Nixon Watches: Great Christmas Gifts

It can be very challenging to find an interesting and unique watch for a loved one while staying within a reasonable Christmas gift budget. One approach to the problem is to find a nice watch from a reliable brand that may not be familiar to most people. One brand that makes quality watches at sensible prices is Nixon. Nixon makes rugged watches for surfers and skateboarders so that they can handle "gnarly environments" and still look presentable for a night out on the town. I've covered the Nixon brand in this blog in this watches A to Z post.

Nixon watches offer rugged good looks with water resistance for wearers who are active in watersports let swimming, surfing, or jet skiing. The brand also has some unique takes on most watch genres. Since Nixon focuses on quartz movement watches, most of the brands watches are also affordable! 

One of the first Nixon watches to catch my eye is the Nixon Clutch 42.  This watch has a Miyota quartz movement, 100-meter water resistance, and an interesting cushion-case.  It also has a rugged woven nylon strap.

You can find this watch here on Amazon for less than $200. The watch has lots of  lume for low-light visibility and it comes in three different case/dial color combinations.

Another Nixon that caught my eye is the Nixon Time Teller. It's one of their standards and it reminds me of a Tissot PRX. This watch is 37mm in diameter with an 19mm bracelet. It also has 100-meter water resistance and a Miyota Quartz movement.  However, it comes in 30 different case and dial color combinations.  If you poke around a bit, you can also find similar Nixon watches with solar movements or leather straps. The possibilities seem endless!

This watch offers many ways to express individual style and it's priced at less than $200. You can see the Nixon Time Teller here on Amazon.

I've posted more Nixon watch gift ideas on X. I think they make excellent gift choices because they are unusual, affordable, and built to perform. You can see more here on X:

If you're shopping for gift for a watch enthusiast this Christmas, you might try Nixon. They are an American brand inspired by the west coast's surfing and skate culture. Their mission was to create a watch you could surf with and then go to decent beach front restaurant.
(1/4) pic.twitter.com/MxRJBEB87P

— TheWatchDude (@the_watch_dude) December 16, 2025

This brand bigs fun back to the watch game in a big way!

Affordable Swiss Watches: Three Swiss Watches for $100 or Less

If you are on a tight budget and looking for affordable Swiss Made watches for your collection, it can be a challenge. Many Swiss watchmakers have moved up-market and staked out high price points that aren't always easy to attain for many consumers and especially younger collectors. Fortunately, there are still a few Swiss watch brands that most people can easily afford.  Here are three Swiss Made watches that are available for $100 or less.

Mathey-Tissot Excalibur Series Three Hand Date Watch

Mathey-Tissot is an interesting watch brand with a long and rich heritage.  It was founded in 1886 by Edmond Mathey-Tissot. Originally founded in Les-Ponts-de-Martel, Switzerland, it was moved to Geneva in 1975 when it was acquired by American distributor Jules Elefant. The brand changed ownership again in 2014 when it was acquired by Alberto Frigerio.  It is now managed by Swiss Watch Partners SA. Most of their watch models cost less than between $100 and $2000 within many offerings below $500. 

Mathey-Tissot Excalibur Series Three Hand Date Watch (Amazon Photo)

For this exercise, I focused on cost and selected their least expensive watch. The watch above is the Mathey-Tissot Excalibur Series Swiss Quartz watch. It's an all stainless steel watch with a 45mm diameter case that is 10mm thick. I love that they call the pattern "Medieval." You can check this watch out here on Amazon!

Wenger Urban Metro Swiss Quartz Watch

When Victorinox acquired Wenger in 2005, the Wenger brand started to disappear from the watch marketplace. The brand stopped making Swiss Army knives in the 2013 timeframe. It was a small price to pay to end tedious arguments about which brand was the original and which was the genuine Swiss Army brand. However, as Victorinox has moved more upscale, they must have made the decision to bring back the Wenger brand. According to Grok, the Victorinox subsidiary Wenger is focused on watches, travel gear, and licensed products (other than knives). The Wenger Urban Metro watch is a 42mm diameter Swiss Quartz watch that features minimalist styling and a canted date window at 4 o'clock.

