Tough watches

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sharp88

Settler
Aug 18, 2006
649
0
34
Kent
And what's wrong with Thailand. :) Many of Nikon's DSLRs are made there. Seagate hard disk drives, Intel processors, etc.

For the price I think G-Shock is as tough as you are going to get. I've broken lots of watches and decided to get a G-Shock. I haven't been disappointed.

How tough is a G-Shock?

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=57302


I was looking through all the videos on youtube of the torture tests, etc and with much thought, bought a G-Shock Mudman in matt black, with tough solar today. Cost a fair whack, but I think its a good investment.
 
I have had a G shock for years, and its still as good as the day I bought it. Been hit by cricket balls, and survived all my accidents. Its an atomic one with solar power. Never goes flat. and I would not swap it for anything else .

GW700DE, made in Thailand and built the proverbial BSH, certainly the toughest and most reliable watch I have ever owned, and due to the fact that the battery never needs to come out to be replaced, its water proofing is never compromised, which incidentally brought about the death of my last two watches.
G shock for me every time
 

malente

Life member
Jan 14, 2007
894
2
Germany
My vote goes for Seiko Automatic Diver. Bomb proof. Here's the story to prove it:

My trusty 1966 6105 Diver has withstood one Alaskan plane crash (small plane) after being left in the woods "lost" for 6 months after it broke from my wrist and flew out on crash impact until we could come back and salvage the aircraft in the spring. (Lived in Alaska 24 years) Another was our helicopter went down in the North Atlantic in the late 70's during a storm and a trip to the offshore oil platforms, we were in a raft for 7 hours in heavy seas and freezing spray. A refinery explosion in France in the 80's when several people close by were killed and my Seiko once again became airborne and was found several hundred feet away. I just had in restored by Eric in Seattle of EMW and it's looks like a new watch. Any way I guess that's tough..............
from: http://www.makedostudio.com/watches/seiko-divers/

I've got the SKX 007, totally in your price range. I suggest the black rubber strap with it. You can get the watch mailed from the states, I did that.

Here's a picture of the beauty:

SKX_007J_d.jpg


Now doesn't that scream testosterone?

ATB Mike
 

Muddy Boots

Settler
May 27, 2009
617
66
52
warwickshire
First G Shock I had G-Lide lasted 15 years got the battery replaced by a local cobbler that successfully managed to destroy the light function on it by jabbing a steel pin into one of the circuits. Still use

Just bought a Waveceptor G shock as a work watch.

Will be buying a G Shock Gulfman as prefer that over a Mudman as I found the strap a bit of an issue on the Mudman.

I would say if you get into a position to destroy a G shock whilst it is on your wrist and you are wearing it, the last thing you will be worrying about would be the state of your watch. I think you would probably be more concerned at the red fleshy thing that is hanging limp from your elbow and was previously hand shaped.

G shock all the way!
 
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Wilderbeast

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 9, 2008
2,036
9
32
Essex-Cardiff
Breitling's are tough, my mate has had one for years because he's a pilot. He chucks it all over the place and he's never had to get it serviced or anything!
 

hanzo

Nomad
Feb 12, 2006
452
25
60
Hawaii
hanzosoutdoors.blogspot.com
Before my Breitling, I had a Tag Heuer for about 20 years. I was on a flight once and the flight attendant noticed my watch. She said she and lots of pilots and flight crew like the Tag Heuer. I asked her why and she said because if the plane went down, the watch would survive. Right then, I knew I was talking to an idiot.

My Tag took everything I dished out to it. The last time I took it to the jewelry (a prominent high end store too) store to replace the battery. They neglected to reseal it. I wore it in the ocean and noticed condensation in the watch. Then the face discolored before my eyes. The luminous dots weren't any more. I had a good watch repair shop fix it, but it just wasn't the same anymore. I swore no more battery powered watches.

