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Wristwatches displayed in a shop case

Brands

Watch brands

Seven brands, compared on warranty, published service pricing and parts — not on heritage copy.

Brand pages usually rehearse a founding date and a story about craftsmanship. This section does something else: it compares the seven brands on the only three things that decide whether your watch is still running in twenty years — how long they warrant it, whether they publish what a repair costs, and whether an independent can get parts.

That comparison produces some uncomfortable results. The brand with the longest warranty is not the one with the best reputation. The brand that publishes the most transparent service pricing charges less to overhaul a mechanical movement than one of its rivals charges for a partial service. And one very well-loved brand will not tell you what movement is inside most of its automatics.

The comparison, in one table

Warranty and service data read from each manufacturer's own published documentation.
BrandStated warrantyPublishes service prices?What that means for keeping it
Seiko3 yearsYes — a full list by caliberThe most predictable ownership cost in the category. $176 for a 4R overhaul, published.
Citizen5 years (excludes cell, case, bracelet, strap)No — every repair quoted after inspectionLongest cover here, but you cannot budget a repair in advance
Orient3 yearsNo US list publishedBest specification-per-dollar; service pricing you have to ask for
Hamilton2 years internationalEuropean list only€230 for a full mechanical service in Europe; no equivalent US figure published
Tissot2 yearsYes — US prices, plus a 24-month warranty on the work$210 complete service on a mechanical three-hander, and they warrant the service
CasioSee brand pageNoCasio does not serve its specification pages to us, so we publish no Casio spec table
Timex1 year (excludes crystal, strap, case, battery)NoShortest cover, widest exclusions, and most automatics ship with an unnamed caliber
Warranty and service data read from each manufacturer's own published documentation.

Every page in this section

Start here

A mechanical watch movement photographed close up

Seiko

Seiko

Three-year warranty, published overhaul prices by caliber, and nine watches ranked.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Orient Kamasu RA-AA0004E39B

Orient

Orient

In-house calibers, a three-year warranty and sapphire cheap — with one documented gap.

Top pick

Orient Kamasu RA-AA0004E39B

Keep Score 9.0/10

$345.00 · View on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 23, 2026

A rugged wristwatch on a leather strap outdoors

Hamilton

Hamilton

80-hour Swiss movements and Nivachron hairsprings, with a two-year warranty.

Top pick

Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm H70405130

Keep Score 8.6/10

Sold direct by Hamilton

We earn nothing on this link. Hamilton sells it directly.

Tissot Gentleman Open Heart 40mm T127.407.11.041.01

Tissot

Tissot

Published US service prices, a 24-month work warranty, and three watches ranked.

Top pick

Tissot Gentleman Open Heart 40mm T127.407.11.041.01

Keep Score 8.4/10

$1,025.00 · View on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 23, 2026

An inexpensive wristwatch resting on a concrete surface

Casio

Casio

Why we publish no Casio specs, and what we can honestly say about buying one.

Timex Expedition Field Post Titanium Automatic 41mm TW2Y90900

Timex

Timex

Surprising specs, a one-year warranty with wide exclusions, and five watches ranked.

Top pick

Timex Expedition Field Post Titanium Automatic 41mm TW2Y90900

Keep Score 8.0/10

$443.65 · View on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 23, 2026

Two wristwatches placed side by side

Seiko vs Orient

Seiko vs Orient

Orient for the specification sheet, Seiko for the service price list — compared properly.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Wristwatches displayed in a shop case

Seiko vs Citizen

Seiko vs Citizen

Five years and Eco-Drive against a published service list and rebuildable movements.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Several wristwatches laid out on a flat surface

Hamilton vs Tissot

Hamilton vs Tissot

Tissot's published service price against Hamilton's smaller, more wearable cases.

Top pick

Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm H70405130

Keep Score 8.6/10

Sold direct by Hamilton

We earn nothing on this link. Hamilton sells it directly.

A steel bracelet and case photographed close up

Tissot vs Seiko

Tissot vs Seiko

The only two brands here with published service prices, compared properly.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Two wristwatches placed side by side

Hamilton vs Seiko

Hamilton vs Seiko

Swiss 80-hour field watches against Japanese published service prices.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

An inexpensive wristwatch resting on a concrete surface

Timex vs Seiko

Timex vs Seiko

Timex's surprising specification sheets against Seiko's named, priced movements.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93

Keep Score 8.4/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Several wristwatches arranged on a wooden table

Seiko 5

Best Seiko 5 watches

Every Seiko 5 we cover ranked, and the one bought for the wrong reason.

Top pick

Seiko 5 Sports SRPG39

Keep Score 8.0/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

A diver's wristwatch resting on a wet dark surface

Seiko Prospex

Best Seiko Prospex watches

The Prospex divers ranked, and the Prospex to skip if you are buying for longevity.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex SPB453J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

The bezel of a steel dive watch photographed close up

Is the Turtle worth it?