Wenger Urban Metro Swiss Quartz Watch

Initially, this watch reminded me of the utilitarian designs from Mondaine (covered here on this blog). However, a second glance reveals strong field watch influences from timepieces like the Tudor Ranger. You can see the Wenger watch here on Amazon.

Swatch New Generation Bio-Ceramic Swiss Quartz Watch 

Finally, one popular Swiss Brand needs to be mentioned:  Swatch.  The brand makes all kinds of cool watches that are affordable and made in Switzerland. This one hits our $100 mark and brings a bit of style to the conversation. Swatch has watches that run from $60 on up and has recently made waves with collaboration watches with some big names in the watch industry.  The one pictured here today is called "Good to Gorp" and incorporates the latest in Bio-Ceramic case technology. This should increase the watch's longevity.

Swatch "Good to Gorp" Bio-ceramic Watch

You can find this Swatch here on Amazon. There are many other Swatch watches in this price range so this brand could form the basis for an interesting and affordable collection.

In an era when so many watch prices seem completely unaffordable, it's nice to have options! 

Three Great Watches from Emporio Armani

In researching Armani watch brands, I've found that the Emporio Armani brand has some great looking watches that offer tailored designs with premium features at attainable price points. While brands like Tudor and Rolex are far out of reach, you can get sharp looking designs among fashion watch brands. Here are three watches from the Emporio Armani brand that look great and don't break the bank!

Emporio Armani Men's Chronograph Watch

This first watch carries the lowest price tag. However, I think this Emporio Armani Chronograph offers the perfect look for the office. It's has a 43mm diameter case that's 10mm thick. It also has a reassuring 50-meters of water resistance in case of heavy rain or a sudden soaking. This watch has a quartz movement with chronograph functionality. The watch has the versatility to be a dress watch or an upscale business casual timepiece.

Emporio Armani Chronograph (Amazon Photo)

As of this writing in December 2025, the watch is just 6% off on Amazon which brings the price to just over $100. I like this watch because you get a rich look without actually having to be rich. If you'd like to check this watch out yourself, you can get it here on Amazon.

Emporio Armani Cushion Case Chronograph

This Emporio Armani Chronograph (Model 11689) has a classic 40mm cushion case,  a 20mm wide bracelet with two-button deployment clasp, a date window at 6 o'clock, and chronograph functionality. As of December 2025, this quartz chronograph is offered on Amazon for 11% off. 

Emporio Armani Model 11689 Chronograph (Amazon Photo)

For less than $250, it's a modern masculine design and it is a great look for business casual environments. You can check out this Emporio Armani Chronograph out here on Amazon.

Emporio Armani Sea Explorer

The Emporio Armani Sea Explorer brings serious 200-meter water resistance to your wrist. It's an action-oriented automatic watch with a screw down crown that's rated for swimming and snorkeling, but not recommended for the rigors of SCUBA diving. It's not inexpensive at just under $375, but the price tag is a far cry from the lofty price figures commanded by luxury brands.

Emporio Armani Sea Explorer Diver's 200M watch

This watch is ISO 6245 rated for serious water activities and comes in many different case and bracelet color combinations. It's a substantial timepiece with a 42.5mm diameter case is 14mm thick. The dial is Super-Luminova coated for exceptional low-light and dark visibility. You can see the Emporio Armani Sea Explorer for yourself here on Amazon.

With each of these watches priced at less than $500, they could form a very practical three watch collection for a young professional.  The watches are accessible because Emporio Armani collaborates with Fossil for their design, development, and distribution. For more information on Armani watch brands, check out my post here.

An Italian Outing with my latest US Polo Assn Watch

 A Small Adventure to Review a New Watch

On one recent night, my wife and I decided to break out of our dining rut with an outing to a nearby Italian Restaurant. I wore my US Polo Assn sport watch with a orange dial. 

