Opinion: Three of the best everyday watches under $300 for the skinny wrist in 2020.
What features pop into your head when thinking about the perfect everyday watch? Sapphire glass? 200 m of water resistance? Threaded crown? A chronograph complication? While many of these are nice to have, I think that most of us will find these superfluous to our everyday wearing habits. For the most part, a simple 3-hander will suffice if you’re just heading off to school or working a desk job.
Whether you’re just starting to get into watches or looking to narrow your collection, let’s take a look at some affordable alternatives below that would be great for everyday wear. For reference, my wrist is 5.7 in or 14.5 cm, so I personally look at watches 40 mm or under with a shorter lug-to-lug distance.
Seiko SRPE51
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Thickness: 11.5 mm
- Lug width: 20 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 44 mm
- Movement: 4R36 (hand-winding, hacking, automatic)
- Water resistance: 100 m
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Price: $275
With its beautiful sunburst grey dial, this is my pick of the bunch for the new bezel-less 5KX line. Instead of just replacing the rotating bezel with a fixed one, Seiko re-designed the case while keeping much of the SKX design cues in place. The crystal and dial are actually larger than an SKX, even though the SRPE51 is smaller and thinner. This results in a very comfortable wearing watch with great wrist presence. It’s on the larger side for my skinny wrist, but I would imagine this to work with the short lug-to-lug.
Indices are applied and generously filled with lume to ensure superb legibility. While it comes fitted on a bracelet, you should have no issues in finding a suitable replacement strap with its versatile colour palette and 20 mm lug width. Dress it up on a leather strap or down on a NATO for weekend exploring, the SRPE51 is an awesome everyday watch with an affordable price tag. If sunburst grey is not your cup of tea, there’s also a black/gilt dial that looks sharp as well among the slew of options from this line.
Seiko SNKL41
- Diameter: 37 mm
- Thickness: 11 mm
- Lug width: 18 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 42 mm
- Movement: 7S26 (automatic)
- Water resistance: 30 m
- Crystal: Harlex
- Price: $80
A slightly dressier option than the previous, this is perhaps the most affordable replacement to the legendary SARB033/035 that has been discontinued. A mix of brushed and polished surfaces on the case exudes class and the case shape is slightly reminiscent of a Grand Seiko Snowflake. With its modest dimensions, it would wear perfectly on my skinny wrist.
I’m partial to the SNKL41 with the white dial as I think it’s the most versatile of the lot. With its stick markers and dauphine hands, the SNKL41 will easily fit into more formal occasions if you are looking for something more reserved. Its monochromatic colour scheme also makes it a strap monster, allowing you to dress the watch for all occasions. A tan leather strap would look particularly handsome for everyday wear. While the 7S26 does not hack or hand-wind, it shouldn’t pose much of an issue if you’re wearing it on a daily basis.
Orient Maestro (RA-AC0E04L10A)
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Thickness: 11.9 mm
- Lug width: 20 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 46.1 mm
- Movement: Cal. F6722 (hand-winding, hacking, automatic)
- Water resistance: 100 m
- Crystal: Mineral crystal
- Price: $ 160
Coming in a brilliant sunburst blue, the Orient RA-AC0E04L10A (blue Maestro) is a fantastic option if you are looking for a blue watch. It will look large on the wrist with its slim bezel and lugs, but should wear rather well with its reserved dimensions. The Bauhaus vibe is strong here, with stick indices and a slim hands set.
The dressiest option of the lot here, dress the blue Maestro up on a navy or black croc strap for the office, or switch it to a tan strap for a casual vibe — you will be surprised at how versatile blue can be. With a clean and classic design that will fit most situations, it’s a wonder why the Orient Maestro isn’t as popular as its Bambino siblings. If blue isn’t your colour, check out the other options on their page: https://www.orientwatchusa.com/collections/ra-ac0e.
