It seems we have survived the dark, bizarre, and at times absurd year that was 2020 (this is where I'd normally type an upper case, "YAY!" but after this travesty of a year, I don't even feel I can conjure enough energy for a lower case, "huzzah.") Regardless, we deserve to gift ourselves an affordable yet reliable present, do we not? Think of it as a reward for all the Zooms that went to sh*t, the vacations we had to cancel, the sex we didn't have, and the political discussions into which we found ourselves drawn.

Yes, yes, we know that the start of a new year is a time for resolutions, personal growth, setting new goals, and the whole "new year, new me" thing, but it can also be a time to treat yourself to something more than what you received from 2020-the plague, a case of eczema, and an unemployment check (if you were lucky enough). So we decided to create a list for you of affordable - or dare we say, "cheap" - watches that fail to suck, so that even if you're currently living on a pauper's budget, you'll be able to know just how much time is left until your next meal.

Zodiac Grandhydra Quartz, Green Dial
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Quartz or not, it's a 40mm vintage-inspired Zodiac from the Sea Dragon series with a magical green dial and it is available currently for under $400.00 US. What many don't realize about Zodiac is that the brand was founded in Switzerland under the name of Ariste Calame in 1882 in Le Locle, Switzerland and was renamed Zodiac in 1908. Is the brand now under the Fossil umbrella? Sure. But the Swiss history of the brand goes back to the days beyond even when women had the right to vote in the country of cheese and chocolate. Own a piece of history, folks! Because the times, they are a changin'!

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Deep Blue Diver 1000 II Automatic
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Who the what now? Right. Hear us out. If the trippy AF diamond-shaped pattern of the mother of pearl dial isn't enough to draw you in, the price point certainly well. At sub $250.00 bucks US, this 40mm dive watch is an easy self-gift for a man or a woman (and seriously, why are we still using labels to sell watches? That question is for a future article, though.)

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Hamilton Khaki Field King Auto
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While this is the priciest of all the watches on this list, well, if it's worth the extra couple of bucks, who the hell cares? For a few hundred dollars, you can own a self-winding, good looking timepiece made by a recognizable brand. Oh, and said watch also happens to have an 80-hour power reserve, so if you are one of the few out there getting lucky over the weekend, you can lay this sucker down on your bedside table on Friday night, and pick it up again on Monday morning while you make your lover breakfast and you'll still be able to time your eggs.

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Spinnaker Hull Riviera
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If you're a lover of reasonably priced, good looking, reliable watches, think long and hard about adding a Spinnaker to your collection if you haven't already. While widely known as a brand that produces decent dive watches, this 42mm Hull Riviera featuring a black dial, black PVD case, and light beige leather strap makes for a great everyday watch which - at its reasonable cost - won't make you feel guilty for beating it up.

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Tissot XL Classic 45mm
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IT'S A KNOWN, SWISS MADE CHRONOGRAPH WITH A STEEL CASE AND AN ELEGANT BLUE DIAL THAT YOU CAN BUY FOR UNDER $400.00. FFS, GRAB YOUR WALLET. TELL YOUR FRIENDS. BUY IT, AND HELL, FLIP IT IF YOU MUST. (That was a joke.) That's all we have to say about it, and all you need to know about it. That's just how good it is.

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Seiko Presage Cocktail Time in Ice Blue
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There are few watches currently in production worth their value as much as the Presage collection of watches by Seiko. But the kicker with this collection is that they never slack off when it comes to aesthetics. The dials on these watches are designed with the true collector in mind, which is why many collectors won't hesitate when it comes to purchasing a Presage, even at their low price point. The ice blue guilloché dial of this particular Seiko Presage Cocktail Time (the SRPB43J1) quite special, though Seiko never fails to make us feel that all their Presage pieces are special.

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Frederique Constant Slimline 38mm
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If what you're looking to purchase for yourself is something more along the lines of an affordable dress watch, then look no further than the Slimline collection from Swiss watch brand, Frederique Constant. Known the world over as a brand that continues to make quality, reasonably priced timepieces that look like they should cost a lot more money than they do, the Slimline 38mm is an ideal example of understated elegance, even with a quartz movement.

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Bamford Mayfair Non Date
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Pantone recently released its "Colors of the Year" for 2021, with one of the two colors being a vivid yellow called, "Illuminating." Does this mean we'll be seeing a lot more watches will yellow dials? Probably. But that also means that Bamford - as usual - was ahead of its time, and that this quartz, 40mm Mayfair with unidirectional black PVD dial is a steal at it's current price.

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And now we come to you; which watches would you also put on this list? Drop a link and/or image of what you think deserves the title of a cheap watch that doesn't suck.

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