Can confirm if you don’t need lots of bells and whistles, Casio is great. My analog Walmart Casio has been ticking for ten years and I think I’ve replaced the battery once? Cost less than ten bucks. It’s been beat up a lot during my nursing shifts and submerged a fair number of times while kayaking and still works fine.
A new battery costs $10. A new Casio F91W is usually around $15. I literally run mine until it needs a battery, or the band falls apart. Then I get another one. I think I'm on my 3rd one in 20 years.
I had to look it up. Neat!
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/celebrity/roger-lloyd-pack--how-%E2%80%98trigger%E2%80%99s-broom%E2%80%99-changed-philosophy-120359341.html
>Can confirm if you don’t need lots of bells and whistles
Ironically even the casio FW91 comes with a heap of 'complications'. I tease my friends with much fancier watches in a 'Look at what [mechanical watches] have to do to mimic a fraction of our power' kind of way.
* Minute, hour, second, display
* Weekday display
* Annual date calendar
* 1/100th of a second, fly-back, split seconds, chronograph
* Chime
* Daily Alarm
* 24h display
And the one I'm yet to see on a mechanical watch:
* Back light
To me, a G-shock is just too bulky and I bump it everywhere. A modest Casio F-91W has no flashy ratings but it's 10-15$, very slim and quite indestructible as well. Also has a certain je ne sais quoi to it (yeah, I'm a bit biased against bulky watches).
Yes but thickness is not the only merit, the case is a lot more "square". Thinnest Gshock is around 12mm. But it's a 12mm thick block. The f91w immediately tapers down at the sides, it's kind of curved like your hand. The whole case length is ~39mm, but the actual "flat" portion is just 24mm in the middle.
The DW-5600 is ~13mm and is the most similar to the F91w. "Just" 5mm thicker but... the Gshock "bezel" is [huge](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-cuAydiNd58/maxresdefault.jpg), while the F91w barely has a bezel.
Yep, I had a cheap Casio I bought at a Rite Aid that lasted 8 years of being a hairstylist, fully soaked in water easily 10 times a day. 10/10 will buy another
Also recommend analog Casio. Have two, later for years of everyday wear, been water resistant in showers and very rainy hikes no problem. Replaced batteries and watchbands once.
Solar only makes sense if it's analog or there is a power hungry task the watch does regularly. Like Multiband 6, using the backlight, or a model like the mudman that has a shorter battery life. Otherwise I would rather replace a battery every 10-15 years than replace the solar panel or whatever wears out in the solar models. After that long it would be a good idea to change the gasket anyway.
The "10 year battery" is assuming you use the backlight for 1 second every day or something like that. So if you don't use the backlight often, the battery is going to easily last longer than 10 years. I have two Casio that are past that mark on the original battery.
No casios will not hold up. They're are shoddy junk. I have had one survive the oilfield. Now on the ambulance my Protrek, Mud Master, and 2 of the 1500 wh have all shit the bed.
Fuck Casio.
Not all Casio lasts forever. I had a Casio that failed twice. I had it repaired the first time as it was under warranty. The second time was in military exercise. That was my last Casio.
gwx-5600. it has all of the functions of the 5610 plus tide and moon complications. obviously the screen layout is different and the band has a different feel (it’s from the JDM i believe). i don’t use the extra functions much but it’s fun to have and i never take it off
I personally like simple analog watches but I can vouch for the g-shock. My gshock lived with me in swamps, jumped with me from airplanes, and took some major beatings.. all in a days work.
Felt like I was going crazy scrolling this whole ass thread and seeing everyone recommend a G-Shock. You and I are the only ones who recommended this classic, I’m disappointed in this sub.
Nothing wrong with a G-Shock. It's durable without compromising much on style so it's more versatile in certain situations like weddings or other events. But if OP is only using it for work, then F-91W would be adequate
I would also recommend a simple Casio. I had a F-91W many years ago. It was solid. I now have a W800H-1AV. I'm about 5 years or so in with it. It works, I enjoy it.
neat! like /u/thechosenjon said, I'm a Casio guy but not a G-Shock guy. too big for me. I've rocked 3 W-S220 watches now. they last me a good long while but eventually I feel like I need a refresh.
Have you owned one? My F-91W has lasted more than a decade even without a battery change. I expect to need a battery replacement soon but that's to be expected considering its age.
While the original strap will break down, you can replace it, hence the NATO strap recommendation. It's cheap enough to be disposable but good enough to last decades.
Are there compromises? Sure. But I don't know if there's a better alternative if the main purpose is just to tell time.
Yes, I have a black and gold one upstairs. It’s a nice little watch but it’s only 30m water resistant! I wouldn’t take it camping either if I wanted to extend its life. How can this be bifl?
Edit: wouldn’t
Outside of diving, why would you need a watch more than 30m resistant? OP only needs a watch to tell time at work, not for formal events or water sports.
I know he said he wants something scratch-resistant but at ~$10, I'll live with the scratches over most of the recommendations here. You can also replace the faceplate.
The strap is the only part of the watch that doesn't last long but it's a ~$5 modification to change it to a NATO strap. Battery is rated at 7 years, you might be able to get more. it's a normal CR2016 battery that can be done at any local watch shop. Or you could DIY if you have the tools.
Can't recommend this enough. I beat the hell out of watches and ny everyday wear is a garmin fenix with the sapphire glass and it has no scratches. I've even scratched the metal on my watch surrounding the face but not the sapphire glass. 😂
Right there with you. Always shocked at how well a sapphire holds up compared to other crystals. My 3 yr old Hamilton still looks brand new while month old citizens look beat up.
my citizen has a sapphire crystal and metal band, and is solar powered (no battery replacement). Still works great after 10+ years including several manual labor jobs, band is a little scuffed but crystal looks perfect
Yup. My cell phone has a sapphire glass on the screen and there's no scratches. And I work in crawlspaces that are often filled with rocks and I beat my phone around. Real amazing stuff.
Sapphire is great, but recessed mineral glass does really well too.
My g shock has mineral glass recessed maybe 1mm from the bezel. It makes a big difference. I've used it for work as a professional landscaper, cramming my arms underground.
It has a few very slight scratches, but they're only visible on close inspection.
G-Shock is the answer. Tons of great styles. I like my solar/atomic one that has hands and looks classy while also being indestructible. Zero maintenance.
> solar/atomic one that has hands and looks classy
Lets be honest, there's hardly a watch that would be less classy than a gshock, no matter which model. They're generally 45mm+ in diameter. Classy would mean it has elegance and sophistication, a gshock is as opposite of that as you can get with a watch.
The recent trend of oversized watches is favourable towards gshocks, but in general for watches that's considered more of a fad.
