Horological Meandering

I was thinking about my search for a good beater watch--the watch you honestly can wear everyday--to 90% of all the places you go including work. It's the watch that you feel bonking against a wall but you don't want to kill yourself. It's the watch that blends into your life--you allow this watch to become Ordinary to you--even though it is in no way an ordinary watch. It gets scratched but the scratches give it character--the scratches liberate the wrist to fling about wherever it may, while gesturing in a conversation near a wall.

It is about True Comfort--the Beater is not too heavy or too light, it does not dig into your wrist-skin, not float around like your daughter's plastic heart bracelet.

It may be in house, but the in-house-ness is secondary to the dependability, the design elements that speak to you, the brand whose 'toughness' or 'gentility' gives comfort throughout the day--if it is a tough brand--maybe it balances your poetic sensitivity in many matters... or if it is a brand of renowned gentility, perhaps it balances your coarse and merciless ways in business! Or represents some aspiration to a more considered  life.

But a true beater is hard to find.

The True Beater is not ultimately about impressing anyone else--though no doubt you are  impressed by this watch. You may admit to yourself--it is not in league with the watches you would wear to a collector's gathering--to show your colleagues the type of watches that speak to your highest Ideals.

But this is the watch you slip back on your wrist and go out into the Ordinary world once again...

I think this is the hardest and most elusive choice for serious collectors.

Just philosophizing....

This is just a beautiful definition of the watch...

A perfect, trustful companion...

I'd say..R...X.

Model: D.J.

Best.

Nicolas

I think I have just found this friendlier watch in the new GMT II - C by R---x

cheers

fernando

 

 

 

I triend it again today, and yes, you're right, this is a very smart choice!

Best.

nicolas

when I finish peeling off all the tape and getting some sleep.

cheers

fernando

...but picked the S--------R.   Absolutely bulletproof.

 

Cheers,

pplater.

since that's the role my Chopard Sport 2000 fills
a

Bullet Proof Watch...LOL

Best, Kevin.

Nicolas

 - p plater..."

;-)

 

Cheers,

pplater.

A strong and versatile watch. I like the Rolex suggestions also, but I think that there are many circumstances in which Rolex has too high visibility. (My primary concern is theft or mugging risk.)

it ended up being a 3 hour discussion.

I started out with "Rolex is a great watch; it, to me, is not a fine watch..."

You could hear his jaw hit the ground...

I also quickly, as clearly and unequivocably as I could, corrected the misperception that I and "PuristS" (whatever that means) "don't like Rolex."

Whether I like Rolex or not, personally, is irrelevant, to me. I RESPECT THEM (and their watches.)

Yes, Mostel has put together a pretty comprehensive and very well thought out "criteria" of what makes a great/perfect "daily beater watch."

Rolex fits this almost to a perfect T, EXCEPT...it is a victim of its own success.  I know of some good friends in Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, etc who have been the victims of car jackings; walk by robberies (at gun point); home and office invasion robberies; even kidnappings and yes, killings.

When I visited Mexico City (with all due respect to Mexico City residents; I like the city very, very much) I was advised to avoid the Rolex and Mont Blanc icons. Why tempt fate?

And therein lies the main reason, for me, why Rolex is NOT the ultimate "beater."

A victim of its own success...

Mostel, why not the unknown and unrecognized (outside cognoscenti circles) PuristSPro ABR?

TM

I live in Monterrey, in northeast Mexico, a fairly safe city, but yes, whenever I head to Mexico City or any other conflictive city or trip overseas, the Rolexes stay home. As you say, why tempt it? It's a shame because to me they have everything to look for in a daily beater and travel companion, except that they are easily recognizable.

I find myself in a similar situation to mostel in which I am looking for my all around watch and it will more than likely be a Panerai. Probably a base, in either luminor or radiomir.

I wish you the best in finding it, and may I suggest a Pam 112, 000, 005.

