Wristwatch Review: Caribbean Joe Square Watch with Synthetic Leather Strap

When it comes to cheap watches, I enjoy the Caribbean Joe brand.  In fact, I've found most of the variants of Caribbean Joe watches that are available. Most of the time, I get them from Kohl's, but I learned that there are square case Caribbean Joe's watches and I had to find them. As 2024 drew to a close, I ordered two watches online from a store in the northern midwestern US called Boscov's. The model numbers were CJ7145GU (Blue Dial/Gunmetal Case) and CJ7145SL (Brown Dial/Silver Case)

Caribbean Joe Square Watch (CJ7145GU)

Watch Style

I like the square case from Caribbean Joe. It seems to be on trend and looks good. The brands trademark hut and text are centered just below 12 o'clock and the dial shimmers with the light like a sun ray design. The subdials are attractive, but non-functional. At a $20 price point, you simply don't get the functionality of a more expensive watch.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch (CJ7145GU)

Watch Construction

This Caribbean Joe watch has a stainless steel caseback and a base metal case. Base metals typically are metals or alloys of metals like copper, brass, zinc, aluminum, or tin. The watch uses a common SR626SW battery and it is kindly noted on the caseback. The movement is made in Singapore and the synthetic leather strap is made in China. While the movement keeps good time, it can be difficult to set with precision because when the crown is depressed, the minute hand may jump by a minute. You can find it a challenging game to try and synchronize the watch with time.gov.  Ultimately, this is one of the common drawbacks to cheap watches and helps us appreciate the precision timepieces in our collections.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch Caseback

Watch Dimensions

The square Caribbean Joe watches are reasonably sized for most wrists. The watch case is 39mm across and 40mm from top to bottom.  You can see the size clearly here with the brown dial(?) version.

Caribbean Joe Square Watch with Brown Strap (CJ7145SL)

The case is a slim 9mm thick which is perfect for wearing with business attire including long-sleeved shirts with cuffs. 

The watch strap length is fairly generous and, with my large wrists, I was able to buckle it on the last hole and tuck the remaining strap under both loops. 

Strap of Caribbean Joe Model CJ7145SL (Brown Strap/Silver Case)

Overall Impression

With working subdials and a more precise movement, this watch could be a contender.  But, it chose to be a bum and hang out on a Caribbean Island. For a cheap watch, it is a handsome looking cuss. I like it and it's fun to wear--just don't forget this is a beach bum brand.

WATCH DEAL ALERT: Bulova Marine Star Series A Automatic is 48% off!

Did you know that Bulova is offering a great Amazon deal on one of their best Marine Star watches?  The Bulova Men's Marine Star "Series A" Automatic watch is being offered for 48% off. This watch has maritime looks, an automatic movement with a front aperture and an exhibition caseback. It even has a small seconds subdial. The dial is a mix of silver and white tones offset with beautiful blue Roman numerals and the vaunted Bulova tuning fork at 12 o'clock. It's a very cool looking watch! I'd give this watch a sharp watch shout out, but I wanted to lead with the great deal!

Bulova Marine Star "Series A" (Amazon Photo)

This Series A has a 21 jewel movement and 200 meters of water resistance.  Inspired by the sea, but not for SCUBA diving in the sea. This is for the yacht captain. At 48% off, the watch costs a little over $300. It's a respectable price for a respectable timepiece, expensive but within the range of many middle class Americans. If you'd like to check this Bulova bargain out, see it here on Amazon.

TGIF: Three Great Looking Armitron Watches For Around $50 Each

I recently came across three great looking Armitron watches on Amazon.  They have consecutive model numbers and look for better than anyone would expect a $50 watch to look.  The model numbers to keep an eye out for are 20/5571, 20/5572, and 20/5573. Honestly, I think each of these classic-inspired  watches looks better than comparable watches costing twice the price. I'd do a sharp-watch shout out for each timepiece, but I really need to let readers know about these right away.

Armitron 20/5571 Diver-Style Silicone Strap Watch (Amazon Photo)

The Armitron 20/5571 (above) is a diver-style, silicone strap, watch with a blue dial. It doesn't have a rotating bezel, but it has a stainless steel case, 50 meters of water resistance, and a mineral glass crystal. I like the wide, angled, minute track and the hour batons.  They give the watch a classic look. The watch has a 44mm diameter case that is a slim 8mm thick. If you like this watch or want to learn more about it, you can find it here on Amazon.

