Fratello’s Top 5 Affordable Watches Of 2024 — Featuring Seiko, Echo/Neutra, Nodus, And More

Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we continue our series of best-of-the-year lists with our favorite affordable watches of 2024. This has been a great year for fans of affordable watches, with tons of releases over the last 12 months. We have seen many well-executed affordable tool watches over the past couple of years, but 2024 also gave us several wonderful dress watches, showing how this side of the price spectrum continues to get more and more interesting. So let’s find out our sub-€1,500 favorites from this year!

In the vast avalanche of yearly watch releases, it is interesting to see how the affordable segment evolves. As mentioned, we have seen more affordable dress watches than ever before, and several are very well designed and well made, making them serious options to consider. Secondly, some of the smaller brands have grown into serious ones that have upped their quality to levels we used to associate with the well-known big brands. As a result, the affordable watch category is more intriguing than ever. This makes our selection of five watches just the tip of the iceberg. But without further ado, here they are!

Hamilton × Engineered Garments Khaki Field Titanium Limited Edition

Let’s start this list with a surprising version of the popular Hamilton Khaki Field. When the brand’s collaboration with New York-based brand Engineered Garments landed on my desk, I had no idea how much I would like it. The Khaki Field Titanium LE is essentially a toned-down and smaller version of the Khaki Field Automatic. But that would be selling the watch short because there is more to it. The case and bracelet are titanium, making it a perfectly wearable lightweight version of the Khaki Field. Additionally, the dial design is an understated stroke of genius courtesy of Engineered Garments’ founder, Daiki Suzuki.

Let’s quickly go over some specs. The watch features a 36mm brushed titanium case with a 43.2mm lug-to-lug and a 10.8mm thickness. As I mentioned in the review, while the watch is not too chunky, its nearly 11mm thickness gives it some proper tool-watch substance. The dimensions also make it perfect for men and women alike. Thanks to the lightweight titanium, the watch never feels heavy, and it’s super easy to wear. The matte black dial is a masterclass in simplicity and effectiveness.

It has a light texture and a very subtle sunburst pattern. The dial is combined with white luminous numerals for every hour, and a 60-minute scale sits outside of the numerals on a ring that features concentric graining. For every five minutes, you see an additional white lume plot that lights up green with the Arabic numerals.

A quest for simplicity done well

While all these little details are nice, Suzuki’s idea was to eliminate all the unnecessary fuzz from the dial. That is the key to the success of this watch. The Engineered Garments founder removed the 13–24h scale we find on the dials of most Khaki Field models to let the dial “breathe.” The three hands are executed in black and filled with crisp white lume. Because their black outlines disappear against the black background, the hands seem to float, and I love that.

Inside the case, you will find Hamilton’s H-10 caliber. This ETA 2824-based movement is the brand’s go-to for the automatic models in the Khaki Field series. It operates at 21,600vph, has 25 jewels, and offers 80 hours of power reserve. A smart cutout of the shape of the rotor reveals a part of the movement. The case back also features the only indication that this is a co-branded effort.

I love that Suzuki didn’t opt for a big Engineered Garments logo on the dial side. It makes this watch so much better than it could have been. This brilliantly designed and executed Khaki Field Titanium debuted as a 1,999-piece limited edition for €1,225, and it was one of the nicest surprises of 2024.

Echo/Neutra Rivanera

There is no escaping the Echo/Neutra Rivanera in our year-end lists. Several writers have chosen it as one of their favorite releases of 2024, and it also appears in some of our general lists for the best watches of this year in various categories, including this one. But it simply has to do with giving credit where it’s due. If many people love a release, something special will happen.

I was lucky to write the review for these two brilliant dress watches. It gave me a perfect idea of what makes the Rivanera so striking. As I explained in the review, the designers at Echo/Neutra created something special — a modern titanium watch with all the style and elegance of a classic dress watch.

While the idea is simple, the execution is where the magic lies. The Rivanera features a rectangular Grade 5 titanium case that is 27mm wide, 40mm long, and only 5.9mm thick. While that alone is impressive, the execution and attention to detail make it even better. The chamfered sapphire glass and the fine-grain sandblasted finish contrasted by beautifully polished edges make this an immediate standout. The stark contrast in finishes works magically well and constantly drew my eyes to the watch.

