An automatic watch winds itself from the motion of your wrist, and under $500 you can get one with a sapphire crystal, a real dive bezel, and a GMT hand. The three we stock cover the two classic automatic types, the diver and the GMT, plus the Seiko 5 that taught most people what an automatic is. This guide compares them.
Dango DV-02 Automatic Dive Watch, $425
An automatic dive watch rated to 300 meters, with a sapphire crystal, luminous markers and hands, and a metal bracelet. The one to buy if you want one automatic. DV-02.
Dango GMT-01 Automatic GMT Watch, $475
A GMT hand tracks a second time zone on a 24-hour scale, in an automatic with sapphire, lume and a metal bracelet. For travelers. GMT-01.
Seiko 5 Sports 55th Anniversary Limited Edition, $489.99
A numbered limited edition (this one is 1196 of 1968) of the Seiko 5 automatic, 42.5 mm, the watch that made automatics affordable. Seiko 5 55th Anniversary, one available.
Automatic vs quartz
An automatic runs off a mainspring you wind by wearing it; take it off for two days and it stops. It is less accurate than quartz and more interesting to own. If you want accuracy, the Dango CR-01 is a Swiss quartz chronograph at $425.
What to look for under $500
Sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown on a diver, a bezel that clicks, and a movement from a maker you know: Seiko, Miyota, or a Swiss caliber.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best automatic watch under $500?
The Dango DV-02 for a diver, the GMT-01 for a GMT.
What is an automatic watch?
A mechanical watch that winds itself from wrist motion.
Do automatics need batteries?
No.
How accurate are they?
Seconds a day, versus seconds a month for quartz.
Is the Seiko 5 a good automatic?
It is the standard affordable automatic; the anniversary edition is a numbered limited run.
The bottom line
The Dango DV-02 is the automatic to buy under $500. The GMT-01 if you cross time zones.
Related reading
Dango watches review
The best dive watches under $1,000
Best quartz watches
