Best affordable automatic watches under $500

The reference automatic under $500, and the one every incumbent list carries. Seiko 4R36 with day and date, hacking and hand-winding, 42.5 mm, 46 mm lug-to-lug, 13.4 mm thick, 100 m, Hardlex crystal, LumiBrite, unidirectional bezel, 22 mm lugs, $350 on seikousa.com, where it was marked sold out on the check date (Long Island Watch $280, sold out). It is not an ISO diver: 100 m with a non-screw-down crown. The 46 mm lug-to-lug on a 42.5 mm case fits smaller wrists than the diameter suggests. Hardlex is the stated exception to the sapphire rule, and the Islander Bayport below has sapphire and 200 m for $1 less; the Seiko's trade is the crystal, and the dollar buys the name.

The automatic to buy under $500 if the spec sheet is the argument: grade 5 titanium, 300 m and a PT5000 (or a Sellita SW200) at $389 on the check date, shown at 30 percent off, so the price is a promotional snapshot. 40 mm, 47.5 mm lug-to-lug, 13.1 mm thick, sapphire without a cyclops, BGW9 lume, a unidirectional ceramic bezel, on a grade 5 titanium bracelet tapering from 20 to 16 mm with a grade 2 fly-adjust clasp. Original Design collection, not the homage line. Assembly is not stated beyond a Dongguan address; the warranty is 2 years. The Islander Bayport at $349 is the steel alternative with 200 m; the $40 buys titanium and 100 m.

The diver to buy at $349 over the Seiko at $350: sapphire and 200 m where the SRPD55 has Hardlex and 100 m, on the same NH35 architecture. 40 mm, 48 mm lug-to-lug, 13.5 mm thick, flat sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the underside, a 120-click bezel with a sloped ceramic insert carrying C3 lume, on a steel bracelet. The wave dials in Maroon, Blue, Green and Warm Grey were in stock on the check date; Silver-White was out. It is 2 mm longer across the lugs than the Seiko, and that is the trade. The Northport at $449 is the same brand's Miyota 9015 diver, 1 mm thinner. The warranty is 1 year.

The only mechanical GMT from a major brand under $500 in this data: the SRPD55 case with a GMT movement for $145 more. Seiko 4R34, a caller GMT (the 24-hour hand sets independently; the local hour does not jump), 42.5 mm, 46 mm lug-to-lug, 13.6 mm thick, 100 m, Hardlex, LumiBrite, bi-directional 24-hour bezel, 22 mm lugs, $495 on seikousa.com. Long Island Watch showed $396, sold out. The same NH34 architecture without the Seiko name is in the Spinnaker Croft 39 GMT ($445 compare-at, $356 selling, 39 mm, 150 m, sapphire) and the Islander JFK GMT ($449, 42 mm, 200 m, sapphire), both noted below; the Seiko's trade is Hardlex, and either is the sapphire alternative for the money.

The thinnest automatic on the page at 10.1 mm, and the one to buy if the divers are too much case. Miyota 90S5, a 9-series no-date movement, 39 mm, 46.5 mm lug-to-lug, 100 m, sapphire with anti-reflective coating, BGW-X1 lume, on a 5-link 316L bracelet tapering from 20 to 16 mm with a fly-adjust clasp, $428. The 10.1 mm is 3 mm under the SN0111-T and 3.3 mm under the SRPD55. The Jianzhan dial is a ceramic-glaze pattern; the family also has coin-pattern, enamel and mother-of-pearl dials, and a power-reserve version on the Miyota 9132. The Timex Field Post at $429 is the alternative for the money, titanium and 200 m; the SN0144's trade is the 100 m rating.

The integrated-bracelet automatic under $500, and the one whose sale price matters more than its list: $495 on citizenwatch.com and $396 on Citizen's own sale on the check date. Citizen (Miyota) 8210 automatic, 40 mm, 50 m, sapphire with anti-reflective coating. Citizen does not publish the lug-to-lug or the thickness, and the 9.1 mm on the page is a band figure, not a lug width, so those columns are dashes. The blue NJ0150-56L is the reference fetched; the black NJ0150-56E is $475 at Long Island Watch, sold out. The 50 m rating is the lowest of any automatic here apart from the Timex Marlin. The SSK001 at the same $495 is the alternative with a bezel that does something.

