Wrist Watch Recommendations - Merged Thread

[tmbluesbflat]

The feature I was trying to remember is the Hatch movement, genuine military watches all have it. there is nothing flashy about the real deal, most have dials readable in the dark,sweep second hands, readable numbers mineral hardened glass dials and usually a genuine atm reading for army of three to five atms, the divers Im not familiar with, But just last week I got on "e"bay an Omega Speedmaster Known as the "moon" watch as it was issued to the Astronaughts, These are expensive but they don‘t come any better $1500.00,

 

[AlphaCharlie]

Originally posted by tmbluesbflat:
[qb] Another watch is the Nato Standard Military watch, as issued by GB, Ger. Fr. etc they are rugged they have a feature not seen usually on civvie watches in that even the second hand is stopped on time sychro. "E"bay has them srom time to time in the$70.00 to$300.00 range. One Brand is Zeno, and as noted it is very hard to beat the Swiss Army issue Wenger at about $60.00-$100.00 depending on features, I checked and there are several in the price range mentioned, and the acronym NIB stands for new in box. These beat the gadget watches all to ****. [/qb]

Could you link me to one of the NATO watches you‘re talking about on E-Bay? I search "NATO Standard Military watch" and I get quite a few different models....

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

If your keen you could get the Suunto watch with land GPS (available this spring/summer). I think they are going to call it the X9. All the features of a GPS in a watch. They currnetly have one for golfing and one for sailing.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

http://www.suunto.com/pls/suunto/suunto2.pubmainpage.frameset

 

[Jmacca]

My vote goes for the Timex Ironman if you want a watch that is digital. Its silver, with black strap and is pretty pimp. For convenience it has indiglo numbers and dates, the whole backround doesnt light up so you can see the numbers specifically.

Has alarm, stop watch, lap timer, and a bunch of other junk i dont know how to use. Mine is WR 150m....

If you want a nicer more professional watch the Swiss Military is a big hit. Ive had 2 of them and they are my favorite but for sports and outdoors conditions I like the ironman

 

[Arctic Acorn]

Try looking at either Marathon or Stocker & Yale. Both have been making mil-spec watches for the US military and the CF for decades. I‘ve had a stainless steel navigator for 2 years, and it‘s the best watch I‘ve even owned. The tritium gas tubes are nice and bright, has mucho LCF, and the 6th finger I‘ve grown on my left hand has come in mighty handy as well.

For a watch strap, I‘d recommend a NATO G-10 strap. Pretty bombproof

 

[jarko]

Yeah Christmas is coming and its a good time to use it to get things you need for free. I am hoping to go to basic training soon and want to get a good watch that is durable  and overall good. So please tell me which watch you used and why is it good. Thx

 

[darcy175]

get a timex or something that is digital. i find it easier to read when your in a hurry.

 

[jarko]

I didnt mention that i am going for the Infantry and I will be needing something that i could use in the field.

 

[48Highlander]

Timex Ironman.  Functional and durable.

 

[old medic]

Get something that:

is a dark or earthy colour,
can do 24 time
has a light or is back lit
can resist water ( water proof)
can absorb shock.

And optionally has dual time zones, so you can set one to GMT zulu time.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

ive already gone through like 4 watches, ill check into this timex ironman =p how much are they?

 

[devil39]

I love the Timex Ironman, but would not recommend it if you plan on going anywhere near the "two way range".   Backlighting sucks when you are tactical at night and want to know the time.

I look for a waterproof/resist watch, with glowing hour, minute and second hands.   Not that easy to find when you get right down to it.

Generally though the Ironman will serve you very well.   Extremely durable, damned near indestructible.

 

[KevinB]

G Shock
I got one prior to going down to the USMC Mountain Warfare Center in 97 - it is still ticking...

 

[Spr.Earl]

I bought a Swiss Army which is all steel,good for 30 m.,leather strap and it his has taken a beating and the crystal has stood up and has a very good luminous dial all for on y $97.00 at Costco.

Just don't buy a F'n beeping watch as it's not on when you is playing sneeky pete and it's starts beeping!!
DOH!!

 

[Bomber]

I bought a Casio Dive Watch in the Canary Islands 5 years ago.  It is still going, three straps latter.  It weighs a ton and has never let me down, the dial has a dim glow that lasts all night, not one of those blinding ones that burns out in an hour.  The only problem is it is in Spanish/English, and i guess a spring has let go, cause the date changes, but the days are stuck in Spanish.  Should have bought the international warranty....

 

[Garry]

Good advice above.

In the early 80's I was breaking the issued CF watch crystal about once every 2 weeks, and was not impressed- wasn't costing me anything, but a pita to keep replacing (tanks are hard on stuff). We were in Germany, and the canex was having a sale on Seiko Divers kinetic watches. A bunch of us bought them, and this watch is still going....been dropped from a thrid story window on to concrete a few times, survived years in tanks, been down over 100 feet diving a bunch, and I'm very happy. Best of all, it has a day/date function- very important in the field as I never knew what day it was- handy with codes

Story time: When we bought the watches, the CF was going through several "interim" types. We repatriated, and one of the guys that had stayed behind saw one of the guys wearing the seiko and asked where he got the watch. "from supply" was the answer. "No way" was the response. Long story short, the guy with the watch went to us all and gave us a heads up- we all gave the other guy the same story (issued)- and when he had finally swallowed the bait, he went to Reg QM (where the cpl was wearing a seiko) and asked for one...NO- and get out! was the response...LOL, he was one cheesed off individual!

Cheers-Garry

 

[Gilligan]

  Hmmm....well, I remember when I went on BRT in 2001, I had this amazing TIMEX Expedition, I thought it was the greatest watch in the world.  It wasn't too big (girls have small wrists) and didn't get in the way, it had all the functions you could imagine....the second week into BRT the battery leaked and destroyed the watch, I was not impressed.  Anywhoo, in a pinch I ran to the closest Zellers in Town and bought a cheap $30 watch.... it's an ACQUA with indiglo, it's water resistant to 30M...anywhoo, I've had it since, haven't had to replace the battery, it's been with my through BRT, QL3, every exercise (once a month), and through a 3 week ex in Petawawa.  And, the best thing is it was cheap, so I don't have to worry about scratching it (which for some reason it hasn't got a scratch on it!).

  Just something to think about.

 

[jswift872]

ok, i bought this watch that I am about to show you the link to about 1 year ago and I have basically smashed it, dropped it in a pool, done every possible thing to it you can do...I use it in the field and it still works great and it has 24 hour time reference..

http://www.fossil.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=11679&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=957&iSubCat=968&iProductID=11679

 

[tabernac]

ok, i bought this watch that I am about to show you the link to about 1 year ago and I have basically smashed it, dropped it in a pool, done every possible thing to it you can do...I use it in the field and it still works great and it has 24 hour time reference..

http://www.fossil.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=11679&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=957&iSubCat=968&iProductID=11679

Sweet. That is an awsome watch.