It isn't an expensive watch and it's not from a prestigious brand so I wondered how it would look at a dining spot that was a tad fancier than a local sports bar. Some men test their watches on Alpine slopes, other men find their watches' limits on jungle hikes, and others take their watches into the depths of the sea. I'm content testing mine at a slightly fancier Italian restaurant.

US Polo Assn Watch Style

The first real test of this watch was when the lights were turned down a bit. In the low lamplight of our restaurant table, would I still be able to read this watch. The answer was a resounding yes. The dauphine hands of this watch had just a little strip of white and a gold tone that was clearly readable. The 43mm case and lack of sub-dials also contributed to the readability of this watch.

A US Polo Assn Quartz Watch with Orange Dial

The next challenge of this outing is weather the watch would have the sophistication needed for a civilized restaurant. The answer again from this US Polo Assn watch is yes! It has Roman numerals, baby! What more do you need? How about applied Roman Numerals not just painted ones. This watch simply hits all the style points.

US Polo Assn Watch Construction

This US Polo Assn watch was constructed by Accutime and has a stainless steel caseback. The quartz  movement is from Singapore. It uses a common SR626SW watch battery and has a press-on caseback. Over time, I've found that Accutime makes good quality watches.

US Polo Assn watch against a Mediterrean backdrop

While I didn't get this watch wet, it seems sufficiently well-constructed for this Italian Riviera scene on a restaurant wall mural. With it's sunny face, the watch actually seems to fit right in. The watch appears to be reliable and has not lost any time in the few days since this restaurant outing.

US Polo Assn Watch Pricing

I found this watch as Burlington for just $19.99. That low price tag frees up plenty of money for a night out on the town that includes a great pasta dish! Typically, US Polo Assn watches cost between $18 and $35. This makes them affordable under almost any circumstance.

Rigatoni with sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, and chicken

Overall Impression

For an inexpensive watch, it looked great on my wrist and I enjoy wearing it. This one didn't have the signature polo ponies in relief on the dial, but I think their absence may have also helped this watch fit into any surroundings. Low price quartz watches like this often do a great job of evoking a classic watch look.  If you like the look of a US Polo Assn watch, don't hesitate the buy it. This one is great looking and an excellent value proposition. I left the restaurant satisfied with my meal and with this US Polo Assn watch!

A nearly quarter to nine, it was time to head home but not on this vintage Vespa

Where to Buy US Polo Assn Watches

You can generally find US Polo Assn watches at retailers including Burlington and JC Penney. Fashion watch styles come and go and the brand seems to have an endless variety.  You can see many US Polo Assn styles out here on Amazon. This brand is a good reminder that you don't have to buy prestige brands to have a nice looking watch.

Stocking Stuffer Watches from Armitron for 2025!

If you are looking for inexpensive watches to give as stocking stuffer gifts this Christmas, you can't go wrong with Armitron. They've long been a well-known American watch brand since 1956. Today, most of the watches that they offer on Amazon and in stores sell for less than $50. That makes them perfect to use as a stocking stuffer.

The Armitron Quartz Day Date Model 20-4591

This Armitron Model 20-4591 two-tone watch with expansion band is a great place to start on a quest for affordable stocking stuffer watches. It actually comes in 10 different case, dial, and band color combinations. You can find one that will appeal to almost any man. There are many different sales specials, but most are currently priced between $27 and $45 with most around $30. 

Armitron Quartz Day-Date (Model 20-4591)

This particular Armitron model is 13% off, to check it out, just click here on my affiliate link.

Armitron Sport Men's Digital Chronograph (Model 40-8284)

In this digital era, there are many digital watches in the marketplace. Watches like the Timex Ironman and Casio G-Shock are always at the top of mind. But, I always wonder: how armored does a digital watch need to be? I don't think I've ever seen one fail. In which case, this Armitron Sport Digital Chronograph might be a perfect choice. It has 100 meters of water resistance and functions including alarm, stop watch, lap timer, and date.

