You may have confused them with Casio watches. Perhaps their low prices put you off? What’s the deal with Armitron watches? Find out here.
Armitron watches are very affordable, often costing less than $30. They’re also quite flashy and easy to confuse with some of the wilder G-Shocks. But are Armitron watches good? Good is a word relative to your needs in a watch. Your opinion on these watches will significantly depend on what style and level of quality you’re looking for in a timepiece.
We’re going to take a deep dive into the brand before we give a definitive answer. With a series of watches so inexpensive, it’s essential to look at the whole picture before we pass judgment. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to answer the question, “Is Armitron a good watch brand?”.
Table of Contents
A History of Armitron Watches
Eugen Gluck, a Romanian-born Jew who survived the Holocaust, founded Armitron watches in the 1950s. After WW2, Gluck and his wife, Jean, moved to the US, setting up several businesses. E. Gluck Corporation arrived in 1956—the parent company of Armitron watches, with a headquarters in Little Neck, NY.
Armitron’s overarching goal was to create quality watches that average people could afford. Gluck initially went to Switzerland to learn everything he could about watchmaking but then shifted focus to quartz-powered watches. This put the company in an ideal position before the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s.
Armitron created one of the first LCD watches, but sadly, the design failed. The brand didn’t recover until the 1980s when it began producing millions of watches. The brand partnered with several professional athletes, including Larry Bird, Jerry Rice, Boomer Esiason, and Darryl Strawberry. It became the official timekeeper for American Gladiators and the New York Yankees, solidifying its role as a sports watch producer.
It’s worth noting that E. Gluck produces more than just Armitron watches. E. Gluck also creates fashion watches for brands like Anne Klien, Nine West, and more.
Are Armitron Watches Good? Pros and Cons
Some features make Armitron watches quite a good deal, and others don’t. I spent some time with a few designs to determine whether they are worth buying. Let’s explore the question: “Is Armitron a good brand of watches?”
Pros: A Good Variety
I like quite a few things about Armitron watches. First of all, there’s a lot of variety to choose from. All of the models I tried were between $30 and $200. One of the collections you’ll likely see while browsing Armitron’s website is the Conscious line, characterized by its black-coated tonneau shape. The chronograph iterations are those that appeal to me the most. They imbue a sporty, almost motorsport-like aesthetic with colour-contrasting sub-dials. Then there are designs like the Speciality – a line of affordable skeleton watches and square and rectangular-shaped timepieces.
There’s also a collection dedicated to smartwatches, each equipped with a clear, colorful AMOLED display. The Connect series is home to models like the Quantum, which offers calorie tracking, heart rate, step counting, and sports modes. These watches are also compatible with Android and iOS devices, constituting a competitive alternative to Apple and Garmin options. For an affordable digital, Armitron has a range of watches called Active. While some look similar to Casio watches, others look simpler and more contemporary.
Pros: Affordable and Good-Looking
A quick browse through Armitron’s website will show you that these watches are stylish. None of the brand’s signature collections appear to imitate any industry icons. Moreover, they’re no-fuss, functional designs that don’t cost a bomb. They’re so affordable that they’re also accessible to most. Sure, they don’t feel exclusive or high-end. But if you’re looking for an easy-to-maintain timekeeping appliance, Armitron watches are worth exploring.
Cons: Adjusting the Time Is Not So Straightforward
Being an affordable watch brand, there is always a compromise. The difference between a quality bracelet and a budget one is very noticeable. I would say this is true for Armitron watches. The clasp is not exactly butter smooth and (as is the case for many cheap bracelets) feels rattly. It’s also worth noting that the website doesn’t seem to give you an option to select your bracelet size. You’ll likely have to get your bracelet re-sized when you receive it unless you fancy swapping a strap yourself.
Best Armitron Men’s Watch
If you like the style of Frederique Constant or Raymond Weil watches, the Armitron Blueprint from the Speciality collection will appeal to you. It’s one of the best Armitron men’s watches. But it’s also one of the most expensive of Armitron’s offerings, and it’s not the smallest of watches. (Sadly, Armitron’s 36mm offerings tend to be quite feminine in aesthetics.) The 42mm model is an automatic watch that exposes the mechanical movement through its dial. It’s one of the more technically sophisticated options from the brand and costs $175.
Best Armitron Diamond Watch
Armitron does like to play around with the odd diamond or two. Many of its male-oriented timepieces feature diamond dot hour markers or diamond-set bezels. I chose the coral/black Reef watch from the Conscious line as the best Armitron diamond watch. It’s a contemporary, playful, vibrant timepiece with a somewhat “out there” orange-colored plastic case. Armitron uses diamonds on the hour markers for an added touch of class. This is an excellent 36mm model for the small wrist. It’s also a solar power, so it’s a great eco-friendly, sustainable option for your collection.
Best Armitron Pro Sports Watch
The Armitron Chrono Pro watch is the best Armitron Pro Sports watch by a mile. The models from this collection are huge, however. This 51mm Olive version is one of the smallest in the collection. While not the first choice for small wrists, it does imbue strong G-Shock-esque vibes. It includes hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, chronograph, lap time, dual time, and alarm features. The 100-meter water-resistant digital watch also has a nylon band and a green-colored plastic case.
FAQs
Read up on these commonly asked questions to learn more about Armitron watches.
Did Saul Goodman Wear an Armitron watch?
Famous lawyer Saul Goodman wore a gold-plated vintage Mercury watch while filming the “Better Call Saul” TV Series. There appears to be no research suggesting Goodman wore an Amitron watch.
How Do I Set the Time on an Armitron Watch?
As with any traditional wristwatch, you can set the time simply by using the crown on an analog Armitron watch. Setting the time on an Armitron digital watch involves several steps. These models have an instruction manual to guide you through the time-setting process.
Who Makes Armitron Watches?
E. Gluck Corporation manufactures Armitron watches alongside the watch brand Torgoen.
Wrapping Up
Realistically, it’s less about pinning Armitron as good or bad and more about its purpose. It occupies a price point that other brands do not. It produces its watches by the millions because it sells them by the dollar. Does Armitron use high-quality materials? No, not really. Are their designs innovative? Not at all. Are many of the watches the brand offers even attractive to most guys? Again, probably not. But do they offer incredible value for what they cost? Absolutely.
So, there’s your verdict to the question, “Are Armitron watches good?”. Armitron watches serve a purpose, but they’re not exactly amazing. They have a few attractive models, so they’re suitable enough if you’re shopping low-range. Just recognize that you probably won’t be able to hand your Armitron down the family line. Nor are you likely to make it last more than a year or two. But there is a silver lining. They’re so affordable that you can buy a new one when the old one bites the dust.
What’s your opinion on Armitron watches? We’d love to know! Please share your views in the comments.