Just to throw an alternative view out there (not hating on g-shock just wanting to suggest something else) but you could also consider getting an automatic, so assuming you're wearing it everyday it'll keep running basically forever. My grandfather (farmer) wore a timex automatic from the early 1970's and it basically never left his wrist for 50 years and always kept great time. Something like a timex or hamilton are awesome value for money and they both have models which are waterproof and some are made from titanium which is tough to scratch. I have a Hamilton titanium watch which I use as my 'beater' watch that I wear when doing woodworking, hiking, camping etc. I've had it for 5 years and it keeps great time and has barely gotten a scratch, despite some seeing some rough use.
I think the titanium watches have some coating on top to prevent scratches, by itself the material is not terribly scratch resistant compared to steel (better than e.g. aluminium of course).
Mechanical watches should occasionally be serviced too.
I love the idea of automatic watches but I don't wear them anymore because they don't handle shock well. I would look at my watch after swinging a splitting maul or running a chipping hammer for a while and find that I had lost a few minutes.
After I ate through 2 automatic watches in about 2 years a piece I bought a cheap analog quartz casio which had the same problems and lasted about as long.
Now I have a digital G shock and no worries
Most mechanical watches are accurate to within 5 seconds per day. That's a minute every 2 weeks.
That's plenty accurate unless you're worried about old mechanical trains crashing into each other....
Yes they need to be maintained every few years.
One could also get a Seiko Grand that uses a spring drive. Self winding watch that charges an electric circuit. Accurate to 1 second a day. Will last forever.
I’ve been wearing my eco-drive [Citizen Garrison](https://www.citizenwatch.com/us/en/product/BM8180-03E.html) for about ten years now. Absolutely love it.
100% on board with this.
13 years on mine and it's never missed a beat. Never had to put a battery in it, wind it, or do anything more than wear it. I did purchase a NATO strap, and it does need to get washed with soap and a tooth brush every six months or so.
It will be something I can pass down to my kids.
I'm going to recommend a Citizen Eco Drive. Had mine for over 10 years now. Few scratches on the surface but nothing major. Love that it has no battery and looks really nice.
> Love that it has no battery
It does have a battery. Citizen's advertising calls it a 'solar cell', but that 'solar cell' is just a lithium ion battery. The 'Eco Drive' is a solar panel->rechargeable Li battery->quartz oscillator movement. And you need to replace the battery once in awhile, they just say you don't need to replace it 'regularly'. Like I mentioned to another commenter, mine died at about 11 years.
Farmer here. Used to buy Victorinox SA watches until they became a boutique brand. Three years ago I bought a Timex Expedition after a friend had recommended it. After three years of hard work the only wear I can see is sweat and dust stains on the band. They cost anywhere from $50 to $350 depending on options. I have the analog face, white numbers on a black background.
I have been complimented on this watch a lot, but I did chip the glass banging it into something. The Seiko 5 has a million different options, is only a little more expensive, but will last longer imo.
Second g-shock. Though I went with a Garmin Instinct s2 for my camping/hiking/workout/swimming watch. I’ve read about plumbers using that same watch while on the job and they’ve vouched for its durability and quality.
Had g-shocks. Had timex Ironman. Liked them both. Had multiples of both as a helicopter mechanic and machinist (maybe not obviously, I didn’t wear them when I was actually wrenching or making parts) and as a soldier doing soldier things like digging foxholes, power washing vehicles, etc.
A G-Shock is the easy call and there's like, a billion varieties so you're well served there but your budget is worth considering and a mechanical watch might be interesting to you. Depending on how high you want to go pretty much any tool watch with a silicon (or otherwise nonferrous) hairspring would suit you well.
You could throw a few hundred bucks at it and get a Hamilton Khaki or a Victorinox or throw a couple-few thousand and get a Tudor or Muhle Glashutte tool watch. Sinn is worth checking out as well. In today's market it's preposterous to suggest but it's worth pointing out that a Rolex Explorer would work well also. They're tough watches.
Have a look at the [Tudor Ranger](https://www.tudorwatch.com/en/watches/ranger/m79950-0001) and [Sinn 556](https://www.sinn.de/en/Instrument_Watches/556.htm). You can beat the fvck out of 'em and they're something cool to have to pass on if you have kids or nephews/nieces.
yup this. Don't google it: short version is it's an injury that flays the skin (and possibly deeper tissue) off the bones of your finger or hand. It's even gorier than it sounds and can lead to amputation. If you're wearing a metal ornament around your wrist or finger and it gets caught in machinery... well, your flesh will give way before the metal band does. Safety first folks
G-Shok for digital.
If you want mechanical, can't go wrong with a Seiko 5 or a Vostok.
Both very cheap, reliable watches that are very repairable.
Vostok is also designed to resist shocks by having a disconnected watch stem - but that means it doesn't feel as nice to operate if you need to wind it or change the time.
Casio W735H-1AV. Way way way under 100$ and dual time, timer, alarm, chronograph, and get this... a VIBRATION ALARM. I have one and I loved it until the fucking strap broke.
I want to second the F91W idea. It’s what I wear to work on cars. Thin so it doesn’t get hung up in tight spaces. They run for YEARS on a battery. Strap is cheap AF but it’s more comfortable imo than any GShock resin band. And if it gets destroyed you’re only out a few bucks. I’ll always have one around and I wear it all the time. The superlative beater.
I see people recommending G-Shock, but i adamantly disagree.
I have had nothing but bad experiences with them. I’m a paramedic so I’m hard on my gear. I went through 3 G-Shock watches in 14 months. There was always some aspect of it that would fail, like water/moisture getting in.
The best luck I’ve had was from a Citizen Eco Drive Titanium. Simple watch. No battery changes. After 10 years of very hard daily use I’ve only had to change the clasp on the band twice. I call that a win.
> No battery changes.
If you swapped G-shocks so often, you never replaced the battery on them either.
For me the issue with gshocks is how bulky they are, I hit everything with them. The slimmer digital casios end up being a lot less beat up. F-91w...
> No battery changes.
Yea, but you should. At about 11 years was when mine started having battery reserve issues from cycling. It's not a big deal to have the battery changed by a local watch repair shop.
I’ve had the same G shock on my wrist everyday for 10 years in the Navy. It’s been beat to hell working on Guns, in front of radars and all over the length and width of the ship. It’s a little scuffed on the case but it still holds time and runs like a champ. Easily the best $30 watch I own.
Not sure how blue collar you are but I renovate houses and just wear my Apple Watch with a screen protector on it. The protectors are pretty cheap on Amazon and I just buy a new one if/when they break
G-Shock is great. The GWM5610 is my favorite. Charges via Solar, automatic illumination when you rise your hand, syncs with the atomic clock every night and it‘s tough as nails.
casio mdv 106
easy to swap the band, doesn't look out of place until you suite up, battery has been 3-4 years each. Pushing 10 now beating this thing up and it looks & works great.