The titanium field automatic to buy at $429 if 50 mm lug-to-lug fits. Renamed from Expedition North to Expedition Field Post: titanium with a brushed black IP finish, 41 mm, 13.5 mm thick, 200 m, sapphire with anti-reflective coating, Super-LumiNova, 20 mm lugs, on leather (TW2Y90900). The fabric-strap TW2V95300 is $419 and 12.5 mm thick, sold only on timex.com. Timex describes the movement as a Japanese automatic with 21 jewels and does not name it. It is the only Timex in the data with a published lug-to-lug, and 50 mm is long for a 41 mm case; the Boldr Venture below is the titanium field watch for a smaller wrist at 44 mm.

The diver to buy at $320 for the shortest lug-to-lug on the page, at the cost of the thickest case. Super-compressor style with an internal rotating 60-minute bezel on the Seiko NH35 (24 jewels, about 41 hours of reserve per the maker): 40 mm, 45.7 mm lug-to-lug, 14.8 mm thick, 200 m, a double-domed mineral crystal with a sapphire coating and anti-reflective treatment, LumiNova, 22 mm lugs, 316L steel, date or no-date, and a 44 mm case. Each colour is limited to 1,970 pieces. The crystal is the stated exception to the sapphire rule: Dan Henry's wording is sapphire-coated mineral, and the table records it that way. The Islander Bayport at $349 is the alternative, on true sapphire, $29 more.

The cheapest automatic on the page at $299, and with the San Martin one of only two in titanium. Seiko NH38A no-date, 38 mm, 44 mm lug-to-lug, 200 m, flat sapphire, a BGW9 full-lume dial, 20 mm lugs. Boldr does not state the thickness on this listing, so the table shows a dash. The 44 mm lug-to-lug is the shortest on the page by 1.7 mm. The range runs $299 to $459, and the brand sells in drops, so check the dial before the price. It is also on the under-$300 list. The Dan Henry 1970 at $320 is the alternative for the money with a bezel; the Venture's trade is a blank thickness column.

The one hand-wound watch here and the cheapest mechanical, to buy if 34 mm is the size: 10 mm thick, 30 m, acrylic crystal, 18 mm lugs, polished steel, silver dial on a croc-embossed leather strap, $259. Timex describes the movement as a mechanical hand-wound with about 40 hours of reserve and does not name it. No lug-to-lug is published. It is a 1965 reissue at the original size, 4 mm under the next-smallest watch here. The Marlin Automatic 40 at $299 is the same family in a 40 mm case at 13 mm thick with 50 m and an exhibition caseback, noted below; the hand-wound is the one the incumbents list, and its trade is 30 m and acrylic.

Orient's 200 m automatic at $285 on the day, and the compare-at rule is the only reason the SRPD55 outranks it here: Orient USA shows $465 beside the $285 selling price, in stock on the check date. Orient F69-family automatic with day and date, 41.5 mm, 13 mm thick, 200 m, mineral crystal, 120-click bezel, 22 mm lugs, no credible lug-to-lug published. Against the SRPD55 at $350 it has twice the water resistance for $115 more on list and $65 less on the day. The trade is the crystal; the Bayport at $349 has sapphire and 200 m, and is the one to buy at list.

The Mako II's sheet under a dial with round markers, $290 selling and $465 compare-at on Orient USA, in stock on the check date. Orient F69 automatic, 41.5 mm, 13 mm thick, 200 m, hardened mineral crystal, 120-click unidirectional bezel, 22 mm lugs, no lug-to-lug published. There is no spec argument between the two Orients; pick on the dial and spend or save the $5. The Dan Henry 1970 at $320 is the alternative at list, an NH35 with 200 m and a 45.7 mm lug-to-lug the Orient cannot state. The Ray's trade is mineral glass, and the compare-at line that puts it below watches it undercuts on the day.

