Watch Wearing Wednesday: A Geoffrey Beene Quartz Watch with Decorative Subdials.

Here's a Geoffrey Beene Quartz watch that I've been wearing lately. We recently found it in some stuff we had packed away. It was just $22 at Burlington. The subdials are non-functional decorations, but it does have a working date and a stainless steel caseback.

Geoffrey Beene Quartz Watch

The thing about a watch like this is that it shows that you don't need to spend a whole bunch of money on a watch for daily wear. There are plenty of bang around watches for $50 or even less.

If you are interested in this one, you might be able to find it easily on Amazon.  This appears to be the same watch, but the metal tone is difficult to figure out.  To investigate, bang it here so you can see it on Amazon.

New Watch Brand at Walmart: globlu

On a recent excursion to Walmart, I noticed a new watch brand:  globlu.  These watches sell for only $11 and they have dial lighting system similar to the famed Timex Indiglo system.  As my watch boxes are overflowing, I didn't buy or try any of these watches.  However, they might be a good choice for a bang around watch.

To activate the dial light, you simply press the offset "pusher" button at the 1 o'clock position.

Sometimes I think Walmart just puts these low prices out in order to push name brand suppliers like Timex, Casio, and Armitron to keep prices low.

In terms of style, these watches are pretty generic.  However, globlu watches are an interesting option if you are in the market for a low cost watch.  With the holiday season approaching, they also might make a good stocking stuffer.

Classic Watch Style at Any Price

Structure is one of my favorite inexpensive watch brands.  However, this Structure watch from Sears looks an awful lot like the Fossil Ansel watch I bought from the Fossil Outlet a few months ago.

The only thing that is missing is the date function.  Otherwise, these watches look very, very, similar.  Perhaps the Structure is an homage to the Fossil which is probably an homage to an old Timex.

The Structure watch costs about $30 and the Fossil Watch costs $70 to $115 depending on where you buy it and what discounts you get.  These are great looking watches.  But, the similar styles make me wonder if they are churned out by the same sweatshop in Chinese Watch Village #637.

Since I've had issues with one of my Structure watches, I'd sure like to think that the Fossil watch is a little more substantial and accurate. 

A Sharp Digital Watch with an All Metal Look

If you like the looks of heavy duty watches that look like they were machined from solid blocks of steel, you might like the Sharp Metal Digital Watch from Kmart.  The watch looks like it's all brushed stainless, but it has a stainless steel caseback and base metal case. 

Sharp Digital Watch

2025 Update: I sure miss Kmart. They had so many cheap watches at great prices.

Watch Companies: You Better Bring It!

Here is a perfectly respectable Embassy brand watch at Kmart.  It has a reliable quartz movement and probably sells for around $14.99.

There's nothing wrong with this watch and I'm sure it will work well for whomever buys it.  Here's the thing - if a rather generic Kmart watch looks this good, why not buy this watch instead of a more expensive brand name watch? 

This watch is a warning to Timex, Casio, Armitron, and all the other watch companies out there.  Anybody can make a straight forward quartz watch that works well.  If you want to make the sale and wow your customers, you better bring it!  You need to bring watches to market that turn heads, attract customers, and make them want to buy.  If you are an established watch company, you need to have great watches in stock at every outlet even Kmart, Target, and Walmart.

[As of 2025, Kmart is a distant memory. Embassy watches are only oddities on eBay and Etsy. But, the threat to the watch industry remains. Now, customers can buy watches directly from manufacturers via ecommerce megasites like Amazon and Aliexpress. Brands like Nibosi, SKMEI, and Baltany are challenging watchmakers big and small. It's a big threat to traditional watch brands.]

Calling all Mall Ninjas!

You know you like the manly, man, style of tactical gear.  But, since you aren't actually on a SWAT team, you can save a lot of money by paying the practical price instead of the tactical price.  I got this tactical style watch from Walmart for only $10!  It's an awesome bargain and a great watch to boot!

A Big Watch from MZ Berger and Walmart

A Walmart Watch with a Bund Strap

I like big watches and I cannot lie! Big watch faces are in!  Big watches grab your attention and hold it.  They are also easy to read and visible from afar.  They aren't right for everyone.  However, I'm a big guy and they look perfectly scaled to my wrists.  This big ana-digital watch was made by MZ Berger for Walmart and it looks great.  Since it was only $12, it definitely fit my budget!  It was meant to be!

An MZ Berger Watch made for Walmart

If you have metal allergies, you might note that the wristband for this watch fits completely between the watch and your wrist! 

[As I revise this post in 2025, I should note that this kind of watch strap is called a Bund Strap and the design originated in World War 2 Germany. It protected pilots from a watch that got too cold or hot at high altitudes. It also protected the watch from the wearer's sweat.]

A Retro Masterpiece Watch from Walmart

My Almost Steampunk Watch

Here's another watch that I love from Walmart.  It's so retro that it's almost steampunk and yet it blends old world style and digital technology.

A Walmart "steampunk" Watch

If I could only stop it from beeping on the hour!

ThinkGeek Steampunk-styled Tesla Watch

[Update 2024:  I wonder if I still have this watch.  The leather strap for it is outstanding and would look good on many other watches.  Also, I can't believe I thought this Walmart watch was a steam punk watch.  A simple search on Amazon will reveal some steam punk watches.]

A Vigoroso Steampunk Pocket Watch (Amazon Photo)

[As I updated links in 2025, I found this interesting skeleton "Steampunk" watch (above) from Vigoroso. Check out the Vigoroso Skeleton here on Amazon. One thing I've learned over my years collecting watches: mechanical watches don't have to come from Switzerland.]