Which watch!?

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welshwhit

Settler
Oct 12, 2005
647
0
42
Mid-Wales
Hi there folks, after some advice please

After keeping 2 of my classes a little longer than I should last week :eek: I discovered that my watch is no longer keeping time. . . .

But its my birthday in the not to distant future and my dear Wife said she'd get me a 'good one' :D :D

So I have a budget of around a £100 and I rather like this one. . .


But I know there are a few watch connoisseurs here abouts so thought I'd see if anyone else has some ideas!

It must be tough, its going to get worn and not pussy footed around!
It must keep excellent time!
A date would be useful too!

Thanks everybody, and it nice to be back on here!

Drew
 

Dogoak

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 24, 2009
2,289
287
Cairngorms
If you want excellent time keeping go for a quartz. Rancid B's right the G10 CWC or similar are pretty good tough watches. I used to have a Nato pilots watch by Seiko and that was really good.
You could probably get a G10 CWC cheaper elsewhere though, Silvermans tend to be a bit pricy imho. but the prices for military watches have gone up over the last few years.
 

The Cumbrian

Full Member
Nov 10, 2007
2,078
32
52
The Rainy Side of the Lakes.
I've got a stainless steel Traser that came with a black leather strap. This looks good enough to wear with a suit, although most of the time the leather strap stays in the drawer and I use an "Animal" velcro strap.
It keeps excellent time, isn't too bulky and glows like a lighthouse in the dark.

Cheers, Michael.
 

dwardo

Bushcrafter through and through
Aug 30, 2006
6,455
477
46
Nr Chester
I bought a second hand Casio Pro-trek PRG50 solar of ebay.
Its a great watch and it has taken some serious abuse without an issue. Its no real looker but if you dont care as i dont its a winner..
 

stooboy

Settler
Apr 30, 2008
635
1
Fife, Scotland
there was a thread about this before, think spamel mentioned a Russian military brand that when i looked up looked good value, cant recall it now.
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
there was a thread about this before, think spamel mentioned a Russian military brand that when i looked up looked good value, cant recall it now.


I think that might have been the Uzi Protector Stoo, got one coming from the states when it eventually gets here.
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
My sight is not great during the day and crap at night so the light up dial on the Timex expedition watches are perfect for me to use (its a sort of blue colour so won't mess up your night vision). I was given a nice casio (can't remember the model) and its a wonderful watch but I just cant read the time without a light after dark and I do need to know the time when camping so I don't miss 'Book At Bedtime' on Radio 4 ;)

There is a whole range at different prices, entry level and what I use

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2544502/Trail/searchtext>TIMEX+EXPEDITION.htm

Great reviews there, don't let the price put you off

Had this one as a xmas present last year but not used it yet
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2779140/Trail/searchtext>TIMEX+EXPEDITION.htm
 

welshwhit

Settler
Oct 12, 2005
647
0
42
Mid-Wales
Thanks folks!

The more I look into this the harder the decision is getting!

Its a timex expedition watch that I have now, but its just not keeping time anymore :(

At the moment, I have my sunto vector in my pocket when at work as its a beast on the arm when I have a shirt on!

Drew
 

rapidboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 14, 2004
2,535
27
BB
Seiko's are tough little watches if you want an auto, the wee Seiko 5's are good value or spend a bit more (still under budget if you look around).
DSC01658.jpg
DSC00139.jpg
DSC00075.jpg

DSC00329.jpg


"Tough and must keep excellent time", you could look at Casio G-Shocks
The DW-5600E on the right is battery powered while the GW-M5600 on the left is solar powered and also receives time calibration radio signals daily, both have dates, alarms, stop watches etc.
DSC02772.jpg


The GW-M5600 is often described as the "Best watch in the real world" and for good reason.

DSC02740.jpg


Or maybe a quartz analogue ?, PRECISTA PRS-10 from Time Factors
Second watch down here http://www.timefactors.com/precista.htm

About the same price as a G10 from Silvermans but higher spec.
 

giz

Tenderfoot
Nov 8, 2007
82
0
53
devon
i use a citizen eco drive divers watch uses the sun to charge the battery and its water resistent down to 300m at £150 round about its a bit over the budget but well worth it ive had mine now for about 4 years and never missed a beat
 

sandsnakes

Life Member
May 22, 2006
987
14
69
West London
http://www.simplyscuba.com/departments/Watches.aspx?PageNumber=2

I collect watches, maily 50's automatics Omegas etc, but fot the woods i use an Avia polar diving watch.

Look at diving watches, they are built to be wet, abused and have big luminous hands and numbers. If you have dodgy night or short vision (as I do) go for a dark background as this makes the glowing hands stick out more at night. To many dials and trick functions obscure the face and reflection so you need a tradition look, standard watch with date, unless you are calculating windage and fuel consumption all else is usless in the dark! You can get a tough reliable quartz divers watch for under £90. Remember the less widgits it has the less there is to go wrong!

Remember the law of KISS.

Sandsnakes:)
 

Toadflax

Native
Mar 26, 2007
1,783
5
64
Oxfordshire
Like the OP, I too have a big birthday coming up and my wife wants to buy me a watch within a similar budget to the OP. The Timexes with an in-built compass look quite interesting, though the accuracy is not great. The Timex site says accurate to within 10 degrees (sic), so not terribly good for any serious navigation, but OK for very rough direction finding. A button compass on a keyring might be a better bet in cost terms.

Can't find many reviews for these Timex models.



Geoff
 

myotis

Full Member
Apr 28, 2008
837
1
Somerset, UK.
i use a citizen eco drive divers watch uses the sun to charge the battery and its water resistent down to 300m at £150 round about its a bit over the budget but well worth it ive had mine now for about 4 years and never missed a beat

I also have a Citzen eco drive, but a simpler version;

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2513306/c_1/1|category_root|Jewellery+and+watches|14416987/c_2/2|cat_14416987|Men%27s+watches|14417316.htm

I've had it for about two years and its seems excellent as a basic watch. I changed the strap as I found it very stiff and uncomfortable.

Graham
 

Rebel

Native
Jun 12, 2005
1,052
6
Hertfordshire (UK)
The Timex looks kind of nice but I'd avoid it personally. It's not much of a bargain for what you get and that central adjusting mechanism looks ready to catch on every stray branch, piece of string or whatever else. I've had a couple of Expedition watches and they both broke before the battery ran out.

Some of the other suggestions, that are within your budget, sound more sensible to me such as Seikos and G-Shocks, possibly Citizen as well. You'll notice on the better design of watch (for the outdoors) that the adjustment buttons are protected. Also many of them, notably G-Shocks, have recessed glass faces to avoid scratching (although the Timex you were looking at appears to have this feature).

299-2834841SPA71UC547456X.jpg

Note the protection around the central adjustment knob.
 

rapidboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 14, 2004
2,535
27
BB
There is a nice looking Pulsar Military Chronograph for sale over on BB just now.
And the seller is a good bloke ;) .
 

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