The Marlin that is an automatic, $299 on timex.com, tied with the Boldr Venture as the cheapest automatic on the page. An unnamed 21-jewel Japanese automatic with an exhibition caseback, 40 mm, 13 mm thick, 50 m, domed acrylic, 20 mm lugs, green dial on leather; no lug-to-lug published. Against the hand-wound Marlin on the main list it is 6 mm larger, 3 mm thicker, 20 m deeper and $40 more. The Venture at the same $299 is the alternative: titanium, sapphire, 200 m and a named NH38A. The Marlin's trade is acrylic, 50 m and an unnamed calibre; its argument is a dress case at the price.

The second Seiko GMT, in blue and red, $495 on seikowatches.com and identical to the SSK001 above in everything but the bezel. Seiko 4R34 caller GMT, 42.5 mm, 13.6 mm thick, 100 m, Hardlex with a date magnifier, LumiBrite, 22 mm lugs, a bi-directional two-colour 24-hour bezel; no lug-to-lug on this page, though the SSK001's 46 mm applies to the same case. The Spinnaker Croft 39 GMT at $445 compare-at and $356 selling is the sapphire alternative on the NH34, and the one for a smaller wrist at 39 mm. The trade is Hardlex; the argument for this colourway over the black is entirely the bezel.

The Cocktail Time on leather, and the cheaper of the two by $25: $450 on seikowatches.com under the J1 suffix against $475 for the SRPB41 bracelet on the general list. Seiko 4R35 with hand-winding and hacking, 40.5 mm, 11.8 mm thick, 50 m, box-shaped Hardlex, 20 mm lugs, blue dial. Seiko publishes no lug-to-lug. It is the dress automatic on this page, and the Orient Bambino below at $430 compare-at is the alternative: 2.1 mm smaller, 30 m, mineral, and $295 on Orient's sale. The Seiko's trade is 50 m and Hardlex; what the money buys over the Orient is a named 4R35 and the dial.

The dress automatic for a small wrist, and with the Boldr Venture one of two watches here at 44 mm across the lugs: a 38.4 mm case, $430 compare-at on Orient USA and $295 selling, in stock on the check date. Orient F6724 automatic, 12.5 mm thick, 30 m, domed mineral crystal, 20 mm lugs, black dial on a strap; Long Island Watch showed $295, sold out. The Venture at $299 is the alternative on the day, titanium with 200 m at the same 44 mm lug-to-lug. The Bambino's trade is 30 m and mineral glass, and a compare-at price that puts a $295 watch below a $350 one.

The black Tsuyosa, with the two figures Citizen's blue-dial page leaves blank supplied by the retailer: 45 mm lug-to-lug and 12 mm thick per Long Island Watch, where it was $475 list, $356 on sale and sold out on the check date. Citizen 8210 automatic, 40 mm, 50 m, sapphire with anti-reflective coating, integrated bracelet. The black page on citizenwatch.com returned a 404, so the retailer is the only source; the blue on the main list carries a list price $20 higher. The San Martin SN0144 at $428 is the alternative, a 9-series at 10.1 mm with 100 m. The Tsuyosa's trade is 50 m and a retailer-sourced sheet.

A German pilot watch on an automatic at €390 including VAT, with a Type B dial, printed in euros because laco.de shows no US figure. Laco 2S automatic, 42 mm, 50 mm lug-to-lug, 11.75 mm thick, 50 m, sapphire, Super-LumiNova C3, 20 mm lugs; the Sellita-based Laco 31 is €55 more, anti-reflective coating €50. Against the Timex Field Post at $429 it gives up 150 m and titanium; the Islander Aviator at $249 is the Type B dial for less on the NH36. The trade is 50 m on a 42 mm case; the return is a pilot watch from the maker rather than an homage to one.

The Type A Aachen: the same €390 including VAT, the same case, and Laco names the movement only as Laco 2S. 42 mm, 50 mm lug-to-lug, 11.75 mm thick, 50 m, sapphire, Super-LumiNova C3, 20 mm lugs; a Laco 31 on a Sellita base adds €55. No US price is shown, so the table prints euros. The San Martin bronze pilot at $188 on the under-$200 list is the Type A alternative in dollars, 41 mm on an NH35 with 100 m. The Augsburg's trade against it is 50 m and the lug-to-lug; the return is a matte steel case with the maker's name rather than a copied one.