Top 11 Best Affordable Military Watches [List & Guide]
Military watches, as the name suggests, are watches made for the military. Of course, not all military watches are worn by the military in the field, but it sets the tone for what you can expect from this type of watch. Military watches are tough, durable, robust, and built to handle all kinds of harsh conditions. But just like all other watches, they can vary a lot in design and function.
There are no fixed criteria for a watch to be classified as a dive watch, but some of the functions that you often find in military watches can include:
- Good legibility
- A robust and sporty design
- 12-hour and 24-hour markers
- Useful functions such as a compass, barometer, altimeter, chronograph function, and more
- A somewhat good water resistance (usually at least 100m)
Military watches may include some of these criteria, but not necessarily all of them at the same time.
Field watches are also a type of watch which are built to be sporty and durable, and these have also been closely associated with the military, and are commonly used by the military. With that said, field watches can be military watches, but not all military watches are field watches
In this article, we are looking closer at the best affordable military watches. Whilst they vary a lot in form and function, the key thing you need to remember is that they are tough, robust, and built to handle all kinds of different harsh conditions. If you want a watch that offers just that, whether you just enjoy the design of military watches or need a seriously tough watch, you have come to the right place.
Without further ado, let’s dig in.
Best affordable field watches
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Hamilton Khaki Field H70555533 Automatic
Starting off this list of affordable military watches is the Hamilton Khaki Field H70555533. Military watches from Hamilton are very appropriate because Hamilton actually has a long and rich history of making watches for the military, in particular during world war II.
This watch takes inspiration from Hamilton’s vintage military watches from this era but packs it in a new form with improved technology and build quality.
The watch is presented with a 42mm stainless steel case and has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal on top. This watch is powered by a robust and durable automatic movement, which makes it great for watch enthusiasts who enjoy mechanical watches.
It is presented with a black dial with a beautiful pattern and large white printed Arabic numerals, both 12-hour and 24-hour which is useful for the military. It is equipped with classic military-inspired hands with applied luminescence which, together with the markers, provide excellent legibility.
Its water-resistance of 100m/330 feet is what you can expect from a military field watch and is suitable for handling water splashes and swimming.
All in all, if you’re looking for a sporty automatic watch with a classic design that reminds you of traditional military watches, the Hamilton H70555533 is a great choice.
Specifications
- Diameter: 42mm
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire
Hamilton Khaki King H64455533 Automatic
Next up, we have the Hamilton Khaki King H64455533 which is also a vintage-inspired military watch that has taken inspiration from classic Hamilton watches.
It features a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm which is suitable for many different wrist sizes and has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal on top.
This watch is also powered by an automatic movement that you can rely on, which is tough and robust. As for the dial, we have a black background with a subtle but beautiful striped pattern and a day and a date window positioned at 12 o’clock. It features classic sword-shaped hands with luminescence applied to them which, together with the 12-hour and 24-hour white Arabic numerals provide excellent legibility.
The water resistance of 50m/165 feet isn’t the best, but it can still handle water splashes, for example when you are out in the field and in the rain.
This is a stylish and versatile watch that works on many different occasions but has an appealing sporty military design which gives it a very evident military look.
Specifications
- Diameter: 40mm
- Thickness: 11mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Water-resistance: 50m/165 feet
- Crystal: sapphire
Seiko 5 Automatic SNZG15J1
If you’re looking for a very affordable automatic military watch, the Seiko 5 SNZG15J1 is definitely a great choice.
This watch offers everything you would expect a Seiko 5 to offer, meaning an automatic movement, a robust design, and overall great durability.
This watch features a 42mm stainless steel matte, A sand-blasted case with a thickness of 12mm, and a design taken from vintage military and field watches. It is powered by the automatic Seiko caliber 7S36 which is known for being long-lasting and robust.
The dial is black and has exactly the design that you would expect a military field watch to have. It is matte and has large Arabic numerals printed in white, both 12-hour and 24-hour markers. The hands are sword-shaped with white frames for excellent legibility. Positioned at 4 o’clock, it has a day and day window which can be convenient for everyday wear.
