help choosing a sports watch

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O.G.
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i dont like wearing watches, but i'm finding that i need one at work. it will need to handle rough conditions with a lot of exposure to heat/water due to frequent hand washing.

comfort and dial legibility are the priorities. under $200.

the only one i have in mind at the moment is seiko 5 series snzg15
spd_20110108162205_b.jpg


what are the other options that fit my criteria?
 
If you don't like wearing watches, don't wear them. I hate wearing watches as well. I remove the strap of a cheap timex and put it in my pocket as a pocket watch. You might also be able to find one on a lanyard you can put around your neck or one you can fit on a belt loop. If you stay mostly in one place at work, consider getting a clock or something digital you can magnetically or adhesively attach to a convenient surface. If you're a cook, a Thermoworks Timestick will do double duty, is lanyardable and is magnetically backed as well as splashproof.
 
The Seiko 5s are a great bang for the buck. They come in many styles, so seek out the dial that best serves your purpose. Since the watch will get wet a lot I'd consider a metal bracelet or a rubber strap.
 
I might recommend that if you don't like wearing watches you choose a quartz model. If you get a couple days off and don't wear an automatic then you'll need to wind it (or purchase a watch winder to keep it wound when you aren't wearing it). Depending on the power reserve, some automatics don't even like 24 hours of not being moved around. Winding isn't hard but it's just one more thing to remember (and break).
 
Having a watch you need to reset/ wind is like shaving with a stright razor or having hard steel knives you need to sharpenon water stones. It allows you a few moments to escape from the rush rush rush of today's world. To that end, a manual is preferable to me over an automatic (beacase you know you need to wind it every day), and both are preferable over a quartz. But it's nice to have a quartz in the collection for those instances when you need to grab 'n' go.
 
+1 on the Seiko recommendation from WildBoar, however, as it is the case with knives, if you do not mind spending a bit more for something significantly better and you like the idea of buying a great watch directly from the craftmen that make them and that it would be with you pleasurably for a very long time, there are a few options. I would suggest to look at the obris morgan timepieces website, the aegis model, here:

http://www.obrismorgan.com/aegis.asp
 
I've been rocking this sucker since December. http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/25326-ATTN-WRISTWATCH-GEEKS/page4?highlight=

I've been nothing but happy with it thus far.
-suits my tastes aesthetically, the face itself is very detailed and well crafted without being ostentatious or too busy
-has a sapphire crystal that's still blemish free after repeated mistaken whacks against metal equipment
-low profile case with a very easy to read dial in any lighting situation, and the lume is very strong especially when exposed to natural light
-fully waterproof and the leather strap is holding up fine to constant water exposure(I've even worn it in the shower a few times)
-it ran a couple minutes fast over the course of the week when I first started wearing it, but that seems to have settled down

I've had no issues with having to rewind it. Granted I wear it everyday. I'm guessing once you get into the habit of wearing it at work though, you'll find yourself missing it on the days when you don't 'need' it. They currently run around $350 online, which is obviously almost twice your budget, but I think it's more than worth it.
 
i've considered strapping one to my belt, but i'm pretty sure i would encounter snagging issues.

didnt know about watch maintenance, definitely don't want ANY hassles. so quartz it is. any reccos? what about citizen eco drives?

re:straps, are there any made from breathable materials? like a loose woven synthetic fiber material or something.
 
At one time I had a citizens ecco drive. Works fine and no batteries to replace but the crystal is glass rather than sapphire. Mine had the little magnifier bubble over the day readout and it got scratched...annoying but not fatal. Spend a couple of extra bucks if you can and get one with a sapphire crystal, it'll last a lot longer without scratches. On my current watch the case has lots of little nicks from banging around but the crystal looks like the day I bought it.
 
when i buy a watch, it tries to hide from me so i dont pick it.

i am brutal on them.

i am i civil eng doing heavy construction. i wear a Casio Pathfinder. it might be ten years old. just changed the rubber strap and it has a new lease on life. it has been on multiple continents. LOTS of ugly hunting trips. been dropped into the body cavity of an elk...been on my wrist as we tunneled 1.25 miles underground.

it is an atomic watch, so it sets it's own time every night while i sleep. it is also solar powered, so i have NEVER changed the battery.

i have rolex watches and they never get worn. my $200 pathfinder is my go-to watch. hands down.
 
boomchakabowwow said:
i have rolex watches and they never get worn.
Click to expand...

