- Wristwatches are a stylish, functional accessory that you can wear every single day.
- Keeping in mind value, lifestyle, and versatility, we did the research and rounded up the best under-$500 options on the internet.
- The MVMT Santa Monica is our best pick overall because of the relatively affordable price tag, and the classic styling will feel current for years to come.
- If you're looking for affordable men's styles, check out our guide to the best men's watches under $100.
Whether you want a timeless and understated look or you want to make a statement, there are plenty of watches to choose from — and that's where the challenge arises.
There is an overwhelming number of women's watches to choose from in terms of both style and brand. We realize time is of the essence (both literally and figuratively) so we've scoured the reviews and done the research for you to find five different watches that look good, but won't have you maxing out your credit card.
All our picks for this guide come in at $500 or less, but even though they're more budget-friendly, you won't be sacrificing quality with any of these watches.
Here the best watches for women under $500:
- Best watch overall:MVMT Santa Monica
- Best bracelet strap watch: Daniel Wellington Petite Mesh Strap
- Best smartwatch:Michael Kors Bradshaw 2
- Best budget watch:Timex Modern Easy Reader
- Best luxury watch:Michele Deco Sport Watch Head and Silicone Strap
- Best digital watch:Apple Watch
Prices and links are current as of 3/10/2020.
The best watch overall
MVMT's Santa Monica watch has a classic look that's ideal for everyday wear. It's also relatively affordable, well made, and lets you switch out the straps.
There are plenty of attractive, well-made watches on the market. But affordable ones? Not so much. MVMT came on the scene in 2013 with the aim to fill the void with its line of quality timepieces that feature modern styling and price tags that won't make you cringe. They've since sold over 1.5 million watches, and even started to dabble in eyewear and jewelry, too.
Similarly frustrated with the lack of nice-looking options that don't run into the thousands, I was immediately smitten with MVMT. All of the watches look expensive, but nothing is over $165. Because of the brand's clean, minimalist aesthetic, you'll find plenty of options suited for daily wear, but the Santa Monica earns the top spot. It has a slightly oversized 38mm face and rose gold accents that strike just the right balance between classic and on-trend. Plus, if you ever feel like switching things up, the straps are interchangeable. MVMT sells metal, nylon, and leather straps in other colors, ranging from $24.50 to $40 each. Every watch also comes with a two-year warranty.
Pros: Minimalist aesthetic looks expensive, large selection, interchangeable straps
Cons: Only water-resistant up to 3 meters
The best bracelet strap watch
For a sleek metal look with a fully adjustable strap, Daniel Wellington's Classic Petite Mesh Watch is a solid choice in a sea of options.
If you're on the hunt for a bracelet watch, then you're likely feeling overwhelmed by the number of options — the selection is truly endless. This one from Daniel Wellington is a solid place to start. Bracelet watches are popular for their super sleek look that you can wear with a suit as easily as a T-shirt, but there's just one thing: You'll likely have to remove a few links in order to get the right fit, which usually requires a trip to a jewelry store for expert help.
Even though you may only have to do this once or twice, it's still a pain, and wrist sizes can fluctuate with changing temperatures. Daniel Wellington's Classic Petite Mesh Watch still has that sleek metal look, but it's fully adjustable along the length of the strap. It's also water-resistant up to three meters (which is enough to wash your hands, but you'll want to avoid submerging it in the pool or shower), and features a Japanese movement. If you prefer another color scheme, this style comes in several different combinations, including silver, black, and yellow gold.
Pros: Classic look that you can wear for years, easy-to-adjust clasp
Cons: Only water-resistant up to 3 meters
The best smartwatch
The Michael Kors Access Smartwatch is attractive enough to wear in a formal office setting, feature-packed, and has a touchscreen display. There are also over a dozen styles to choose from.
A basic analog style just doesn't offer enough functionality for some busy lifestyles. If you need digital features, but find the look of the Apple Watch to be too sporty or bulky, consider this smartwatch from Michael Kors. It lives between both worlds with its large touchscreen display and classic bracelet strap. The metal design won't look out of place in a work meeting, but the oversized face is stylish enough to wear outside the office, too.
Powered by Wear OS by Google, this watch can sync up with iPhones and Androids to deliver email, text, and calendar notifications straight to your wrist. In other words, you no longer need to be tethered to your phone throughout the day to make sure you haven't missed an important message. While I don't recommend wearing this watch for intense sport activities (the metal bracelet won't keep the watch in place the same way a rubber strap will), it does have fitness tracking capabilities, including heart-rate tracking and GPS distance tracking, and it's even water-resistant up to 30M. If you leave your wallet at home, you can also link up your credit card using Google Pay. Overall, this is an attractive smartwatch that has tons of features and the ability to keep you truly hands-free.
