Ten Dollar Tuesday: Alinker 36mm Square Dial Watch

If you'd like to save $129,990 over the price of a Patek Philippe Nautilus, read on. Amazon has the far less famous quartz Alinker 36mm Square Dial Men's Business Watch. It's a square watch with a date window and a striking resemblance to a Swiss watch none of us can afford.

According to the Amazon ad copy, the watch is made from stainless steel. A review says it is made from high quality plastic. Since this caused confusion and the watch cost less than $8, I just hit "buy it now." It's the kind of sacrifice this blog makes regularly for the sake of humanity.

My expectations for the Alinker Square Watch aren't high, but the low price tag will allow me to redirect $129,990 to investments and retirement. The watch is 36mm in diameter and only 8mm thick. It also has a quartz movement which will allow it to run for two or three years longer than an actual Patek Philippe Nautilus which only runs for 35 to 48 hours before tedious manual intervention is required.

I'll have the Alinker soon and we'll see how it does.

[This one came in earlier today October 6, 2026, and it is really cheap and cheesy. 

The case is about 37mm in diameter amd 10mm thick. It is very lightweight and flimsy feeling. The bezel finish is scraped on the pavement rough. The watch fit, but  the spring bar on the clasp popped off with light handling.

I'd highly recommend looking at a Nibosi instead for $20 to $30.

On the plus side, Taiwan is probably safe for a while longer.]

I had high hopes, but I've removed the link on this one. I'd stay far away from it. 

Quartz Watch Alternative - Longines Conquest

As an automatic, the Longines 41mm Conquest is priced above $2200. It's an achievable watch, but it will require perseverance, hard work, financial success, and a bit of good fortune. As an alternative, the quartz Longines 41mm Conquest is priced at less than $1000. 

Longines 41mm Conquest Quartz (Amazon photo)

The Longines Quartz 41mm Conquest is a great looking and solidly built watch that exudes quality and class. It's not cheap. However, it's a much more attainable Longines watch than the automatic version.

What do you get when you buy the quartz Longines Conquest? You get a solid Swiss watch that can hold its own with the world's elite timepieces. The Conquest is an all stainless steel watch with a protected crown. It is secured to your wrist by a triple-safety-folding clasp and push piece opening mechanism. It's perfectly proportioned at 41mm in diameter and 11.8mm thick. It also has 300-meter water resistance and a sapphire crystal to withstand any adventure in your life. The caseback design also reflects the high end background of the watch.

Longines 41mm Conquest Quartz Case Back (Amazon photo)

Is the Longines Conquest worth it? Maybe. That's a question for you to answer. 

If you've been plagued by a lust for a luxury Swiss watch, the quartz Longines Conquest might scratch that itch perfectly.

If you'd like to look and long for the Longines 41mm Conquest, you can check the Conquest out here using my affiliate link to the Luxury goods section of Amazon. It looks like a great watch.

Watch Deal Alert: Glycine Watches on Overstock.com

If you are looking for bargain prices on Swiss watches, go to Overstock.com and search under "Glycine watches." 

You'll find many models at clearance prices including this Glycine Quartz Airman Worldtimer (above). This one is the lowest price model at only $159.99.

There are also many automatic Glycine watches for sale. They are all Swiss made models with prices falling between $300 and. $600.  

Glycine is an old Swiss watch firm that was recently purchased by Imvicta. However, it remains an autonomous business unit dedicated to making traditional Swiss watches with Swiss movements.

Watch Deal Alert: 47mm Nautica Coronado Bay Watch

Nautica is on a roll as an affordable name brand watch. I just found another great Amazon deal on a Nautica N/83 watch. It's the Nautica Coronado Bay quartz watch. Nautica names many of their watches after famous beach areas.

The Coronado Bay presents a big watch in bio-based nylon case. The watch has a 47mm diameter case that's 16mm thick. It's not for the dainty watch crowd. But, it's a rugged looking watch offering 100-meter water resistance and that fits up to 8-inch wrists. It also has indiglo backlighting which is an indication of its Timex roots. I like the wave pattern in the dial background.

The Nautica Tortuga Bay Watch Deal

Right now, this Nautica Tortuga Bay watch is on sale for 45% off! That makes this  watch an amazing bargain for under $65! You can grab the Nautica N/83 Coronado Bay watch here using my Amazon Affiliate link!

