When the Hamilton Pulsar hit the shelves in 1972, it ushered in a revolution. Indeed, the world’s first digital watch — one in which a battery powers a small electronic screen to display the time numerically — changed the horological landscape forever. In conjunction with the advent of the cheap and plentiful quartz movement, it suddenly offered a highly accurate method for tracking and displaying the time that was clearly technologically superior to mechanical watchmaking.
10 Quartz Watches Even Hardcore Watch Nerds Will Love
Just because it’s battery powered doesn’t mean it ain’t coolWe all know what happened in the end: The Swiss were able to sell the idea of mechanical watchmaking as a luxury item by touting its savoir faire, romanticism and artistry, and watch collecting has perhaps never been more popular. At the same time, however, digital watches have perhaps never been more plentiful or affordable. While a new gold Pulsar famously cost the equivalent of roughly inflation-adjusted $16,000 when it launched in 1972, a G-SHOCK — many times more useful and robust — can be had for well under $100 on Amazon. Highly legible, super water resistant, wonderfully comfortable and chock-full of all kinds of alarms, calendars, stopwatches and other functions, it’s perhaps the most utilitarian non-smart watch in the world.
In documenting some of our favorite digital watches, it’s important that we differentiate between them and smartwatches. While the latter offer all manner of connectivity and syncing capabilities with your smartphone and computer — in fact, they largely are small computers — the former are merely battery-powered watches that contain a screen rather than a conventional analog dial. The screen, of course, allows for the display of information in addition to the local time, which makes them significantly more useful than a typical analog watch. But for the purposes of this guide, note that we’re not including smartwatches but only digital watches.
But we are including so-called “ana-digi” watches, which include both a screen and a conventional analog dial. This unique subset of timepieces has been around since the late 1980s when Citizen released its Promaster and Casio debuted its AW-500, and it still exists today in fun models like the quirky new Brew Metric Digital Blend. The lovely thing about the great majority of these watches — perhaps with the exception of a few made by luxury watchmakers honoring early digital pieces from the 1970s — is that their battery-powered movements make them eminently affordable. (Collecting G-SHOCKs is much easier on the wallet than collecting vintage Datejusts, lemme tell ya.) For fun, we’ve also included one mechanical watch whose display is literally digital, meaning it shows the time using numerical representations of the hours and minutes.
Once you’ve sampled the wide array of digital pieces available today, who knows: You might just find yourself a newly-minted, battery-powered evangelist.
The Best Digital Watches
- The Proto-Digital Watch: Casio F91W,
$30$22 - The Trusty Timekeeper: Timex Ironman Triathlon Classic 30, $46
- The Analog Alternative: Armitron Rogue,
$53$46 - The Unbreakable Option: Casio G-SHOCK DW-6900, $65
- The Display Dare: Bulova Computron,
$425$340
If you’re looking for a watch for yourself or your kid that you don’t have to worry about, peel a crisp $20 bill out of your wallet and plunk it down for a Casio F91W. A decidedly bare-bones model, it doesn’t invite hard use like Casio’s G-SHOCK line, but that’s perfectly okay. You still get a stopwatch, daily alarm, automatic calendar, military time, illuminating LED screen and comfortable rubber bracelet, all for less than the cost of a couple Happy Meals. For a discrete watch to wear while traveling, there’s simply no better option.
Believe it or not, Timex’s Ironman has been kicking around for four decades. Though eclipsed in popularity by Casio’s G-SHOCK, this sturdy, utilitarian and highly affordable sports watch is still widely available — and widely purchased — for a reason. Boasting 100m of water resistance and a comfy rubber strap, it’s ideal for use in and around water, while its digital display offers up a bevy of useful functions including a 100-hour chronograph, a 24-hour countdown timer, multiple alarms, 24-hour time, multiple time zones, a full calendar and more. At 38mm, this one also happens to be the perfect size for both men and women.
Founded in 1975, American brand Armitron entered the market during the Quartz Crisis and quickly did a brisk business in digital watches. Fifty years later, it continues to produce affordable battery-powered tool watches, including the charming Rogue. Unlike many of its counterparts on this list, it combines an almost laughably affordable price tag with stainless steel construction across both its case and bracelet. Add in a selection of funky, colored IP coatings and several timers and stopwatches, and you’ve got yourself a handsome love letter to the Stranger Things era.
