Time On A Budget V: Chrono Crisis (Affordable Watches Under $200)

I’ve always been a dive watch kind of guy. Every watch that I drool over tends to be a diver. A legitimate criticism of this series is that I tend to concentrate on dive watches more than anything else. Fair enough. In an attempt to remedy that I am going to take a look at three chronograph and chronograph style watches. We’ll also take a look at another popular Timex Weekender alternative, the Timex Expedition Scout, and a look at the new watch straps and wallets offered by Lakehouse Leathers. A few things to establish out the outset:

These are all budget watches and as such are probably going to be quartz and have mineral crystals. if otherwise it will be noted. Being Quartz is particularly true for chronographs. I don’t think there is a true mechanical chronograph on the market for less than $1000. Definitely none less than $250.

They are all reviewed in relation to their price point and not being compared to watches farther up the luxury ladder

You can find a complete list of the gear mentioned in this post here.



With all of that said you can find links to previous reviews here and see my series of looks inspired by Wes Anderson and JamesBond films here.

Got it? Ok cool let’s take a look at what we have.

Click here to keep reading

What Is A Chronograph?

What is a chronograph? To put it simply a chronograph is a stop watch. All of the little subdials that you see on a chronograph keep track of multiple timing functions at once. Since the early days of wristwatches (and really timing devices in general) chronographs have been a vital tool for sailors, drivers, astronauts, and aviators simply because it allows for quick and easy time calculations.

The original crew of Apollo 13

This function was critically important on Apollo 13. After the explosion of one of the oxygen tanks on their service module the astronauts were potentially stranded in space and off course. They needed 14 seconds of course correction to help them back on track and to get back home. This had to be timed exactly and they relied on their NASA issued Omega Speedmaster chronograph to help get them home.

You can see a Speedmaster on Ken Mattingly’s wrist in this shot. Mattingly was replaced on Apollo 13 by Jack Swigert a few days before the flight.

Race car drivers and astronauts. No wonder these things have been popular for over 50 years.

You can see Buzz Aldrin wearing his Omega Speedmaster on an extra long black velcro strap that was able to be worn outside of the spacesuit as well as on the wrist. He is putting away his American Optical aviators which are still available today and are a fantastic bang for the buck.

Casio EF-503D in White

The chrono above, the Casio EF-503D, follows a pretty typical layout. Unlike most regular watches the large, center second hand is connected to the stopwatch function rather than the hour and minute hands. To start the stop-watch you press the pusher above the crown. To stop it you press again. To reset you press the pusher below the crown. Very easy. The subdial at the top of the face keeps track of 60 minutes in conjunction with the stopwatch hand while the subdial on the left keeps track of the number of hours that have elapsed since the stopwatch function started. The 60 second dial that works in conjunction with the hour/minute hands is the subdial on the bottom.

The Tachymeter

The outer ring on a lot of chronographs is a tachymeter which allows a you to track units per hour. In this case you can use it to measure kilometers per hour. Basically you put two stakes in the ground a kilometer apart. If you start the stopwatch when the object passes the first stake and stop it when it hits the second stake you’ll know the speed of that object.

Casio EF-503D in Black

This is actually the second time I’ve reviewed this particular watch but before I looked at the white face. While both colors look absolutely fantastic I wound up selling the white for one reason, it’s really hard to read on sunny days. I think the white dial looks classy as hell and the blue accents are a very nice touch. However, I eventually I stopped wearing it and let it go. Even then, I could not shake how much I liked this particular watch. So I picked up the black face and fortunately it is easily legible in most light.

Everything I said about the white version in my previous review is true of the black. The movement is a Japanese made quartz movement, that like most quartz movements, is accurate enough that it will never cause issue. It’s one of the funny things about the watch world that even the cheapest quartz watch will probably keep better time than even the most expensive mechanical watch.

The dial itself has a lot of information on it but is still subdued with a retro feel reminiscent of the Omega Speedmaster (without being a blatant ripoff.) Overall it is a very easy to use watch with the red second hands being a nice touch on the legibility front. Aesthetically they also add a nice pop of color.

The finish on the watch is a notch above and the bracelet in particular is a stand out. Personally, I’m not a bracelet type of guy but the one that comes with the EF-503D is a cut above what you normally find at this price point. The solid end-links are hefty and give it a very robust feel overall. I paired it with a simple Lakehouse Leather’s strap that I think helps to give it a bit more of a rugged look.

The only real drawback is that the lume is pretty weak. It will stick around for a few minutes after a charge but not for terribly long. A few minutes tops. You can tell this is one place they skimped to keep the cost down.

Overall the EF-503D really is a great bang for the buck. I would put it up against watches more than twice its price without any issue. It’s not too big, has a timeless look and definitely won’t break the bank. Can’t really go wrong.