Ten Dollar Tuesday: Lenqin Quartz Analog Watch

Ready to go Commando? This Lenqin 39mm Quartz Sport Watch looks the part. It's steel with a murdered out black design that looks really slick. I like it. However, it also does come in a half-dozen color and dial combinations including traditional gold and silver toned models.

Lenqin Quartz Analog Stainless Steel(?) Watch (Amazon photo)

The case is comfortably sized at 40mm in diameter and 10.5mm thick. The Lenqin Amazon ad copy claims a stainless steel case and bracelet in the text and on the caseback. However, the specification sheet says alloy steel. Inconsistencies aside, the watch offers practical 30-meter water resistance and a mineral glass crystal. Amazon copy notes that it's not for bathing, swimming, or diving.

It's a fashion watch for sure, but it has a great look. The dial is obviously inspired by great traditional watches like the Rolex Explorer 1 or Tudor Ranger. To read all the specifications and potentially buy this Lenqin watch, you can use my affiliate link to find it here on Amazon.

Watch Deal Alert: Nautica Tortuga Bay

One of my favorite watch brand's has a new watch on sale. It's the Nautica Tortuga Bay quartz watch.

Nautica N/83 Tortuga Bay Watch

Part of the Nautica N/83 series, the Tortuga Bay simplifies the ocean-inspired Nautica style down to focus on a dial  representing a blue sea and and a black night sky. The watch has a 46mm diameter, subtly octagonal, stainless steel case that is 12mm thick. It's secured to the wrist by a comfortable and environmentally-friendly  wheat polyurethane strap that fits an up to 8-inch wrist. The watch offers 100-meter water resistance to stand up to the rigors of daily and vacation adventures.

The Nautica Tortuga Bay Watch Deal

Right now, this Nautica Tortuga Bay watch is on sale for 17% off! That makes this  watch an amazing bargain at just under $50! You can grab the Nautica N/83 Tortuga Bay watch here using my Amazon Affiliate link!

Watch Spotlight: The Seiko Prospex Diver

If you are looking for an attainable grail watch, you might set your sights on the Seiko Prospex Diver. Introduced as a line in 2014, Seiko chose Prospex as a name to signify "Professional Specifications." We shine the spotlight on the Seiko Prospex dive watch because it represents the best of Japanese quality in an attainable watch.

Seiko Prospex Diver (Amazon Photo)

In creating the Prospex Diver, Seiko drew inspiration from their first dive watch introduced in 1965. The modern aseiko Prospex Diver also draws upon watch design language that Seiko started in the late 1960s with its professional dive watches like the 6215-7000 and 6159.

With a Seiko Prospex Dive watch (model SRPF03), you get a watch that is ISO rated to 200-meters. It has a stainless steel case and bracelet, a unidirectional rotating bezel, Lumibrite luminous hands and markers, a Hardlex crystal, and an automatic 4R35 movement with a 41-hour power reserve. 

Seiko Prospex Diver (Amazon Photo)

Like many dive watches, the Prospex is a substantial watch with a 44mm case that is 13.4mm thick. But, it is built for adventure. 

While this Seiko is expensive, competing Swiss models like the Tissot Sea Star 1000 Powermatic and Mido Ocean Star cost over twice as much. You can find great dive watch looks with the Seiko 5 Series, but not the water resistance or overall performance. At less than $500, the Seiko Prospex delivers a dive watch best value. 

If you are interested in checking out this watch, you can help support this blog by using my Amazon associates link here.

TGIF: Collecting What They Aren't

There are lots of dismissive phrases that are used to describe watch brands that serious collectors don't pursue. 

Not collectible. No resale value. Do not appreciate over time. Budget fashion acessories.

Those phrases create an opportunity for less serious collectors to find fun watches at affordable prices.

What brings this on? Skagen watches.

The Skagen brand has brought  Scandinavian design influence to consumers since it was founded by a Danish immigrant couple in 1989. They were minimalist before every other brand became minimalist. The brand went through the watch entrepreneur's dream from inception to buy out by Fossil in 2012. But, the watch cognescenti dismiss the brand as not collectible.

That's o.k. The collectors can leave us Skagen as an affordable brand to find on Etsy or ebay.  It's great to see a brand offering different choices. There are plenty of other brands that are fun to collect by virtue of not being collectible. Hunting for them is fun, too.