The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is actually quite good and means you can go swimming with it and that it can handle all kinds of harsh conditions in the outdoors.
As an everyday watch, this is a great choice, as it is also able to take on harder situations when ou
Specifications
- Diameter: 42mm
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Crystal: Hardlex
Timex x Mossy Oak Expedition Scout
The Timex Mossy Oak Expedition Scout offers exactly what its name suggests.
It has a brass case of 43mm and a mineral crystal on top. The case design is exactly what you would associate a military field watch with. It has an emphasis on legibility, hence why the case is rather thin and leaves most of the room to the dial. The case also has a matte finish and squared-off lugs.
The dial has large printed 24 and 12-hour Arabic numerals which provide good legibility, as well as sword-shaped hands with applied luminescence. Positioned at 3 o’clock, it has a date window as well. For improved legibility, it has an Indigo light-up watch dial which improves the legibility in low-lit conditions.
The water resistance of 50 meters/165 feet is ok, but it is not the best out there. But considering the price, it’s still a great watch.
Specifications
- Diameter: 43mm
- Crystal: Mineral glass
- Water-resistance: 50m/165 feet
Casio G-Shock GD-120CM Camo
The Casio G-Shock GD-120CM Camo Sport is the ultimate military watch for those who are looking for a tough and robust watch that can handle all kinds of harsh conditions. It does not have a traditional field watch design with a focus on design. Instead, it has a focus on performance and function.
First and foremost, what better design for a military watch than a camouflage watch? And that’s exactly what this watch offers.
It is presented with a tough and durable 51mm resin case with a classic G-Shock design with an integrated resin strap. If you’re familiar with G-Shock watches, this watch, at its core, will be nothing new. But its toughness and functions are such that can be very convenient to have in a military watch.
In terms of functions, it has an LED backlight with a flash alert, multi-time, stopwatch, and countdown timer. It also has five daily alarms as well as a full auto calendar and 12/24 hour format.
The water resistance of this watch is quite great too at 200m/660 feet. This means you can go swimming and diving with this watch without any issues.
For the individual who is looking for ultimate performance in a stylish military watch, this watch is definitely a great choice.
Specifications
- Water-resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Movement: quartz
- Diameter: 51mm
- Crystal: mineral
Casio XL Series G-Shock GA-700UC-3ACR
Another great military watch from Casio is the G-Shock GA-700UC-3ACR. This watch is designed with a military green color which of course is very suitable for its purpose, and gives it more of a sporty tool-like look.
It features a resin case and has both analog and digital indications. This watch is packed with functions that can come in handy for the military or when out in the field. It has a water resistance of 200m/660 feet, but also a super illuminator LED light with afterglow, world Time with 31 times zones, daylight saving, 4 Daily Alarms, Snooze Alarm, and an Hourly Time Signal.
This watch really is as tough as it looks, and if you want a watch that can back up its sporty military design, this one does just that.
Yes, it is a bit bulky and large, which we expect G-Shocks to be, so whilst it is not a surprise, it may not be the most suitable choice if you’re looking for a military watch that you can wear for your everyday.
Specifications
- Water-resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Movement: Quartz
- Battery life: 10 years
Citizen AT0200-05E Eco-Drive Chronograph
If you want a stylish and classic military watch with a field watch design and vintage-inspired look, you can’t go wrong with this affordable option.
It is presented with a 39mm stainless steel case with a nice finish, combining polished and brushed elements, and has two chronograph pushers on its side since it is a chronograph watch.
It features a classic, vintage-inspired dial with a black background and a matte finish. The dial has large white Arabic numerals printed on it, large sword-shaped hands, and a date window integrated at 4 o’clock. On top of the case, it has a mineral crystal.
The watch is powered by a reliable and durable Japanese quartz movement which ensures great accuracy. This watch is also an Eco-Drive timepiece, meaning that the movement gets energy from solar and ambient light, thus eliminating the need for replacing the battery.
The water resistance is 100m/330 feet which is essentially what we can expect from this type of watch. In most cases, this is also enough, unless you plan to go swimming with it.