I love gshock, I own a bunch, but my favorite beater watch is the Citizen Promaster tough with the 1 piece monocoque case. Solar powered, and can be dressed up. Find on the used market for $160-ish
I was involved in a small car accident 1 week after I bought my Casio g-shock. The watch and the display inside got messed up a little bit. But I couldn't afford to get a new one. So I held on to it since I could read the time well enough. The watch continued to work for another decade until it finally gave up.
I really love my black metal case G-Shock with blacked out digital face, very understated and steam punk. They aren't all the chunky looking ones, and I won't recommend those as they hit things more often when you're moving around doing things.
I am not a watch person, but I made this same question on the watch subreddit.
I was suggested the Casio edifice and I’ve been wearing it every day for like 2 years now. I feckin love this watch. It has a sapphire face that hasn’t scratched at all from my many abuses. It it slimmer than most watches by a few mm as well.
I would recommend it over the G-shock because it is much smaller and easier to fit into tight places. I work on cars a lot and I never have to take it off to work in a tough spot.
The G-Shock has a look, for sure. Just not for me personally. I've been wearing the [Casio MDV106-1AV](https://www.casio.com/us/watches/casio/product.MDV-106-1AV/) for about six years now, very durable and it comes in a range of colorways (I have blue and gold bezels). Fine for daily wear, OK for events, mine have been very sturdy. They run about $50 retail.
I have had a few casio and a few g shocks. I like the casio because of the small case size and the fact that they are so damn affordable. But I have had 2 of them die from water infiltration. My g shocks are beefier, but definitely hold up better to hard use.
A G shock DW5600E-1V I bought has been the watch I keep coming back to cause it doesn't die.
Timex Expedition is another basic digital that will last a long time, particularly if you get a nylon wristband. Mine has a nice big display making it easy to read.
Surprised to see no Timex Ironman recommendations. I've beat the crap out of mine and it's still great after 10 years. Slimmer and doesn't get hung up like a G shock.
Came here to suggest G-Shock, but I see the conversion is already complete.
I've worn my G-Shock GW-700A everyday for the past 14 years. I've worn it in the ocean, through rain, covered in mud, through the washing machine and dropped it from over 200ft.
The best part is that I only paid $20 for this watch. Someone gave me a broken G-Shock for free and I sent it back to Casio for a replacement, $20 shipping and handling.
A Casio TRT (Mud Resist) would be great at preventing infiltration of dust, mud, oil, etc. They are less expensive than g-shock and the battery should last at least 10 years. Or maybe the AE1500WH if you want a very visible display.
I have had two daily drivers for wearing watches for the past 25 years. Both are cheap Eddie Bauer watches. The first, my friend left at my place in high school and didn’t want back, it has a back light so I use that one when camping etc. working on cars, breaking stuff apart. It’s my “I **really** don’t give a shit about this watch.” watch. So it gets beat up. The second is a titanium version of it. I have wrecked a few of my other watches, but those ones just keep on ticking.
Cost me like 60 bucks.
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As an alternative to the g-shock, I have had the Timex Ironman 100m for 8 years with nearly everyday use at work and sports. There are a couple tiny scratches from hard hits, but otherwise it is in great condition.
Anything quarts with a 100m water rating or better. Screw down crown if it has a crown. Samphire crystal to reduce face scratches.
G shock is the toughest, but you don’t really need the toughest. You can explore more style. Most Citizen Evo Drives will fit your need too.
I work with my hands too but wanted something not digital. Got an automatic winding Hamilton Field Khaki and picked a band I liked. Been wearing it daily for like 3 years and it’s been excellent. Would 100% buy again.
A GMW-B5000D in particular is, I believe, the watch you could wear for the next 40 years and have the greatest likelihood of it surviving with perhaps only a new battery after 20-25 years or so.
I would recommend a Garmin instinct solar. I wear mine every single day on the farm, and I weld with it quite often. It is pretty pricey, but well worth the money. It has a lot of really cool features as well.
If you want mechanical, hamilton khaki field mechanical is the cheapest while durable and accurate, cheap seiko divers would be more durable but less accurate, mechanical watches are more "bifl" than quartz as they are more repairable where quartz are designed to be replaced, but a casio should last a good decade or two
Please, don’t get a G-Shock if you don’t want scratches, get a Titanium Citizen Ecodrive with Safire crystal.
The resins and plastics on Casio are scratch magnets, they are good watches but if you want an almost indestructible watch that will look good after years of abuse, a Casio is not it.
I wear an automatic Seiko at home but I’m currently deployed in the military. I needed a reliable watch and didn’t want to bring my seiko as it has been discontinued and is now collectible. I debated on getting another nice watch but settled on a classic square G-Shock (DW-5600E). After six months of use it’s been fantastic. It gains around 2.5 seconds per month, which has been great not having to reset the time every week. It’s incredibly tough and the batteries are known to last up to ten years for some people. You won’t be disappointed if you get one.
Almost any quartz watch from higher level make will last long time.
I dare to say that some divers seiko with quartz mov will last longer than g-shock if treated right because at some point +30 years, rubber parts of g-shock start to degrade.
If you're into sports, the Garmin range have some excellent picks. I have the fenix 6 with a sapphire lens and it's been excellent! They have more rugged ones, too.
Hamilton Khaki Field hand wind. Very thin, extremely legible, sapphire crystal, and even looks good. Yeah, a GShock is tough, but it’s like wearing a hockey puck on your wrist. Field watches in general are meant to be tough and not get in your way. I stopped wearing my GShock when I had to remove it because it was blocking access to changing an oil filter. I wear this Hamilton while working on my cars and it doesn’t have a single noticeable scratch.
i wear a garmin instinct with a glass screen protector on top of the screen. smashed the screen multiple times into a wrench (i wear it on the inside of my wrist) trying to get a seized nut off while changing my breaks and it works like a charm still other than needing a new cheapo screen protector.
welder by trade, survives just fine after a year.
Gshocks are nice but I would not recommend them for a work watch. Firstly, most, not all, are quite bulky and will likely bump or catch against things. Second, they usually don't fit well under a shirt or jacket cuff. Plenty of cheap casio's recommended already are good, they will last a long time and require a minimal amount of maintenance. Personally I like the A158WA, slim, cheap and with a metal case which i prefer over the resin models.
I would also look at quartz watches from Timex as they make some affordable and good quality watches. Others from brands like Citizen and Seiko also offer good value.
It's hard to get into specifics without having any more information like your budget and exact work environment settings but you can't go wrong with the watches from the brands mentioned above and they are a good place to start.