You can buy it here.

Fossil Wakefield Chrono - $80 to $135

The early 70s are not really an era known for lasting design work. Not like the early 60s at least. Music? Yeah, of course, lots of great music in the early 70s. Design…not so much. One exception to that was in racing. I don’t think anything exemplifies this more than Steve McQueen’s Porsche 917K he drove in the film Le Mans.

This car with its sleek lines, and orange and blue color scheme inspired generations of racing gear designers. Fossil, build some brand cachet off of that iconography, has released racing inspired chrono that would look right at home on a French race course in 1972.

Wakefield Chrono on Hadley-Roma Leather Strap

The Wakefield Chrono really is an all around beast of a design. Fossil watches, I think, get something of a bad rap. Many of their models are oversized, overpriced, and over flashy which makes them come off as somewhat tacky as a brand. I know a few people that would not be caught dead wearing a Fossil watch even if they like the design. I have no such reservations. I don’t care what the label says as long as I think it looks good and this watch meets those requirements.

Confession time: I bought this to be a poor man’s version of the far more expensive Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue. I’ve been on a quest to find something comparable to this ever since I saw the video for it featuring Dean Martin’s “Gentle On My Mind.” Throwing the Fossil on a blue and orange nato definitely captures that vibe. I even cut down the nato strap to be a single piece strap like the one found on the Heritage Chrono. Is it going to be the equal of a Swiss luxury watch? Of course not. Is it going to look good without breaking the bank? Yep.

Swapping Straps

The stock strap in particular is a fantastic piece of design. I usually change straps on watches immediately because the stock ones are crap. A cheap strap can be a big cost cutter. If not for wanting it on the NATO strap I would have kept it on the Fossil. Fortunately it’s rather easy to change out. Rather than having to bust out a spring bar tool to get the strap off you can use the built in pin removers to take it on and off. Makes it very easy to switch the strap between watches.

With all of that said there are drawbacks. Like I said earlier this watch is a beast. Measuring in at 45mm it dwarfs the Casio EF-503D and the 40-42mm size Submariner style dive watches I wear on a day to day basis. Someone with a big wrist can easily pull it off. However, it looks a little silly on my 6.75” wrist. You don’t realize how big 45mm really is until you strap it on. If it was just a few millimeters smaller it would be one of my go to everyday watches. However, I just feel silly with something that big on my skinny little wrists. For someone with a 7” wrist or bigger it will look great.



You can buy it here.

Jaragar Day Date Automatic - $20

While I was doing my great chrono hunt I stumbled across this particular watch. “Twenty bucks,” I thought “how bad could it really be?” And much to my surprise the answer is not bad at all. It a good watch. Great even! Now, keep in mind this is in relation to a mechanical watch that costs less than $20. The bar is set pretty low and this guy hurdles it pretty easily. Keep in mind while this looks like a chrono it actually isn’t. The leftmost dial is a 7 day countdown timer, the middle dial is the hour of the day, and the rightmost is for the date. The pushers set the date and the day.

A steal at $20

Most watches at this price point are either a direct homage of a far more expensive watch or, if they are an original design, are ugly as hell. This is neither of those. It’s a tasteful, understated design that is heavily inspired by 1920s and 30s watches and design without being a complete ripoff. A lot like the Arnaud Spriit of St Louis it puts those early 20th century design cues to good use. The hands are delicate without looking frail and the numbers have a very subtle script look to them.

I was really not expecting much because in the Amazon photos it looked like cheap plastic junk. But I could not resist the siren’s call of a $20 automatic and I just had to see for myself. The fit and finish on the one I received was fantastic. All of the edges are clean and smooth (rare at this price,) and the buttons press easily and smoothly. The textured dial is far better looking in person than in the Amazon photos. Your mileage may very in this regard though. At $20 I imagine the quality control is pretty lax. The biggest place the finish was lacking was in the strap. It felt cheap and plasticky and I got rid of it immediately and replaced it with the strap from the Fossil Wakefield above.

Display back and Fossil strap

The only drawback I’ve encountered with this watch is that the reserve for the automatic movement is damn near nonexistent. I’ve yet to see it make it longer than 12 hours off the wrist even after a full days wear. If you plan on wearing it everyday but leave it off at night for more than 8 hours or so you are going to need to set the time again. Or get a $50 winder for a $20 automatic watch…no thanks.

If you look closely in this photo you can also see the easy to remove spring bars on the Fossil strap.

While this watch takes a lot of cues from dress watches I still consider it more of a casual watch. It’s quite thick and chunky whereas a true dress watch needs to be very thin. It’s a lot bigger than you might think from pictures and the (incorrect) Amazon description of it’s descriptions. It measure close to 42mm with 22mm lugs. However, for less than $20 it’s a fantastic deal. This watch is basically no risk. For $20 you can have a good looking business casual watch to play around with.

