Which Digital watch?

[Ben Trout]

I really should get a watch for work. My last Traser died thanks to power tool vibration and nasty magnetic fields. I replaced it and got a Casio for work. Then the Casio fell apart.

So what to get? I would like a digital (watching the hands go round at several hundred times quicker than they should is a bit surreal, but can't be a good thing) Something that can be beaten around a lot, with a fairly clean display. The Casio G-shocks would be ideal but all the extraneous displays blinking away just annoy me. Just time and maybe date, please.

 

[Rumcajs]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...s+watches|14417316/Trail/searchtext>WATCH.htm

This is watch I'm using for almost four years now. Simple, cheap and reliable

 

[Stuart69]

I love my G-Shock and it hasn't got blinking bits

it's a GWM-5600BC-1ER Casio Wave Ceptor. I got a Zulu strap for it and replaced the stainless steel/rubber one it came with.

I got it Here but it's gone up in price from the £80 it was.

Edit to say that's a carp pic, the displays a lot brighter in reallife

 

[Lordyosch]

G-shocks are pretty good, I got a free one with a mobile phone about 8 years ago. Still going (quite) strong -some of the plastic 'armour' is coming away now though. The light is a full screen green backlight, really good. Can even use it as a non-disruptive torch when I come in from the pub!


Jay

 

[tytek]

I've had a number of G-Shocks, infact they are all still working.
The plastic straps however have started to split and crack, that's my only critisism.

I do wear them 24/7 so they get a bit of greif.

 

[Laurentius]

I am one of these people that does not get on well with watches, they break or fail in some other way with annoying regularity.

I have never found a plastic or resin cased watch that has not broken, and I am even a bit brutal with the metal cased ones.

Right now the best survivor is a simple lorus sports watch, which looks pretty much like the more expensive seiko divers watch (and probably has the identical workings inside)

The plating on the bezel has worn off, but the glass hasn't broken yet, and it does actually work underwater as I swim with it regularly.

Does what it needs to, tells the time and I don't have to worry about dropping it. Cost me fifty quid about five years ago.

 

[knifefan]

I would reccomend that u spend a little bit more and get yourself a good "automatic" watch. No batteries to replace, never stops as long as u are wearing it and even if u take it off, most good ones will run for 30-40hrs before stopping.

It may help but I've got a Traser auto steel case with black leather strap and all the normal titrium hands and markers and waterproof in as new condition. (available for £120 inc postage) the rrp was £195 when I bought it.

 

[rapidboy]

I use a GW-M5600 a lot, i replaced the standard plastic strap with a G-shock bracelet and it's a really comfortable, tough and accurate watch.

The bracelet is great, not cheap but i can't get on with the regular casio straps.

That's it beside the cheaper DW-5600E, no atomic synq or solar power but still every bit as tough.

 

[ruger_red]

what's the budget?

 

[redneck]

Bushcrafters don't wear digital watches...how are you supposed to find south if you have no watch hands to use...

 

[Rebel]

My G-Shock has been on my wrist for two years. It is my only watch and I wear it all the time. It gets plenty of abuse (not intentional) and it's still working splendidly. I wear it felling trees, fixing the car, digging the allotment, pulling gunk out of ponds, you name it.

Here's a picture of it. I rubbed the dirt off the glass for the picture. There's a few scratches and dents in the body but they are just cosmetic. The nylon strap is comfortable and is wearing well. If I do manage to eventually wreck the watch it wasn't too expensive, although I'll be sad if it breaks I won't cry or have to sell the kids.

 

[Phil6201]

I've got a green G Shock 'Mudman' that only has date and time.

http://www.g-shock.co.nz/Casio-G-Shock-New-Zealand/G90003V

I know it looks like it's got all sorts of extra flashing bits, but in normal time mode it's just the date and time.

 

[tytek]

Bushcrafters don't wear digital watches...how are you supposed to find south if you have no watch hands to use...

I have a Timex Expedition. It has a built in electronic compass.
It's pretty accurate too - You just have to let the watch know your position on the planet.

http://www.timex-expedition-watches.co.uk/

 

[steven andrews]

I second Rapidboy's suggestion for the DW-5600E. Good functions without too much cluttter.
My only gripe with the DW-5600E is that is doesn't have Auto EL (the option of having the light come on automatically when you tilt the watch up to look at the face). Without Auto EL it needs your other hand to press the light button, which isn't practical sometimes and can be very difficult when wearing gloves.

I wear the more expensive GWM-5600 as my work watch. I was happy to pay more for the radio controlled accuracy, Auto EL and solar powering.

 

[alpha_centaur]

I second Rapidboy's suggestion for the DW-5600E. Good functions without too much cluttter.
My only gripe with the DW-5600E is that is doesn't have Auto EL (the option of having the light come on automatically when you tilt the watch up to look at the face). Without Auto EL it needs your other hand to press the light button, which isn't practical sometimes and can be very difficult when wearing gloves.

I wear the more expensive GWM-5600 as my work watch. I was happy to pay more for the radio controlled accuracy, Auto EL and solar powering.

I had one before with the auto light and ended up giving it away because the auto light was always coming on when I was driving.

 

[hedgerow pete]

used to have a casio g shock as it was all i ever needed now i wear an militry watch, the old school sort with no batteries just wind it up every four days

 

[rapidboy]

I had one before with the auto light and ended up giving it away because the auto light was always coming on when I was driving.

You should have read the manual, you can turn off the auto light function

 

[Rebel]

You should have read the manual, you can turn off the auto light function

Took the words out of my mouth.

 

[Ben Trout]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I do prefer analogue watches, but work is just a nasty thing to do to them.

Casio 5600 series is definitley the favourite at the moment.

 

[Ben Trout]

...or a G-7800B-1ER. Does that one have the electro luminescent backlight?

Just followed Stuart69's link and got wandering.