Alejandro

 

and mine has appeared through "trial and error" - I suppose thats how you will know. My watch that fits your description VERY well is the JLC master compressor memovox. Ive worked my way through 14 watches the last 4 years and this is just the one. not the most beautiful or most expensive or cheap in my collection. but I just enjoy this watch so damn much. Its versatile. a loyal friend - always the one I pick for travels or for situations unknown. WHY: elegant and sporty, reliable, rugged, water proof. equally good with a suit or shorts - really appropriate in most situations. and the alarm is just very useful. it is automatic with a date. Im so pleased with it, I find it difficult to imagine that an other should take its  place. should this happen - fine by me it only means I will have found something beyond brilliant. but I guess you have to search for it your self to trult find it, wich is part of the pleasure

best regards

COD

and have owned and worn on the wrist for a good amount of time, a perfect beater for me is the forged carbon Audemars Piguet Team Alinghi w/ rubber strap.  It's probably THE most comfortable watch I've ever worn.  You do not have to worry about getting the watch wet as well as the strap when swimming or doing dishes.  And the icing on the cake is it's a watch made by AP.  If I had to choose to wear a beater watch from Tommy Bahama or a beater watch from a higher horological brand, I would always choose the latter.  Does this make me a snob?  Maybe it does, but that's what I would always choose.

Cheers,
Anthony 

the top of the line beater. LOL

cheers

fernando

because I wear all my watches (with the exception of 1 watch I am only keeping now just for investment purposes) and am not afraid to get them scuffed up.  They're meant to be worn so if they get a ding here or scratch here, it's part of the bonding process so I guess I consider all my watches "beaters".  Whatever watch I'm wearing that day, that's what I'll be wearing even if I have to do some gardening, give my car a car wash, or take a quick splash in the pool.  My watches get exposed to the elements whenever I do.

Cheers,
Anthony

i keep saying i should really put on the green sub... but this hasnt left the wrist in a while..

It is all-steel construction, incredibly legible, with "in-house" and extremely reliable seiko movement, and water resistant to 200m. Best of all, it costs less than $200!

A true tool watch should sincerely serve its "tool" purpose and liberate its owner's body and mind from focusing on the watch. I wear all of my expensive sports watches regularly and am a strong believer of the bonding process between the watch and the wearer. However, a ding is still a ding, and for those of us who still view fine timepieces as substantial purchases, it is hard not to be conscious of what's on your wrist, when wearing a rose gold JLC or AP.

To me, these watches defeat their true "tool" and "sport" appeals and have become something rather awkward to describe... like a "sporty looking" casual dress watch...

I've had some truly liberating wrist times with my trusty Seiko Monster Diver, including playing beach volleyball with sands all over it, banging it against the handlebars of an off-road motorcycle, and taking it off and throwing it wherever...

Jon (Z3)

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MIH and GS GMT for me

I like these sort of 'on the side' discussions....  There are so many merits to a watch besides the usual 'what kind of movement does it have', such as the clarity of the dial, does the dial become glare-y in sunlight? Accuracy matters in  principle--once you time a watch, you can just as well never time it again... does the watch catch scratches like a bucket catches rain? Not a good beater... Comfort may be the most important of all--and then one thing I forgot to mention--a true Beater is a watch you 'forget' you are wearing...

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments!

initially my thoughts went to my 1963 GS57, but its manual wind which means you have to take it off so perhaps my new GMT model is my best daily beater. accurate, dual time zone, steel so can take a knock or 2 and not 'overly' expensive. 

Graham

for me it has to be the IWC Ingenieur 7 days Power Reserve (Jumbo). No matter the occasion, formal or casual it fits in. More subtle than the Big Pilot, and this watch definitely looks good over time with some "beating". Nice, simple and clear display with date. If it came with GMT i would say it'd be perfect.

Cheers,
ClockOnWrist

is a hardcore SOB.

Looks like a swiss tank.

Me like!

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