All in all, this is one of our favorite affordable military watches due to the fact that it has a very attractive price, but still offers great value for money in terms of build quality, but also attention to detail, and overall design.
Specifications
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Diameter: 39mm
- Movement: Japanese quartz
Seiko 5 SNK805 Automatic
The Seiko 5 SNK805 may be the most popular affordable automatic watch on the market. It also happens to be a military-inspired field watch.
It has a 37mm matte stainless steel case which is a reasonable size for many different wrist sizes. It has a Hardlex crystal on the front, but also a see-through case back which allows you to see the in-house movement inside. The crown is positioned at Seiko’s signature 4 o’clock position which both allows for a distinct look, but also improves comfort when wearing it.
The watch is presented on a green canvas strap which matches the green color of the dial. This color is also very suitable due to its close connection with the military.
The beautiful green dial has 12-hour and 60-seconds markers printed in white, and a day and a date window positioned at 3 o’clock.
The biggest downside of this watch may just be its water resistance of a mere 30m/99 feet. But it will handle water splashes, and if that is all you need, you may be able to disregard this considering its low price.
This is the ultimate military watch to choose from if you want a sporty watch that you can use for everyday wear. It is affordable, but still durable and robust, and also stylish enough to wear on many different occasions, without compromising its military inspiration.
Specifications
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Water-resistance: 30m/100 feet
- Diameter: 37mm
- Movement: Automatic
Citizen BM8180-03E
The Citizen BM8180-03E is a version of the chronograph that we recently looked at. And if you liked the design of this watch but prefer a non-chronograph, this is the perfect watch for you.
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 37mm and is presented on an appropriate military-green canvas strap.
It is powered by an Eco-Drive quartz movement which ensures accuracy and gets its energy from ambient and solar light. As for the design, it has a matte black dial with a sleek, field-watch-inspired design with large sword-shaped hands, a day and a date window positioned at 3 o’clock, and large Arabic numerals for the 12-hour markers printed on the dial. To keep it from being completely monochrome, and for adding a touch of sportiness, Citizen has added a red second hand to it.
The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is quite decent for this type of watch as well.
As a sporty and robust everyday watch for more casual occasions, this is actually a really good option.
Specifications
- Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Movement: Eco-Drive quartz
- Diameter: 37mm
- Thickness: 9mm
Casio G-Shock GBD800UC-5
The G-Shock GBD800UC-5 is designed with a sand-colored case which is a refreshing take on the military design, making it very suitable for the desert military. The case is 49.5mm and made in brown resin. It is presented with a black dial, solely digital and without analog hands.
This is the ultimate tool watch with a sporty design and lots of useful functions. It has connectivity capabilities which makes it possible to connect it to your phone via the G-Shock connected app. It offers tons of different features such as daily health and fitness support, step counter, multi-timer, lap records, and much more.
If you want a tough G-shock for durability as well as some of the usual features like a backlight, time, date, stopwatch function, and water resistance, this is a great choice. Its water-resistance of 200m/660 feet also makes it possible to use when swimming and diving. Not surprisingly, this watch is built to last and to be able to handle all kinds of harsh conditions.
Specifications
- Crystal: mineral
- Water-resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Case dimensions: 54.1×48.6×15.5mm
Timex Men’s Expedition Scout
Last but not least, we have the Timex Expedition Scout. This is a military-inspired field watch for those looking for something more simple, clean, and versatile, but still with a tough and sporty design.
The watch has a 40mm satin finish case with a large crown and squared-off lugs. It has a mineral crystal on top.
The watch is powered by a quartz movement and has an Indiglo light-up watch dial which helps improve the legibility in low-lit conditions.
The dial is black and has white Arabic numerals for 12-hour and 24-hour time printed on it, which, together with the sword-shaped hands offer excellent legibility.
Its water-resistance of 50 meters/165 feet isn’t the most impressive, but it is suitable for short periods of recreational swimming, but not diving or snorkeling. But still, if you don’t really plan on too many demanding activities, but just enjoy the design of military watches, this is a great affordable option.