How to Change the Battery on a Caribbean Joe Watch

I recently changed the battery on one if my inexpensive Caribbean Joe watches and I'm glad to report that it was a super easy task. 

The watch has a quartz movement that takes a standard 377 (SR626SW) battery. I appreciate any watch company that etches the battery required right on the caseback. It saves much time and aggravation. If you need a battery, check out my Watch Battery Page.

The eight steps for an actual battery change are very straightforward:

1. Pry off the caseback. There is a small  indent on the caseback that is just large  enough to stick a screwdriver or knife blade under and pop it open. I use the small dedicated blade that comes with the watch repair kit sold by Walmart.

2. Lift out the movement holder ring. This is the white plastic spacer that keeps the movement from shifting around inside the watch.

3. Gently pop out the old battery. Be mindful of the metal contact that closes the circuit and allows the battery to power the watch. You won't want to bend or deform it.

4. Insert the new battery. You can angle the new battery in so that the edge is under the contact and then press down on the battery so that it sits level.

5. Reinstall the retaining ring. Note that you'll want to place it back as shown in the photo for Step 2 with a channel for the crown and so that the battery is properly covered.

6. Verify that the watch is running. Before closing up the watch, gently take a look at the dial to verify that the timepiece is running.

7. Reinstall the case back. Line up the case back so that the indent for crown straddles the crown.

8. Snap the caseback into place. Press down on the caseback so that it clicks back into place. I was able to easily click the caseback of this Caribbean Joe watch into place with fairly light pressure. With more stubborn watches, I use a caseback press tool. Be mindful of the glass crystal over the dial. It's fragile on most watches.

That's all there is to replacing the battery on a Caribbean Joe watch.

You can use my Amazon affiliate link to see all the different Caribbean Joe watches available on Amazon here.

Semi-Vintage Alternatives to the Rolex Datejust "President"

Once upon a time, the fluted bezel look of the Rolex Datejust was far more popular than it is today. 

Rolex Datejust

Almost every watchmaker from Armitron to Seiko offered their own fluted bezel homage to the Rolex great. Today, you can find many such watches on secondary sites like Etsy and eBay. As I drilled down into them, I found yet another watch category that I'll call semi-vintage. These are watches that revived the venerable brand names of once popular American mechanical watch brands and used them to sell quartz watches. 

Let's look at now vintage quartz datejust watches sold under the Elgin and Gruen brands. Let's start with Elgin.

Elgin Presidential Quartz Watch (Photo by SolWatchExchange on Etsy)

Founded in 1864, Elgin was named after it's headquarters city: Elgin, Illinois.They pioneered the mass production of mechanical watches with interchangeable parts. By 1908, they were the largest watch producer in the United States. The company switched to war production for World War 2 and had trouble navigating the postwar watch market. They shut down production in 1964 and closed up entirely by 1968. They never made a quartz watch.

Elgin Presidential Quartz Watch (Photo by SolWatchExchange on Etsy)

However, the companies that bought the rights to the brand name made some very nice quartz watches. Many of them are old enough to be considered vintage now. This one (above) on Etsy appears to be in great shape and certainly looks nice. You can find the Etsy listing here. The name Elgin is a bonus that carries a bit of residual cache.

Gruen Precision Quartz Presidential (Etsy Photo by Throwmich)

Another great watch brand was Gruen. Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, by German immigrants, the brand employed a hybrid model where movements they designed were manufactured in Switzerland and tested and cased in watches here in the US. Like Elgin, they floundered in the postwar economy and they were gone by 1958. Gruen also never made a quartz watch, but some nice looking quartz models bear their name. You can check out this Precision by Gruen Two-Tone President-Style watch here on Etsy.

These semi-vintage quartz watches on Etsy add more affordable alternatives to the Rolex President Datejust. But, for more options from Amazon, check out my post Five Alternatives to the Rolex Day-Date President.

TGIF: Payday and No Audemars Piguet Money?

Here it is Friday and you still find yourself about $54,000 short of cash you need to buy that Audemars Piguet Royal Oak? Now, you're whining about capitalism and poking around on my blog to find an alternative watch. Well, quit your whining, you had plenty of money for Starbucks and a couple of streaming service subscriptions. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Here's one from George.

