6 Best Affordable Hand-Wound Watches [Manual Watches List & Guide]
There is an endless number of different types of watches on the market. Chronographs, dress watches, dive watches, and much more.
But what defines horology, and perhaps the most crucial aspect of a watch, at least to some, is the heart of the watch, the movement.
There are several types of movements used for wristwatches today. The most common are quartz, automatic, and hand-wound.
In this article, we are taking a closer look at some of the best and most affordable hand-wound watches on the market. But before we do that, let’s look at what a hand-wound watch really is, and what makes it so special.
What is a hand-wound watch?
A hand-wound watch is also known as a mechanical watch or a manual watch. This is a watch that is powered by a mechanical, manual movement. What this means is that in order for it to have the energy to run, you need to wind the crown regularly to charge the mainspring. Mechanical watches were the first type of mechanical movement, and can also be found in early timepieces such as pocket watches, which are wound using a key.
But ever since automatic movements came about, the popularity of hand-wound watches decreased. Automatic movements eliminated the need for having to remember to consistently wind the crown to prevent the watch from stopping. From a convenience standpoint, it makes sense to choose automatic over hand wound. You simply put it on and as long as you wear it, you won’t have to worry about it stopping.
But despite this, hand-wound watches still live and there are several manufactures that offer hand-wound watches in their collection. There are several reasons for this.
Why choose a hand-wound watch?
The first and most common reason why people opt for hand-wound watches is that they appreciate the fine mechanical craftsmanship that is behind it and wants to ”come closer” to experiencing the movement. Many people enjoy the ritual of winding their watch on a regular basis brings them closer to the watch and lets them appreciate the watch even more.
Another aspect is the historical connection of hand-wound watches. For example, you’ll notice that vintage-inspired military field watches, for example, often use hand-wound watches. This is because they want to stay true to the original watch from which they seek inspiration. And it makes sense that a vintage inspiration stays true to the original, not only in terms of design but also in terms of its movement.
Another benefit of hand-wound movements is that because they do not have rotors, they can be slimmer and thus sit better on the wrist.
Remember that whilst hand-wound watches are mechanical, so are automatic watches, and this is why it can be confusing to use the word ”mechanical” without any distinction between the two. It is also worth mentioning that in recent years, more automatic movements have incorporated the hand-wound, which means you have both automatic and hand-wound. That does not, however, make an automatic watch a hand-wound watch, although it has a hand-winding function. Therefore, the best term for this type of watch is hand-wound or manual, because you manually wind them.
Without further ado, let’s look closer at some of the best affordable hand-wound manual watches.
Top 6 Best Affordable Hand-Wound [Manual] Watches
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Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical White Dial H69439411
Starting off this list is the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69439411. The fact that Hamilton is a brand that has a lot of hand-wound watches to offer doesn’t come as a surprise. Hamilton has had a close history of making military field watches, including for the World Wars, and to this very day, Hamilton’s military-inspired timepieces play an important Rolex in Hamilton’s collection of timepieces. With that said, it makes sense that Hamilton also makes these timepieces hand-wound.
This is a classic field watch with a very sporty, tool-like, and military-inspired design.
It is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 38mm with a matte finish for a sporty look. The water resistance is 50m/165 feet and on top of the case sits a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It has a thickness of 9.5mm which ensures that it sits slim on the wrist.
It is executed with a classic field watch-inspired dial. Its white color makes it stand out, however, and it has large 12-hour and 24-hour Arabic numerals printed in black for excellent legibility. The watch has large hands with a”faux patina” and black frames which ensure great legibility and contrast against the white background.
Specifications
- Diameter: 38mm
- Thickness: 9.5mm
- Water resistance: 50m/165 feet
- Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire
Nomos Orion White Dial Stainless Steel 309
The Nomos Orion 309 is a stylish and elegant hand-wound mechanical watch designed as a sleek dress watch or an elegant timepiece for everyday wear.
It features a stainless steel case with a diameter of 35mm and a thickness of 8.45mm. The water resistance is 30m/100 feet. The slim and elegant stainless steel case has a polished finish and is very slim which puts all the focus on the dial. Because the lugs are quite long, the watch wears bigger than you may think a 35mm watch wears. In addition, the large dial makes it perceive larger. Therefore, it is suitable for most wrists. The dial is minimalistic and clean too with a white background and a subtle sub-seconds dial positioned above the 6 o’clock position.
Now, this watch is a bit more expensive at around 2000 USD, but it’s still considered to offer exceptional value for money due to the craftsmanship, finishing, and quality it offers.
The watch is of course powered by a hand-wound movement, specifically the Nomos Calibre Alpha which has a power reserve of 43mm.
Specifications
- Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire
- Water resistance: 30m/100 feet
- Thickness: 8.45mm
- Diameter: 35mm
- Power reserve: 43 hours
- Movement: Nomos Calibre Alpha
Junghans Max Bill Max Bill Hand-Winding 027/3700.00
If you are looking for a simple, sleek, and elegant watch that works just as great for everyday wear as on formal occasions, the Junghans Max Bill Max Bill 027/3700.00 is a watch worth exploring.
The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 34mm. Its slim profile of only 9mm ensures it sits slim on the wrist.
The watch is designed to be simple, elegant, thin, and lightweight. The lugs are very small, and equally so the bezel, which puts all the focus on the dial. Speaking of the dial, it has a silver, simple Bauhaus-inspired design with thin pencil hands and luminescence applied to the dial as well as the hands. It is water-resistant which makes it splash-resistantv, but it is not a watch you’d go swimming or diving with anyway. On top of the case sits a convex hard Plexiglass with SICRALAN coating.
The watch is powered by a mechanical hand-wound Swiss movement. All in all, this is just a simple, dressy, and stylish timepiece for the minimalistic person who enjoys hand-wound movements.
