Inspired by this thread: Not wearing a watch because it is supposedly replaced by phone/other device - I do not get it. - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board
Could anyone recommend a decent-looking men’s watch? Something that could be worn with a suit, ideally. Under $50 would be neat, if doable.
Probably not what you are looking for (judging from mentioning wearing it with a suit i.e. looks being important): I have worn (the European variant of) this model from the Casio G-Shock range those last five years and I like the usability (radio-synchronized with atomic time; solar powered, good stopwatch functionality) and particular its ruggedness - you’d much easier kill me than my watch, and showering and swimming with it is no problem.
No use as an item of jewelry, though, I rather see it as a tool.
If $50 is your limit for a watch you’re going to have a hard time finding anything nice, unless you go for some kind of knock off, or you are very flexible. By flexible I mean that you can try the super discount closeout stores that have a very limited selection of men’s jewelry. I don’t know your location, but in California, places like Ross, Marshall’s, and TJ Maxx come to mind, as does the Kobey’s swap meet here in San Diego.
eBay is another option for a used watch. Don’t be too picky though…
This is the watch I wear. Bought it at Target.
Go to your local pawn broker and buy second hand. Neat and stylish don’t go for gold etc.
I love my Citizen Blue Angels watch but that cost $900 in Australia,
I second the Casio. That’s all I’ve ever worn. Even has an alarm-clock function! I have never understood why anyone would want to have anything more than a Casio or spend more money. Really.
I love the G-Shocks but I don’t know if I’d wear them with a suit. I’d look into the Seiko 5 line, there are a gazillion different styles, they’re inexpensive, and they look much more expensive than they are. The bracelets are comprised of foldover links and feel really cheap, but that’s the only downside. Well, they’re automatic, that might be another downside depending on your preferences.
If you want a classy looking watch, check out a Skagen
Very thin, a super cool metal mesh band and well under $100.
I’ve had a couple of Citizen Eco Drives (that is a technology range not a model.) I’ve really liked them but they are way more than your budget. My present watch is this one. I wouldn’t get it again for two reasons; one, the world time function doesn’t do timezones that are offset by 30 minutes such as South Australia where I live, and two, the knob that changes the mode can be turned by accident due to it coming into contact with the back of my hand. If it changes to the alarm setting mode then it will display the time the alarm is set for and not the current time. This has caused some confusion in the past.
My suggestion is the design classic, Mondaine’s Swiss Railways Watch.
Swatch has a whole collection, all under $200.
http://www.swatch.com/us_en/watches/all.html
You can tell people it’s a Swiss watch, which is sometimes taken as a sign of quality.
If you say which of the watches mentioned in this thread appeal to you, then maybe we can come up with better suggestions.
I can vouch for this one: http://www.amazon.com/Caravelle-Bulova-43B011-Bracelet-Silver/dp/B001RNO9SI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=watches&qid=1287774464&sr=1-7
52$.
Here is a nice automatic watch.
This is the watch that I am currently wearing. I like it because it has a smaller case than most modern watches. Just keep in mind that it is a self winding watch so it will stop working if you don’t wear it for 2-3 days.
I second the Skagens. I own two, they are light, thin, classy, and they NEVER pull out my arm hairs. All of those fancy metal-banded watches with tons of links…plenty of room for an arm hair to get in there, then you flex the wrong way and YANK – OW!!
I also have a very cheap gold (colored) bezel watch with a black leather band that works in a pinch, too.
Thanks for the good suggestions, folks! I particularly liked the Mondaine, the Seiko 5, and the Skagen. I also thought the Timex from Target looked neat, which I admit sort of means I’m all over the place. 
Does anyone have thoughts on leather bands as opposed to metal?
The leather band is generally considered a little bit dressier, though you can wear either with a regular suit. I’ve heard some people refuse to wear metal watches with superformal black-tie attire. I see nothing wrong with wearing a metal bracelet with a tux, but to each his own.
With that said, the metal bracelet is (as you’d expect) much more durable and easier to clean. Leather bands get creased and disgusting over time, especially if you sweat a lot or wear them in the rain, so they’re not the best choice for lots of outdoor activities.
You might want to check out InvictaShark or ChronoShark (Google 'em), and see what comes along every day. Seiko watches are also quite reasonably priced on overstock.com.
Under $50, I think the best you’ll find will be some Timex analog chronographs on eBay. Stay away from Armitron, US Polo Club, or the cheap blingy watches at Kohl’s or Stein mart.
I have a Casio Databank 150. Nice watch. They list for $69.95 but you can get one for $55.00 on Amazon. The only problem with them is they come with a cheap plastic wristband. I usually buy a different one.