Digital technical watches

Yes, digital and technical! They aren’t terribly classy and if you aren’t climbing, flying, sailing, diving or some other verb requiring technical knowledge of timing, altitude, and barometric pressure, you probably don’t need, or want, a watch that tells you those things. On the flip side, if you do, an all digital military or sport style watch can offer a lot of bang for your buck. 

You could go for the well known Suunto watches or lesser known, and far cheaper, Chinese, Japanese and US offerings. The Suunto Core is a favorite of military types, film directors, and wannabe adventurers. The good thing, they’re useful and no one knows if you work at a desk in Columbus, Ohio or a clandestine office in the Middle East. So, don’t go trying to pair a digital tech watch with a suit but for sure don’t listen to anyone who insists you ought to wear your Timex Weekender to the store on Sunday afternoon and you don’t “need” a Suunto Core or whatever else you decide to wear.

Having made mention of Suunto, I think it’s realistic to point out that while popular, made mostly in Finland and very cool, they aren’t unique, aren’t particularly better for the money and don’t necessarily warrant special status. I know, heretical things to suggest, but Pyle(of Pyle Audio fame) and several Chinese companies, Skmei, O.T.S. and Sunroad, along with Casio and Timex, all make watches that compete with Suunto on price and performance, often besting the Nordic marque in spite of movie appearances. Suunto is far more costly, hasn’t got a great track record for durability and isn’t very water resistant by comparison to Pyle and a couple Chinese competitors coming in at trivial prices. The Suunto Core, in particular, does get major style points, but that’s a subjective value. The O.T.S. pictured above looks almost identical to the Core, is slightly more water restant but lacks advanced features like thermometer, altimeter and barometer. Things I like, but don’t necessarily need.

Image courtesy of Amazon

The Pyle Sport Watch looks good, has a better water resistance rating and offers similar features to the Core including weather forecasting. That’s useful to have on your wrist and in the case of this class of watches the information does not require an internet or cell connection, useful for anyone who is often out of cell range. The Pyle can usually be had under $70 new, often much lower. (At the time of writing the pictured watch was $42 including shipping via eBay).

Having now used both the O.T.S. and the Pyle, I’ve discovered a couple things. I do like the style of the Suunto enough that it makes a difference for me. Maybe not a $150 difference, but it suits my personal aesthetic. I also definitely like the added features of the Pyle, ones identical to the Suunto at 1/4 the cost with better water resistance. They have both become alternating work watches for me, currently surviving life in a commercial kitchen. No small feat with fire, steam, scalding water, chemical cleaning agents, freezers, sharp abdvheavy things. I have screen protectors on them and they are both holding up well. The O.T.S. is arguably better than what should be expected of a $10 watch.

There are a couple brands, LAD Weather and North Edge, that match the Suunto look and function a bit better while staying in the $60 range. They may be next on my list as I can’t justify the Suunto price tag on its Scandinavian origin alone. Especially without any gain in performance. Even if the O.T.S., fails, a new one can be had for less than shipping the Suunto back for repair, something they seem to need more than a watch at their price point ought to.

I’ll add that the timer and backlight are the most used features for me on a daily basis. Features found on all of these watches. I do like the barometer and altimeter but they aren’t everyday useful for the vast majority of us.

That’s my take on it so far. I’ll admit to adjusting my opinions at several points on this topic regarding everything from digital only watches to Chinese technology. Not sexy but for sure practical and affordable, even stylish in a tacticool kind of way.

Something else: Barber Martial Vivot

A regular, reliable haircut is essential and hard to find. Taking care of yourself is a solid part of the list of things a gentleman strives to do. It's serious stuff, real stuff. A good haircut can make a person look presentable in jeans and a button down and a bad one can make a bespoke suit look like a costume.

All class, this guy. If we could all find a barber like this life would be just a little bit better.