Along with this simple gold style, Michael Kors offers the same digital functionality in a variety of color choices, including blue, pink, tri-tone, and a few options with pave crystal embellishment. Similar to MVMT, additional straps can be purchased separately for $50 to $95.
Pros: 2-year warranty, touchscreen digital display, water-resistant, straps are interchangeable
Cons: Not comfortable for some fitness activities, oversized design isn't for everyone
The best budget watch
The Modern Easy Reader is a fresh take on the brand's original design from 1977, and includes more features than you would expect for the price point.
Around since 1854, Timex is one of the most recognizable brands in watchmaking. It's also one of the most affordable. The watches aren't full of frills, but they're dependable, classic, and an effortless choice for anyone who's not looking to make a major investment. The brand's wide range of styles means there's something for everyone, but the women's Modern Easy Reader is my top recommendation for a wallet-friendly timepiece that you can wear everyday and for most occasions.
An update to the original Easy Reader that was first introduced in 1977, the Modern version includes the same clean styling but has subtle design updates (like a larger 32mm face) that feels fresh and contemporary. The features that you'll get for this under-$60 watch also make it an exceptional value. The straps are real leather, it's water-resistant up to 30 meters, and there's an Indiglo backlight that glows in the dark. Aside from a missing date window, which is an option with the original Easy Reader, there's not much more you could ask for in a watch at this price point.
Pros: Affordable, water-resistant, Indiglo backlight
Cons: No date window like the previous version, limited color options
The best luxury watch
While most Michele watches cross the $1k mark, the Deco Sport is a beautiful, entry level timepiece from the brand that offers quality, elegance, and versatility for less than $500.
The price range of luxury watches can vary from a few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand. For those looking in the former category, the Deco Sport watch is one of the best values you'll find. Luxury watch brand Michele has long been making beautiful, classic watches that are ideal for daily wear. The average one runs around $1,500 to $2,000 — relatively affordable in the world of luxury watches — but I recommend the sport version because it comes close in terms of style and function, and it's a fraction of the price.
With most Michele watches, you have to buy the watch head and straps separately, but the Deco Sport comes as a complete set. Dozens of iterations allow you to choose a silver, yellow gold, rose gold, or two-tone case, and then from rubber or leather straps. Depending on the style, the prices range from $395 to $595. Along with a Swiss movement, the face has a simple sunray design with numberless markers, and includes a date window which is a nice bonus given the price point.
What I love most about this watch, though, is the interchangeable straps. Since many of the Deco Sport styles come with a sporty silicone strap, you can easily switch to a leather strap to give the watch a more formal look when needed.
Pros: Luxury watch at an accessible price, interchangeable straps
Cons: Technically a sport watch, so it might not be the right look for everyone
The best digital watch
For those who want a digital watch and don't mind the sporty look, the Apple Watch has countless features and seamlessly links up with your iPhone.
If you don't mind the sporty aesthetic of the Apple Watch, then its many features make it the ultimate choice for a digital watch. The latest version, the Series 5, has a touchscreen face and a stunning always-on retina display, which means you'll never have to wake the watch up from sleep mode to check the time or view fitness stats during a workout. There are also countless apps you can download.
Along with standard features like being able to receive text and calendar notifications, the Apple Watch has a number of abilities that make it a great companion for fitness and outdoor activities. The Series 3 (from $199) and Series 5 (from $399) both have an optical heart sensor, water resistance up to 50 meters, an altimeter, and GPS tracking. However, with the Series 5, you'll also get an ECG app and a compass. Both versions have a battery life of up to 18 hours. For an extra $100, you have the ability to add cellular service through your phone carrier if you want to make calls directly through the watch. For a full comparison of the two models, read our review here.
Although I mentioned that the design is on the sportier side, the Apple Watch does have tons of ways to customize its look. You can choose from a 40mm or a 44mm case size, dozens of straps in different colors and materials (both from Apple and third-party brands like Casetify), and there are even hundreds of digital watch faces to choose from. By adding a leather strap or metal strap, it'll definitely look sleek enough to wear in a formal office setting. In general, it's a great option for anyone who needs to constant access to messages or advanced fitness tracking.
Pros: Tons of ways to customize, great for fitness tracking, too many features to count
Cons: Expensive, might be too sporty-looking for dressier occasions, only works with iPhones
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