Practical wrist watches for regular American fellows

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Thursday, January 7. 2016

Practical wrist watches for regular American fellows

From comments and emails regarding our timepiece post on Tuesday, I am left with these recommendations (it's scientific consensus):

- Watches much over $100 are jewelry, not timepieces - and not very masculine but some guys need them for work
- Expensive watches can't take the rigors of real work or recreation.
- I think an ordinary American guy needs a wrist watch, a knife in his pocket, and $100 in his wallet.

Practical watches, zero-pretension, (semi-disposable) that our readers like (but surprising many guys seem to hate watches so I guess that's ok too):

Citizen Eco-Drive Mens Strap Watch

Any version of Seiko 5

Swiss Army Watches, for example

Timex Explorer or Expedition watches

What about watches for women? Don't most women prefer a nice Cartier piece? For when they are not working in the fields, I mean. A pretty reward for the rigors and hazards of bambino production:

Posted by Bird Dog in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 13:09 | Comments (24) | Trackbacks (0)

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From comments and emails regarding our timepiece post on Tuesday, I am left with these recommendations (it's scientific consensus):

Watches over $100 are jewelry, not timepieces - and not very masculine but some guys need them for work

This is the one I have - IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph which has an internal Faraday cage which reduces magnetic issues which plaque other watches. Its the only watch I've ever owned that doesn't have magnetism issues.

Expensive watches can't take the rigors of real work or recreation.

Mine can.

I think an American guy needs a wrist watch, a knife in his pocket, and $100 in his wallet.

I would replace the knife with a multi tool. There are some very nice small multi tools that are unobtrusive, yet are very versatile. Other than bumping the $100 to $250 (which is what I carry in $50s and $20s), that's a perfect list.

#1 Tom Francis on 2016-01-07 14:27 (Reply)

I have a Lady Elgin from the 40s that I picked up on Ebay. Was supposed to belong to the woman's grandmother. It doesn't keep great time, but close enough. And I have MY grandmother's Lucien Picard, which impressed the folks at the jeweller's when I had it worked on last. It's pretty flashy.

I carry a vintage Boker, a vintage gas lighter, but don't seem to have that $100 today ;)

#2 Teri Pittman on 2016-01-07 14:45 (Reply)

I'm a builder and a stonemason,you can see newbuild gothic over at my site. I've worn a cartier wristwatch day and night for 19 years and it is still going strong.

#3 Thud (Link) on 2016-01-07 15:14 (Reply)

I was given a Cartier watch as a gift. It was a piece of crap. The stem continued to fall out. It had a plastic substrate under the pretty gold case. Cartier = ego purchase.

#3.1 Sven Svenson on 2016-01-08 08:55 (Reply)

I've got the Swiss Army watch, a Damascus blade pocket folder--just because it is cool, and a Zippo for lighting my occasional cigar.

#4 rocdoctom on 2016-01-07 15:36 (Reply)

Thank goodness my costco watch made the $100 cutoff. LOL.

I am a woman and like a small watch and a wristband of a certain loose, bracelet quality. I'm picky. What can I say?

I also did not want to have to replace a battery. So I'm guessing the $100 price tag was due to the fancy solar powered stuff. I do not like 'jewelry' looking watches with jewels, diamonds, and flash.

So I will pay $100 for convenience (no battery) and quality (won't fall apart with daily use) and 'look' (bracelet style, silver - I hate gold).

#5 MissT on 2016-01-07 15:40 (Reply)

You seem to have decided that watches with hands are the only type worth considering. Why is that? No room for alternate opinions?

I gladly took to digital watches over 30 years ago and don't plan to ever go back.

#6 GaryS on 2016-01-07 15:52 (Reply)

May be an age thing. I used to love digital watches ... but due to 60-year-old farsightedness I have come to detest them. The displays tend to fade when viewed from less than a 90 degree angle, and in dim light suffer the same problem. An analog watch can be read at a quick glance - even if badly out of focus - from any angle and in dim light. And in the dark, my when vision is the worst, I can still read the analog with the back light, whereas I'd need reading glasses to decipher the display on a digital watch.

#6.1 Cleve Watson on 2016-01-07 19:14 (Reply)

I have a couple of Citizen watches. They are excellent.

#7 NJSoldier on 2016-01-07 17:53 (Reply)

I enjoy all of these opinions

#8 Bird Dog on 2016-01-07 17:57 (Reply)

Sorry but carrying a pocket knife today is too much trouble with modern security regulations.

Every time I flew commercially or showed up at a job at a nuclear power plant, it was confiscated.

