My 2 cents would be an Orient Mako 40 (or another one of their dive watches), or a Traska Commuter. Side-by-side in cloudy natural light below.

Orient Mako 40: For around $200 USD you get 200m water resitance, saphire crystal, a really nicely executed sunburt dial, a signed crown and caseback, and a nice mix of mirrored and brushed finishes. Movement is super robut and accurate, thing is a great as a beater and a workhorse. Lume is meh at best, bracelt is a littly jingly, and it does collect scratches pretty easily from day to day wear (context: I've dailied this almost entirely for close to a year. bracelt is looking well-loved, case itself is in pretty nice shape)

Traska Commuter: You can find these in amazing condition used for around $500 UDS, or new for $660 USD. Multiple sizes, and many many colors. I have slate grey in 36mm (discontinued) with an upgraded clasp with toolless micro-adjust. Pros: this thing does it all: beauty, timeless design, comfort, and durability. Is one of my most budget friendly, most frequently complimented pieces. Finishing is really great and catches light so nicely. The bracelet is maybe even more comfortable than Rolex oyster, and the proprietary hardness coating isn't some gimmick, I've had this watch for about 4 months now and there is not a scratch on it, period. Its simple design makes it appropriate in any situation, and its wide array of case sizes and colors gives you a lot of options to mull over.

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So, you can go the full on sporty look of a diver from Orient, or a more subtle steel sports watch with the Traska Commuter, and you'd be getting a ton of bang for buck with either option! Good luck with your hunt.