A British watch option. Not quite in the price range, you were looking for.

Christopher Ward watches, founded by 2 guys with the idea that quality watches don't have to be expensive.

Swiss movements
https://www.christopherward.com/dive#

C60 Sapphire is well worth checking out

I just like looking up watches, so here is a bit more and I'll give it a rest. Any of these I would buy myself.

Swiss Options

Tissot Seastar 1000 80-hour power reserve. 30 bar

Hamilton Diver US Brand owned by Swatch for quite some time.

Hamilton also has an 80-hour power reserve model.

There are a lot of great options if you go with quartz, from your initial post I had the impression you had a mechanical preference.

Additional US Watches

Lum-Tec https://lum-tec.com/collections
$470 and up, divers starting at $745
Swiss and Japanese movements
Assembled in the US, with US-made cases and other components, from what I understand.

Detroit Watch Company https://detroitwatchco.com/
$1000 and up
Their watches are Michigan/Detroit themed
Swiss movements

There is of Timex. Keeps a licking and keeps on ticking. They do have some nice looking models. I've worn out multiple Ironmans.

Bulova once a US company now part of Citizen, affordable watches of both Japanese and Swiss origin.

Japanese

Seiko is a quality watch with many models that would fit your needs.
https://www.seikowatches.com/us-en

And of course if not already mentioned the Casio G-Shock is hard to beat.

As it has been said The first place to start is with sending Send forum member DavidTruong an email.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SOTAR,

Give David Truong a call and see what he's got in stock. I am a huge fan of Ball watches. several models can be had in your price range in the grey market.

I've got 2 Christopher Ward watches and I'm very fond of both. My C65 Trident hand wound might be my favorite watch at the moment. I'm not crazy about some of the recent styling choices they've made, but that is personal preference. I just got a Yema Flygraf that impresses me quite a bit, but I haven't had it long enough yet to comment on its reliability. So far, so good, but it's an in house movement that I don't have any firsthand experience with.

I like some of the Ball watches a lot and they can be had grey market or used in your price range.

My working watch for nearly two decades was a Seiko skx007. Thing was nearly indestructible. Never went in for service and ran like a top until just recently.

Resco Instruments, I have a Gen I Patriot excellent and rugged.

Mimi's Jewelery is Truong, right - I kinda like that Digi Tuna, if it can be set to 24 hour time.

It can, easily. . The Digi Tuna is a brilliant watch.

I forgot to mention it also fully illuminates the screen if you just smack it. You can change its sensitivity level too or amount of force you have to tap the screen to make it illuminate.

The LCD also allows for contrast adjustment and it has a beep on the hour function that I have become quite fond of. Tons of personality for a quartz watch!

I think best everyday "beater" are Citizens.

FWIW, I bought a Rolex Sub Date in 1982 for a beater. I used it at work, beat it like a rented mule, had it serviced periodically and it still looks new.

Did the same with a Rolex Yacht-Master in 2003, it also still looks new.

I wrangle machines for a living. My off work activities are not kind to watches either.

I bought them for their toughness, they delivered.

So, my point is...

Beater watches come in all price categories, but like with anything else, the more you put into it, the more you get from it.

People have a wierd relationship with watches like Rolex as an example, it's unhealthy IMO. They baby them, won't get them wet, freak when they get scratched.

Rolex was MADE for tough conditions. That's their mission statement. Travel the Arctic, across a desert, mountain climb, etc. If you need it to work without fail as your life depends on it - because it does - Rolex is the answer.

These days I wear a Sinn. Same mission statement, much less expensive. Not quite as nice as Rolex, but very nice indeed.

Life is too short to wear a cheap watch.

What do you consider a cheap watch?

After my AD cluster with my Omega I almost hate the top tier watches and consider some of them to be a scam compared to what micro brands offer.

Oh, after having the Omega Seamaster of my father's serviced, before I gave it to my brother - I agree. The servicing fees have gotten absurd.

I too beat the heck out of my Rolex - it has a fine collections of dings, corrosion, scratches, etc. (When my father bought it, to use sailing, the shop owner took his off, and threw it across the room. He told my father, "As long as its on your wrist, it will be fine. People lose them/get them stolen when they take them off, to avoid damaging them.")

I bought one for travel - the Rolex will go in the safety deposit box, when I pull my passport out.

I'm debating about getting one to wear while fishing/boating/etc - but I have a Rohrbaugh one. Needs a new battery. Its a bit pretty, but I have no attachment to it. (I do like that Digi Tuna, King Turtle Seiko, and Marine Master though.)

