The legendary Seiko 5 SNK80X series provides some of the cheapest mechanical watches on the market. For less than $100 you get a great military-style field watch with one of the following dial colors:

• Black (SNK809)
• Blue (SNK807)
• Khaki (SNK805)
• Beige (SNK803)

The watch is protected by a lens made of hardlex. These timepieces are rugged, functional and very easy to read thanks to their eye-catching design. They are powered by the Seiko 7S26 automatic movement featuring a day-date complication with 41 hours of power reserve. It can be admired through the transparent case back.

• Ref: SNK809, SNK807, SNK805, SNK803
• Diameter: 37.00 mm
• Thickness: 11.00 mm
• Lug width: 18.00 mm
• Caliber: Seiko 7S26

The water resistance is 30m meaning it can handle splashes, we would not recommend it for diving though. The proportions of this watch are great, with a 37mm diameter and an 11mm height it is very comfortable to wear and unobtrusive. This Seiko model can therefore be seen as an affordable Hamilton Khaki Field alternative.

It looks very cool on a NATO, the 18mm lug width makes it easy to find alternative straps as well. At this price it's pretty hard to beat, we can therefore consider that the value it's losing over time is very low, so it's holding its value pretty well compared to other more expensive watches!