Specifications
- Diameter: 40mm
- Water-resistance: 50m/165 feet
- Crystal: mineral
- Movement: quartz
What is the difference between tactical watches, military watches, field watches?
Oftentimes, all of these three terms are used interchangeably. And using them in that way is completely fine. In people’s view, they can be the same, however, they can also be slightly different.
A field watch is a simple and classic military watch. They are inspired by the watches that were designed and developed for the soldiers during world war II and onwards. They are also known as trench watches. With that said, since field watches are originally built for the military, they can also be classified as military watches today.
Then we have military watches and tactical watches. Essentially, military watches can be any type of watch that is intended for the military, just like military watches (duh) and tactical watches are. In general, however, the term “tactical watches” is often used for more advanced and functional timepieces, nowadays often digital with more functions. Whilst field watches are still used by some military, most of the time, for the most part, military watches don’t use this type of watch anymore. The reason for this is that there are now more robust and functional timepieces on the market that are more useful out on the field.
Tactical watches are known for putting function first and for being all about functionality. This means that you can often expect useful functions from them. And this usually means that they are either quartz or digital most of the time.
Military Watches buyer’s guide – what to think about
First and foremost, as you have seen, the spectrum of military watches is huge. There are so many different types of military watches on the market today – field watches, military watches, and tactical watches, all of which are intended for the military, today, or a long time ago. With that said, your hunt for the perfect military watch begins by considering the type of watch you want.
Do you want a functional and rugged tactical watch that is packed with functions such as GPS and altimeter, or do you want something more classic and versatile, such as a field watch? Most of us won’t go out armed in the field, and because tactical watches aren’t, in general, very versatile, they are not really suitable for everyday wear. On the other hand, you can, in this list, find military watches that are versatile and works both on more formal occasions as well as casual.
In addition to this, you have all the usual considerations such as:
Water resistance: What water resistance do you need? Do you plan to go diving with your watch, or will you just subject it to water splashes occasionally? In general, field watches are only built to handle short periods of submersion, whilst more rugged and robust military watches are suitable for diving.
Movement & functions: Do you want an automatic, quartz, or digital watch? Your choice will naturally also affect the functionality of the timepiece. Automatic military watches will, in general, only display the time, and perhaps also the date. On the other hand, the most serious military watches can be packed with various functions such as an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, GPS, world timer, and much more. In recent times, smartwatches and digital watches like the G-shock have increased in popularity amongst the military due to the practical functionality they offer.
Size: Military watches come in all sizes. In general, the most rugged tactical watches are rugged, robust, and also very big. On the contrary, we have elegant and classic field watches that are designed according to the designs that existed at the time that they were released. The size of the watch goes hand-in-hand with the type of watch you want. But remember that it can be quite difficult to wear a bulky 45mm military watch with a suit, whilst a sleek 36mm field watch pairs exceptionally well.
Legibility: since functionality is at the forefront of military watches, legibility is naturally an important feature. To make sure you can quickly read the time in any environment and situation, you want to make sure that the watch offers good legibility in any situation, both bright and low-lit conditions.
Batery life: If you opt for a digital or quartz watch, the battery life is something that can be worth taking into consideration. Some digital watches have a solar function that charges the battery when the watch is subject to solar and ambient light which is a practicial feature. But if it is a quartz watch without a solar function, it is best to have a battery life of at least 1 year. Of course, if it’s a smartwatch, that’s generally not possible.
Which watches do Navy SEALs wear?
American Navy SEALs are known to often wear watches from G-Shock, Seiko, Suunto, and Pro Tek. The G-Shock DW-6600 is the official watch of the Navy SEALs that has proven to meet all their needs in terms of functionality and durability.
Durability and robustness
Naturally, when actually worn by the military, watches need to be extremely tough and durable in order to handle all the situations they may be subject to. Whilst field watches, at the time of introduction during WW2, were considered really tough and durable, the same cannot be said accordiing today’s standard. When we think about robust watches, we often think about G-Shock and other true heavy-duty timepiece that can withstand virtually anything – from shocks, bangs, and extreme temperatures. Whilst this is a trait we expect from a military watch, whether it is crucial or not depending on how you plan to use it.
