Seiko is my go-to recommendation for entry level watches. They look nice, are reliable and affordable, and can be worn for a variety of occasions. A Seiko 5 automatic can run anywhere from $150-$300, well within your budget.

The cool thing about Seiko is that they can easily be modified to fit your style. There are also tons of people out there who build custom watches using Seiko parts, even to the point of looking like the higher end luxury brands but still within your budget. If you’re interested in something like that, PM me and I’ll send you a few suggestions of custom watch mod makers I recommend.

Good luck!

https://preview.redd.it/x49ddd9mm62c1.jpeg?width=2281&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b43fe4872412d8314c521319e07184eaa0c06a62

Ol’ reliable, my Timex Ironman. I did a lot of the cooking and needed several timers at once.

A matching pair of Oris big crown pointer dates. My son is almost 5 and loves looking at watches with me. Oris is a family name for us, and I have it in my mind that I’d get each of us a matching Oris watch for his 18th birthday/graduation something like that. If they remade the 7400b two tone model in something bigger like a 38-40mm, that would be the dream.

Omega Seamaster 300 Diver - I’ve loved it since I was a teenager and told myself I was going to get one someday. I know comparatively it isn’t as expensive as other luxury brands. I’m slowly saving for one, and hopefully in a few years I can make it happen.

Cool, enjoy! This has been on my list for a while but they’ve been out of stock for a long time. I can’t decide between the four color options, they all just look fantastic.

If you do end up going with the Traska, let us know which one you get!

I know right? If I didn’t just recently buy another watch for about the same price I’d totally have gone with this one. Maybe next time.

Traska Venturer GMT

39mm case width, 10mm thick, Miyota 9075 automatic movement. They’re set to have more in stock on Nov 5th.