Top 16 Rolex Alternatives - Less Expensive, Just As Stylish! | Gentleman's Gazette (2024)

There are many brands in the world that need no introduction – McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Apple, and Rolex. Mention the name, and, really, anyone will know exactly what you’re talking about. While brands like Rolex are easily recognizable, there’s a problem: they’re really, really expensive. Although we might all want to own one, the reality is some of us can’t. So, we took the time to look into some affordable alternatives for you.

Please keep in mind that today’s round-up is our opinion. Obviously, not everything is going to be a one-to-one match, and also, please keep in mind that these watches might not necessarily fulfill the itch that you still have to buy the Rolex.

Why Rolex?

So, the first question to get out of the way is: why Rolex? Why are we doing this post when we have members on our team, like Raphael, who said he would never buy one? There are three reasons behind our decision.

First off, Rolex is a status symbol, and even if Raphael doesn’t want to own one, a lot of other people do. When we look back at history, Rolex has a solid reputation of watchmaking, it has Swiss Heritage, and it’s been worn by many influential and iconic people. Whether it’s royalty, film stars, or famous people, odds are we’ve all seen someone that we know wearing a Rolex.

This leads us right to the next point, which is that they are excellent at marketing. Rolex can be seen much like Apple, whose technology isn’t always the most groundbreaking, but it’s always desirable.

Sure, there are other watches that can do everything that a Rolex can do, and there are watches that are even more luxurious. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with their position as a status symbol.

Lastly, Rolex has some of the most iconic designs. People often say that imitation is the best form of flattery, and since there are so many fake Rolexes out there.

By sticking to a small catalog of simple designs, Rolex watches are easily-recognizable. And when it comes to aesthetics, who doesn’t love a beautiful watch?

So, how is this going to work? Here at the Gentleman’s Gazette, we do not stand for buying replicas or fake watches, so we’re not going to tell you to do that. I’m also not going to tell you to buy a watch that’s a one-to-one homage.

The reason why we don’t give this advice is that the entire purpose is to pass off that watch as the original, which we don’t stand for. And if you’ve seen our post on alternatives to iconic luxury watches, we’ll do the same today by naming an iconic Rolex model, and then, we’ll go through three different price tiers, one around $250, one around a thousand, and one above a thousand.

Rolex Watches & Alternatives: Rolex Datejust

First up is the Rolex Datejust – Rolex’s iconic date window watch. Since the 1940s, the Datejust has been a staple of the Rolex catalog. The size and case design has not changed much over the years, with really the only changes coming with the dial colors.

This particular watch starts around $7,000, comes in a few different sizes, and is a great all-around watch. It has a refined elegance with a touch of luxury, but it still looks good with jeans and a T-shirt.

So, when it comes to affordable alternatives, we’re going to look at something that mirrors the design with a lot of versatility.

Datejust Alternatives

So, for under $200, we’re going to recommend the Timex Legacy. These actually have the exact same case sizes as the Datejust at 41 and 36 millimeters. This watch sits around $150 and is powered by a quartz movement.

At under a thousand dollars, we’re going to recommend the Hamilton Jazz Master. It has a sleek design, a really nice bracelet, stainless steel case, and sits around 600 bucks. This watch is also powered by a quartz movement, and it comes from a company with history and heritage like Hamilton.

At over a thousand dollars, there are many great options. So, we’ll give you a few. First up is the Omega Constellation Globemaster. This is a watch that I’ve worn many times, and I love it. It has the same look and design as a Datejust and has a very wearable size.

Also, at this price point, we would recommend the Grand Seiko SBGH277. Coming in at $6,100, this watch boasts an incredible amount of engineering. This Grand Seiko has a beautiful dial, and also a high beat movement, which will give you a much cleaner sweep across the dial of your watch. This timepiece is truly special, and it doesn’t have to have the Rolex name on it for you to know that it’s a great watch.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is Rolex’s entry-level, everyday sports watch. The Oyster Perpetual sits around $6,000, which is a lot of money for an entry-level watch. The OSU Perpetual is a clean and simple time-only watch, and its design really carries this out in a timeless way.

So, for this category, we’re going to focus on watches that are very simple in their design.

Oyster Perpetual Alternatives

At under $200, we recommend the Seiko SNE039. This watch is solar-powered, and it hangs around $200. If you want to get an automatic version that has since been discontinued by Seiko, we would recommend the SARB033. Although, you have to do some hunting to find them.

Both of these watches have very similar styling to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual without being a direct copy from a brand like Seiko, which has heritage.

At under a thousand dollars, we would recommend one of the watches from Tissot’s Powermatic 80 line, specifically the Gentleman model. Tissot has many great options in this Gentleman’s line, with quartz options being around $300 and automatics being between $700 and a thousand.

And at over a thousand dollars, one of my favorites is the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra. Coming in at $5,400 retail and less than that secondhand, this line of watches really does undercut the Oyster Perpetual.

I used to own one for a little while with a blue rubber strap and blue dial that cost me about $3,400, gently-used and it was a great watch that I really loved. Not to mention the Aqua Terra comes in different sizes for different-sized wrists, and it has an exhibition case back so you can see the movement.

There’s also different dial variations and colors. Typically, they all have a teak motif on the dial, but you can also get ones with a small seconds.

Rolex GMT

The iconic Rolex model MT Master II starts at $11,000, and that’s if you can even get one. There are many different options within the GMT line, and they all have fun names, such as Batman, Pepsi, root beer, and now the Sprite.

But, regardless of all these different bezel combinations, the most iconic is the Pepsi. Having a GMT bezel makes a watch inherently sporty, so we’ll be looking at models that have that feature.

