Analogue might be the horological gold standard, but there’s space for digital in every guy’s watch collection. Think about it: what else can wake you up on time, remind you of your mum’s birthday, help you out with some quick mental maths and stay accurate for years with no need for a repair? Not your Submariner, that’s for sure.
Practical perks aside, they just look cool. There’s a reason Marty McFly’s Casio has outlasted half the cars in that film. What was once a futuristic flex has become a nostalgic throwback for even the most serious watch collectors: Idris Elba, Tyler the Creator, Ryan Gosling and John Mayer are all already on the hype.
What’s more, now’s the perfect time to get one yourself. Not only is menswear having a nerdy moment – cardigans, cricket jumpers, socks with loafers, chunky glasses – but there’s a retro case too: iPods, CD players and wired headphones are all on the up. If you’re asking us, 1980s-coded digital watches are next.
Anyway, Casio and Timex are the brands that stand out – and have done ever since the 80s – but there are also a few microbrands making IYKYK digital watches only the true watch stans are wearing. The best part? You don’t need to spend big to get in on it – every watch on this list comes in under £200.
Casio Black Retro Calculator Watch
The Casio Calculator has racked up some serious screen time. Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things. Marty McFly in Back To The Future. Walter White in Breaking Bad. And, quite frankly, who wouldn’t want a literal calculator (which is also an alarm, a stopwatch and a calendar) strapped to their wrist? A good choice for guys who like to split the bill.
Casio Black Retro Calculator Watch
argos.co.uk
£36.00
Timex T80 34mm Stainless Steel
The Timex T80 might not be big on screen, but it’s already done the rounds with fashion’s biggest names: Maison Margiela’s MM6 gave it the gold treatment last year. Anyway, we love the classic stainless steel model – a reissue from the brand’s 1980s archives – just as much. And it’s less than half the price.
Timex T80 34mm Stainless Steel
timex.co.uk
£70.00
Void PXR5-GO/BL
Industrial designer Michael Young made the PXR5 (named after a Hawkwind album) in 2005 as a personal project. Twenty years on, the belt-buckle-meets-LCD silhouette still looks like nothing else on the market – it’s ‘time only’ in the best way possible. The strap’s attached with velcro so it’s easy to change, just get a few colours so you’ve always got one to match.
Void PXR5-GO/BL
voidwatches.com
$167.00
Nooka Zub Zayu Zirc Digital Watch
Nooka might no longer be in production – but that’s what makes it worth the hunt. The NYC label spent the noughties making digital watches like you’ve never seen before: bright colours, asymmetric shapes, dot-matrix displays – you get the picture. Ebay is a great place to start your search – especially since almost all of them come in under £200.
Nooka Zub Zayu Zirc Digital Watch
ebay.co.uk
£53.00
Casio G-SHOCK 5600 Series
This G-Shock is a direct descendant of the OG (the 1983 DW-5000) which was famously the first watch to pass the brand’s durability test: surviving after being dropped from a third-story window. Decades on and it’s barely changed, this version just adds solar charging and atomic time-syncing. About as classic as it gets in the world of digital watches.
Casio G-SHOCK 5600 Series
argos.co.uk
£90.00
Timex Q 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue
The SSQ was Timex’s first-ever LCD watch when it came out in 1975. It was a big deal back then because of its ‘always-on’ display – a feature that’s since become standard issue. Fifty years later, this reissue hits the same brief: two buttons, a date, a 60-second counter and, of course,the trademark ‘always-on’ finish.
Timex Q 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue
timex.co.uk
£155.00
Tokyoflash Maru LCD Watch
Tokyoflash is the kind of name watch nerds know and nobody else does – a Japanese microbrand making small-batch, genuinely weird designs. The Maru is a great example: a faceted aluminium case with a mirrored LCD display that reads like an analogue clock, hands and all. The brand ships from its HQ in Hong Kong – but, fret not, because it’s free worldwide.
Tokyoflash Maru LCD Watch
tokyoflash.com
$160.00