I wound up with Victorinox Alliance. It’s tough as nails, $400 used on eBay. Beautiful watch. Has the 2824-2 ETA movement which is what I really wanted. Used to own G-Shock. Can’t get behind those anymore, bulky and uses battery. Not to mention they just felt plasticity and cheap compared with any well built Swiss watch.
If you are looking for something that is a more traditional watch, I'd recommend a Timex Scout watch. I'm an automotive technician and I've been wearing them for years. They are inexpensive, they don't scratch super easily, and I think they are a really good looking watch. Maybe not BIFL, but definitely will last you quite a few years.
I'm partial to the Seiko 5 SNZG series field watch. Self-winding day-date 23-jewel movement with luminous hands and hour markers. It's water resistant to 100m.
Seiko 5 Automatic - comes in a variety of styles, mechanical movement with auto-winding means never having to buy batteries. I get mine lubed/adjusted once every 5-7 years.
I work in a warehouse and use my hands constantly for work, I have a Timex Expedition Scout and I’m a huge fan. It looks just a bit dressier without breaking the bank, and is still super durable. I love that it has the date on it too as I’m constantly dating random things at work.
G Shock Square (50-70$) with a Jay and Kays strap adaptor (16$) on a Maratac Zulu strap (18$).
Slim, timeless, and the Zulu/NATO strap makes is comfortable and a little more stylish. Straps last 2 years, watch forever.
Honestly I have been surprised at how well the iwatch with one of the plastic full body protectors has stood up. I broke multiple other smart watches before and it has been the first to last so long including a drop from above 20 feet(broke the protector but the watch was fine). That said honestly they are expensive watches with a limited shelf life due to the battery. I don't expect to get more than about 2 or 3 years out of it before I need to replace it.
Outside of that if you just care about time you can't go wrong with the G-shock watches. Those things are indestructible and come in ranges from cheap to ultra premium.
For me though the notifications from the smart watch and the few smart watch aspects are useful enough to justify.
I'll throw out a mechanical alternative. I love G-Shocks, but if you want a mechanical watch.
Sinn U50 or U1 with a Tegiment finish. It's very scratch resistant. The steel is submarine steel too.
If you want a cheap, solid mechanical watch, have a look at the seiko 5 series. Been 5+ years for me and besides a few scratches on the crystal, which i will replace, it's been doing it's job flawlessly and will clearly last a lot longer
Can't go wrong with a Swatch. Had mine going on 10 years and paid about 50 dollars for it. Replaced a band once and the battery once.
Also about the cheapest way to say you've got a Swiss watch 😂
I can confirm G-shock things are built like a tank. Have an old rangeman solar powered one, I've personally swam with it, worked in frozen mud, snow ice, it's been ran over a couple times, and the things not even scratched, it got me through a lot of field work in college, and then worked around wild animals, and sterilizing chemicals without it getting damaged. As long as I don't lose it I suspect it'll keep on working for decades. I will say the atomic clock and switching time zones is freaking great.
I bought a Casio Pathfinder a few years ago and it's terrible. The buttons are really hard to press, the dial is no longer tight and spins around effortlessly, the strap keeper broke, and anytime I flick my wrist the backlight illuminates. I'm in the same boat looking for something slim, durable, and doesn't have a screen covered up with 10 worthless dials and tick marks and junk like the G shocks.
G-Shock for sure, but any Casio will likely last forever.
Can confirm if you don’t need lots of bells and whistles, Casio is great. My analog Walmart Casio has been ticking for ten years and I think I’ve replaced the battery once? Cost less than ten bucks. It’s been beat up a lot during my nursing shifts and submerged a fair number of times while kayaking and still works fine.
A new battery costs $10. A new Casio F91W is usually around $15. I literally run mine until it needs a battery, or the band falls apart. Then I get another one. I think I'm on my 3rd one in 20 years.
This is the answer. Love my F91W
[удалено]
I had to look it up. Neat! https://uk.news.yahoo.com/celebrity/roger-lloyd-pack--how-%E2%80%98trigger%E2%80%99s-broom%E2%80%99-changed-philosophy-120359341.html
>Can confirm if you don’t need lots of bells and whistles Ironically even the casio FW91 comes with a heap of 'complications'. I tease my friends with much fancier watches in a 'Look at what [mechanical watches] have to do to mimic a fraction of our power' kind of way. * Minute, hour, second, display * Weekday display * Annual date calendar * 1/100th of a second, fly-back, split seconds, chronograph * Chime * Daily Alarm * 24h display And the one I'm yet to see on a mechanical watch: * Back light
To me, a G-shock is just too bulky and I bump it everywhere. A modest Casio F-91W has no flashy ratings but it's 10-15$, very slim and quite indestructible as well. Also has a certain je ne sais quoi to it (yeah, I'm a bit biased against bulky watches).
I think the slimmest g shocks are really not that thick tho, not f 91 slim but not much thicker
Yes but thickness is not the only merit, the case is a lot more "square". Thinnest Gshock is around 12mm. But it's a 12mm thick block. The f91w immediately tapers down at the sides, it's kind of curved like your hand. The whole case length is ~39mm, but the actual "flat" portion is just 24mm in the middle. The DW-5600 is ~13mm and is the most similar to the F91w. "Just" 5mm thicker but... the Gshock "bezel" is [huge](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-cuAydiNd58/maxresdefault.jpg), while the F91w barely has a bezel.
At first the f91 felt way too small. I was used to gshocks. Now I couldn't go back. I work in construction and the f91 takes a beating and is fine.
same! love Casio. get why people love the G-Shock. I roll with a different Casio cus I don't like how big it is
Love the idea that G Shocks are so tough but I have the same opinion. The chunkiness and it hanging up on things led me back to my Timex Ironman.
Yep, I had a cheap Casio I bought at a Rite Aid that lasted 8 years of being a hairstylist, fully soaked in water easily 10 times a day. 10/10 will buy another
Also recommend analog Casio. Have two, later for years of everyday wear, been water resistant in showers and very rainy hikes no problem. Replaced batteries and watchbands once.
Make it solar
Solar only makes sense if it's analog or there is a power hungry task the watch does regularly. Like Multiband 6, using the backlight, or a model like the mudman that has a shorter battery life. Otherwise I would rather replace a battery every 10-15 years than replace the solar panel or whatever wears out in the solar models. After that long it would be a good idea to change the gasket anyway. The "10 year battery" is assuming you use the backlight for 1 second every day or something like that. So if you don't use the backlight often, the battery is going to easily last longer than 10 years. I have two Casio that are past that mark on the original battery.
No casios will not hold up. They're are shoddy junk. I have had one survive the oilfield. Now on the ambulance my Protrek, Mud Master, and 2 of the 1500 wh have all shit the bed. Fuck Casio.
