The best fun and weird watches are the ones that make people ask how you read the time, and cost little enough that you do not mind if the answer is slowly. This guide is for anyone who already owns a sensible watch and wants a second one with some personality, or who never wanted a sensible watch in the first place. Everything here is quartz, everything is under $60, and everything is in stock at One Good Watch right now.
What to look for
Start with the display, because that is the whole point. Magnetic balls, rotating discs, digit windows with no hands, and TV-shaped cases all read differently, and some take a few seconds to learn. Then check the boring things. Most watches in this category use an alloy case and a mineral or glass crystal, which is fine at the price but means you should not expect sapphire. Water resistance is usually 30m or not rated at all, so these are watches for rain and hand washing, not the pool. Case size and lug width still matter: a 42mm alloy case wears differently from a 28mm one, and a 20mm lug width means cheap replacement straps.
The good news is that at this price a weird watch is a low-stakes purchase. If the novelty wears off, you are out the cost of a takeout order.
Our picks
FOXBOX Magnetic Ball Quartz Watch, 42mm
Two magnetic balls travel around a Roman numeral track instead of hands. 42mm alloy case, 12mm thick, hardened mineral crystal, and a choice of steel bracelet or leather strap on a 20mm lug. Manufacturer-rated to 30m. This is the one people reach across the table to look at. $59.
FNGEEN Turntable Disc Quartz Watch, 40mm
No hands. Rotating discs for hour, minute and seconds spin past a fixed red pointer. The case and band are stainless steel, which is unusual at this price, at 40mm and 11mm thick with a 20mm link or mesh bracelet. Hardened mineral crystal, manufacturer-rated to 3 BAR. Looks confusing in photos and takes about five seconds to learn. $39.99.
No-Hands Square Quartz Bracelet Watch, 28mm
A 28mm square with no hands at all. The time reads through a digit window and a turning numbered disc on a brushed face, on a flat 20mm steel bracelet with a folding clasp. Gold, silver or black. Alloy case, glass crystal, 3 BAR rating. Reads more like jewelry than a watch, and suits smaller wrists. $39.99.
TOMI TV-Dial Silicone Quartz Watch, 30mm
A retro TV-shaped case with a round dial inside it and oversized hands. Compact at 30mm and slim at 9.8mm, alloy case, hardened mineral crystal, on a flexible 22mm rubber strap. Manufacturer-rated to 30m. Five case and dial combinations. The light, low-profile pick. $39.99.
TOMI Face-Gear Quartz Watch, 42mm
Half the dial is a decorative gear plate, the other half is a clean face with a day-date calendar you will actually use. 42mm alloy case, glass crystal, 20mm leather strap, and it comes gift-boxed. No water resistance is rated, so take it off before you swim. Six case, dial and band combos. $49.99.
SKMEI 1299 Retro Digital Quartz Sport Watch, 43mm
The retro square digital. Resin case and strap, 43mm across, 13mm thick and 40g on the wrist, with alarm, chronograph, countdown timer, dual time, calendar and an EL backlight. Manufacturer-rated to 50m, which makes it the only pick here you can swim with. Five styles. $24.99.
How to choose between them
If you want maximum strangeness, the FOXBOX magnetic ball watch and the FNGEEN turntable are the two that break the most rules, and the FNGEEN is all steel for less money. If you want weird but small, the 28mm no-hands square and the 30mm TOMI TV-dial both disappear under a sleeve. The TOMI Face-Gear is the compromise: unusual dial, normal calendar, gift box. The SKMEI 1299 is the practical one, and the only one rated for swimming. Buy the one that made you laugh first.