Laguiole, ancient + modern

Two, three really, pocket knives stand out in my mind as iconic marques. The relatively obscure Nontron, the well known Opinel and Laguiole. All made in France in the same region for hundreds of years. While Opinel has made minor updates to its classic style and Nontron can come across as almost archaic. Laguiole on the other hand is operating in both contemporary and historic eras. It’s worth noting that Laguiole is neither brand nor logo but a historic style that is manufactured all over the world. Some companies like Forge de Laguiole actually do make their knives in southern France and have done so for a very long time. The one pictured above is from Baladeo. They’ve been around since 1995 and offer classic designs at very affordable prices.
The first pocket knives I remember owning were an Opinel No 5 and a basic Laguiole folder. I liked them from the start and still own a couple. Their relatively ancient design remains appealing but the lack of a pocket clip can be a hassle with modern carry habits and updated and exotic materials are fun.
This Baladeo Laguiole is a good example of exploring new territory while not leaving behind the style the knife is known for. It’s just a hair too big to call it unintimidating but it also doesn’t look tactical. I haven’t put it through it’s paces yet but the metal seems good and G10 scales are typically durable. At under $20 its worth using for every day carry considering it’s replaceable and the pocket clip makes it far more useable than more traditional models. Sometimes updating is good. Especially in terms of design thinking, where we don’t just evolve aesthetics, but solve problems. Mess with classics all you want just don’t forget their history.


Currently easy to find on both Amazon and eBay.

Casio MTF E001

Got my hands on a great used Casio that was reportedly run over by a truck. It’s rough but somehow cooler for it. The MTF E001 has a pilot style dial with Bell & Ross style hands, 4 o’clock date window and internal rotating compass ring. It’s only rated to 100m which is ok for every day wear and I’d take it sailing but I prefer 200m or more even though 100m is adequate for 18m or less diving. Long Island Watch has a great video about water resistance if you’re curious. Bottom line, it’s not a dive watch anyway. Plenty of dive specific features on those in contrast with the pilot style features of this one. 

It came to me on an aftermarket band, not a good one, with standard 24mm spring bars. At 24mm the tension in many spring bars leaves them prone to pop off under moderate load, which they did. I ordered a new orange silicone band and used ISO 6425 standard oversized spring bars. Problem solved. They won’t fit all straps but silicone and NATO style are both accommodating. The ones I got from Holben’s weren’t available as of this writing but Barton sells something similar. 

Standard vs oversized ISO

It took some elbow grease to clean up the case with a Scotch Brite pad and I may install a domed crystal(the crystal is pretty beat up) but I’ve got a great everyday watch with some character and a story. It works, keeps good time and is water tight, in spite of its checkered past. What’s the point of this post? I know, “Yeah, yeah, you got another watch.”

The point is I got a great watch for under $20, and you can too. Keep your eyes open and you’ll find diamonds in the rough of your own. This goes for watches, clothes, bicycles, cars and everything else from iron skillets to houses. You don’t have to make six figures to live well and have nice things. 

But what CAN you do?

One of the reasons to wear a watch is to be more conscious of time, more aware of time as a limited commodity. For many, the most important thing we can do with the time we have is enjoy it. Many would also say, someday I/you will have the things you want and live the way you like. That’s very grown up, it’s mature and rational. It’s also flawed. The flaw is the assumption that someday is out there and you’ll live to see it. Realistically, statistically, if you are young and healthy and don’t have dangerous or self destructive habits, that’s probably true. (Vintage Russian Vostok dive watch. Starting around $30 on eBay.) 

However, there’s no guarantee. There is no way to know you won’t be the outlier who gets a fatal disease, steps in front of a bus or falls down a flight of stairs. What that means is, you better enjoy every day as much as you can. 

Maybe you want to be a mountain climber, a musician or a world traveler. There are countless aspirations and bucket list items we all carry around while making excuses for why we can’t. It also isn’t unreasonable or uncommon to not know what makes you happy. 

A basic way to figure it out might be to make a bucket list or ask, if I was independentlg wealthy, what would I do? We aren’t talking about a list of expensive luxuries but simple terms, statements like, “I would travel, I would collect art, I would drive luxury cars.” The point is to give yourself a little wiggle room. 

People have a tendency to tell themselves and others what they can’t do. A more useful question is, what can you do? What step can you take today to live more like you want? 

You might not have the budget for fine dining but you can learn to cook, and cook as well as any chef. If it’s the service and dining experience you crave, there’s always the desert menu or cocktails and appetizers at happy hour. If it’s dancing and being social, bars serve cola in the same glasses they serve mixed drinks. See where this is going? (Potato latkes with poached egg, made at home for less than a dollar.)

