The world is turning to smartwatches but I have reason to believe that old-school manual-wound or automatic mechanical movements will never die out. If anything, we are seeing some truly fantastic pieces making their debut, none of which are smart-enabled, and yet will feel like a welcome addition to the weekly wrist rotation. Without further ado, and without breaking the bank; here are five truly affordable, genuinely worthy timepieces.

1.Timex Q Reissue

 One most amazing wrist-piece that punches way above its weight is the Q Reissue. I can’t think of many watches at this price point that can match the cult status that the Q Reissue enjoys. The new version, a play in gold and chrome finishes, is an absolute visual delight. All the warm hues (from dial to bezel) make it the ideal watch for boardrooms but then the model has enough cred to take it clubbing and still not look out of place. Only caveat, that worm-like, wraith and lithe metal bracelet is quite the hair-tweezer so, trim all around your wrist before you put this on.

2. Kenneth Cole

This legendary urban fashion brand has been putting out some serious watches with durable automatic movements on the market and have one of the widest ranges at this price point. Most of the watches are unisex and will fit across wrist sizes. The best bit, these watches are visually noticeable but not too flashy, a safe space to park your timepiece investment.

3. Alba

 Coming from the same house that gave us Seiko and Grand Seiko, these watches are tough as nails while being aesthetically pleasing. The brand has both quartz and automatic timepieces, (including complications like a chronograph feature) and a host of dial colours and sizes. So, expect reliability and repute at a reasonable price.

4. Timex 3 Hands Digital LCA

 Repeating a Timex but these guys are clearly on a roll. A complete vintage 80s vibe, a dual time with a digital and and LCA display, this watch also has a stopwatch and a timer. It’s as nostalgic as it gets and the new golden version is pure, well, gold. Don’t sit on this one if you are all about a watch that’s practical yet fun. Just one limitation, the updated LED felt more ornamental than a useful feature as it didn’t light up the dial enough to tell the time.

5. G-Shock 2100-1A1

 No list of old-school, affordable, and solid-as-a-tank watches can be complete without a G-Shock. The last few years gave them immense success with the GA-2100 octagonal model which, although many believed to be an “homage” to the Royal Oak, was the original shape that the brand had adopted back in the 80s. The (re)-launch has been so successful that this year we saw multiple iterations of the design in terms of build material and colour options.