Top 10 Best Affordable Titanium Watches
Most watches are made in stainless steel. It is an affordable and durable material that is quite easy to work with and to get different finishes. This is particularly true for affordable watches.
But one material that is not as frequently used, whether for affordable or luxury watches, and is titanium.
And titanium certainly has a number of benefits over stainless steel. Titanium is used in a number of different demanding industries, not to mention for aerospace and other highly requiring industries.
Titanium is particularly appreciated for its high strength to weight ratio which is a great characteristic to have in a watch. Titanium has been used for watches for several decades, but it has never really gotten the traction that the material deserves. In recent times, more and more manufacturers have been experimenting with titanium due to the benefits it offers, and it is certainly a material that is worth looking for in your next watch. Actually, it is quite surprising in the sense that titanium hasn’t yet gotten the same traction as stainless steel considering that it is actually superior to steel in many aspects.
The strength-to-weight ratio of titanium is almost double that of stainless steel and it is also, unlike stainless steel, virtually impervious to corrosion. Titanium is also hypoallergenic and develops a thin oxide film with the presence of oxygen, which prevents the material from interacting with things like your skin. In addition, titanium is also anti-magnetic and extremely heat-resistant.
With all of this said, it’s easy to see the many benefits of choosing a titanium watch. What is not as easy to see is why more manufacturers are not using titanium for more watches.
The only primary downside of titanium is that it tends to scratch more easily than stainless steel. They also don’t have the same luster and shine when polished as stainless steel. This means that it is perfect for sports watches but perhaps not as ideal for dress watches.
The good news is also that titanium watches do not have to break the bank. Actually, there are quite a few great titanium watches to choose from. The result of using titanium for watches is timepieces that are tough, lightweight, and extremely durable.
Let’s look closer at the top best affordable titanium watches.
Best Affordable Titanium watches
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Citizen Quartz Titanium BM6929-56L
Starting off this list is the Citizen BM6929-56L which is designed as a sporty everyday watch. It is presented with a 42mm titanium case and fitted on a bracelet with a folding clasp. The water resistance is 100m/330 feet and it is powered by a Japanese quartz movement.
The fact that this is a titanium watch will not go unnoticed since Citizen has highlighted this aspect by including” titanium” printing on the dial. It has taken design cues from dive watches, but it isn’t designed as a full-on dive watch considering its water resistance. Instead, it works perfectly for casual everyday wear.
The dial is divided into two sections with stripes and a sunburst finish at the center. It has large applied metal markers with luminescent material applied to them, and the hands equally so. At 3 o’clock, it has a date window which is a feature that can be convenient for everyday wear.
The finishing of the case is also nice with brushed and polished elements, and all in all, it’s just a great titanium watch at an affordable price that is suitable for most occasions.
Specifications
- Diameter: 42mm
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Movement: Japanese quartz
Citizen Quartz Titanium chronograph CA0349-51L
If you’re looking for something sportier and more advanced, the CitizenA0349-51L is a beefed-up version of the watch above. Instead of only displaying the time and date, this one has also been equipped with a chronograph function.
It is presented with a 44mm titanium case and has a water resistance of 100m/330 feet. It is powered by a Japanese quartz Eco-Drive movement. This means that it is powered by solar and ambient light, which thus eliminates the need for replacing the battery, which is of course convenient. The case shape remains essentially the same and combines polished and brushed elements. For operating the chronograph, it of course also has chronograph push-buttons on each side of the crown.
The dial is obviously a bit busy with its three large chronograph sub-dials, but they certainly add to the sporty appearance of the watch. The dial is decorated with blue and silver accents, both dark blue and baby blue. Positioned at 3 o’clock, it has a date window as well. Around the rehaut, it has a printed tachymeter scale which works together with the chronograph to measure average speeds. The hands are broad and large which provides excellent contrast and great legibility.
The watch features a 1/5-second chronograph that measures up to 60 minutes. The watch has both 12/24 hour time.
If you’re looking for a sporty timepiece that offers all of the benefits of titanium such as lightness and robustness, you can’t go wrong with this Citizen watch.
Specifications
- Diameter: 44mm
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Movement: Japanese quartz Eco-Drive
Seiko SGG731 Titanium
The Seiko SGG731 is a 38mm titanium watch with a simple and classic design which makes it perfect for everyday wear. Its reasonable size makes it suitable for both men and women. Also, thanks to its size, it is suitable for both formal and casual occasions and for everyday wear. All in all, it’s just a simple, clean, and elegant timepiece that works for any occasion.
The watch is powered by a quartz movement and has a sapphire crystal on top. It is water-resistant to 100m/330 feet. It features a black dial and has a day and a date window positioned at 3 o’clock. The dial has applied metal hour markers and classic hands with luminescence on them.
Thanks to the titanium case and titanium bracelet, it obviously gets a very light feel on the wrist.
Specifications
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: quartz
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Crystal: Sapphire
Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Quartz BL5551-06L
The Citizen Eco-Drive titanium chronograph BL5551-06L is a sporty and masculine timepiece, of course with a titanium case. The case measures 43mm in diameter and has a water resistance of 43mm in diameter. The water resistance is 100m/330 feet. On top of the case sits a non-reflective crystal.
