Durable dress watch???

[The_Knife_Man]

Title pretty much covers it; I'm looking for a durable dress watch. My watch knowledge is pretty much nonexistent. I have the one pictured below and managed to brake off the part you twist to change the time. The crown and steam I believe. I would like something similar in looks and have a black leather band. Besides leather I would only consider a silver bracelet. Durability of a g-shock would be ideal. Price wise.... maybe a few hundred. I'm willing to save funds and buy later if something tickles my fancy; or is really as durable as my g-shocks. Thanks in advance!

 

[maverick3981]

Have a look at Stienhart watches.

 

[Haze]

IMO, it's pretty hard to beat something like the good old Seiko SKX007. They are an inexpensive automatic and easy to get hold of. They also look good and work fine in a number of different worlds. :thumbup:

 

[K1W1]

Check out Laco pilots watches

 

[Piso Mojado]

Title pretty much covers it; I'm looking for a durable dress watch. My watch knowledge is pretty much nonexistent. I have the one pictured below and managed to brake off the part you twist to change the time. The crown and steam I believe. I would like something similar in looks and have a black leather band. Besides leather I would only consider a silver bracelet. Durability of a g-shock would be ideal. Price wise.... maybe a few hundred. I'm willing to save funds and buy later if something tickles my fancy; or is really as durable as my g-shocks. Thanks in advance!

I'll try to answer your question, but we have a language problem: your Luminox is not what watch guys call a dress watch. This is a traditional dress watch:

Dress watches are jewelry to wear with formal attire, and good ones are as durable as a good suit. They are not intended for camping, construction, or toe-to-toe nuclear combat.

I'm going to assume you don't really want a traditional dress watch, but something more like your Luminox: metal, conventional strap or bracelet, analog or analog-digital, presentable with a suit or with jeans, that doesn't have to hide in a jewelry box when you slop the hogs. This is mine:

Casio Edifice ERA131D-1A2V

Pardon my photography.

Typical weak Casio lume. The LEDs have a backlight which I'm not up to photographing.

There are three versions, all with reverse LED displays which are harder to read but dressier. Mine has blue accents and blue LEDs. You can't see the blue number color in my photographs. but believe me it's there. The others have red accents: one has white number LEDs (EFA131D-1A1V) and the other has white number LEDs with the second display in red (EFA131D-1A4). You can find them for around $80 if you shop around.

Why do I recommend this watch for you?

1) IMO it looks presentable with casual or formal attire.

2) It has a very good solid link metal bracelet. I actually bought the watch for the bracelet. The down side is that it's an "integral" bracelet you can't replace with a leather strap. The up side is that you won't want to.

3) This watch has no crown and no stem. You can't break what isn't there. You set time in the LED display and the analog hands move to match it.

 

[The_Knife_Man]

I appreciate the feedback; I should clarify though. It would be worn with slacks and long sleeve button ups; not suits or tux.
That watch has a bit much going on for me though. I would prefer something simple but nice; a sebenza of watches if you will.

In general are there brands that are more durable than others? Or is it pretty much you get what you pay for till you past a certain price point?

 

[leghog]

Dress watches are jewelry to wear with formal attire, and good ones are as durable as a good suit. They are not intended for camping, construction, or toe-to-toe nuclear combat.

To be totally proper, one doesn't wear a wristwatch in formal attire, particularly white tie. No visible timepiece should be worn as it is considered rude for you to place priority on your own time at such events you must formally dress.

But if you must, the wristwatch need be classically styled. The wristwatch should be thin and time-only/plain (no date, no complications or chronograph subdials and certainly no rotating bezel of any sort) and the case should be of precious metal and the strap of natural skin or hide.

The strap on the Hamilton "Lester" below wouldn't cut it.

 

[Piso Mojado]

To be totally proper, one doesn't wear a wristwatch in formal attire, particularly white tie. No visible timepiece should be worn as it is considered rude for you to place priority on your own time at such events you must formally dress.

Peter Lawford – Patricia Kennedy, 1954

Michael Allen – Kara Kennedy, 1990

Perhaps you were thinking of the bride.

 

[Piso Mojado]

In general are there brands that are more durable than others? Or is it pretty much you get what you pay for till you past a certain price point?

I have no experience past $200. From my limited experience, I recommend Seiko and Citizen, Orient mechanical watches, and Casio's Edifice watches. Diver watches are the most durable; mostly they have simple dials and are easy to read. This is an Orient Blue Mako, to give you the look.

In my limited experience, no other watch is as durable as a plastic digital G-Shock. Anything with a finer finish is more easily marred.

 

[leghog]

Perhaps you were thinking of the bride.