Armitron 20/5572 Diver-style Watch (Amazon Photo)

The Armitron 20/5572 (above) has the same specifications with stainless steel bracelet. This watch comes in three variants: black dial/brown bezel, black dial/black bezel (shown), and blue dial/black bezel. You can find this watch here on Amazon. The diver-style watches might give the Timex Harborside a run for the money.

Armitron 20/5573 Tachymeter-Style Watch

Finally, Armitron 20/5573 (above) is a tachymeter-style, stainless steel bracelet, watch with a blue bezel and a black dial. The first thing to say about this watch is that it is NOT a tachymeter with any special functions. It just has the markings on the bezel. Like the diver-style watches, this one has 50 meters of water resistance, a stainless steel case, and a mineral glass crystal. Unlike the other watches, this one has a day and date feature at 3 o'clock. The case is 45mm in diameter and 10.5mm thick. If you like this timepiece, you can find it here on Amazon.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: US Polo Association Quartz Sport Watch in Red & Black

This US Polo Association quartz sports watch in red and black shows that even the most inexpensive watches can have a dramatic look and keep time accurately. Here's a shot of this US Polo Assn watch and the sun setting over a strip mall.

US Polo Assn Quartz Sport Watch

This watch has a non-rotating bezel that has GMT markings.  However, at this under $30 price point, you won't find actual GMT functionality. It's still a great looking style.

Where to Find US Polo Assn Watches for Men

Of course, when it comes to watch styles, there is nothing more fleeting than an inexpensive quartz watch from a fashion brand like US Polo Assn. You can typically find these watches at department stores like JC Penney and discount stores like Burlington or Ross. Encounters with the brand can be random and sometimes retailers disappear entirely (like Kmart and Sears).  Fortunately, you can find a nice selection of inexpensive watches from US Polo Assn here on Amazon.com.

US Polo Assn Quartz Watch

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Grenen by Skagen Stainless Steel Mesh Watch

It's that hippity-hop Easter time of year and just last month I caught this candid shot of the Easter Bunny in action. I was able to document the time thanks to my old Grenen watch. It wasn't easy to sneak up on him, but he may have been captivated by the minimalist Scandinavian inspired design.

You can read a review of my Grenen (by Skagen) Stainless Steel Mesh Watch.

TGIF: The Timex Harborside 43mm Might Be Your Safe Harbor

The market goes up and down and crashes with every threat of tariffs. You worry about retirement. You find out that bitcoin isn't gold. You want an emergency fund. You need an emergency fund. The chaos is bewildering. Sometimes it's all a bit too much. In the midst of it all that grail watch from Rolex seems to move further and further away. If you were rich and awash in cash, it might be time to scoop one up used and help someone out who is subject to a margin call.  Most of us, we just sigh and keep on grinding. But, I have an antidote for watch lust in these troubled times. Check out the Timex Harborside 43mm diver-style watch. It looks like something out of a dream. It looks like something out of all of our watch dreams.

Timex Harborside Quartz Diver-style Watch

The Timex Harborside diver-style watch is a great desk diver. It sports 100 meters of water resistance so you can go swimming, snorkeling, or dancing in the rain. The bezel certainly looks like a familiar bezel, but it's stationary. It's the kind of watch that could satisfy a Rolex itch for quite some time. It's also made in the Philippines rather than China. Sometimes that can make a 125% difference. You can check this great Timex out here on Amazon. Buy it. Wear it. You can save up for that Rollie (and build up an emergency fund at the same time). In a year or two or four, you'll have that Rolex money. You may also appreciate the Timex that helped you save a ton of money in troubled times.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Timex Mod 44 Men's Quartz Watch

I couldn't resist grabbing the Timex Mod 44 that I gushed about in my earlier Sharp Watch Shout Out and it's proving to be everything I had hoped. It has a big 44mm diameter case, a very readable dial, and a genuine leather band that's long enough to be comfortable.

Timex Mod 44 Men's Quartz Watch

So far, I'm thrilled with this Timex watch. Here is a photo of the Mod 44 when I wore it on a nice spring day. It's exciting with a sub-$50 watch works out so well. It looks like this watch is still offered by a couple of sellers through Amazon here.

Timex Mod 44 with spring fever