Rugged(ish) everyday watch recommendation

[LimaDelta]

My Fitbit is dying and to be honest I've fallen out of love with the whole fitness watch thing. Fed up with charging it and I know I'm fit enough without a watch telling me so. I work on a yacht and spend a lot of time outdoors so nothing fancy required, just something that tells the time, is reasonably rugged and waterproof.

I've looked at Suunto's options, and have a couple of the ubiquitous F-91Ws (if it's good enough for OBL!). Not a fan of G-Shocks, and I like the Garmin stuff but again, don't like the idea of another device which requires charging.

Any left-field ideas?

FWIW I have a Seiko MOD pilot watch for flying, a Garmin 401 for the hills, a Breitling Aerospace for occasional use and a Cartier Santos as a dress watch.

[skirk]

Seiko SKX or an orient Mako would fit the bill...........

[dimots]

Can't beat a classic Swatch. It's the VW Golf of watches.

[Johnniem]

If you knew someone with a Wenger tidal watch for sale, water resistant to 100m, that would be amazing luck wouldn't it! How much did you want to spend?

[gregd]

Seiko Turtle

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/long-term-wear-r...

Something from CWC ?

https://www.cwcwatch.com/collections/all

[lostkiwi]

Magrette Moana Pacific Kara.
Titanium case, screw down crown, waterproof to 500m.
Available online from forasec.

[LimaDelta]

lostkiwi said:

Magrette Moana Pacific Kara.
Titanium case, screw down crown, waterproof to 500m.
Available online from forasec.

I had meant to say I'd prefer a plastic case (less likely to scratch something expensive) but I quite like that one. Certainly 500m is overkill (as are any of the diver watches though to be fair).

Having a look on forasec now...

[lostkiwi]

A cheaper option without the Titanium case is the Moana Pacific Pro.

[catso]

skirk said:

Seiko SKX

Would agree, I've got a couple and they are a good solid watch that punch well above their weight that can't really be beaten at the price IMO.

I did replace the bracelets with a more substantial, solid affair but that was mainly for feel (and to have one a different style from the other) as the standard bracelets are fine and work/look just as well as the upgraded version.

[vixen1700]

skirk said:

Seiko SKX or an orient Mako would fit the bill...........

Can't really go wrong with these.

There are millions of divers out there, but something a little different caught my eye recently.

https://www.traskawatch.com/

Like the look and price of these. Saw a decent review of them too.

The Magrette is also a decent shout.

[gvij]

Omega Seamaster- present or past you wont get a better watch. The Seikos divers are nice but a bit tacky, perhaps its the rubber strap on mine gave me a nasty rash.
On the Seikos definitely go quartz or solar as their mechs are very inaccurate. A good mech Seamaster is accurate to around 25 seconds per week.

[Drewbs]

LimaDelta said:

I had meant to say I'd prefer a plastic case (less likely to scratch something expensive) but I quite like that one. Certainly 500m is overkill (as are any of the diver watches though to be fair).

Having a look on forasec now...

If something other than a metal case interests you, take a look at Marathon. They have a few fibreshell cased watches and are standard issue to a number of militaries, so I'd say they'd cover the 'rugged' side of things. There's quartz and mechanical versions.

Something like this: https://www.pageandcooper.com/marathon-military-na...

[cbmotorsport]

OK, bear with me here....

https://www.watcho.co.uk/watches/g-shock-watches/c...

It's a G-Shock, but they are a really very subtle option. The don't wear big and chunky and look brash like most G-Shocks.

Solar Powered
Radio Controlled time
World time
200m Water resistance
Tough as old boots.

I'm not a G-Shock fan but this one wears perfectly and is very thin. Worth a look.

ETA: just noticed you have a F-91Ws - very similar, only larger, much more advanced and more rugged.

Edited by cbmotorsport on Friday 2nd November 11:58

[LimaDelta]

Drewbs said:

LimaDelta said:

I had meant to say I'd prefer a plastic case (less likely to scratch something expensive) but I quite like that one. Certainly 500m is overkill (as are any of the diver watches though to be fair).

Having a look on forasec now...

If something other than a metal case interests you, take a look at Marathon. They have a few fibreshell cased watches and are standard issue to a number of militaries, so I'd say they'd cover the 'rugged' side of things. There's quartz and mechanical versions.

Something like this: https://www.pageandcooper.com/marathon-military-na...

Yep, I like that. Most of them are showing out of stock however.

[cbmotorsport]

Could also look at an army issue CWC G10 if simplicity and ruggedness are your main requirements.

Or a Scurfa One https://www.scurfawatches.com/diverone2017original

Edited by cbmotorsport on Friday 2nd November 12:06

[ColdoRS]

Smiths PRS-40 https://wornandwound.com/hands-smiths-nato-prs-40/

I’ve got one and I love it for work(on a yacht ). Lightweight, bold and interesting. I also rotate a few g-shocks but appreciate that’s not your thing.

I’ve tried wearing my panerai for work and a dreadnaught Voyager but kept finding myself dinging them off stainless or around the interior so went back to the lower profile PRS-40. my only gripe is when the nato gets wet/sweaty, it can stink, needs a soapy scrub with a toothbrush every trip.

My next work watch will be a gen 2 s-eed,aster x-33. Totally marmite but I’ve listed after it for a while so will jump in when I see one for sale second hand.

[LimaDelta]

ColdoRS said:

my only gripe is when the nato gets wet/sweaty

What's an ETO doing wet and sweaty? Might want to re-read your contract matey.

[Fullook]

I bought this to do the job you've described (Seiko SNE439P1):



Waterproof; rugged; accurate; solar-powered (so never need to worry about battery replacement); inexpensive so if it did get scratched etc, no tears will be shed. Rubber strap is super comfortable and good in all weathers.

After a while I found the red / blue of the bezel a bit much so bought a black bezel for about £20 and now it looks like this:

[Badda]

I know you said you don't like G Shock but I have this for day to day stuff and it ticks every box and I'm amazed at how much I like it. So comfy, so tough.

[LimaDelta]

Badda said:

I know you said you don't like G Shock but I have this for day to day stuff and it ticks every box and I'm amazed at how much I like it. So comfy, so tough.

cbmotorsport suggested the same one. I'm not sure... It's kind of like a F-91w turned up to 11.