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Most watch enthusiasts glorify analog clocks whenever possible, as they date back to the ancient use of sundials and connect our relationship with time. However, as soon as digital displays and jump hour complications appeared, people began to realize that they were accurate and easy to read. In the modern world, there are digital clocks on almost every screen imaginable. If you like to wear a watch on your wrist, here are the best digital watches in various price ranges (although this list also includes some affordable ones). To be clear, we are only talking about quartz-powered LED or LCD displays. Anyway, let’s dig into these digital darlings!
Casio F-91W
Arguably the best-selling wristwatch of all time, with approximately 3 million pieces produced each year, the Casio F-91W has remained largely unchanged since 1989. The 35mm resin case packs as much charm as it does functionality. With a daily alarm, calendar, backlight, chronograph, and 7-year battery life, this watch is as much a timeless classic as it is a useful timepiece. It’s well-deserved to be first on this list, not just because it’s one of the most affordable watches you can buy with confidence that it’ll last for years to come. If Casio is the king of digital watchmaking, then the F-91W is the throne on which Casio sits. Price: $22.95
Timex Ironman Classic 30
Seeking an answer to the indestructible nature and appeal of Casio’s G-Shock, Timex devised its own take on the high-impact sports watch in the mid-1980s. The Timex Ironman was marketed to endurance athletes and was the perfect product for tracking timing during (and beyond) sporting events. It also served as the platform for the birth of Indiglo, Timex’s light-up feature that allows the entire dial to be fully visible in any situation. The modern Ironman Classic 30 is one of Timex’s overall bestsellers, with large numbers that are easy to read from a variety of angles, an ergonomic case shape, and a variety of timing and alarm complications. . Price: $63
G-Shock DW-5600UE-1
The inclusion of the G-Shock may count as a second entrant for Casio, but it’s impossible to ignore this watch in the grand scheme of the best digital watches. A legend since its release in 1983, the square Casio G-Shock is the epitome of durable timepieces. It would be difficult to break it without using a hammer and nails. The current DW-5600UE-1 is as close as possible to the original, retaining its octagonal shape, raised shoulders, protected pushers, and easy-to-read black numeral dial. A small pop of color around the newly updated LED screen frame injects a bit of fun, and the full resin case and bracelet ensure lightweight practicality. Price: $74.95
nixon staples
Although the Nixon is not well-received by watch enthusiasts, the Staple is a watch of real ingenuity. The square case has a slight Cartier Santos presence, but it’s made from #tide recycled ocean plastic, giving it a lightweight, eco-friendly finish. The negative LCD screen is easy on the eyes with bold numbers, but the most interesting feature is the dual customizable displays. This means that while you are choosing which of the various functions to use, the time will always be easy to read and always available. It’s water resistant to 100 meters, so you can even swim with it. Price: $125
Tissot PRX Digital
Since its launch in 2021, Tissot PRX has played a major role in fueling the world’s interest in integrated bracelets, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down in the years since. Filled with vintage references ready for reissue, the retro Tissot catalog is a great source of design inspiration. The Tissot PRX Digital is inspired by the 1977 Tissot Quartz Digital, but its tonneau case has been changed to a circular shape. If anything, the new PRX Digital is very reminiscent of Casio’s first wristwatch, the Casiotron, from 1974. Features dual time zones, day/date display, chronograph, counting timer, and alarm. Available in 35mm and 40mm sizes, it fits all types of wrists. Price: USD 375 (Steel), USD 450 (PVD Gold) from Time+Tide Shop
Bulova Computron
Wedge or newsboy style LED watches are a throwback prototype for 1970s watchmaking, and they’re incredibly cheap watches in the best sense of the word. The Bulova Computron was first launched in 1976, four years after Pulsar introduced its digital LED watch technology. Its radiator-like texture is very nice and retro, along with the bright gold plating. Although the Gold PVD Reference was technically a “limited” edition, there are still plenty of them available, sometimes at a deep discount. The combination of shiny gold and red LEDs creates an attractive watch, even if you have to press a button to display the time. There is also a coin slot in the battery hatch on the back cover, making it even easier to use. Price: $395
Autodromo Group C
This Autodromo may look like the kind of watch your parents begged for in the ’80s, but that’s the point. Group C was created for those who drooled over Sauber C9 and Porsche 962 posters on their walls during their childhood, and is named after the Group C endurance race. What sets it apart from bright, fun plastic watches is its manufacturing quality, as its color is achieved by a Cerakote coating on stainless steel. Put together with simplicity and accessibility in mind, the 36mm gives it a childhood quality that doesn’t fade on an adult’s wrist. The LCD module is clear and nostalgic, while the FKM rubber strap is much more comfortable than the tough resin you remember from the ’80s. Price: $475
Hamilton PSR
After various prototypes, the Pulsar was finally released to the public in 1972 and was the first LED wristwatch to be sold in large quantities. It was so extravagant that even James Bond sported it in 1973’s “Let Me Die” and President Gerald Ford sported it while in office. However, as LED displays quickly became more affordable and were replaced by LCD screens, the Pulsar eventually became little more than a collectible. That was until Hamilton (owner of the Pulsar brand from 1970 to 1978, now owned by Seiko) decided to reissue the watch, once again manufactured to high-end standards. . It’s also 100m water resistant and the quality of the stainless steel bracelet is amazing. There’s also a new PSR 74 version if you want a smaller case and a more quirky bracelet. Price: $795 from the Time+Tide shop
Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0
Here it jumps a bit in terms of price. The PSR may be a luxury take on affordable technology, but the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 takes it even further. The first casquettes were only produced between 1976 and 1978 and became niche and highly collectible. In 2022, Girard-Perregaux decided to relaunch the watch as Casquette 2.0 in collaboration with the French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. Early reissues used black ceramic instead of the matte black Macrolon polycarbonate used on some of the ’70s references. Casquette 2.0 has been made more scratch resistant and established as a luxury category. The latest limited edition of just 840 pieces is made of gleaming lightweight titanium with yellow gold badges and pushers and was released in October 2024. The most impressive is the caliber GP3980. This is a faithful reproduction of the original when a more affordable alternative could easily be found. This will probably be the last casket produced for the foreseeable future. Price: $4,960
Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Synchronar 2100
The 70s and 80s were full of cool and fascinating digital watches, each with their own unique story. Seiko hasn’t made a pure digital watch in recent years, but it has been a prolific manufacturer. We highly recommend that our readers take a look at some of the older models. But our timeless pick is none other than the Synchroner 2100. The Synchroner 2100 was hand-built by designer and self-taught engineer Roger W. Leal and was born in 1972, shortly after the release of the Pulsar. It was also the world’s first solar-powered watch, using a small LED display and two large solar panels on the top of the case. It also included a perpetual calendar that was accurate until 2100. Subsequent versions of Lille’s “Sunwatch” have been sold in partnership with the American electronics company Ragen since 1974, and all versions are coveted by collectors of obscure digital watch technology. They are very rare and are occasionally listed on auction sites such as eBay, and typically sell for less than $1,000 USD.