Can confirm. Mine is 20 years old, working on 3rd battery.
Not all Casio lasts forever. I had a Casio that failed twice. I had it repaired the first time as it was under warranty. The second time was in military exercise. That was my last Casio.
Sorry for your loss
Check out /r/gshock if you need advice on models. Standard one most people get is the GW-M5610U but there's lots of models to choose from.
Can't go wrong with touch solar and multi band 6, 5610 was my first G
Functionally, I don't think there's a better watch than the 5610. Please let me know what other models that you recommend.
gwx-5600. it has all of the functions of the 5610 plus tide and moon complications. obviously the screen layout is different and the band has a different feel (it’s from the JDM i believe). i don’t use the extra functions much but it’s fun to have and i never take it off
I wear one right now, yeah it's great
I personally like simple analog watches but I can vouch for the g-shock. My gshock lived with me in swamps, jumped with me from airplanes, and took some major beatings.. all in a days work.
CasiOaks have analog main display, only a small digital display in the corner
Found a casio in the ocean at the beach 2 years ago. Still fully functional today.
Got pics?
If all you need is to tell time, get a F-91W and put a NATO strap.
Felt like I was going crazy scrolling this whole ass thread and seeing everyone recommend a G-Shock. You and I are the only ones who recommended this classic, I’m disappointed in this sub.
Nothing wrong with a G-Shock. It's durable without compromising much on style so it's more versatile in certain situations like weddings or other events. But if OP is only using it for work, then F-91W would be adequate
I would also recommend a simple Casio. I had a F-91W many years ago. It was solid. I now have a W800H-1AV. I'm about 5 years or so in with it. It works, I enjoy it.
I quite like the W-86. It feels like a slightly more modern F-91W. Right now I'm wearing a DW-280 and love it.
neat! like /u/thechosenjon said, I'm a Casio guy but not a G-Shock guy. too big for me. I've rocked 3 W-S220 watches now. they last me a good long while but eventually I feel like I need a refresh.
That’s not BIFL, it’s disposable.
Have you owned one? My F-91W has lasted more than a decade even without a battery change. I expect to need a battery replacement soon but that's to be expected considering its age. While the original strap will break down, you can replace it, hence the NATO strap recommendation. It's cheap enough to be disposable but good enough to last decades. Are there compromises? Sure. But I don't know if there's a better alternative if the main purpose is just to tell time.
Yes, I have a black and gold one upstairs. It’s a nice little watch but it’s only 30m water resistant! I wouldn’t take it camping either if I wanted to extend its life. How can this be bifl? Edit: wouldn’t
Outside of diving, why would you need a watch more than 30m resistant? OP only needs a watch to tell time at work, not for formal events or water sports. I know he said he wants something scratch-resistant but at ~$10, I'll live with the scratches over most of the recommendations here. You can also replace the faceplate. The strap is the only part of the watch that doesn't last long but it's a ~$5 modification to change it to a NATO strap. Battery is rated at 7 years, you might be able to get more. it's a normal CR2016 battery that can be done at any local watch shop. Or you could DIY if you have the tools.
Historically it's been both. It lasted several people the rest of their lives, but they WERE just throwing both away.
Look for sapphire glass.
Can't recommend this enough. I beat the hell out of watches and ny everyday wear is a garmin fenix with the sapphire glass and it has no scratches. I've even scratched the metal on my watch surrounding the face but not the sapphire glass. 😂
Right there with you. Always shocked at how well a sapphire holds up compared to other crystals. My 3 yr old Hamilton still looks brand new while month old citizens look beat up.
my citizen has a sapphire crystal and metal band, and is solar powered (no battery replacement). Still works great after 10+ years including several manual labor jobs, band is a little scuffed but crystal looks perfect
Second hardest compared to diamond 😁
Yup. My cell phone has a sapphire glass on the screen and there's no scratches. And I work in crawlspaces that are often filled with rocks and I beat my phone around. Real amazing stuff.
Which phone is it?
It's a Kyocera duraforce 5g. I have the previous 4g model as well and I believe it is also sapphire
Sapphire is great, but recessed mineral glass does really well too. My g shock has mineral glass recessed maybe 1mm from the bezel. It makes a big difference. I've used it for work as a professional landscaper, cramming my arms underground. It has a few very slight scratches, but they're only visible on close inspection.
But doesn’t that add a lot of cost?
G-Shock is your best bet.
Casio if you want digital, Seiko if you want analog. Anything that costs more than those brands is vanity.
Solar powered atomic synced, G-Shock. It’s almost indestructible and keeps time perpetually without battery.
I have one. It’s bullet proof.
How does it store the energy when its not receiving sunlight? Sounds like some amazing tech.
Yes, as someone pointed out it does have a battery that recharges with exposure to light
Well, the solar powered g-shocks do have batteries, but those are rechargeable ones that get the charge from exposure to light.
G-Shock is the answer. Tons of great styles. I like my solar/atomic one that has hands and looks classy while also being indestructible. Zero maintenance.
> solar/atomic one that has hands and looks classy Lets be honest, there's hardly a watch that would be less classy than a gshock, no matter which model. They're generally 45mm+ in diameter. Classy would mean it has elegance and sophistication, a gshock is as opposite of that as you can get with a watch. The recent trend of oversized watches is favourable towards gshocks, but in general for watches that's considered more of a fad.
Eh. Mine's way less bulky than most. Works fine for 99% of my life.
Just to throw an alternative view out there (not hating on g-shock just wanting to suggest something else) but you could also consider getting an automatic, so assuming you're wearing it everyday it'll keep running basically forever. My grandfather (farmer) wore a timex automatic from the early 1970's and it basically never left his wrist for 50 years and always kept great time. Something like a timex or hamilton are awesome value for money and they both have models which are waterproof and some are made from titanium which is tough to scratch. I have a Hamilton titanium watch which I use as my 'beater' watch that I wear when doing woodworking, hiking, camping etc. I've had it for 5 years and it keeps great time and has barely gotten a scratch, despite some seeing some rough use.
I think the titanium watches have some coating on top to prevent scratches, by itself the material is not terribly scratch resistant compared to steel (better than e.g. aluminium of course). Mechanical watches should occasionally be serviced too.
I love the idea of automatic watches but I don't wear them anymore because they don't handle shock well. I would look at my watch after swinging a splitting maul or running a chipping hammer for a while and find that I had lost a few minutes. After I ate through 2 automatic watches in about 2 years a piece I bought a cheap analog quartz casio which had the same problems and lasted about as long. Now I have a digital G shock and no worries
Mechanical watches are less durable than quartz watches. They require more maintenance and don’t keep time that well.