You can buy it here.

Timex Expedition Scout

The Timex Weekender is a stand-by when it comes to inexpensive watches. Versatile, rugged and reliable I would say damn near everyone with even a moderate interest in watches has had one at some time or other. I’m always on the lookout for alternatives and another solid option at the same price point is the Timex Expedition Scout.

The Scout, borrowing heavily from the US Mil Spec A-11, meets all of the requirements of a field watch. It’s rugged enough to survive a fall down a cliff but low profile enough to not get in the way. Most importantly it can be read anytime day or night with Timex’s Indiglo. It’s added water resistance over the Weekender (50m vs 30m) also gives it an advantage if you take it camping this Fall and get caught in the rain or want to go swimming on a last hot end of Summer day.

The Scout is very easy to read…I’m so sorry that’s a terrible fucking pun.

Probably my only complaint is the included beige canvas strap. That color did not sit right with me and I replaced it with the olive green from a Weekender and a one-piece Veg-tan strap from Lakehouse Leathers. The sword hands and arrow second hand bring everything together and give it more of a hard-edged feel while still being subtle enough for everyday wear.

The Scout on a Lakehouse Leather Veg-tan deluxe strap. With some wear and patina on that strap this will be a fantastic looking combination.

Honestly, I would rank this higher than the Weekender thanks to the added water resistance and cool sword/arrow hands. I just wish the typeface on the word Expedition was not so ugly. Ah well you can’t have everything.

You can buy it here.

Lakehouse Leather Watch Straps

Let’s be honest you can’t throw a rock at a craft fair without hitting somebody hand-crafting artisian leather watch straps and wallets. They look great. You think “they are so rugged and manly and will really add some character to my wrist.” And then you wind up paying $75 for a thin leather strap and you feel a little cheated. I know, I know. It’s handmade and lot of work and skill goes into it and it takes time to learn a trade. I understand. But that’s $75 and I sometimes wish there were less expensive options.

Enter Matt from Lakehouse Leathers. I had seen his straps popping up around /r/frugalmalefashion and was intrigued. One piece leather straps with minimal decoration for less than $12 with a coupon code? That’s speaking my language. So I ordered a couple and really liked them. They were good for the price. Yeah the buckles were a little cheaper than what I was used to but what did I expect for $10?

Then Lakehouse graduated from Etsy to their own website. And the prices went up a bit. From $10 to $15 and $20. Still extremely reasonable. So I ordered those as well and damn was I pleasantly surprised. The newer straps were of a thicker leather, with better buckles, and better overall finishing. These $20 straps felt like $60 straps now. So I got in touch with the guy behind them, Matt, and he sent me a few more to look at as well as a few wallets. I am even more impressed. The double-sided and full stitched models are a very thick rich leather that looks like it would cost $100 from anyone else not $40.

The shorter length strap

Probably the best thing about buying from small companies like Matt’s is that they actually listen and respond quickly. I’ve got tiny wrists and from what it sounds like most of their customers do too. So he took each strap down about a half inch each in size to accommodate the needs of the customer base. This change happened within a few days between my different orders.

I’m a fairly minimalistic guy at heart so my favorite strap of the bunch is the simple two piece strap. It’s low key look can actually be pretty subtle. On a dressier watch, like the Timex Main Street, it gives more of a stripped down look that makes the watch easier to wear with casual outfits.

On a tool or dive watch, like the Seiko SKX009, it can class it up a bit without trying too hard. To my eye a lot of leather straps can look out of place on dive watches. However a leather NATO or simple strap like this can look great.



The newer lower profile keeper

My only complaint is that I found the original leather strap keepers to be a bit cumbersome on some of the straps. So I replaced it with two of the d-rings from old NATO straps I had converted to 1-piecers and they work fantastically. On the new, higher end deluxe straps they seemed to be a bit more lower profile and I kept them in place. If they would just make a version of the simple strap that uses white stitching rather than the brown I would be a very happy guy indeed. Hint, hint nudge nudge Matt.

If you are a thin wallet kind of guy these might be a bit thick for you. I tend to carry around a lot of different cards so when I am working for long periods of time (like writing this article) I usually have to take the wallet out and set it on the table.

In summary, what they are offering at Lakehouse Leathers is a fantastic deal. My only issue is that I would like a little more variety in the colors. However, they are a young company and things like that come with time and success. I would definitely give them a shot.

Matt was gracious enough to send me some cool swag to review and now I am going to pass the favor on. Keep an eye-out on the blog, http://www.culturaldispatch.com because in the next few days I will be giving away a few of the leather straps and a very nice Horsebutt Chromecel wallet as well as a few deluxe watch straps.



Don’t forget you can find a complete list of all of the gear mentioned by clicking here.