Introduced in 1995, the Casio G-SHOCK ref. DW-6900 has become a go-to timepiece for soldiers everywhere for its large shockproof and water-resistant case, bright, highly legible screen, and multitude of timers, alarms, stopwatch and calendar functions. Made of durable resin, its matching rubber bracelet is comfortable even when covered in sand, sweat, water or worse, while its easy-to-use four-button system gives quick access to a wide array of timing functions. Available internationally for well under $100, it’s a staple for a reason.
Another 1970s-inspired reissue, the Bulova Computron is available in both plain stainless steel and a gold-tone, IP-plated version. And, frankly, we feel that if you’re gonna go “disco,” you should go all the way. Measuring just 31mm in diameter, it boasts a funky trapezoidal case design that conveniently angles the red LED display in the wearer’s direction, plus a matching steel bracelet whose ribbed center lugs drive home the ‘70s point. Meanwhile, a discrete case-side pusher cycles the screen between time, date, day of the week and a second time zone.
A modern digital watch that pulls from Tissot’s quartz-filled back catalog, the PRX Digital is among the slickest designs on this list. Consisting of a tonneau-shaped stainless steel case paired to a matching, integrated bracelet, its largely brushed design gives it a decidedly utilitarian air, while its three case-side buttons, 100m of water resistance and on-board chronograph, countdown timer, daily alarm and secondary time zone make it a perfect travel companion. Available in both 35mm and 40mm sizes, we prefer the smaller diameter for its versatility and comfort.
A modern version of the Seiko ref. H558-5000 worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando, Predator and other iconic ‘80s action flicks, the ref. SNJ025 has proudly carried the former’s “Arnie” nickname into the present day. Measuring a whopping 47.8mm in stainless steel with a soft resin “shroud,” this tuna can-shaped watch is powered by a high-tech solar movement and boasts a combination analog-digital display. While the main time is shown on a highly legible dive-style dial, the smaller screen above it packs a 1/100-second chronograph, full calendar, several alarms, dual time function and more.
If you’re deep into coffee culture — heck, even if you’re one of untold billions who simply needs their caffeine fix each morning — then Brew Watches are most definitely on your radar. Inspired by a love for all things coffee, this neat American microbrand makes watches with built-in espresso timers. While most of these feature analog dials, the new Metric Digital Blend includes a small LED whose sole purpose is to count down 30 seconds, the ideal espresso pull time. With its cute image of a percolating coffee cup and funky, ‘70s-influenced integrated bracelet, it’s one of our all-time favorite digital watches, full stop.
The Citizen Promaster celebrated 35 years of analog-digital glory in 2024. In 2025, the Japanese brand brought forth a new version of the collection’s aeronautical watch, the Skyhawk, with a redesigned 43mm case, fresh bracelet and set of handsome dial options that are sure to catch the eyes of flyboys everywhere. Packing the new U830 caliber, it features a large memory-in-pixel screen situated below a set of three analog subdials. With its low power draw, it combines with the subdials and outer slide rule bezel to display a wealth of timing and calendar information without the need to resort to your smartphone.
Someone in search of a digital watch with a bit more analog character might consider the Hamilton PSR. A modern update of the Pulsar — a watch born way back in 1970 — it consists of a stainless steel watch head with a single button, hybrid LCD-OLED display and stainless steel multi-link bracelet. Just press the handy case-side pusher to instantly illuminate the screen, while a second press displays running seconds. And while this functionality might seem limited today, it’s ideal for someone who prizes quartz accuracy but still prefers more classic aesthetics.
If you’re looking for a digital watch with a bit more of a premium bent, try the Casquette 2.0, a limited-edition reissue from Girard-Perregaux made in collaboration with Saint Laurent. Machined from Grade 5 titanium and paired to a sleek matching bracelet with a rubber lining, this beautifully finished timepiece boasts an angled LED display similar to that of the Bulova Computron. Branded subtly atop its case with the GP logo, as well as both brands’ wordmarks on its caseback, it’s the digital watch to buy for someone who wants to make a sartorial splash.
Unlike the other battery-powered watches on this list, the Amida Digitrend is actually a mechanical timepiece. But rather than display the time with a conventional handset and round dial, it uses dual rotating discs to display the time “digitally,” using numerical digits. In that respect, it takes its “digital” remit literally rather than conventionally, delighting the wearer with a unique display that mimics early 1970s quartz watches using significantly older technology. Furthermore, it employs a smart prism system to angle the display toward the wearer, making the watch particularly visible when one’s wrist is gripping a steering wheel.
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