Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Watches Under €500 From Big Brands

Another Friday, another list! This week, we move on from the ongoing retrospective of the first six months of the year. It’s time to change the topic. This week, we kick off a trilogy of lists focusing on affordable watches. To be more specific, over the course of the next three weeks, we will look at the best watches under €500. Next week, we will pick our five favorites from small brands, and the week after, we will pick our favorite quartz watches under €500. But we kick this small series off with our five favorite mechanical watches from big brands.

Before we do, let’s talk briefly about why this has become a trilogy of articles. The reason is simple: there are too many great watches to choose from. Some people solely focus on mechanical watches, while others choose from both mechanical and quartz watches. On top of that, the affordable category is home to an abundance of great microbrands. It allows you to explore a vast landscape of great watches outside of the big reputable brands. As a result, it only made sense to break this up into a series of Top 5 articles.

The rules? There are no rules

The thought was immediately justified when I asked the Fratello writers for their input. They asked questions in return, and we ended up discussing the dilemmas that led to breaking it up in a series of three articles. Today, we kick off with our five favorite watches from reputable big brands. The rules? There are no rules. If the watches are €500 or less, they can be on the list. Remember that it’s not an exhaustive selection, as it’s limited to just five picks. As always, this is just a reflection of the Fratello team’s taste, so let’s go ahead and look.

Seiko 5 Sports SSK001

Our first pick is not just one model but an entire series. The Seiko 5 Sports SSK series consists of several Seiko 5 GMT models that could all be on this list. The majority of the models are the GMT version of the Seiko 5 SKX-inspired diver. When the first three watches initially came out, Nacho wrote an in-depth review about the SSK001, SSK003, and SSK005.

My personal favorite from that inaugural trio was the SSK001 with the black and gray bezel insert. Later, Seiko added a trio of US-exclusive models, including the brilliant two-tone SSK021 version that Daan wrote about. Those are just two of the many options regarding the “5KX” GMT.

The watches have a 42.5mm case that is 13.6mm thick and 46mm lug to lug. Inside the case, Seiko uses its caliber 4R34. The automatic caller-style GMT movement operates at 21600vph, has 24 jewels, and offers 41 hours of power reserve.

The watches all come on a stainless steel Jubilee-style bracelet to finish the look in style. At €490, these “5KX” GMT models are the perfect watch under €500. But as Seiko fans will know, the SSK-series is not just based on the SKX-divers. The Seiko 5 Sports SSK023 is another excellent option. The GMT version of the Seiko 5 Sports field watch is another, slightly smaller SSK option that is available at €460. In short, Seiko’s SSK models are a great first pick for this list.

Orient Bambino 38

Another immediate pick is the Orient Bambino 38 series. The Bambino has long been a favorite among fans as a perfect, affordable dress watch option. Recently, we have seen quite a few exciting Bambino 38 models that made us even bigger fans. From the beautiful, soft dial tone limited editions you see in the image above to the brilliant, classic Bambino 38 Small Seconds models, to the recently released versions with slightly brighter dials on stainless steel bracelets. The series has grown into a versatile and vintage-inspired series that offers plenty of great daily wearers.

The Bambino 38 models come with a stainless steel case that measures 38.4mm in diameter, 12.5mm thick, and 44mm from lug to lug. Depending on your preferred versions, you get either the Orient F6222 for the small seconds models or the Orient F6724 caliber for the central seconds models. Both are automatic with manual winding, operate at 21,600vph, and offer a 40-hour power reserve. There are many different models, making it hard to find your favorite because great options are abundant. It is even better that the Bambino models retail for a little over €300, making them a no-brainer for this list.

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver NY012x series

Another Fratello favorite is the Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver series, which consists of various models. We picked the Promaster Mechanical Diver NY012x series. I had the pleasure of reviewing two of the four available models last year, and it was a fun experience.

The two models we had were the NY0120-01EE with a black/gray gradient dial and a black bezel insert, and the NY0129-58LE with a blue gradient dial and a dark blue bezel insert. The series also features the NY0121-09XE, featuring a green gradient dial and green bezel insert. Lastly, the fourth model is the NY0120-01ZE with an orange gradient dial and a black bezel insert.