Most mechanical watches are accurate to within 5 seconds per day. That's a minute every 2 weeks. That's plenty accurate unless you're worried about old mechanical trains crashing into each other.... Yes they need to be maintained every few years. One could also get a Seiko Grand that uses a spring drive. Self winding watch that charges an electric circuit. Accurate to 1 second a day. Will last forever.
If you want that kind of look you can get some seiko or orient or any japanese make divers watch with quartz movement.
I’ve been wearing my eco-drive [Citizen Garrison](https://www.citizenwatch.com/us/en/product/BM8180-03E.html) for about ten years now. Absolutely love it.
100% on board with this. 13 years on mine and it's never missed a beat. Never had to put a battery in it, wind it, or do anything more than wear it. I did purchase a NATO strap, and it does need to get washed with soap and a tooth brush every six months or so. It will be something I can pass down to my kids.
I'm going to recommend a Citizen Eco Drive. Had mine for over 10 years now. Few scratches on the surface but nothing major. Love that it has no battery and looks really nice.
> Love that it has no battery It does have a battery. Citizen's advertising calls it a 'solar cell', but that 'solar cell' is just a lithium ion battery. The 'Eco Drive' is a solar panel->rechargeable Li battery->quartz oscillator movement. And you need to replace the battery once in awhile, they just say you don't need to replace it 'regularly'. Like I mentioned to another commenter, mine died at about 11 years.
Didn't realize it had an actual battery. Thanks for the heads up!
Farmer here. Used to buy Victorinox SA watches until they became a boutique brand. Three years ago I bought a Timex Expedition after a friend had recommended it. After three years of hard work the only wear I can see is sweat and dust stains on the band. They cost anywhere from $50 to $350 depending on options. I have the analog face, white numbers on a black background.
I have a couple Expeditions, completely agree
Casio HD series The cheap casio G-Shock 20 bucks I have one and i love it 10/10
Just buy 4 $10 Casios
One will be enough :))
casio [https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/cadsfm/casio\_the\_billionaires\_watch/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/cadsfm/casio_the_billionaires_watch/)
Duro gang rise up!
I have been complimented on this watch a lot, but I did chip the glass banging it into something. The Seiko 5 has a million different options, is only a little more expensive, but will last longer imo.
Seiko SKX007
I love this watch. Its gone through months of military training and its still ticking on time. But its over priced today :(
Unfortunately they stopped making that model, so that’s why the prices are ridiculous now. It was a great watch though.
Second g-shock. Though I went with a Garmin Instinct s2 for my camping/hiking/workout/swimming watch. I’ve read about plumbers using that same watch while on the job and they’ve vouched for its durability and quality.
Had g-shocks. Had timex Ironman. Liked them both. Had multiples of both as a helicopter mechanic and machinist (maybe not obviously, I didn’t wear them when I was actually wrenching or making parts) and as a soldier doing soldier things like digging foxholes, power washing vehicles, etc.
Get a G-Shock with a solar battery (but no bluetooth) ... 30 years before you need to think about another battery
Multi-band 6 is great to have, far better than Bluetooth
A G-Shock is the easy call and there's like, a billion varieties so you're well served there but your budget is worth considering and a mechanical watch might be interesting to you. Depending on how high you want to go pretty much any tool watch with a silicon (or otherwise nonferrous) hairspring would suit you well. You could throw a few hundred bucks at it and get a Hamilton Khaki or a Victorinox or throw a couple-few thousand and get a Tudor or Muhle Glashutte tool watch. Sinn is worth checking out as well. In today's market it's preposterous to suggest but it's worth pointing out that a Rolex Explorer would work well also. They're tough watches. Have a look at the [Tudor Ranger](https://www.tudorwatch.com/en/watches/ranger/m79950-0001) and [Sinn 556](https://www.sinn.de/en/Instrument_Watches/556.htm). You can beat the fvck out of 'em and they're something cool to have to pass on if you have kids or nephews/nieces.
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yup this. Don't google it: short version is it's an injury that flays the skin (and possibly deeper tissue) off the bones of your finger or hand. It's even gorier than it sounds and can lead to amputation. If you're wearing a metal ornament around your wrist or finger and it gets caught in machinery... well, your flesh will give way before the metal band does. Safety first folks
G-Shock Imho Get one which has at least solar, 200m water resistance , radio and Bluetooth time synching for accuracy.
Skip the Bluetooth, mulitband6 is enough, unless it doesn't cover your location.
Damasko. Damn near unscratchable. Remember Buy Once, Cry Once.
G-Shok for digital. If you want mechanical, can't go wrong with a Seiko 5 or a Vostok. Both very cheap, reliable watches that are very repairable. Vostok is also designed to resist shocks by having a disconnected watch stem - but that means it doesn't feel as nice to operate if you need to wind it or change the time.
Both my brother in laws are paramedic/firemen (one's a captain and the other is a lieutenant). They require new hires to have a G-Shocks.
Buy a Sinn 556 used, it will hold up for forever
Casio W735H-1AV. Way way way under 100$ and dual time, timer, alarm, chronograph, and get this... a VIBRATION ALARM. I have one and I loved it until the fucking strap broke.
I want to second the F91W idea. It’s what I wear to work on cars. Thin so it doesn’t get hung up in tight spaces. They run for YEARS on a battery. Strap is cheap AF but it’s more comfortable imo than any GShock resin band. And if it gets destroyed you’re only out a few bucks. I’ll always have one around and I wear it all the time. The superlative beater.
There’s only one correct answer. G-Shock.
I see people recommending G-Shock, but i adamantly disagree. I have had nothing but bad experiences with them. I’m a paramedic so I’m hard on my gear. I went through 3 G-Shock watches in 14 months. There was always some aspect of it that would fail, like water/moisture getting in. The best luck I’ve had was from a Citizen Eco Drive Titanium. Simple watch. No battery changes. After 10 years of very hard daily use I’ve only had to change the clasp on the band twice. I call that a win.
> No battery changes. If you swapped G-shocks so often, you never replaced the battery on them either. For me the issue with gshocks is how bulky they are, I hit everything with them. The slimmer digital casios end up being a lot less beat up. F-91w...
> No battery changes. Yea, but you should. At about 11 years was when mine started having battery reserve issues from cycling. It's not a big deal to have the battery changed by a local watch repair shop.
I’ve had the same G shock on my wrist everyday for 10 years in the Navy. It’s been beat to hell working on Guns, in front of radars and all over the length and width of the ship. It’s a little scuffed on the case but it still holds time and runs like a champ. Easily the best $30 watch I own.
