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We might be biased, but we believe that a new wristwatch is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give or receive. And finding a quality watch doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg!
(You'll need that arm for your new watch!)
In this gift ideas post, check out a few of our favorite Nixon watches under $500. From unique stainless steel automatic watches to quartz movement dress watches, there's something here for everyone!
For more gifting ideas, visit our full holiday gift guide.
Top Nixon Watches Under $500 for the Holidays
If you're looking for a thoughtful gift that will last forever, and won't break you're bank, you're in the right place. We've compiled a handful of our favorite Nixon watches that we think make the perfect gift.
We've broken these gift ideas up by watch type and have included multiple men's watches and women's watches in each watch type section.
Let's get into it!
Dress Watches Under $500
If the person you're gifting a watch to has to dress up for work everyday, or just takes pride in looking nice, a new dress watch is a good place to start.
Here are a few of our best dress watches under $500.
For Men
Depending on what this gift recipient dresses up for, you might choose to go with a leather strap or a stainless steel bracelet watch. Here are three solid gift options for dress watches for men, two quartz watches and one automatic watch:
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- Echo 38: The Echo 38 is a stainless steel analog movement watch on the smaller size of men's watches. Lume hands and indices help this watch stand out at night. And during the day, the Echo 38 utilizes the power of the sun (or indoor lighting) to charge it's solar-powered movement. Currently, the Echo 38 is available in three color options (Silver / Cloud Dancer, Gold / Black, All Black) for $225.
- Sentry Chrono Leather: The next men's dress watch under $500 on our list is the Sentry Chrono Leather. This 42mm leather strap watch looks the part of sophistication with a bold chronograph complication on the watch dial. The Sentry Chrono Leather is currently available in five colors (Gold / Indigo / Brown, Light Gunmetal / Basalt / Sienna, Matte Black / Gold / Black, All Gunmetal / Black, Chrome / Cloud Sunray / Black) for $275. Additionally, it is part of our engraved watches collection, meaning you can add a personalized message to the case back.
- Spectra: Finally, the stainless steel bracelet Spectra rounds out this part of the list. The Spectra is an automatic movement watch with a classic skeleton face, giving wearers and admirers a view of the internal mechanics. Whether this is someone's first watch or another addition to a watch collection, the 40mm case size Spectra is guaranteed to impress. It is currently available in three colors (All Black, Black / Gold, Navy Sunray / Silver) for $375, and is one of the most affordable watches with an automatic movement you'll find anywhere.
Now, here are three options for ladies dress watches under $500.
For Women
There are plenty of options for women's dress watches under the $500 mark here at Nixon. Again, the options range from stainless steel bracelets to leather watch straps, depending on the style and needs of the person receiving the gift!
Here are three options:
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- Time Teller Leather: Of the three under $500 women's dress watches we'll recommend, the Time Teller Leather is the closest to also being an excellent casual watch option. A quick release leather watch strap accompanies an understated yet elegant watch dial. The Time Teller Leather is a 37mm women's analog watch. It is currently available in five different colors (Light Gold / White Sunray, Light Gunmetal / Basalt / Sienna, Silver / Black, Silver / Egret / Cranberry, Silver / Cloud / Indigo) for $125. Like the Sentry Chrono above, the Time Teller Leather is a watch that can be engraved.
- Time Teller Solar: The Time Teller makes another appearance, this time in a slightly larger model with a stainless steel bracelet and a solar-powered quartz movement. This 40mm analog dress watch included a quick release watch band with a clasp that does not require any special tools to resize, making it an easy women's watch to resize and customize. The Time Teller Solar watch is available in six different colors (Silver / Jade Sunray, All Gold / Black, Silver / Dusty Blue Sunray, All Black / White, Chocolate / Cappuccino, Silver / Rainbow) for $150.
- Confidante: Wrapping up this section of women's gift ideas is the unique looking Confidante. Modeled to look very much like a piece of jewelry, the Confidante is equal parts distinct and subtle. When worn with the butterfly clasp closed, the Confidante looks just like a jewelry bracelet. Lifting the clasp reveals the watch dial. Currently, the Confidante is available in two colors (All Gold, Silver / Gold) for $250.
Next, let's check out some of the best everyday Nixon watches under $500.
Everyday Watches Under $500
A versatile watch that can be worn anytime can improve not just a single day, but an entire week, month, year, and beyond. These next watches are Nixon's best everyday watches under $500 for both men and women.