GMT Alternatives

At under $200, let’s look at the Timex Waterbury GMT. So, if you could scrape together $200, you can pick this watch up. It has a very similar look to the Rolex without being a direct copy – again, from a brand like Timex, which has history and heritage.

At under a thousand dollars, there are several options, but let’s highlight two. First up is the newly-released Seiko 5 Sports SSK003. This is an automatic Seiko, which takes many cues from the much-loved Seiko SKX, and it sits around $400 to $500. This watch has a chunky case and a jubilee-style bracelet with many different bezel and dial colors.

At over a thousand dollars, there are many options for different GMTs, but we’re going to highlight the Tudor Black Bay GMT at just around $4,000. We’re going to turn to Tudor for our higher-priced option.

What’s interesting is that Tudor and Rolex have actually been linked since 1926. That’s when Rolex’s founder Hans Wilsdorf decided to found Rolex’s sister company, Tudor.

Tudor offers Rolex quality and heritage at a much lower price point. Here, the Tudor Black Bay GMT offers many of the same characteristics as the Pepsi GMT. And if we’re being honest, this is as close as you can get to a Rolex without actually buying a Rolex.

Rolex Daytona

Next up, we’ll look at Rolex’s iconic chronograph at around $14,000. Again, if you can get one, it’s the Rolex Daytona. And if you’d like to learn more about chronographs, you can take a look at our guide on that. But, in a nutshell, chronographs are synonymous with precise timekeeping.

The Daytona gets its name from the iconic Daytona International Raceway in Florida as it’s been a favorite for many auto racers. One particular iteration of the Daytona was nicknamed “The Paul Newman” as it was a favorite watch by actor Paul Newman in the 70s and 80s.

So, when it comes to alternatives, we’re going to be looking at the sporty charm that comes along with the Daytona.

Daytona Alternatives

At under $200, let’s look at this Rotary 1977 chronograph. Purchasing these floats around $160 and can be a little more or a little less, depending on the variation. And at this price point, you get a really cool watch with some nice heritage from a Swiss brand. This watch emulates the Daytona without being a one-to-one copy.

At under a thousand dollars, let’s look at the Yema Rallygraf. This will be our choice for the mid-tier, coming in at around $350. This piece balances the 1970s racing design with a modern sensibility.

At over a thousand dollars, there are many great options but let’s take a look at this Tag Heuer Carrera. When it comes to chronographs and racing, it’s hard to beat Tag Heuer when it comes to legacy. With decades of history of creating timepieces for racers, you know that this watch will mean business. And although Tag Heuer might have lost its way in recent years, this Carrera model has been a flagship since 1963. And with prices being $6,000 new and a lot less for gently used, you can get a whole lot of racing chronographs for a lot less than a Daytona.

Rolex Submariner

Last but certainly not least is maybe Rolex’s most iconic watch, the Submariner. The Submariner’s arguably Rolex’s most recognized watch, and it starts at $9,000 and up.

Submariner Alternatives

Let’s look at a couple different price tiers for some alternatives to the Submariner. Kicking things off with our most budget-friendly option, let’s look at the Casio Duro. Coming in around $60, my real question is, why don’t you have one yet?

Taking cue from the easy legibility of the Submariner, the Casio Duro is a classically-styled dive watch. And with 200 meters of water resistance and a durable Casio case, which is god-tier, this watch is really something you can’t pass up.

At under a thousand dollars, there are many great dive watch options, but let’s look at the Doxa SUB 200 Shark Hunter. At under a thousand dollars, this Doxa is a great choice, and you can find options for a little bit cheaper if you choose a rubber strap.

Doxa has a history of rich heritage when it comes to their dive watches, so this is a great piece to pick up.

And at over a thousand dollars, let’s look at the Omega Seamaster 300. At around $5,000 and less for gently used, you can get a really great piece of Omega’s history and heritage with this diver, and we discuss more of our thoughts about the timepiece in our in-depth review.

The Seamaster is a serious dive watch and boasts 300-meters, unsurprisingly, of water resistance, which is perhaps why naval commander James Bond has used this as his watch since the mid-1990s.

Conclusion

As we draw our list of budget alternatives to a close, it’s kind of cool to think that you could own an entire collection of alternatives for less than a thousand dollars. Each of those pieces would present an element of the various Rolex models that we brought up without copying them one-to-one.

Whatever your budget is, watches should be about enjoyment. It doesn’t matter how much you paid, just as long as you buy something with heritage, craftsmanship, and that you love wearing.

If you’re a Rolex owner or aspiring to own one, let us know in the comments which model you want or which model you have. And if you don’t want to buy a Rolex, what would you buy as an alternative?

Outfit Rundown

Today, I’m wearing an outfit that is casual for the changing seasons here as we move into fall all in Minneapolis. I’m wearing an army green field jacket. This is one that I wear quite often, and I picked it up from Nordstrom a few years ago. It has a bunch of pockets, which is great for the cold months to keep my hands warm. It’s also great for bringing items along on a hayride or to go to the pumpkin patch.

Sticking with our fall transition, I’m wearing a denim shirt. This is made-to-measure by Beckett & Robb. I’m wearing a brown leather belt and a pair of British khaki chinos from L.L. Bean.

My shoes are my trusty Wolverine 1000 Miles. This was the first expensive pair of shoes that I bought when I got into menswear. My parents thought that I was crazy, but here they are, still going strong.

On my wrist is the Timex Waterbury GMT. This is a really cool watch that we got, and it’s a great Rolex alternative. Many of the watches in today’s post were supplied by Federico over at Delray Watch. They’re not a sponsor of the Gentleman’s Gazette, but we always appreciate them sending watches over.

If you need any great accessories in your fall transition, maybe some orange or red pocket squares or brown socks, go check out the Fort Belvedere shop.

Transition in style with Fort Belvedere accessories!