Perhaps you like nice clothes. It’s a rare person that can afford expensive Italian suits but thrift stores are full of them and most neighborhoods have a tailer or dry cleaner that can do inexpensive alterations. Lots of people will comment on well kept clothes that fit. Few will ask where you got them.  (Florsheim Royal Imperial brogues. Thrift store, $10 new with tags. Retail $225 Florsheim) 

Stop buying coffee out and put $3 a day in savings. That’s almost $1,100 in just a year. A simple Google search turns up plenty of $300 round trip flights to Europe if you aren’t picky about when you fly. Even if you only go for a long weekend, that’s three or four weekends in Europe a year. Sounds like a jet setting lifestyle to me. (French press available on Amazon. $10 French Press) 

Maybe it’s cars you love. If you aren’t picky about the year and you are willing to turn wrenches yourself, just like cooking, anyone can learn and there are usually dozens of luxury, sports and vintage cars of all sorts available on Craigslist at prices for anyone who can afford a car at all. You might not get a Ferrari but vintage Alfas and Fiats are a lot of fun and are as true sports cars as any. At the time of this writing, a search on Craigslist for cars under $1500 showed everything from Jaguars, vintage Triumphs and Mercedes to Lincolns, Cadillacs and a smattering of Mustangs and Camaros. Basically, short of a late model super car, you can drive almost anything you want for $1500. You’ll need to be ready to repair or restore the car yourself but you really can have the luxury, sport or muscle you want. (Project MG on Craigslist. Drive it home for $1500.)

This could go on and on with everything from open coursware offerings of free Ivy League education to every activity under the sun all there for those who will simply show up. Harvard Open Courses

You might not climb Everest but the world is full of mountains. If you want to climb, you CAN climb, and if it’s Everest you want, every morning you drive past Starbucks with your better tasting home brewed coffee, you can raise your cup to being another $3 closer to your goal while enjoying those weekend hikes and preparatory trips on smaller mountains along the way. (Mt Tam near San Francisco, CA.) 

Just stop focusing on what you can’t do and start doing what you can. 

The versatile Timex Weekender

There are a number of models of Timex Weekender. The one pictured is an oversized chronograph, relatively rare but a good example of the Weekender ethos. 

With a 40mm case, it wears a little bigger than others of similar size. That's likely due to not having a bezel and it works for this watch. It also works on my 8 1/2" wrist, something sub 40mm watches don't do well. 

While not a dive watch, it offers good everyday water resistance and a reliable quartz movement used in a wide variety of watches ensuring easy replacement down the road should it break or wear out. That noted, Timex quartz watches are known for running for years with nothing more than battery changes. 

Many in the series ship with NATO straps, available in a wide range of colors in both stripes and solids. They look great on leather straps and dress up nicely on shark mess. So nicely thanks to simplicity and excellent build quality that you can wear it in almost any setting. The sleek silver case of this model works with jeans and a sweater as well as suit and tie and looks as well as any field watch out there. 

I’d like to see more lume than just the hands, but that’s not something Timex is known or purchased for and it’s got Indiglo. 

Paired with a vintage stainless steel bracelet, I’m confident I’ve got a true “go anywhere” watch. Timex is knocking it out of the park with an affordable, understated, modern classic. 

Casio MTP-4500

My first good/nice/grownup/not a cheap watch was a Citizen Navihawk. I loved that watch. I also beat it up and eventually passed it along to a childhood friend. It's the only watch I really miss. I'd replace it if I could justify the cost but I really can't right now. It'd be worth every dime, the Navihawk is seriously cool hardware but it's just out of reach for the family budget. 

Enter the Casio MTP-4500. It's not the size, quality or multifunctional beast the Citizen is but it's got a slide rule bezel and a couple useful complications. It also looks great and as with many Casio watches, looks like watches in much higher price brackets. To be fair, the band isn't terrible. It doesn't squeak or pull the hair out of my arm and it looks ok for an budget aviator. Much like the Casio Duro, it's about the best budget option for a watch of its kind. 

Saying the band isn't terrible is different from saying it's good or nice though, it's ok. If you want a beater that looks like every other beater and will hold up it'll do. When I worked on an ambulance I needed stainless steel because it could be easily sterilized. In my opinion, the MTP looks much better on a NATO. The one pictured is a nicely patinaed vintage strap I had laying around. 

It might also be noted the watch wears small. With a 43mm case, depending on where you measure, and I did, the watch comes across smaller due to the small bezel. There are advantages to that. It's harder to bump and if you have a smaller wrist, it looks great, even if the slide rule is slightly out of spec and not very useful. My 8.5" wrist needs a bigger case. 

I want a better aviator, a Flighthawk, Flightmaster or a Skyhawk maybe, but until my budget allows for one, I'll be happy to keep the MTP on a NATO or leather rally strap and have a pleasant placeholder. A used one under $25 is a steal but at Amazon retail prices you can do better. 

 

Photos Copyright Jason Barnhart 2017. Not for use without permission.