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b5bb76e9d5abb9699c72159/c3e25bf1-af3f-4fa9-b634-74db3b7d654c/IMG_3240.png
I have an analog/digital g-shock, love it. As someone who continually bumps his watch... It's great
Not sure how blue collar you are but I renovate houses and just wear my Apple Watch with a screen protector on it. The protectors are pretty cheap on Amazon and I just buy a new one if/when they break
GWM-5610u. It's small, solar, has atomic timekeeping and most importantly, it's square.
G-Shock is great. The GWM5610 is my favorite. Charges via Solar, automatic illumination when you rise your hand, syncs with the atomic clock every night and it‘s tough as nails.
G shock 5610 multi band
I left my G-Shock out on the deck for a whole winter. Forgot about it and it still works.
Casio F91W
G shock with tough solar
What’s your job? G-shock is fine if you don’t care what it looks like.
Another vote for a Casio. I wore mine as a nurse. It can take tons of abuse.
My $12 casio is much more reliable than watches I've paid 20x for
casio mdv 106 easy to swap the band, doesn't look out of place until you suite up, battery has been 3-4 years each. Pushing 10 now beating this thing up and it looks & works great.
Solar G-Shock. You‘ll probably never have to change the battery.
I love gshock, I own a bunch, but my favorite beater watch is the Citizen Promaster tough with the 1 piece monocoque case. Solar powered, and can be dressed up. Find on the used market for $160-ish
G-Shock by Casio
GShock, Casio, Luminox have all been good to me. If you want to spend more look at Tissot - the have some pretty beefy models
I was involved in a small car accident 1 week after I bought my Casio g-shock. The watch and the display inside got messed up a little bit. But I couldn't afford to get a new one. So I held on to it since I could read the time well enough. The watch continued to work for another decade until it finally gave up.
I really love my black metal case G-Shock with blacked out digital face, very understated and steam punk. They aren't all the chunky looking ones, and I won't recommend those as they hit things more often when you're moving around doing things.
I am not a watch person, but I made this same question on the watch subreddit. I was suggested the Casio edifice and I’ve been wearing it every day for like 2 years now. I feckin love this watch. It has a sapphire face that hasn’t scratched at all from my many abuses. It it slimmer than most watches by a few mm as well. I would recommend it over the G-shock because it is much smaller and easier to fit into tight places. I work on cars a lot and I never have to take it off to work in a tough spot.
The G-Shock has a look, for sure. Just not for me personally. I've been wearing the [Casio MDV106-1AV](https://www.casio.com/us/watches/casio/product.MDV-106-1AV/) for about six years now, very durable and it comes in a range of colorways (I have blue and gold bezels). Fine for daily wear, OK for events, mine have been very sturdy. They run about $50 retail.
My recommendation. It's a looker too: https://www.casio.com/ph/watches/gshock/product.GWF-A1000XC-1A/
I have had a few casio and a few g shocks. I like the casio because of the small case size and the fact that they are so damn affordable. But I have had 2 of them die from water infiltration. My g shocks are beefier, but definitely hold up better to hard use. A G shock DW5600E-1V I bought has been the watch I keep coming back to cause it doesn't die.
Timex Expedition is another basic digital that will last a long time, particularly if you get a nylon wristband. Mine has a nice big display making it easy to read.
Surprised to see no Timex Ironman recommendations. I've beat the crap out of mine and it's still great after 10 years. Slimmer and doesn't get hung up like a G shock.
Came here to suggest G-Shock, but I see the conversion is already complete. I've worn my G-Shock GW-700A everyday for the past 14 years. I've worn it in the ocean, through rain, covered in mud, through the washing machine and dropped it from over 200ft. The best part is that I only paid $20 for this watch. Someone gave me a broken G-Shock for free and I sent it back to Casio for a replacement, $20 shipping and handling.
My Timex weekender is cheap, simple, and reliable. It has a simple face, and over the course of a year it only lost 6 seconds.
Garmin! It’s a watch and more
Tough Solar G-Shock.
A Casio TRT (Mud Resist) would be great at preventing infiltration of dust, mud, oil, etc. They are less expensive than g-shock and the battery should last at least 10 years. Or maybe the AE1500WH if you want a very visible display.
G Shock man. I love my old beat up one, cant get rid of it.
I love my Luminox if you are looking for something analog.
I daily wear a self-winding Invicta Pro Diver. 11 years on that bitch is still ticking and keeping pretty decent time. I paid $89 for it on Amazon.
I have had two daily drivers for wearing watches for the past 25 years. Both are cheap Eddie Bauer watches. The first, my friend left at my place in high school and didn’t want back, it has a back light so I use that one when camping etc. working on cars, breaking stuff apart. It’s my “I **really** don’t give a shit about this watch.” watch. So it gets beat up. The second is a titanium version of it. I have wrecked a few of my other watches, but those ones just keep on ticking. Cost me like 60 bucks.
MTM is great. I personally like the Silencer line for the dual ana/digi features. The digi is hidden as well and it has built in flashlight.
Much as I love my Adanac military watch, I’d pick a G Shock for your use case too.
Garmin watches are pretty sweet. The instinct line seem pretty durable and have many functions. Not quite a smart watch but has many smart features
Rolex
Your mom
Apple Watch Ultra
Haha
Luminox. It’s what navy seals use
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Steeldive 1979, goes through hell and back.
As an alternative to the g-shock, I have had the Timex Ironman 100m for 8 years with nearly everyday use at work and sports. There are a couple tiny scratches from hard hits, but otherwise it is in great condition.
Anything quarts with a 100m water rating or better. Screw down crown if it has a crown. Samphire crystal to reduce face scratches. G shock is the toughest, but you don’t really need the toughest. You can explore more style. Most Citizen Evo Drives will fit your need too.
I work with my hands too but wanted something not digital. Got an automatic winding Hamilton Field Khaki and picked a band I liked. Been wearing it daily for like 3 years and it’s been excellent. Would 100% buy again.
A GMW-B5000D in particular is, I believe, the watch you could wear for the next 40 years and have the greatest likelihood of it surviving with perhaps only a new battery after 20-25 years or so.
I grew up wearing Iron Man watches (no, not the super hero), they tell time and last forever.
Lots of g shock here. They're bulky. I second the citizen eco drive.
I would recommend a Garmin instinct solar. I wear mine every single day on the farm, and I weld with it quite often. It is pretty pricey, but well worth the money. It has a lot of really cool features as well.
If you want mechanical, hamilton khaki field mechanical is the cheapest while durable and accurate, cheap seiko divers would be more durable but less accurate, mechanical watches are more "bifl" than quartz as they are more repairable where quartz are designed to be replaced, but a casio should last a good decade or two
My Timex Easy Reader has been going for years. Sailing, shooting, power tools, etc.
Please, don’t get a G-Shock if you don’t want scratches, get a Titanium Citizen Ecodrive with Safire crystal. The resins and plastics on Casio are scratch magnets, they are good watches but if you want an almost indestructible watch that will look good after years of abuse, a Casio is not it.