Yes. Yes. George is a Walmart brand. Did I mention that it is sold exclusively at Walmart? Did I mention that it only costs $12.98? That can save you about $54,000 over the price of a real Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch. This would leave you with wealth beyond your wildest dreams. For example, with $54,000, you could afford unlimited donuts.

George watch = More Donuts

Of course, donuts are just a start. When you save $54,000 on the price of a watch, you can afford an endless supply of roller food. You can eat hot dogs, smoked sausages, and taquitos at any time of day or night. However, if you are middle-aged, I don't recommend night.

Pay homage to a Royal Oak, but get unlimited Roller Food

Perhaps $12.98 is an absurdly low price, but there are plenty of watch designs that are inspired by the Royal Oak look. I've compiled some of the best looking ones in this post. The point is simple. You don't have to overpay for a watch.

Watch Deal Alert: Hilfiger Cool Sport Analog

One watch brand that you can count on for a good value is Tommy Hilfiger. Watch quality and comfort is solid and price tags deliver value. Hilfiger is currently offering this Cool Sport watch for 29% off at Amazon. It's  Model 1791348.

At 46mm in diameter and 11mm thick, this Hilfiger is a big bold watch. It has all stainless steel construction--both the case and bracelet. It also has a mineral glass crystal.

At 29% off, the price comes in at less than $80. But, it's a limited time deal and 86% of the watches have been claimed already. If you like to jump in on it, you can use my Amazon affiliate link here.

Close examination reveals that this Hilfiger watch has some interesting subdials that provide 24-hour time, day, and date functionality. I suspect that the pushers help set the day and date more easily.

This is a good deal on a great watch, but it is only available for a limited time. 86% of the discounted watches have already been claimed. To jump in on it, use my Amazon affiliate link here.

Ten Dollar Tuesday: Nbonal Sport Field Watch for Men

Some watches demand immediate attention. One such watch is this Nbonal Sports and Field watch. With a classic, wide, bezel in a murdered out version of black, it looks like a an expensive watch. But, surprisingly, it's only $10.

At 44mm in diameter, the Nbonal Sport watch has much wrist presence. It also has the menacing black looks of popular commando watches that command hundreds or thousands of dollars more. Of course, it is an extremely inexpensive (dare I say cheap) watch and you may discover one or more of the drawbacks of a cheap watch (as I've blogged about here). But, for $10, it may well be worth the risk for a cool looking watch!

If you'd like to check out the Nbonal Sport Field watch, you can use my affiliate link to find it here on Amazon. My Amazon affiliate links generate a tiny bit of income that allows me to buy a cheap watch for myself every so often.

I have a suspicion. I don't have proof. But, deep down, I believe that many of the watches more popular brands sell for $25 to $75 may be built by the same companies that will sell you a cheap watch for $10 directly on Alibaba or Amazon. The quality and design may even be similar to popular watch models. One of problems companies that outsource production to faraway lands may face is that people in faraway lands learn how to make popular product and can cut out the original company as a useless middle man. But, it's not for me to school brands on the invisible hand of the marketplace. It's for me to find affordable and cool watches for our wrists.

Wristwatch Review: Timex Classic 39mm Watch

With all the emphasis on inexpensive watch brands on this blog lately, I thought it might be a good time to check on the less expensive offerings from Timex. Timex has been moving upmarket with great looking watches for collectors and enthusiasts. As awesome as they are, it is still fun to find something cool for under $60. In that spirit, I recently found the Timex Classics 39mm Quartz Watch. It's officially model TW2R866009J.

Watch Features 

Simplicity is at the forefront of this watch design. It has a classic Ranger watch dial with no date, a nice-looking silver-tone case, and a leather strap. In real life, the lack of a date feature is very practical if you rotate through a watch collection. You just don't have to stop and make sure the date is right.

Watch Dimensions

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Timex Classics 39mm watch is 39mm in diameter. The watch is also 9mm thick.

Watch Construction

The Timex Classics 39mm has a stainless steel caseback, a brass case, and mineral glass crystal. For an inexpensive watch, it's built fairly solid and is rated for 50-meter water resistance.The 39mm classic has a leather strap.

Overall Impression

The Timex 39mm Classic is a pretty decent basic dress watch. It looks good. It's affordable. There is no shame in wearing it.