I did not buy the speedmaster, and won't, as I don't think they'd hold up to me. I need to wear something which can be in a wet, corrosive, environment.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
What do you consider a cheap watch?

After my AD cluster with my Omega I almost hate the top tier watches and consider some of them to be a scam compared to what micro brands offer.

Well, there's cheap, inexpensive, value for money, etc.

My cheap category is my Black Monster, it's my travel watch. Good feel to it, durable, bezel, accurate (had it regulated).

Inexpensive is my King Turtle. Sapphire and ceramic, good looks and fun color.

Value for money is my Sinn Arktis II and the ceramic Marinemaster. Both good for any occasion if that occasion is holding back the barbarians or challenging the elements hunting or other adventures.

I bought my Rolex before the current over value costs. Sub was $1175 OTD NIB and the YM was $6100 OTD NIB.

Proportionately it was expensive in both cases, but not quite like today.

ETA

I understand Omega is technologically all that and a ham sandwich, but I am not an Omega fan, never was. It's the Ford/Chevy debate thing I suppose, but I never did see any Omega that could hold up to the real world beating I observed Rolex doing and laughing at it.

I look forward to seeing some pictures of your current Rolex and your choice. Please post when you can.

Edit: Was thinking of seeing the new "working watch" that the OP decides to get as well as his Sub.

Really nice to see the watches folks are wearing, how old they are, and if they are everyday watches or safe queens.

Nice to see Snapping Twig's Rolex. It looks great!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SOTAR,

Based on your budget, unless you need luxury brand/status recognition, I'd say look at the I.N.O.X line, particularly the Professional Divers. They have some Titanium models. Very nice and literally built to take a beating.





Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88xRz5g2mfQ

quote:

Originally posted by SOTAR:
I look forward to seeing some pictures of your current Rolex and your choice. Please post when you can.

If you're asking me, here's a stock pic. 2003 Y series and no Rolex rehaut.



Me wearing it.



I got a Daytona clasp for it.



Used to have three of them. Sold the Daytona.

As mentioned in an earlier post, take a look at the Christopher Ward diver options. I have been pleased with all of mine. Sapphire crystal, Sellita SW-200 movement, 600m water resistance. The Trident C60 compares favorably to my Rolex Sub 16610 as a much lower priced option.

Here are shots of a couple:

C60 Trident Pro 600


C60 Sapphire

Gorgeous Yacht-Master!!!!! My recently acquired micro brand from Hong Kong based much of its appearance on that Rolex. With a 2yr warranty, 300m WR, sapphire crystal and 15 layers Super-LumiNova BGW9 it’s lume last all night. It’s crazy good for the price and uses a common (and robust) Seiko Automatic that exhibits great accuracy when regulated with a little care or if you get a bit of luck and get one of the crazy accurate examples out of the box. I will own three Rolex watches before I die (I hope), a Sub no date, Explorer & Yacht-Master.

Until then this will remain arguably the best $230 I ever spent on a watch. Basic, robust and a little fancy at the same time.

I think of my Seiko Orange Monster or go grab a Hamilton(love Hamiltons).

I do love the Christopher Wards as well. I bought a C5 Malvern way back about 10 years ago(ETA movement, Swiss Made of course) for $315. Simply gorgeous watch. Every summer they have a decent sale where you can get some pretty good deals(50% off some models, but I think that sale has passed).

Since I have been retired for coming up on 13 years, it's prolly not right to call these working watches. There are three, in addition to the one that was running real fast still vacationing in California and probably enjoying its stay for repairs.

I can't get the photo of the Armida to post, but my wife is on the job. The two you see here, The Glycine Combat and the Deep Blue are both Quartz Chronograph-divers.

The third, picture coming soon, I hope, is an Armida auto which keeps good time. If the one in California just won't run right, I'll let the Glycine take over for all work in the yard, shooting, etc. and keep the other two as pristine as I can for social things.

Any of the three would work for most any work I've ever done, Military, LEO, Prosecutor, yard work, painting, getting my tail kicked and other chores and duties.

Bob

EDIT: Well, my wife did it, but it's not the best photo.


https://imgur.com/DcJm1TS

https://imgur.com/XntuhBB

https://imgur.com/I0tjnbk

Ok a few more.

Nite Watches, Tritium Lume which is really hard to beat. Probably the least expensive Tritium watches available.
- British with Swiss movements

The Alpha
https://www.nitewatches.com/us...re/alpha208t100green


Several of their ICON models are on sale
https://www.nitewatches.com/us/store/clearance

BAll Watches, originally were a US company, now part of the Swatch group, like Hamilton.
A bit more on the spendy side of things.
https://www.ballwatch.com/global/