Creating a wonderful visual balance

The case is matched with a stylish Art Deco-influenced dial in gray or black. Within the minute track are neatly applied hour markers that reflect any light that hits them. At 6 o’clock, you will find a recessed sub-seconds register with contrasting printing and concentric graining for extra depth and detail. Completing the look are glossy gray hands that match the style perfectly. And when you turn the watch around, you see the manual-winding ETA/Peseux 7001 caliber, which is only 2.5mm thick. It operates at 21,600vph, has 17 jewels, and offers 42 hours of power reserve.

On the wrist is where the Rivanera truly shines. The watch wears like a charm and looks amazing. Thanks to the dimensions, it fits wrists of various sizes quite well, and the two premium-quality 20mm straps add visual substance. There is a lot that I could say about the Echo/Neutra Rivanera, but the fact that it is part of quite a few year-end lists says it all. The watch redefines what a dress watch can be and does it at an affordable price of €1,490. This easily makes it one of this year’s best.

Nodus Contrail GMT

A watch that has been out for some time but I recently reviewed for Fratello is the Nodus Contrail GMT. This is the third generation of the Nodus Contrail, and it’s by far the best. The watch combines a great contemporary design with some of the most impressive build quality and finishing we have seen under €1,000. The watch’s design reminds me of the brilliant Grand Seiko series of Sports GMTs, and I consider that a nice thing.

But Nodus puts its distinct spin on the design, immediately making it recognizable as a Contrail GMT. The watch features a nicely sculpted case measuring 40.5mm in diameter, 11.8mm thick (including the domed crystal), 46.6mm from tip to tip, and 20mm between the lugs. Despite an updated and thicker movement, Nodus shaved off 0.8mm compared to the previous generation.

The 48-click bidirectional bezel features a luminous 24-hour insert made of sapphire crystal. As a result, it will light up brightly in the dark, so you can keep track of the time in multiple time zones even at night. Nodus offers four colorways of the Contrail GMT that are all rather different in appearance. We had the Terra version in for review, and this version comes with a black dial and a black-and-white bezel.

The other three models have distinct color combinations, giving you plenty of options to choose from. Inside the case, Nodus updated the movement to the Miyota caliber 9075. This flyer-style GMT movement offers the practicality of an independently adjustable 12-hour hand for the local time. It’s a welcome update that fans love.

The attention to detail sets the Contrail apart

Once you put the watch on your wrist, you get a great idea of how great the Contrail GMT is. The heft and the solid build quality are immediately noticeable, and the watch feels incredibly well made. If you start looking a little closer, the finishing also stands out. The case and the flat-link bracelet are finished to a level we don’t see often at this price point. You get the feeling of wearing a proper luxury watch.

Additionally, the bracelet offers all the modern features that you could want, from screw links to the brand’s NodeX adjustable clasp that offers a toolless 10mm adjustment. Lastly, the bracelet also tapers nicely from 20mm at the case to 16mm at the clasp. It’s more proof that Nodus went to great lengths to create one of the best travel GMTs currently available under €1,500. And indeed, at its US$825 price, I feel this Nodus Contrail GMT is the best option out there. That is why it was an easy third pick for this list.

Serica 1174 Parade

Another dress watch that impressed us in 2024 was the Serica 1174 Parade. The Parisian brand’s first crack at a dress watch is a beautiful exercise in combining classic elegance with modern-day wearability. Honestly, after seeing the first images, I wasn’t sure how I would like the watch in real life. But after seeing it in Germany right before it came out, I perfectly understood what Serica founders Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette were after. I should have known because the duo has a reputation for getting the design details right every time. That feeling was confirmed when the two versions of the Parade arrived at the Fratello offices a couple of weeks later.

It all starts with the elegant stainless steel case, which is 35mm wide, 41mm long, and only 8.6mm thick. The stadium-like shaped case features a wide bezel and characteristic “wings” on the right and left sides. This case is paired with either a black or brass sunburst guilloché dial with an S-curved guilloché pattern. The two dials give the watch very different looks that will both have their fans. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t know which one to pick because I love both.