However, a watch like this Timex faces serious competition from store brands like Geneva and some of the inexpensive new brands from China. On the one hand, it's nice to wear an American brand. On the other, there are some serious competitors for $30 or less.

Where to Buy

If you'd like to check this watch out, use my Amazon affiliate link. You can find this watch for a bit over $30 here.

Two Great Men's Watches Under $30

Over the past few months, I've been looking at low-priced watches. In an inflationary world, it's nice to find some small pleasures that are still affordable. Here are a couple of watches that are great choices in the sub-$30 price range.

1. Civo Analog Watch. For $30 or less, Civo offers some great analog watches. I recently discovered the brand in my search for Ten Dollar Tuesday (visit link) candidates. However, for under $30, Civo has options like this Silver-on-Silver classic. This watch gives you all the great looks of a classic men's watch from the late 20th century without any of the headaches that might come from a vintage timepiece

Civo Men's Analog Quartz Watch (Amazon Photo)

If youa are intrigued, you can find this watch easily here on Amazon using my affiliate link. If nothing else, this watch showcases what Chinese manufacturers can do for a basic watch design. 

2. Casio A168WA Digital Watch with Electro-Luminescence.  For under $30, you can get any number of classic Casio digital watches. In a world of expensive smart watches, these watches are a bit of a vintage geek flex. This watch touts ElectroLuminescence which backlights the dial with a uniform blue light that makes the numerals easier to read.

Casio A168WA Digital Watch (Amazon Photo)

To take a look at this retro futuristic watch check it out here using my Amazon affiliate link.

TGIF: Watches & Weirdos

Millions of people around the world grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons and similar role playing games. We rolled up characters that were described with characteristics like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Perhaps it is only natural to wonder what characteristics we could use to measure watches.

What if watches had character sheets?

A Watch Character Sheet Generated with Grok

As for scale, I think a numerical range from 3 to 18 would be in order for most of these characteristics. But, water resistance should just be the actual water resistance rating in meters. This would allow for aging D&D nerds to lock onto this system easily.

A Casio Enticer

I have a six characteristics in mind that could be applied to describing watches. There would be no dice rolling. Just carefully considered scoring. Here are the characteristics with some examples:

Strength - A $6 Chinese watch is probably a 3 and a G Shock would be an 18. A Rolex Submariner or Certina DS1000 would probably also hit that 18 mark.
Flex - This is a measure of a watches ability to impress people. The elite watches are more of a flex. Here are Rolex might be a 15 and a Timex a 6.
Water Resistance - 300 meters is better than 30 meters and it's a hard number. The more affordable precision quartz Certina DS Action diver would have a 300. It's a figure most of us can work with.

Certina DS Action Diver (Amazon photo)

If you are interested in checking this watch out, use my Amazon Affiliate link here. It's a great entry point to the world of Swiss Dive watches.

Sophistication - A mechanical movement from a Swiss maker and lots of complications lead to high scores.

A Timex Mercury and a Civo Quartz Watch

Heritage - I once had a Chinese watch called a Youyoupifa. That would be a 3. Timex has been around for awhile. They might be a 12. Rolex might be an 18.

Expense - An expensive watch from an exclusive brand would rank high here, but a less expensive brand like Casio might only get a 5.

I like some of the minor touches that Grok added to the character sheet it generated as an example. Skills like Timekeeping, Durability, and Precision seem appropriate. The Inventory keeps track of things like the crystal, the movement, and the like. Hit points equals battery life or, perhaps, power reserve.

A character sheet for watches is an interesting idea. Just don't get so wrapped up in it that you have to make saving throws versus doorframes.

Timex Under $60: Timex Mod 44 in Black!

When it comes to low price watches, you may find that designs can be a little boring. Fortunately, that's not the case with the Timex Mod 44. It's a 44mm diameter quartz watch with presence. The case is 11mm thick and the watch strap is 22mm wide. I've got one and I've posted about it here on this blog. But, I also recently ran across a black version on Amazon.

Timex Mod 44 (Amazon Photo)

In black, the Mod 44 takes on a tough and gritty tone. It might even have a hint of menace. If you'd like to see for yourself, you can get the Timex Mod 44 for well less than $40 here using my Amazon affiliate link.