As to wearing a nice watch, it should be congruent with the rest of your clothes. If you wear a suit, you need a dress watch. If you're in neoprene, a diver's watch works best.

Remember the words of Shakespeare' character Polonius to the young Hamlet:

"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy - rich, not gaudy,
For apparel oft proclaims the man."

I think we can all agree on the "not gaudy" part.

#9 Whitehall on 2016-01-07 17:59 (Reply)

Polonius' speech was meant to be taken as humorous, that of an old fogey

#9.1 bd on 2016-01-07 19:06 (Reply)

You mean the wisdom of age?

Sorry, still holds true today and is great advice to men of all ages.

#9.1.1 Whitehall on 2016-01-07 19:46 (Reply)

I have been a time connoisseur. Man or woman should take a look at the Yes watch. I gave up all others. Yes is unknown and the time piece for time. yeswatch.com

#10 Peter Smith MD on 2016-01-07 19:49 (Reply)

I want a lightweight, unobtrusive watch with a very easy to read face, and a date window. Has to be water resistant, accurate, and not too expensive. My favorite TAG Heuer F1 is long discontinued, but I got many years of service from one.

Today the choice is a Luminox with synthetic strap in 38mm case. The luminous hands are great in the dark.

#11 Dan D on 2016-01-07 21:08 (Reply)

Tritium watches are great in my opinion. The tritium illuminant is a big advance over the older radium dials.

I have the Traser Officer Pro with an upgraded German leather rallye strap. Very legible in all situations. There are others just as good or better but beware the plastic cases.

I leave it on the night stand for checking the time after lights out. The cell phone is just too bright for that.

#11.1 Whitehall on 2016-01-07 23:02 (Reply)

I've owned and worn an Omega Seamaster for about 15 years. wear it all the time. Sailing, construction, gardening, woodworking, never take it off. Looks almost new. never wind it or replace batteries either. Never been in the shop. Bought it at Costco, now, Amazon sells them for over 4 times what I paid. Probably wouldn't buy one at the current price, but it is a very good timepiece.

#12 RT on 2016-01-07 21:23 (Reply)

I bought a Rolex Submariner in 1970. $186--expensive for the time, but has worked out to about $4/year for the 46 years I've worn it. Cleaning today costs $250-300, however. New ones are now unaffordable.

#13 John on 2016-01-07 22:09 (Reply)

My Rolex Oyster is 35 years old and was given to me by my wife. When it starts to lose time, it is time to clean it and spend $250 on a shop that does nothing but, and does very well at, maintaining Rolexes.

#14 Mike K (Link) on 2016-01-07 22:37 (Reply)

I have a National Geographic Analog Atomic Field Watch. It's traditional looking but corrects itself by linking to the atomic clock in Boulder. A watch that talks to God.

#15 Colorado on 2016-01-07 23:38 (Reply)

$100 is a pretty low cutoff point, pretty much eliminates most of the ones discussed including Swiss Army, Luminox etc. Should really include G-Shock in there too (I have a couple of Gs, and an ecodrive)

Some expensive watches are quite sturdy (Rolex, Ball come to mind) but even most G-Schocks (quite tough) are over $100 for all but the most basic digitals.

On other comments, however, Ifind that most multitools look good, but make poor knives. Too much extra clutter

#16 Jay on 2016-01-08 12:25 (Reply)

Roger that on the multitool. Look good on your belt but when you need a knife-you need a knife, and when you need pliers--you need pliers. The wine openers work well though!

#16.1 rocdoctom on 2016-01-08 18:33 (Reply)

A knife wouldn't work for me. All courts I go to have metal detectors at the entrances, and now so do most government agencies and offices, the legislature being the only one I can think of that doesn't. So I wouldn't want it confiscated, or even worse, be accused to trying to smuggle it in.

#17 Jim on 2016-01-08 20:01 (Reply)

I've destroyed a G-Shock and several other "shockproof" watches from other makers. The only fine Swiss watch I've owned (a present from a dear uncle,) didn't last a week. My wife gave me a fine Seiko, once and I center- punched the crystal on the first day I wore it and destroyed the internals. Can't be sure if that pushed her over the edge, but she asked me to move out and then filed for divorce within the week. These days, just rely on the clock of my cell phone... can't count how many of those I've gone through.
I've carried a pocket knife since boyhood and had to surrender one to the police while visiting a friend in jail, but went through nine yards of hassle to get it back- just on principle.
I have no idea how anyone with an active lifestyle, who makes and builds and fixes and plays as hard as he works, is able to keep a watch. Boys will be boys.

#18 Alan Robertson on 2016-01-09 21:52 (Reply)

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Thursday, January 7. 2016

Practical wrist watches for regular American fellows