The Parade wears incredibly well on the wrist

Inside the case, Serica uses the Swiss-made Soprod M100 automatic caliber. This familiar movement runs at a frequency of 28,800vph, features 25 jewels, and holds a power reserve of 42 hours. The watches come with a super nice black leather strap with a beautifully sculpted buckle in the shape of the case. It’s more proof that the Serica guys pay attention to all the various details that make their watches stand out from the competition.

Once on the wrist, you will see that the watch is an absolute joy to wear. It fits various wrist sizes, and as Daan explained, the stepped case has a lot of wrist presence. Plus, the thin and lug-less design is comfortable. All this makes the latest effort from Serica another fantastic addition to the brand’s expanding lineup. While the Serica guys proved they already knew how to make a proper retro-styled tool watch, the new Parade confirms they can also successfully create a beautiful dress watch at an affordable price of €1,490.

Seiko Prospex SPB483

Our last pick is a divisive one, but the all-new Seiko Prospex SPB483 comfortably won a Sunday Morning Showdown against the more conventional Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80. It goes to show that initial visual associations that some watch enthusiasts suggest do not always represent the popularity of a watch. I had a chance to check out the Seiko Prospex SPB483 up close and found its presence very impressive. It’s part of a series of three models that marked the introduction of a Seiko dive watch with an octagonal bezel. And once the word “octagonal” comes up, you know that the Royal Oak is an immediate reference.

In all fairness, the shape of the bezel might be similar, but we are talking about an inherently different watch. The new SPB483 is a dive watch through and through, and it integrates the familiar Seiko Prospex style nicely into a new case design. This results in a watch that feels like a Seiko diver above anything else. The SPB483’s case measures 41.3mm in diameter, 48.2mm from lug to lug, and 12.5mm thick. It’s substantial in size, but it never feels too big. On top of that, the proportions are nice, creating a good visual balance once on the wrist. The key to making this case work is the beautifully sculpted lugs that give the watch its modern character.

A new design for the Prospex line that immediately stands out

The case is matched with a matte blue dial featuring a pattern inspired by the profile of flowing coastlines. It works well and adds some depth and texture to the overall image. This nicely balanced dial features a date window tucked away at 4:30 and applied luminous indices. The hands finish the look nicely and add to the familiarity of the design despite the completely new case.

Inside that case, Seiko uses its in-house caliber 6R55. This automatic movement operates at 21,600vph and offers 72 hours of power reserve. It’s a familiar movement that the brand uses for quite a few of its watches. The one thing I like about it is that it allows Seiko to create dive watches that are substantially thinner than many from the Japanese brand’s past.

Visually, the SPB483 is new and exciting. I had to get used to it for a minute, but I quickly started appreciating the watch for its looks. It turned to proper excitement that Seiko created a diver for its Prospex line that feels completely new. At €1,200, this new Seiko Prosepex SPB483 falls well within our set budget. Most of all, though, it’s a remarkable diver with a completely new design for the Japanese brand.

Honorable mentions

There you have it — the list of our five favorite affordable watches from 2024. However, as usual, the list would not be complete without a few honorable mentions. The first is the sand-dial version of the Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT. Whereas the inaugural black-dial version was a limited edition, this new version is a regular-production model that sports the same specs and details as the first. But the new dial colors truly transform the watch into a new and exciting variation of this brilliant GMT.

Another series worth mentioning is the Dennison A.L.D. Stone Dial collection. The English brand presented a series of watches designed by renowned watch designer Emmanuel Gueit and featuring beautiful stone dials. Thanks to a clever design and the beauty of malachite, tiger eye, aventurine, and lapis lazuli, these affordable dress watches look quite remarkable. At €637.95 / £545, they most definitely deserve a mention.

The last honorable mention is the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon. This was more than just a new PRX variant. The forged carbon transforms the watch into something quite different. While it still maintains the stylish looks of the PRX, the materials make it a more modern timepiece that will immediately catch your eye. The fact that Tissot offers it for €1,075 makes it even more remarkable.

So, what do you think of our top five picks and honorable mentions? What were your favorite affordable watches of 2024? Let us know in the comments!