Is the Seiko Turtle worth it?

The Seiko Turtle on the numbers — certification, service cost and the Hardlex problem.

Top pick

Seiko Prospex SPB453J1

Keep Score 9.6/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

A wristwatch showing beneath a formal shirt cuff

Is the Le Locle worth it?

Is the Tissot Le Locle worth it?

The Le Locle on the numbers — 9.75mm, 80 hours, $210 to service, 30m.

Top pick

Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB471J1

Keep Score 9.1/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

A wristwatch showing beneath a formal shirt cuff

Is the Orient Star worth it?

Is the Orient Star worth it?

The Orient Star Modern Skeleton on the numbers — in-house, 50 hours, 43.2mm.

Top pick

Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB471J1

Keep Score 9.1/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

Several wristwatches arranged on a flat surface

Timex vs Hamilton

Timex vs Hamilton

American heritage on both sides — named Swiss movements against price.

Top pick

Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm H70405130

Keep Score 8.6/10

Sold direct by Hamilton

We earn nothing on this link. Hamilton sells it directly.

A slim dress watch worn under a shirt cuff

Is the Presage worth it?

Is the Seiko Presage worth it?

The Seiko Presage line on the numbers, and which one to buy.

Top pick

Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB471J1

Keep Score 9.1/10

Sold direct by Seiko

We earn nothing on this link. Seiko sells it directly.

A slim dress watch worn under a shirt cuff

Is the Bambino worth it?

Is the Orient Bambino worth it?

The Orient Bambino line on the numbers, and which version to buy.

Top pick

Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80 39.3mm T006.407.22.093.00

Keep Score 7.6/10

Sold direct by Tissot

We earn nothing on this link. Tissot sells it directly.

What the table is really telling you

Seiko and Tissot are the only two brands here you can budget for. Both publish a service price list before you buy. That sounds like a small thing and it is the single largest predictor of whether a mechanical watch gets serviced or gets put in a drawer — nobody posts a watch off for an unknown number.

Citizen's five years is the longest cover in the category and it comes with the widest carve-outs. The power cell, the case, the bracelet and the strap are all excluded, which is most of what physically wears. It is still five years on the movement, which is more than anyone else offers.

Timex's exclusions are the ones to read twice. One year, and it explicitly does not cover the crystal, the strap, the case or the battery. On a $50 quartz that is academic. On a $400 titanium automatic — which Timex now sells — it is worth knowing before rather than after.

Japanese, Swiss or American

Five of these brands are Japanese (Seiko, Citizen, Orient, Casio) or American-named and Swiss-made (Hamilton, now part of the Swatch Group and manufacturing in Switzerland). The Japanese brands generally win on specification-per-dollar and on warranty length; the Swiss ones win on power reserve, finishing and stated accuracy tolerances.

For a watch you intend to keep, the more useful axis is parts and service, and there the Japanese brands have a structural advantage: their entry calibers are made in enormous volume and every independent watchmaker already stocks them. Japanese vs Swiss goes into it properly.

A note on what is missing

These seven are the brands with meaningful presence in the affordable-luxury range and enough published documentation to assess honestly. Others — Bulova, Certina, Mido, Longines, Victorinox — are legitimate and will get pages as we can source their specifications properly. We would rather have seven brand pages built on documents we read than twenty built on recollection.

Questions people actually ask

Which watch brand has the best warranty?

Citizen, at five years, though it excludes the power cell, case, bracelet and strap. Seiko and Orient both state three years. Hamilton and Tissot state two. Timex states one, with the crystal, strap, case and battery excluded.

Which brands publish what a service costs?

Seiko publishes a full price list by caliber — $137 for a 7S, $176 for a 4R, $296 for a 6R. Tissot publishes US prices, $210 for a complete mechanical service, and warrants the work for 24 months. Hamilton publishes a European list. Citizen, Orient, Casio and Timex publish nothing.

Are Japanese watches better than Swiss ones?

For specification per dollar and for parts availability, generally yes at these prices. For power reserve, finishing and published accuracy tolerances, the Swiss brands here lead. Neither is more durable in a way that shows up in a twenty-year horizon.

Why is there no spec table on the Casio page?

Because Casio's US product pages do not serve specifications to us, and we do not publish numbers we have not read on the manufacturer's document. The Casio page covers what we can source and links Casio's pages so you can check the specifications yourself.

Sources

Every specification and figure on this page came from one of these documents. Where a manufacturer does not publish something, the page says so rather than filling the gap.

Read next

Two wristwatches placed side by side

Japanese vs Swiss watches

Movement, accuracy, warranty, service price and parts — compared on published figures.

A watch movement partly disassembled on a repair bench

What a watch actually costs to keep

Published service intervals and prices, computed over 10 and 20 years. The number nobody else publishes.

Watch repair tools and tweezers on a bench

Automatic watch servicing and what it costs

Published service prices by caliber, what a service includes, and when to skip one.