For Men
An important thing to consider when purchasing an everyday men's gift watch is what does the average day look like for the person receiving the gift? By understanding how he likes to spend his time, you can get him the perfect watch to fit his day-to-day routines and hobbies.
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- Mullet: The Nixon Mullet easily makes the list of top quartz watches for everyday use under $500. The Mullet is an analog watch with a 38mm watch case and water resistance up to 100 meters. A main reason the Mullet is such a perfect everyday watch is its versatility. Currently available to purchase with either a stainless steel or silicone bracelet, the Mullet utilizes a quick release watch strap. This means changing your band based on the occasion is extremely easy. The Mullet is available in three different colors (Black / Black, Silver / Teal, Light Gold / White) and is $200 for the stainless steel version and $150 for the silicone.
- Sentry Nylon: Watches with nylon straps make for excellent everyday watches. The new Sentry Nylon fits the bill perfectly. This understated nylon watch is available for just $175. And while the watch dial may seem understated at first, upon further inspection, it truly pops with dimension! The Sentry Nylon is part of our watch engraving program. It is currently only available in one color (Silver / Light Brown / Forest).
- Smyth 44: The Smyth 44 is a new watch to the Nixon lineup, and as an everyday use watch for men it makes a ton of sense. The bezel is rugged and the durable sapphire crystal means it can withstand rougher use. This 44m watch is available in three colors (Khaki / Red, Silver / Black, Super Black / Black) for $300.
For Women
If you're looking for an every day watch for the woman in your life, look no further. These three watches are perfect for her to wear everyday, whether she's going to the office or to brunch with the girls.
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- Optimist: The Optimist is a stainless steel women's watch that is solar powered. At 33.5mm, the Optimist is subtle enough to be worn on the weekends, but also retains enough of that jewelry-inspired look that make it feel normal in more dressy contexts. Currently the Optimist is available in two colors (All Light Gold, All Rose Gold) for $200.
- Thalia Leather: The minimalist aesthetic of the Thalia Leather is why this women's watch gets confidently placed in our list of best everyday women's watches for under $500. The 38mm Thalia Leather has a super slim profile and comes with a quality tapered leather watch strap. It is available in three color options (Light Gold / Black, Light Gold / Tan, Rose Gold / White) for $200.
- Siren Stainless Steel: The Siren Stainless Steel is the first digital watch to make our list. And it makes a ton of sense for this watch to appear in our list of women's everyday watches. Whether you're going to work on a Monday or the gym on a Saturday, the Siren Stainless Steel never looks out of place. This 36mm digital women's watch is water resistant up to 100 meters. It's available in five colors (Gold / White, Rose Gold / Black, Black / Fatigue, Gold / Black, All Black) for $150.
To wrap up this list of our favorite holiday watches under $500 for women and men, let's check out some sport watches.
Sport Watches Under $500
Many of the sport watches we carry are unisex digital watches. Here are three Nixon sport watches under $500 that make for great gifts this holiday season.
Disk - $125
If you're looking for a digital sports watch that does the basics and won't break the bank, the Nixon Disk is just for you. This sport watch under $500 includes only the essentials: day, date, time, alarm, chronograph and a countdown timer. At 39mm, it will never get in the way! The Disk is available in four colors (Gunmetal / Black / Positive, Black / Negative, Orange / Orange / Negative, Oceanic / Positive) for $125.
Heat - $150
The Heat is one of the classic men's and women's digital watches from the Nixon lineup. This 38mm slim digital sports watch is extremely low-profile, the case is only 8mm thick! It comes with features like time, day, date, chronograph, pre-set timers and more. The Heat is available in a total of 10 colors (Black / Red, Citron / Black, Black / White, All Black, Silver, Blue, Gold / Black, Gunmetal Positive, Surplus, Black / Aqua Positive) for $150.
Ripley - $200
Last but certainly not least is the Nixon Ripley. The Ripley is the perfect sports watch for the person who enjoys doing things outdoors like hiking. It is a 47mm watch that can be both analog and digital. The digital screen offers wearers an altimeter, temperature, timer and more. The Ripley can be purchased in four different colors (Gunmetal, Surplus / Black, Black / Red, All Black) for $200.
Best Men's and Women's Gift Watches Under $500 in Review
As you can see, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to finding the right gift watch for a man or a woman under $500.
If you'd like to see more affordable watches, check out some of the other collections we've put together including:
