
- 8.1 mm
- Crystal
- Resin
Who it is for
Anyone who wants a retro watch you do not see everywhere.
The real flaw
A resin case and crystal.
Comparison
The 7 watches side by side
| Model | Movement | Diameter | Dimensions | Crystal | Water resistance | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casio G-Shock GA-2100 | Quartz, calibre 5611 | 45.4 mm | – | Mineral | 200 m | €99.90 |
| Casio F-91W | Digital quartz | – | – | – | Splash resistant | €19.90 |
| Casio A158 | Digital quartz | – | – | – | Splash resistant | €27.93 |
| Casio ABL-100WE | Quartz, calibre 3565 | – | 41.7 × 37.9 mm | Acrylic | – | €79.90 |
| Casio MQ-24 | Quartz | – | 38.8 × 34.9 mm | Resin | – | €39.90 |
| Casio MTP-1302 | Quartz | – | 44.2 × 38.5 mm | Mineral | – | €49.90 |
| Casio AQ-230 | Quartz | – | 38.8 × 29.8 mm | Resin | – | €49.90 |
Method
How to choose at this price
Why mostly Casio?
Under €100, Casio makes its own quartz modules and sells them at prices other brands do not reach. Alternatives exist, but they offer less for the same money.
Resin or steel
Resin is light and takes knocks, but it marks. Steel ages better and weighs more.
Water resistance, without getting it wrong
Most of these watches only resist splashes. Only the G-Shock, water resistant to 200 m, can be worn in the water.
Digital or analogue
A digital watch offers a stopwatch, an alarm and a light. An analogue one is more discreet with a shirt.
Questions
The short answers
What is the best men’s watch under €100?
The Casio G-Shock GA-2100: water resistant to 200 m, shock resistant, for just under €100.
Which watch under €50?
The Casio F-91W at around €20, the Casio A158 under €30, the Casio MQ-24 at about €40 and the Casio MTP-1302 at €50.
Can you get an automatic watch under €100?
Not from a recognised maker. Serious automatics start at around €150 to €180, with the Citizen NH9131 and the Seiko 5.
Can you swim with a watch under €100?
With the G-Shock GA-2100, yes: it is water resistant to 200 m. Casio’s vintage models only resist splashes.
Further reading