What are the most durable and affordable wristwatch options for everyday use?

[Quaoar]

So I'm in the market for a good wristwatch, preferably in the sub-$100 range. I have been liking the Skagen mesh watch:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007X9EZC/?tag=pfamazon01-20

...but I was wondering what watches you guys own/recommend?

 

[Physics_wiz]

Hmmm...Walmart? That's if you really must have a watch.

 

[scorpa]

I have a nice Nevada watch, it has a pretty blue face on it...Sears special lol. It's lasted me about 2 years now, but the finish is coming off the band from the chemicals I use at work :(. I refuse to buy digital watches because I have never had one that has lasted.

 

[Gokul43201]

So I'm in the market for a good wristwatch, preferably in the sub-$100 range. I have been liking the Skagen mesh watch:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007X9EZC/?tag=pfamazon01-20

...but I was wondering what watches you guys own/recommend?

I like the Skagen Titanium Series.

 

[larkspur]

I have a solar powered Pulsar which is made by Seiko. Never have to put a battery in it! Love it!

 

[Moonbear]

I used to think I couldn't live without a watch, but only bought cheap ones because it would take me about 3 days to scratch or crack the face, and usually only a few months before I'd manage to kill it completely. After the last watch broke, I never got around to buying another. My arm felt naked for probably a good month. But, I realized I never needed to look far for the time...everything has clocks on it nowadays! My computer, my cell phone, the phone in my office, iPods, every appliance in the home, the radio in my car, and if I'm too lazy to get up off the couch while watching TV, I can even flip to that channel with the TV Guide to check the time. So, I've stopped wearing a watch. On a few occasions, I've wound up 5 min late to a meeting because of it, but those are the sort of meetings that usually start 10 min late anyway while people chit chat at the beginning, so maybe I'm better off for not getting there on time.

 

[gravenewworld]

I wear a movado. They are awesome watches.

 

[Monique]

I have a swarovski watch, the arms are tiny and there are no hour/minute indicators, but amazingly telling the time is easy (although sometimes I am an hour off )

 

[Danger]

I really love these things:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3232/"
Especially the 2nd one (under 'view all images').

 

[Evo]

I used to think I couldn't live without a watch, but only bought cheap ones because it would take me about 3 days to scratch or crack the face, and usually only a few months before I'd manage to kill it completely. After the last watch broke, I never got around to buying another. My arm felt naked for probably a good month. But, I realized I never needed to look far for the time...everything has clocks on it nowadays! My computer, my cell phone, the phone in my office, iPods, every appliance in the home, the radio in my car, and if I'm too lazy to get up off the couch while watching TV, I can even flip to that channel with the TV Guide to check the time. So, I've stopped wearing a watch. On a few occasions, I've wound up 5 min late to a meeting because of it, but those are the sort of meetings that usually start 10 min late anyway while people chit chat at the beginning, so maybe I'm better off for not getting there on time.

Same here. I haven't worn a watch in years, just don't need it anymore.

 

[Physics_wiz]

I really love these things:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3232/"
Especially the 2nd one (under 'view all images').

I only glimpsed at the pictures, but do those give you the time in binary or something?

 

[JasonRox]

Same here. I haven't worn a watch in years, just don't need it anymore.

I'm with the girls with this one.

Clocks everywhere. I do admit that my wrists feel a little "naked" at times, especially now after reading about watches.

 

[JasonRox]

I only glimpsed at the pictures, but do those give you the time in binary or something?

I think I read that it gives the time once a minute. They do not promote it as a time telling watch, but more of a styling thing.

 

[chroot]

I have to admit, I have a "thing" for watches. My girlfriend thinks it's pretty much the male equivalent of women's jewelry, and she's, well, probably right. I'm currently wearing a Citizen:

I like complex watches... the more dials and useless features, the better. I like complex watches mainly because I admire the engineering that went into fitting so many functions and moving parts into an instrument the size of a coin. I'm not so much a "gadget freak" when it comes to other devices like PDAs and cell phones, but I love a fine, "old world" analog watch. (And yes, I know that most "analog watches" these days are really microcomputers turning stepper motors. Don't remind me.)

In the same vein, I absolutely adore old, authentic weather instruments.

- Warren

 

[gravenewworld]

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/jomashop_1911_55934678


i am probably opposite of you. the more plain and less things on the watch, the more i like it. the pic above is currently my watch. i got a really good deal on it--it was on sale for $299.

 

[Physics_wiz]

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/jomashop_1911_55934678


i am probably opposite of you. the more plain and less things on the watch, the more i like it. the pic above is currently my watch. i got a really good deal on it--it was on sale for $299.

You can buy a computer for less than that!

 

[BobG]

Being a slide rule collector, I don't like all that new electronic stuff.

Although I have to admit, my wrist sundial didn't turn out to be such a great idea. Every time I used my arm, the time would change.

So, I don't wear any kind of wrist time keeping device.

 

[gravenewworld]

You can buy a computer for less than that!

Probably. But tell me, which one would become obsolete first--a $299 computer or my watch?

 

[Moonbear]

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/jomashop_1911_55934678


i am probably opposite of you. the more plain and less things on the watch, the more i like it. the pic above is currently my watch. i got a really good deal on it--it was on sale for $299.

That's the sort of sleek look I like, but not the price I would like!

 

[devious_]

Has anyone else noticed how most watches have the time set to 10:10 before their picture is taken? I'm too lazy to check if this is true in general.

 

[Danger]

It is true in general. It's a marketing ploy that goes back over 100 years. Just as a symmetrical face is considered more beautiful (or handsome) than a non-symmetrical one, the equalization of the hour and minute hands of a clock referenced to XII is considered artistic and thus likely to sell more clocks.

 

[turbo]

I have a Luminox Captain's field watch with a black face and stainless band. I have had it for years and wouldn't be without it. The dial markers and the hands feature tritium vials that glow very brightly. I have used the light from this watch to locate the keyhole in my garage door - very dark out there. The watch is accurate and rugged, and if it were lost or stolen, I would buy another in a heartbeat. These are very clean-looking utilitarian watches, unlike some of the other Luminox models.

 

[Cyrus]

That's the sort of sleek look I like, but not the price I would like!

The price is not that bad, a good watch would run for at least a grand. I think its a nice watch. I like simple watches, the less the better. But I don't like watches with metal armbands.

I have a small swiss Fero Feldmann watch.

 

[Danger]

While I like the ones that I linked to, what I actually wear is a first-generation Timex Data Link (about 10 years old). All of the paint has worn off of the body, so it's a nice grey colour with a black face and red and black buttons. It has a pretty small memory (30 phone #'s plus addresses, to-do list, etc.), but enough for most of my purposes.
I've never managed to keep a watch band, though, for more than a couple of months without breaking it. It finally pissed me off so much that I sniped some 1/2" banding steel from a lumber yard and made my own. It takes about half a second to open or close it, and I've been wearing it constantly for 2 years without a hint of breakage.