Specifications
- Diameter: 34mm
- Thickness: 9mm
- Crystal: convex hard Plexiglass with SICRALAN coating
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69439931
This Hamilton Khaki Field H69439931 may be one of the most popular affordable field watches on the market, and it’s easy to see why. It also happens to have a mechanical hand-wound movement.
The watch features a matte stainless steel case with a diameter of 38mm with a traditional military shape with squared-off lugs. With its military field watch design, it looks just as rugged as it is. This is a timepiece that will work well for virtually any occasion, whilst still being able to hold up to demanding situations.
It is water-resistant to 50 meters and has a sapphire crystal on top. The dial is matte black and has 12-hour and 24-hour Arabic numerals printed on the dial in white. The luminescence is brown/beige which obviously goes well together with its vintage-inspired design. The hands of the watch have a white frame which provides excellent contrast against the black background.
All in all, this is the ultimate watch for anyone who enjoys history, hand-wound movements, and rugged military field watches. And the Hamilton offers all of this and excels in what it offers, especially considering its affordable price.
Specifications
- Water resistance: 50m
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Diameter: 38mm
Timex Marlin Hand-Wound
The Timex Marlin is a small and stylish hand-wound timepiece with an elegant and simple design. With its diameter of only 32 3/5mm, it is rather small and therefore works well for individuals with small wrists or those who enjoy elegant dress watches. The case has a polished finish and a very simple design with thin lugs and a thin bezel. The thickness is only 10mm which makes it sit very slim on the wrist and slide under a cuff without any issues.
The watch is of course powered by a hand-wound movement.
It is presented with a beautiful yet simple dial with a silver sunburst finish and black hands which provide good contrast against the dial. The dial also has Arabic numerals printed in black.
The water resistance is 100 feet. Not the best but this isn’t a watch you’d go swimming or diving with anyway.
Specifications
- Thickness: 10mm
- Diameter: 32 3/5mm
- Water resistance: 100 feet
Junghans Meister Sunray Blue Dial Hand Wound 027/3504
The Junghans Meister Sunray 027/3504 is a very stylish, sleek, and elegant hand-wound timepiece with a dressy and elegant appearance.
It is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 37.7mm, a lug-to-lug of 43mm, and a thickness of 7,3mm. With that said, it is not tiny, but it is also not huge. In other words, suitable for most wrists and for most occasions.
The watch has a simple yet elegant case design with a polished finish. It has short lugs and a thin bezel. This leaves all the focus on the dial, and this is also where Junghans has put the most effort.
The watch is presented with a beautiful blue dial with a sunburst finish which reflects the light beautifully. It has thin polished hour markers and leaf-style shaped hands with a polished finish. Beautifully integrated above 6 o’clock, it has a sub-seconds sub-dial. On top of the case sits a Hard plexiglass with five SICRALAN coatings.
The watch is powered by a swiss Mechanical ETA movement (Basic caliber: ETA 7001 Peseux, movement J815.1) which can be seen through the see-through case back, making it a true enthusiast’s watch, enabling you to admire the beautiful mechanical craftsmanship inside.
It is water-resistant to 3ATM, meaning it can handle water splashes.
All in all, this is a minimalistic hand-wound timepiece with a striking dial that ensures that, despite its simple design, you’ll never get bored of it. It works exceptionally well both on formal occasions as well as for everyday wear.
Specifications
- Movement: J815.1, Basic calibre ETA 7001 Peseux
- Diameter: 37.7mm
- Lug to lug: 43 mm
- Thickness: 7.3mm
- Crystal: Hard plexiglass with five SICRALAN coatings
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
What is a hand-wound watch?
A hand-wound watch is a watch that is powered by a mechanical movement and has to be wound manually in order to get the energy to function. Unlike the more common automatic watches, it does not have a rotor that winds the mainspring, thus requiring you to wind it manually instead.
How often do I need to wind my manual watch?
How often you need to wind your manual watch depends on its power reserve. Some watches have a longer power reserve whilst others have a shorter. In general, manual watches have a power reserve of about 24 hours to 56 hours. This means that if you have fully wound your watch, you will have that much amount of time left before it needs to be wound again. Look at your watch’s specifications in regard to the power reserve and then wind it accordingly. It’s wise to wind it before the exact time you expect it to last since the power reserve may be shorter than specified for various reasons, including how it has been worn and if you really wound it completely. A general guideline is to wind your watch every day. You don’t necessarily need to wind it completely, but you can wind it 10 turns or so to keep it going.
How do I know when I have fully wound my manual watch?
The more you wind your manual watch, the more resistance you will feel. When you start to feel a lot of resistance, you know that you have wound your watch almost completely.
Are hand-wound watches good?
The answer to that question is exactly the same as with any watch – they can be both good and bad, and it depends on the watch you choose. The sole fact that it is a manual watch isn’t really the deciding factor in whether the watch is good or bad, just like a quartz watch isn’t bad solely because it is quartz. Instead, it’s more important to look at the brand of the watch and the quality that has gone into making it.
Buyer’s guide to buying a hand-wound manual watch
Apart from the movement that powers it, you should look at the exact same criteria that you normally look for when buying a watch. The most important questions to answer are:
- What type of watch do I want? Sports watch, dive watch, dress watch?
- How and when will I wear my watch? Will you wear it every day? In the office? On formal occasions, when swimming, or something else?
- What is my budget? This will help you narrow down your search and make it easier to find a watch that suits your budget.
- What size do I want? The size of the watch is very important to make sure that you are happy with it. If you have small wrists, you need a smaller watch, but if you have larger wrists, you will naturally need a larger watch. Also, the occasions on which you will wear your watch can also affect what size is suitable for your hand-wound watch.