It is powered by Citizen’s Eco-Drive movement which gets energy from ambient and solar light, which means you will never have to replace its battery.
Whilst the watch is large and bulky in design, it actually feels very light on the wrist thanks to the titanium case. To make it more casual and wearable, Citizen has presented it on a brown leather strap. But still, it has a large case size, so naturally, it requires a big wrist or that you enjoy wearing large watches.
The watch incorporates a 1/20 second chronograph for up to 60 minutes and displays 12/24 hour time. It also has dual time, tachymeter, and date. In other words, it is a sports watch that is packed with useful functions.
Specifications
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Diameter: 43mm
- Movement: Eco-Drive solar-powered quartz
Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T Titanium JY8101-52L
If you’re looking for a serious tool watch with lots of functions and interesting technology, the Promaster Blue Angels Skyhawk A-T Titanium JY8101-52L is definitely a good choice.
The watch has a large titanium case with a diameter of 45mm and is presented on a sporty titanium bracelet. It is an Eco-Drive timepiece, which means that energy is generated to its movement from solar and ambient light, thus eliminating the need for replacing batteries.
As the name suggests, it is a pilot’s watch, and therefore, it has all kinds of different functions a pilot may need. The watch has atomic timekeeping in 43 cities and incorporates a perpetual calendar, dual time, alarms, as well as a pilot’s rotating slide rule bezel.
The main theme of this watch is yellow and blue, which is because it is inspired by Blue Angels’ signature colors. You’ll also find the Blue Angels insignia on the case back. With this watch, Citizen pays tribute to the United States Navy’s elite flight demonstration squadron, and it has all the functions to back it up.
It is equipped with a 1/100 Second Chronograph that measures up to 24 Hours, Dual time, 2 alarms, and a 99-Minute countdown timer. For improved legibility, it has a digital backlight display and UTC time display. The dial has digital screens as well as analog timekeeping with luminous hands. On top of the case, it has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
All in all, this is a serious titanium watch for the true adventurer, traveler, and pilot.
Specifications
- Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire
- Diameter: 45mm
- Movement: Solar-powered Eco-Drive quartz
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet
Bertucci 12022 A-2T Original Classics Titanium Field Watch
The Bertucci 12022 A-2T is a titanium field watch, inspired by military timepieces. It is presented with a titanium case and a simple, sleek, and tool-like design. The watch features a black dial with white printed numerals for 12-hour and 24-hour timekeeping. Positioned at 4 o’clock, it has a date window.
The watch is constructed with a U.S. Patented solid titanium Unibody which ensures extreme durability, but also lightness on the wrist. The water resistance is 200m/660 feet which is actually really good, meaning you can go swimming. The crown is positioned at 4 o’clock which helps improve comfort as it does not dig into the wrist.
The hands are quite broad and have luminescence applied to them which ensures great legibility.
With that said, if you are looking for a robust and sporty tool watch with great durability, this one is a great choice.
Specifications
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Case: U.S. Patented solid titanium
Timex Expedition Scout 40mm
The Timex Expedition Scout is an affordable titanium watch with a 40mm titanium case. With a price of around 50 USD, it is actually one of the most affordable and best-value titanium watches on the market that you can find.
As the name suggests, it is an explorer’s tool watch, which has a military-inspired field watch design. It, of course, has a titanium case with a matte finish which provides a sporty look. On top of the case sits a mineral glass.
Like classic military watches, it has 24-hour and 12-hour Arabic numerals printed on the dial. At 3 o’clock, it has a date window which can be convenient for everyday wear.
The watch uses Timex’s classic Indigo light-up watch dial which helps improve legibility. It also has luminous hands which create good contrast against the black background. The watch is water-resistant to 50m/165 feet which means it can be used for short periods of swimming and handle water splashes.
Specifications
- Diameter: 40mm
- Water-resistance: 50meters
Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium BL5558-58L
The Citizen BL5558-58L is a solar-powered sports chronograph with a titanium case and bracelet. It has a diameter of 43mm and is built to be robust, bulky, and sporty. The titanium used for this watch is treated with Duratect which is Citizen’s proprietary surface-hardening coating.
The quartz Eco-Drive movement ensures that you will never have to replace the batteries. Whilst it is a chronograph, it offers a prettifying good water resistance of 100m/330 feet which makes it suitable for swimming.
For a sporty look, it has a black ion-plated bezel with 60-minute markers on it. The watch is presented with a dark blue-ish dial with three sub-dials on it for the chronograph functions. For good legibility, it has large hands with luminescence applied to them. Around the dial, it has large Arabic numerals with luminescence applied as well.
The watch features a 1/20 second chronograph that measures up to 60 minutes and offers both 12- and 24-hour time. It also has a perpetual calendar, dual time (a second-time zone), a tachymeter, a date display, and an alarm. In other words, it is packed with functions and features that may or may not come in handy but definitely adds to the charm and sporty appeal.