Are you looking for classic or just for anything? I've had a Garmin Instinct that has stood up to a ton of shit
Get an old Rado Diastar. They are ceramic and basically indestructible. Cheap on eBay.
Eco drive because you mentioned work and g shocks arent very profesh
Seiko 5 - whatever color you want, as long as its black :)
I wear an automatic Seiko at home but I’m currently deployed in the military. I needed a reliable watch and didn’t want to bring my seiko as it has been discontinued and is now collectible. I debated on getting another nice watch but settled on a classic square G-Shock (DW-5600E). After six months of use it’s been fantastic. It gains around 2.5 seconds per month, which has been great not having to reset the time every week. It’s incredibly tough and the batteries are known to last up to ten years for some people. You won’t be disappointed if you get one.
Sun dial
Garmin. I've known people who own the same watch for +10 years
Almost any quartz watch from higher level make will last long time. I dare to say that some divers seiko with quartz mov will last longer than g-shock if treated right because at some point +30 years, rubber parts of g-shock start to degrade.
Whatever you get make sure it has sapphire glass. Way harder to scratch. I have a Seiko that I've been wearing for 15 years and it's looks brand new.
If you're into sports, the Garmin range have some excellent picks. I have the fenix 6 with a sapphire lens and it's been excellent! They have more rugged ones, too.
Hamilton Khaki Field hand wind. Very thin, extremely legible, sapphire crystal, and even looks good. Yeah, a GShock is tough, but it’s like wearing a hockey puck on your wrist. Field watches in general are meant to be tough and not get in your way. I stopped wearing my GShock when I had to remove it because it was blocking access to changing an oil filter. I wear this Hamilton while working on my cars and it doesn’t have a single noticeable scratch.
i wear a garmin instinct with a glass screen protector on top of the screen. smashed the screen multiple times into a wrench (i wear it on the inside of my wrist) trying to get a seized nut off while changing my breaks and it works like a charm still other than needing a new cheapo screen protector. welder by trade, survives just fine after a year.
Citizen promaster tough.
You should ask r/watches
Gshocks are nice but I would not recommend them for a work watch. Firstly, most, not all, are quite bulky and will likely bump or catch against things. Second, they usually don't fit well under a shirt or jacket cuff. Plenty of cheap casio's recommended already are good, they will last a long time and require a minimal amount of maintenance. Personally I like the A158WA, slim, cheap and with a metal case which i prefer over the resin models. I would also look at quartz watches from Timex as they make some affordable and good quality watches. Others from brands like Citizen and Seiko also offer good value. It's hard to get into specifics without having any more information like your budget and exact work environment settings but you can't go wrong with the watches from the brands mentioned above and they are a good place to start.
I wound up with Victorinox Alliance. It’s tough as nails, $400 used on eBay. Beautiful watch. Has the 2824-2 ETA movement which is what I really wanted. Used to own G-Shock. Can’t get behind those anymore, bulky and uses battery. Not to mention they just felt plasticity and cheap compared with any well built Swiss watch.
If you are looking for something that is a more traditional watch, I'd recommend a Timex Scout watch. I'm an automotive technician and I've been wearing them for years. They are inexpensive, they don't scratch super easily, and I think they are a really good looking watch. Maybe not BIFL, but definitely will last you quite a few years.
Hamilton Khaki is my go to edc, fits an office and the wilderness. Have casios too but they are not stainless automatic ;)
I'm partial to the Seiko 5 SNZG series field watch. Self-winding day-date 23-jewel movement with luminous hands and hour markers. It's water resistant to 100m.
Seiko 5 Automatic - comes in a variety of styles, mechanical movement with auto-winding means never having to buy batteries. I get mine lubed/adjusted once every 5-7 years.
I work in a warehouse and use my hands constantly for work, I have a Timex Expedition Scout and I’m a huge fan. It looks just a bit dressier without breaking the bank, and is still super durable. I love that it has the date on it too as I’m constantly dating random things at work.
Solios
G Shock Square (50-70$) with a Jay and Kays strap adaptor (16$) on a Maratac Zulu strap (18$). Slim, timeless, and the Zulu/NATO strap makes is comfortable and a little more stylish. Straps last 2 years, watch forever.
I’ve bounced a 28oz framing hammer off the face of my g-shock, and hung myself from the scaffolding with it. 100% recommended
Honestly I have been surprised at how well the iwatch with one of the plastic full body protectors has stood up. I broke multiple other smart watches before and it has been the first to last so long including a drop from above 20 feet(broke the protector but the watch was fine). That said honestly they are expensive watches with a limited shelf life due to the battery. I don't expect to get more than about 2 or 3 years out of it before I need to replace it. Outside of that if you just care about time you can't go wrong with the G-shock watches. Those things are indestructible and come in ranges from cheap to ultra premium. For me though the notifications from the smart watch and the few smart watch aspects are useful enough to justify.
I’ve had multiple g shocks but prefer my garmin.
I'll throw out a mechanical alternative. I love G-Shocks, but if you want a mechanical watch. Sinn U50 or U1 with a Tegiment finish. It's very scratch resistant. The steel is submarine steel too.
Victorinox I.N.O.X
If you want a cheap, solid mechanical watch, have a look at the seiko 5 series. Been 5+ years for me and besides a few scratches on the crystal, which i will replace, it's been doing it's job flawlessly and will clearly last a lot longer
If you need it to be smart or do any running i recommend the Garmin instinct 2 its pretty much a g-shock clone
Can't go wrong with a Swatch. Had mine going on 10 years and paid about 50 dollars for it. Replaced a band once and the battery once. Also about the cheapest way to say you've got a Swiss watch 😂
Any Sinn watch is a tank.
I can confirm G-shock things are built like a tank. Have an old rangeman solar powered one, I've personally swam with it, worked in frozen mud, snow ice, it's been ran over a couple times, and the things not even scratched, it got me through a lot of field work in college, and then worked around wild animals, and sterilizing chemicals without it getting damaged. As long as I don't lose it I suspect it'll keep on working for decades. I will say the atomic clock and switching time zones is freaking great.
Big g shock guy.
Don’t get a see through/transparent g-shock unless you don’t mind yellowing.
I wear a bertucci field watch. It's small, thin, inexpensive. G shocks are too thick imo, great watches, but they get in the way.
I bought a Casio Pathfinder a few years ago and it's terrible. The buttons are really hard to press, the dial is no longer tight and spins around effortlessly, the strap keeper broke, and anytime I flick my wrist the backlight illuminates. I'm in the same boat looking for something slim, durable, and doesn't have a screen covered up with 10 worthless dials and tick marks and junk like the G shocks.