Armitron Sport Digital Watch (Model 40-8284)

For the 2025 Christmas Season this watch is 24% off for a sub-$20 price. That makes it the perfect beater watch for banging around. You can check it out here on Amazon.

[For a glance at all Armitron watches for men on Amazon, just bang it here.]

WATCH DEAL ALERT: Timex Waterbury Classic Chronograph 42% off!

If you are looking for a great deal on a watch that is both classy and affordable, check out this beautiful Timex Waterbury Classic Chronograph on Amazon! It has a 40mm diameter case that is 10.5mm thick. It has 30-meters of water resistance and a natural leather strap. I've been tracking this watch since July of 2025 when it was an amazing 40% off. In August, it was 23% off. Now, for December 2025, it's an incredible 42% off!  That brings this Timex home for just over $80. 

Timex Waterbury Classic Chronometer (Amazon photo)

This watch has a great timeless, chronograph, style. It's also function. The big second hand is only used for its stop watch functionality. Press a button and you're timing. Press another button and that big hand comes to a stop with a precise time. Press another button and it resets to time again. There's a video in the Amazon listing that shows how it works. 

This is a cool watch and I love that Timex has a line of affordable enthusiast watches that we can all add to our collections. If you were looking for a great Timex watch deal on Amazon, this is it!

The Best Timex Offerings on Amazon

I've collected some of the best Timex watches being offered on Amazon in one convenient page - Best Timex Watches on Amazon.

TGIF: What do you get with a fashion watch brand?

Sometimes watch enthusiasts treat fashion watch brands with disdain. With mass production and an emphasis on quartz movements, fashion watches just aren't the watches purists would choose with their appreciation for the artistry and mechanical wizardly of European timepieces. They view watches at collectibles and long term investments. This is all well and good, but you can't tell time with a fractional share of a Rolex.

This Izod covers the dive look

What is a Fashion Watch?

According to Grok, a fashion watch is a watch designed as a styling accessory and a status symbol rather than a serious precision timekeeping tool. Yet, a fashion watch with a quality quartz movement will keep time as well or better than many serious mechanical masterpieces. While a certain amount of status may be associated with fashion watches, most of them are simply not the wealth flexes that brands like Rolex or Patek Philippe have become. If you aren't buying an investment quality watch or a watch with a serious mission like diving, mountaineering, or aviation, you can focus on a watch that is visually pleasing to your eye and that has a good level of quality.

This Zoo York watch was on trend about ten or fifteen years ago!

Design Consistency in Fashion Watches

As I've accumulated a number of fashion watches from brands like Hilfiger, Izod, Lacoste, Nautica, and  Perry Ellis, I have noticed that they do have one thing in common: design consistency within the brand.  Watches from these fashion brands generally pair very well with clothing from these same brands. It makes sense.  After all, these sorts of watches are first, and foremost, a fashion accessory. The fashion brands also cover a variety of watch styles so that they always seem to have a watch that complements your clothing.

3 O'clock is Crocodile time with this Lacoste

Watches from fashion brands also tend to have a consistent look within the brand.  For example, Nautica watches usually have a boating or sailing theme and Lacoste generally has that crocodile somewhere on the watch. If you like the brand's style, you'll probably like most of their watches.

A Nautica Watch

Brand Quality in Fashion Watches

Finally, fashion watches generally uphold the quality standards of the brand. This means you get a predictable value proposition when you buy a fashion watch. While the watch may still be made in China, you should expect a good level of quality control from trusted brands that are household names.

Why Buy A Fashion Watches

Ultimately, when I look for watches, I look for watches that look cool and that fit my budget. Fashion watches usually fit that bill. In a time when young people are hard-pressed to get solid employment and older people worry about job security and retirement, there is no shame in a watch that you can afford and that brings you joy!