The part I hate on the Rolex perpetuals is the whole setting the date thing..."swing a dead cat over your head while hopping on one leg in a circle widdershins...." Painful, makes a watch winder seem like a good investment.
 
looking for suggestions for specific models. like brainsausage did, his just doesnt align with what i'm looking for is all.

medium size watch, big/bold numbers
quartz mechanics, requires ZERO maintenance.
durable, around $100-$200 budget
 
I replaced the canvas strap with a rubber watchband that Amazon no longer carries.

It's pretty much up to your tastes. There are some nice 18 mm metal mesh bands, or metal bracelets available as well as the rubber or plastic bands that won't absorb sweat and other stuff.
 
I don't even bother to adjust the date anymore (been so long mine says it's the 12th lol), likewise with DST. This is the only vnox item I own (not my pic but same watch):
1480001b012388.jpeg
 
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Smurfmacaw said:
At one time I had a citizens ecco drive. Works fine and no batteries to replace but the crystal is glass rather than sapphire. Mine had the little magnifier bubble over the day readout and it got scratched...annoying but not fatal. Spend a couple of extra bucks if you can and get one with a sapphire crystal, it'll last a lot longer without scratches. On my current watch the case has lots of little nicks from banging around but the crystal looks like the day I bought it.
Click to expand...

Do you mean yours has a mineral crystal, or all Eco Drives have a mineral crystal? Your wording makes it sound like all Eco Drives are mineral crystal, which isn't true. Most lower cost watches have mineral crystals, but sometimes you can find sapphire ones.

I have this one. Sapphire crystal, simple design, solar powered, not that pricey. Hardly wear it, though. I used to have a Traser H3 Classic Auto I used to really like but it got dropped onto the ground by someone else and it no longer keeps time accurately; needs to get serviced.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JKBEUM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I personally don't like fabric bands since if they get wet it stays feeling wet. I like the resin bands on stuff like G-Shock and metal bracelets on analog watches.
 
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TurboScooter said:
Do you mean yours has a mineral crystal, or all Eco Drives have a mineral crystal? Your wording makes it sound like all Eco Drives are mineral crystal, which isn't true. Most lower cost watches have mineral crystals, but sometimes you can find sapphire ones.

I have this one. Sapphire crystal, simple design, solar powered, not that pricey. Hardly wear it, though. I used to have a Traser H3 Classic Auto I used to really like but it got dropped onto the ground by someone else and it no longer keeps time accurately; needs to get serviced.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JKBEUM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I personally don't like fabric bands since if they get wet it stays feeling wet. I like the resin bands on stuff like G-Shock and metal bracelets on analog watches.
Click to expand...
I'm not totally sure on the Citizen I had, I assume it has a mineral crystal, I call it glass for lack of a better description. My current watch is an Omega which has a sapphire crystal and it is much more durable (based solely on the fact I have yet to scratch or chip it and I'm pretty rough on watches). I have a couple of friends with Rolexes and they haven't had the catching issue on the little magnifier bubble that I had on the citizen....but then the rolexes and omegas are a bit more pricey. Haven't had to replace the sapphire crystal thankfully but from what I understand, it's painful on the wallet.
 
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I also have a cheaper watch to take place of my Oris Chronoris for those tougher times (and the Oris in only 50m). It is BWC automatic - with an EKA movement. I use it for sports (including swimming) and in my workshop. I actually do not quite like the design, but it is good size (not too large, I have girly wrists) and was about the cheapest with EKA (swiss) automatic movement.

The Wenger above looks good :)
 
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