Specifications
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Diameter: 43mm
- Movement: solar-powered ECO-drive quartz
- Crystal: anti-reflective mineral
Invicta Pro Diver Titanium Automatic 0420
If you’re looking for a watch with a classic and traditional dive watch-inspired design with a titanium execution and affordable price, the Invicta 0420 is a great choice.
This watch is presented with a titanium case with a diameter of 45mm and a thickness of 15mm. It has all of the classic traits of a dive watch such as a unidirectional rotating bezel with a black 60-minute graduation scale, a black dial, and large markers.
The watch is powered by a Japanese Automatic movement with 24 jewels. The movement can also be seen through the see-through case back which is a nice touch. As a classic diver, it has a black dial with large applied markers with metal frames and luminescence applied to them. At 3 o’clock, it has a date window with a cyclops on top which can be convenient to have. On top of the case, it uses a mineral crystal.
The water resistance is 200m/660 feet which is actually quite good for an affordable dive watch and it means it can go swimming and diving without any issues.
Specifications
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 15mm
- Movement: Japanese automatic
- Weight: 122 grams
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Crystal: mineral
Victorinox Swiss Army Men’s I.N.O.X. Pro Diver
The Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Pro Diver Watch is one of the most popular sports tool watches on the market, and much of course has to do with the fact that Victorinox makes high-quality durable watches.
The watch is built as a sporty tool watch that is suitable for diving. It has a diameter of 45mm and a case completely constructed of titanium. The watch is available in a number of iterations and different colors so you can choose the one that you enjoy the most.
This watch is a certified diving watch that meets the rigorous nihs 92-11 Swiss watchmaking standards, and the water resistance is an impressive 200m/660 feet. On top of the case sits an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
It is powered by a Swiss quartz movement, like all of Victorinox’s timepieces.
All in all, this is a great choice for a Swiss dive watch if you are looking for a Swiss watch at an affordable price and with great quality.
Specifications
- Diameter: 45mm
- Movement: Swiss quartz
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet
Is titanium a good material to use for watches?
Stainless steel has been the go-to metal for watches for a long time – and for good reasons. It is cheap, easy to craft and finish, and it is also very durable.
But titanium is a material that has become more popular in recent years due to the benefits that it offers. And the answer to the question is yes, titanium is a great material to use for watches. First and foremost, titanium is corrosion-resistant (unlike steel) and is also 40% lighter, resulting in watches that are extremely comfortable to wear. Because the oxide film that titanium has keeps it from rusting or corroding, it is a great metal to use for dive watches.
Another benefit is that titanium is anti-allergenic, meaning it doesn’t cause allergic reactions or rashes, which other materials may. One reason that titanium hasn’t gotten as great traction as stainless steel is first and foremost that stainless steel has been used so long in the watch industry that it has become “standard”. But another important reason is that titanium is more difficult to craft and thus leads to slightly higher production costs.
Does titanium watches scratch easily?
Whilst titanium is extremely strong, it has a lower hardness level than stainless steel, meaning it tends to scratch more easily than steel. Titanium also tends to show scratches more than stainless steel due to the nature of its surface with its darker color. The good news, however, is that scratches are quite easy to remove from titanium so you can easily make it as good as new.
Should you buy a titanum watch?
If you like the idea of an ultra-light timepiece on your wrist, whilst still getting a feeling of quality and robustness, titanium could be a great choice for your next watch. Titanium has a slightly darker hue to it than stainless steel and therefore makes a great material for tool watches in particular, giving that extra sporty appearance. This is also one of the reasons why will, in general, find titanium being used for sporty timepieces rather than elegant dress watches.
Titanium watches is also a popular choice for those with nickel allergies or sensitive skin who tend to get rashes easily from wearing a watch as titanium is anti-allergenic.
Are titanium watches expensive?
As you can see from the list above, titanium watches do not have to be expensive. The reason why titanium watches are known to be expensive is that it is a material that is, as mentioned, more difficult to craft, leading to higher production costs. The good news is that more and more affordable watch brands have started making watches in titanium, meaning you can now enjoy titanium watches even with a restricted budget. Today, there are titanium watches in all price ranges, including the affordable price range, as seen in the list above.
Is titanium better than stainless steel?
There is no right or wrong it – it purely depends on what you are looking for. If you enjoy light watches that don’t feel heavy and chunky on the wrist, it can be a good alternative. Titanium does also offer some benefits over stainless steel, including the fact that it is three to four times stronger than stainless steel, does not corrode, or rust, and is hypoallergenic. The downside is that titanium scratches more easily and doesn’t get the same luster and finish as steel. But if you want a tough sports watch for everyday wear that is also light, titanium could be a better alternative.
Can you polish a titanium watch?
Yes, you can polish titanium to a shiny finish as well as a brushed finish (with either a polishing cloth or refinishing pad). These are both affordable to get and allow you to easily and quickly get rid of annoying scratches and signs of wear on your watch yourself. A professional watchmaker can also give your watch a full polish if you don’t want to do it yourself or if you have a lot of scratches on your watch and want to make it as good as new.