Just because you can find men wearing watches with black tie doesn't make it proper. No watch should be worn (and if worn anyway, visible) in formal attire, especially white tie. That's not my rule of dress etiquette, but dress etiquette it is regardless of whether you see public figures ignoring the protocol or not.

 

[trldad]

Knife man
try checking on watchrecon.com. You can pick up a pre-owned watch for a reasonable price. It can allow you to really stretch your dollar. The way the site is set up lets you look at a lot of different watches quickly so you can browse efficiently then narrow your search by maker/brand.
I really like the G-Shocks but I won't buy a watch without a Sapphire crystal. I am rough on watches and the mineral crystals don't work for me, the watch is almost unreadable after 6-9 months.
Best of luck in your search and post up what you get.


This is a pic of my current watch. it is a Deep Blue Sun diver. Not what you are looking for but just for show.

trldad

 

[DocT]

Perhaps you should look at an Omega. They are tough and good looking. The movements are slim compared to other brands. Plus, it would be a watch you could proudly pass down. My second choice would be a Tag Heuer.

 

[Piso Mojado]

Just because you can find men wearing watches with black tie doesn't make it proper. No watch should be worn (and if worn anyway, visible) in formal attire, especially white tie. That's not my rule of dress etiquette, but dress etiquette it is regardless of whether you see public figures ignoring the protocol or not.

Says who?

Etiquette is based on what people do. Etiquette used to be that American presidents wore morning dress to their inaugurations. Eisenhower hated toppers and wouldn't wear one. Kennedy, who disliked all hats, wore one to differ from Eisenhower, but he wore a collapsible opera hat and he took it off for his oath and address. He was the last to wear morning dress.

The last nine presidents wore standard business suits. We're 53 years from inaugural morning dress, and nowadays it would look as odd as culottes and a cocked hat.

Black tie, white tie and morning dress didn't come down from Mt. Sinai: they were 19th century dress code, and the wrist watch rules were added in the 20th century as a consensus on what was good form. When consensus changes, form follows suit. The Edwardian gents who made the old rules thought wrist watches were for women, ponces, fancy men and nancy boys.

I have never worn a tux or tail coat. To me, formal attire is an ordinary business suit. I got my first suit when JFK got his collapsible opera hat. I needed it to usher at the opera, the only way I could afford to go. I bought it at Robert Hall and it looked like hell, but I got to hear Birgit Nilsson, Grace Bumbry and Rita Gorr. I'm guessing that The_Knife_Man is rarely seen in a tux and never in tails. Good God, man, why don't you show him a nice $200 watch that can take a lick and doesn't look like Darth Vader? You seem to know more about watches than social history.

 

[SOFileworks]

Personally I'd go this route, they do have metallic bands, but so far black one hasn't scratched at all and the sapphire crystals on both have not scratched either. The Bulova has a titanium case and band, so it should be pretty much bomb proof. The names for these two are shown below.
Bulova Marine StarTitanium Chronograph
Citizen Eco Drive perpetual Chronograph

Not sure if it helps at all, but at least you've got some nice pictures to look at.

 

[leghog]

Says who?

Etiquette is based on what people do.

And some people wear monster dive watches in business suits and GShocks in formal attire. Doesn't make it proper.

 

[Haze]

And some people wear monster dive watches in business suits and GShocks in formal attire. Doesn't make it proper.

It also really, really doesn't matter at all in any way shape or form. What events do you attend where you're going to get called on wearing a watch anyway ?..

Any hoo, back on track. I still say go for the SKX700, nice watch for the money.

 

[sideways]

Serious questions.

How durable does a dress watch need to be?

I agree with leghog that a dress watch should be simple and elegant.

 

[leghog]

Any hoo, back on track. I still say go for the SKX700, nice watch for the money.

You'll have a hard time fitting it under the cuffs of a dress shirt.

 

[leghog]

Serious questions.

How durable does a dress watch need to be?

I agree with leghog that a dress watch should be simple and elegant.

It should to be durable enough to pass onto the next generation or two. No reason it can't be. Even relatively inexpensive ones.

 

[sideways]

It should to be durable enough to pass onto the next generation or two. No reason it can't be. Even relatively inexpensive ones.

So pretty much every dress watch ever made from a reputable company. All it needs is splash resistance in case you get it wet and sapphire glass (or other similarly durable glass) to prevent scratches. An easy to change standard strap and battery is also a bonus.

Wear the g-shock to the gym or the war zone.

Shop features and style over claims to durability. IMHO. Looking the part and fitting under a dress shirt are definitely things worth having.

Brands to look at:
seiko
casio
citizen
victorinox
skagen