Best watches under $500

The best watches in the "Price-quality" category under $500

When I was coming up with a topic for a new video this Sunday, I asked myself: "What watches can I identify as objectively made at maximum performance in a budget from $300 to $600?"

And you know what, today I am an official dealer of 10 brands, but only in the micro-brand Phoibos can I honestly say that there are several models that are made in such a way that they are very difficult to surpass.  

So today we will take a look at these models!  

Friends, my name is Stanislav, you are on the Feeltime watch channel. Before we start, as always, I suggest you take part in the development of this channel. It's very simple: Like and write a comment. This way, more people will see good content about watches!

Phoibos Leviathan watch

Well, the first model in our review will be Phoibos from the first edition of the Leviathan collection in the maximum case size of 45 mm.

The first thing I want to say about Phoibos is that they can boast not only cool quality and features, but the guys have been making watches with their own design for a long time. For me, for example, this is important.  

Because for a while I was selling brands that only do homages to luxury brands, but over time you realize that something is wrong. Yes, it's cool, but where is the personality here? It's like you're dealing with a clone.  

Phoibos in this regard sticks to its design.  

The model looks very brutal. The stainless steel case is coated with black DLC. This is a special coating that is comparable in strength to diamond and is harder to scratch.  

This is actually verified by me. I once had an unpleasant situation when I took all these models, laid them out on a tiled background, and carelessly corrected them here and there, dragging them. But on the ears of the regular versions without spraying (and there are 5 colors in total) there were dots. On the models with DLC coating there was nothing.

The case itself is made very cool. Both the finish and the detailing, and its deliberate angularity. Everything looks cool.  

Plus, attention was paid to details such as the engraving of an octopus on the crown and the eye-catching, intricately shaped sapphire crystal with 3A anti-reflective layers.  

Next is the beautifully made bezel with a ceramic insert. It is very comfortable and monolithic. It is a pleasure to rotate. Pleasant clicks, no backlash.  

The back cover is framed by a deep engraving of an octopus, which is the Phoibos brand logo.

The dial is also very cool. Volumetric applied markers, bright Swiss Super Luminova.

The readability is top notch and I just want to say that it's really cool for a budget watch, which I'll talk about a little later.  

A few of the shortcomings I can point out for myself are the straps. They look cool, they are well made. There is a quick-change system, which is nonsense for such a price.  

But the belt is not the most practical because it is very thick. I don't like that there is some friction with the buckles (fasteners). That is, putting it on and taking it off is not the most pleasant thing.  

Watch dimensions:

Diameter - 45 mm, from lug to lug - 53 mm, thickness - 15 mm, weight - 183 grams

It fits my hand well, but it would definitely look better on a larger hand.  

Finally, I want to announce the characteristics:

• Complex-shaped sapphire crystal with 3A anti-reflective layers
• 15 layers of Swiss Super Luminova on hands and markers
• 500 meters extreme water resistance and a helium valve to stabilize pressure in the case
• On board is a Japanese mechanical Seiko MH35A with automatic winding.
• And a 120-turn ceramic bezel.

For a second, this watch costs 14,500 UAH today.  

And it's in the selection because I can't imagine who else can offer their design, produce such quality and such characteristics for such money.  

You may or may not like this watch visually, but objectively it is very cool and maturely made.  

By the way, last year Phoibos first released smaller versions of this model on bracelets and the quality is also at a high level, but the glass is a little simpler, the price is significantly higher, so it feels cool, but microbrands have spoiled so much that there is no such WOW as here anymore.  

You can order HERE .

Phoibos Wave Master watch

Next, let's take a look at this beauty Phoibos from the Wave Master collection, also in the maximum size of 42 mm.  

This watch looks more down-to-earth and simple. A kind of classic, sporty, everyday diver.  

So what's so special about it?

Well, firstly, the simplicity of the design is captivating. Secondly, the quality of workmanship here is top-notch for the money. Plus, as always, attention was paid to such details as the engraving on the crown and the deep engraving on the back cover of the watch.  

The bezel here is also ceramic and very comfortable. Everything is very cool in terms of quality. I have nothing to complain about.  

The dial is beautifully made. The signature waves, which remind us a little of the Omega Seamaster, but today many people use this feature.

Overlaid, beautifully finished hands and markers and matching color lumen. Plus, as always with Phoibos, it shines like a king.  

The strap here is without a quick-change system. Made of rubber. But I like it more for convenience. It is much thinner and there is no such harsh friction as there was in the Leviathan model.  

Watch sizes:

Diameter - 42 mm, from lug to lug - 48 mm, Thickness - 14 mm, weight - 132 grams

It fits my hand well, but it would be even better on a larger one. My wrist is 18 cm in circumference.  

The specifications are the same as the Leviathan, but it has a slightly lower water resistance. 300 meters. And there is no helium valve, because it is not needed for such water resistance.  

This watch costs 14,000 UAH today, and again, it combines a very good design, super quality workmanship, detailing, and adult characteristics for absolutely adequate money today.  

In 2024, Phoibos released a smaller version of this 39.5 mm model and brought it to perfection, but the price increased quite a bit, so I didn't add it to this review as a better offer.  

You can order HERE .

The last model will be the most expensive, but not too much for what you will find in it.

This is Phobos from the Vortex collection.  

And here Phoibos was immediately impressed, first of all, by its design.  

When this model first came out, my first thought was: "This is a whole new level." Yes, the watch looks very specific and amateurish, but it is really very beautiful, and beautifully made.  

A Super Compressor style watch, where the bezel is located in the middle of the dial and rotates in both directions thanks to a separately mounted valve.

Both heads screw on for a better seal, but note that they are of different textures. This is very cool. The brand could have just made them the same and not bothered. It's definitely cheaper. But this is not about Phoibos.  

The case itself is also made at a high level. Very unusual beveled texture, high quality finish. A bunch of small details. In short, it all looks very, very good.

The dials are also very unusual. The middle is in a grainy texture, and then there is a thick plate with superimposed markings. All the labels and hands are bold, so the readability is excellent. Plus the unusual carrot-second hand. Plus a very bright lumen.  

The back cover is simpler than its predecessors. Some specifications are listed here.  

One of the very important ones is the anti-magnetism of the mechanism. And this model has a Swiss automatic Sellita SW200 on board. I want to tell you that on the market today it is very difficult in principle to find a watch with this mechanism for less than $1000. And very often in the basic versions of this mechanism there is no anti-magnetism.  

The strap is made of cool genuine leather. It really feels very high quality. But a nice bonus was that they also included a wonderful rubber strap with a nice clasp.  

And this is important, because the watch is water-resistant to 200 meters. Still, the skin doesn't like water.  

Diameter - 42 mm, no lugs, thickness - 13.5 mm, weight - 119 grams

They fit my hand like a glove. The lack of lugs really affects the perception. It's like a big watch, but it feels quite neat.  

The characteristics are again the same as in its predecessors, but the mechanism is much more serious, as I mentioned, and it is 200 meters water resistant.  

This watch costs 26,240 UAH today and it's a real beast.

Unique, very unusual design, additional strap, top-notch build quality, top-notch features + special attention to the anti-magnetic Sellita SW200.  

This watch is like a unicorn. It simply has no analogues.  

You can order HERE .

In conclusion, I want to say that Phoibos spoiled their fan community a long time ago.  

You may not like their design, but the quality, features, and price are often beyond competition.  

And this is a brand that pays close attention to what it does and its reputation. It's been proven over the years.

I hope you found it interesting. See you soon, goodbye