The Breitling replaced it several years ago and it has been in the ocean and the woods and been knocked around quite a bit and is still pristine. It's definitely tougher than the Tag. The Tag's bevel busted after it accidentally got whacked on something metal. The Breitling has been accidentally whacked around many times. No problems.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,186
1,557
Cumbria
I have a tough solar casio wathc for over a year now. In fact it could be 2.5 years. Christmas present from my nice gran. It is tough althgouhthe metal bracelet has taken some battering had to repair it once on the hills when I slipped with it slightly slipped down to my hand. Stretched the links and it needs replacingt. The watch part is as new. I'm a muppet with watches and always scratching the faces on rocks buyt this has not scratched. It has not broken. It keeps perfect time due to the radio timekeeping. FUn to wathc it happen at midnight. The battery is always on full charge and I do mean full bars. I wear long sleeved shirts in the day but somehow it charges.

Mine is a WVA-430U. That is what is on the back. SS body but part of the body that attaches to the strap (metal bracelet type with double security latch mech) is plastic but to be fair it is part of the strap really. only 100m WR but that means it is probably suitable for 50m dynamic. You are right about the depth being static depth, i.e. without movement. If you dive in a 50m watch you can damage it (meant dive off a board). I think anything from 100m upwards is suitable for basic diving in terms of water pressure and resisting leaks. however don't hold me to it. Of course when you replace your battery if you don't get it sent back to casio or their repairers you will more than likely lose the resistance. That is why the tough solar suits me so much no need to replace a battery as often if at all.

In case you think I am a soft touch for watches I can tell you that I am not good with watches. They fail usually inside 2 years. This casio is the second longest lasting no third. The longest was my first watch which if I still had it would still work a Sekonda from when I was 6 years old. Then it is a casio 200m divers watch. Simple digital stopwatch countdown sort of functions. Then it is tough solar.

My worst watch was Tissot. It was a £300-£400 watch bought in a closing down sale at a very good watch shop where the owner was an old man who wanted to retire but had noone to take the shop over. Got it for £150. It lasted about a year. Another was accurist (about £150 bought for 18th brithday). Lasted 18 months at best. I have found that only casio watches last for me. I've had other makes too. Since I find being without a watch on my wrist is like not wearing anything on my bottom half I am never without a watch, even if it doesn't work!! It is as much a part of me as my glasses.
 

Wilderbeast

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 9, 2008
2,036
9
32
Essex-Cardiff
Before my Breitling, I had a Tag Heuer for about 20 years. I was on a flight once and the flight attendant noticed my watch. She said she and lots of pilots and flight crew like the Tag Heuer. I asked her why and she said because if the plane went down, the watch would survive. Right then, I knew I was talking to an idiot.

My Tag took everything I dished out to it. The last time I took it to the jewelry (a prominent high end store too) store to replace the battery. They neglected to reseal it. I wore it in the ocean and noticed condensation in the watch. Then the face discolored before my eyes. The luminous dots weren't any more. I had a good watch repair shop fix it, but it just wasn't the same anymore. I swore no more battery powered watches.

The Breitling replaced it several years ago and it has been in the ocean and the woods and been knocked around quite a bit and is still pristine. It's definitely tougher than the Tag. The Tag's bevel busted after it accidentally got whacked on something metal. The Breitling has been accidentally whacked around many times. No problems.

My 18th Birthday present from my dad was the new Tag Heuer Calibre 5 aquaracer auotmatic, I love it! Took ages to find because london seems to have been flooded by some hideous very "oil tycoon" watches that were disgustingly bling and, not particularly well made. Nearly cried when I went into Aspreys it used to be incredible now it's horrible and garish.

.....anyway a little off topic

back on OP I like the look of the one shewie posted, the uzi. I think you need a watch that isn't too e expensive, anything between the £100-£200 mark WILL have a breaking point, it just depends how hard you push it to find it. As such you need to pay enough for quality, but not so much that it's a tragedy if it breaks.
 

tim_n

Full Member
Feb 8, 2010
1,726
124
Essex
Timex Expedition, Argos, £15.

Still going, surived everything for the last 15 years. Gave it to a friend and he's still wearing it, I on the otherhand have got another with an electronic compass on it which I never use. Brilliant watches.

£7.50
 
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sharp88

Settler
Aug 18, 2006
649
0
34
Kent
G-Shock came on Tuesday n picked it up yesterday. Really cool watch. Took 20 mins to get everything how I wanted it last night, left it on the windowseal thismorning and up to full bar charge. Atomic clock works out nicely and accurately. Love it.
 

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