All four models have this classic Citizen diver look that feels very familiar. The watches come with a 41mm stainless steel case that measures 50mm from lug to lug and 13.7mm thick. As a result, they are not for people with smaller wrists. But I have to say, I never thought they felt like big chunky dive watches when I wore them.

As a series of divers, the models are water resistant to 200 meters and have a 60-click unidirectional rotating bezel with an aluminum insert. The screw-down crown operates the in-house caliber 8204-21A.

This automatic caliber operates at 21,600vph and offers 42 hours of power reserve. Funnily enough, of the four ISO 6425-compliant dive watches, the blue model comes on a stainless steel bracelet. The other three come with a comfortable rubber strap.  At €299 on a bracelet and €269 on a strap, these Promaster Mechanical Divers are another no-brainer for this list.

Seiko 5 Sports SRPL91 and SRPL93

We could not leave the Seiko 5 Sports SRPL91 and SRPL93 models off the list. They celebrate the “Gene Kranz” 6119-8460 Sports Diver in great style. Despite being a limited edition, the production number of 9,999 pieces per model makes it easy to get your hands on one. But let’s first talk about the story behind these watches.

For those not in the know, Gene Kranz was NASA’s Chief Flight Director on the Apollo space missions. He famously wore a white dial 6119-8460 Sports Diver during his direction of the different Apollo missions. For those not sure who Kranz was, Ed Harris famously played him in the 1995 movie Apollo 13, where he said, “Failure is not an option.” That might ring a bell.

As Daan explained, Harris wore a Seiko 6139-6002 chronograph in the movie. But watch fans know it was actually a white dial 6119-8460 Sports Diver. Seiko recently reissued that watch along with a black dial counterpart. Both feature a stainless steel case that measures 38.2mm in diameter, 44.7mm from lug to lug, and 12.3mm thick. The case features a bidirectional bezel with a silver insert with a 60-minute scale.

The nicely proportioned case is matched with a five-row stainless steel bracelet that is similar to the original bracelet that Kranz’s watch was equipped with. It adds a ton of character and makes the watches look even better. The Seiko 4R36 movement powers these two watches.

It operates at 21,600vph, features 24 jewels, and offers a 41-hour power reserve. It is the fitting modern caliber for this hugely popular reissue, which can be yours for €460 and deserves the fourth spot for its charm and incredible story.

Citizen Zenshin 60 Automatic

Our last entry for this list is another Citizen. It’s hard to deny that the Japanese brand is dominating the sub-€500 category of watches. Where Seiko offers a series of great options within its Seiko Sports 5 collection, Citizen has many great options across almost all of its collections.

A great example is the Citizen Zenshin 60 Automatic series. I had the pleasure of reviewing this series of four modern lightweight titanium sports watches. The models were added to the brand’s Super Titanium lineup a few months ago. If you ask me, they are a step up from the different inaugural models from last year.

The Zenshin 60 models come with a lugless 40.5mm case that is 11.25mm thick, measures 43mm from lug to lug, and has a 100m water resistance rating. The angular case is matched with a polished bezel that adds to the watch’s visual brilliance. All four watches have gradient dials with a great-looking vertically striated tree-bark-like pattern. The cleverly chosen colors each add a different feel and accent.

The dials feature a small seconds sub-dial between 4 and 5 o’clock, and the usual text is placed to the left of that sub-dial. Finishing the look is the Super Titanium bracelet that tapers gently, making these watches an absolute joy. Inside the case, you will find the in-house caliber 8322.

This automatic caliber operates at 21,600vph, has 21 jewels, and offers 60 hours of power reserve. For € 499, these Zenshin 60 Automatic models are the perfect lightweight daily wearers. Considering what you get for the money, that is pretty impressive.

Final thoughts on our five favorite watches under €500 from big brands

There you have it, the list of our five favorite watches under €500 that are currently available. As mentioned, these five watches are only the tip of the iceberg. On top of that, we picked two Citizen and two Seiko releases. Why? Because those are the watches that we would pick. But if you think we overlooked certain brands or releases, please let us know in the comments section. We will see you next week for the second installment of this series of three articles.