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Thread: This is the ultimate "tool watch".

  1. #1
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    This is the ultimate "tool watch".

    Tool watch can have wear and scratches and you don't have to whine when you get hairline scratches to the clasp from desk diving.

    You must use a bomb if you want to destroy a Sea-Dweller.

    Rolex has a lot of tasteless models that I would never wear... but 16600 SD represents everything I like about the Rolex brand.

    Last edited by JPE; 19th January 2019 at 14:13.

  2. #2
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    That's lovely. Is it the new larger model?

  3. #3
    Master
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    I doubt that any genuine ‘tool’ watch costs more than £100-£200. No Rolex has been a tool watch for decades....neither has any other expensive watch.
    Want a watch for tough situations, hard manual labour, mud and water and so on...a G Shock, basic Seiko,, Citizen, whatever.
    My partner wears a £100 Citizen for daily swimming. She won’t even use her Rolex for washing-up. Too valuable.
    Last edited by paskinner; 19th January 2019 at 14:55.

  4. #4
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    As a personal favour to my bank account may I request that nobody posts pictures of explorers please?

    Many thanks :)

  5. #5
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    I doubt that any genuine ‘tool’ watch costs more than £100-£200. No Rolex has been a tool watch for decades....neither has any other expensive watch.
    Want a watch for tough situations, hard manual labour, mud and water and so on...a G Shock, basic Seiko,, Citizen, whatever.
    My partner wears a £100 Citizen for daily swimming. She won’t even use her Rolex for washing-up. Too valuable.
    Yeah that's up to the owner. I use my Rolexes anywhere and don't "pamper" them at all.

    The only exception is when I chop wood. I've heard the mainspring in automatic watches don't like it.

    In that sense you're right... Casio G-Shock is even better tool watch. But you don't look as cool when you're wearing it haha.

  6. #6
    Master beechcustom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    I doubt that any genuine ‘tool’ watch costs more than £100-£200. No Rolex has been a tool watch for decades....neither has any other expensive watch.
    Want a watch for tough situations, hard manual labour, mud and water and so on...a G Shock, basic Seiko,, Citizen, whatever.
    My partner wears a £100 Citizen for daily swimming. She won’t even use her Rolex for washing-up. Too valuable.
    100% agree. There is no way I would deliberately wear a Rolex in a situation where it may get damaged. I'm not wealthy but I'm sure I wouldn't even if I had all the money in the world.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkR View Post
    As a personal favour to my bank account may I request that nobody posts pictures of explorers please?

    Many thanks :)
    I'll second that! These pictures are going to cause me problems!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPE View Post
    Tool watch can have wear and scratches and you don't have to whine when you get hairline scratches to the clasp from desk diving.

    You must use a bomb if you want to destroy a Sea-Dweller.

    Rolex has a lot of tasteless models that I would never wear... but 16600 SD represents everything I like about the Rolex brand.
    Well, here's a watch that *can* survive a blast with a stick of dynamite :-)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A2Ww7nphNo ( CX Swiss Military 20,000 Feet )

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnnyE View Post
    I'll second that! These pictures are going to cause me problems!
    Perhaps we should set up a support network ;)

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by arnoldus View Post
    Well, here's a watch that *can* survive a blast with a stick of dynamite :-)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A2Ww7nphNo ( CX Swiss Military 20,000 Feet )
    Haha yes. Why didn't they test the 16613 TT Sub which was portrayed in the video too?

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkR View Post
    As a personal favour to my bank account may I request that nobody posts pictures of explorers please?

    Many thanks :)
    Explorer 1 or Explorer 2??

    They really do make the best beaters. They wear battle scars so well...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Ahh... that's a lovely 16570.

    Very underrated reference.

  13. #13
    Master patrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPE View Post
    Tool watch can have wear and scratches and you don't have to whine when you get hairline scratches to the clasp from desk diving.

    You must use a bomb if you want to destroy a Sea-Dweller.

    Rolex has a lot of tasteless models that I would never wear... but 16600 SD represents everything I like about the Rolex brand.

    Could do with a lot more written on the dial,so it's a no from me.

  14. #14
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    This is the tool watch that my pocket can tolerate but still wearing it carefully

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    I doubt that any genuine ‘tool’ watch costs more than £100-£200.
    I agree with this; it was part of the point I made last year when comparing a Seiko 5 to my Explorer...

    Quote Originally Posted by JGJG View Post
    ...there is also the uneasy sense - you must have felt it too - that sports Rolexes have somehow morphed from morlock to eloi. The Explorer is, after all, supposedly the ür- tool watch; why then do I favour a G-Shock for rougher activities? If a tool watch is too pricey, too good for that sort of thing, then is it really a tool watch at all? Does its price point undermine its fitness for purpose, and - if so - does a cheap-ass homage beat the Explorer at its own game?
    Surely a tool watch needs to be what’s nowadays known as “MVP” for the task in hand?

  16. #16
    Grand Master
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    I guess the challenge when claiming that a watch is a tool watch is to include a photograph of your watch actually doing something that shows that you really are treating it as a tool watch. Mind you, the extensive wabi on that EXII is pretty persuasive!

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by mjoranga View Post
    This is the tool watch that my pocket can tolerate but still wearing it carefully

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
    Which model is this? The spork, or something like that, right?

  18. #18
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by M4tt View Post
    I guess the challenge when claiming that a watch is a tool watch is to include a photograph of your watch actually doing something that shows that you really are treating it as a tool watch.
    Don't take it so literally and seriously. This is supposed to be fun. :D

  19. #19
    All watches (unless worn as an ornament, perhaps) are tool watches: -


    Tool - a device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

  20. #20
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    I managed to scratch the clasp on my 5167A last year - does that make it a tool watch?



    I wear my watches! I hate to see them sitting there in the dark safe for months on end. Let's start a revolution. BTW - I am not rich - and soon to become a pensioner won't have a load of disposable income. Never the less - I plan to enjoy the watches I have - whatever and wherever I may be. My wife wears her Rolex Day-Date as any regular person wears their watch - everyday / everywhere. Rolex developed the Oyster case and is proud of its heritage - for a reason (https://www.rolex.com/about-rolex-wa...ster-case.html)


    Martyn

  21. #21
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    My brother is not a WIS and therefore owns just one watch (in this respect at least he is ‘normal’ ). It’s a Rolex Sub of some description. He dives obsessively, skis, works on cars, does DIY at a level that most builders get paid for... and does all of it wearing the Sub.

    It’s scratched, dented and scuffed. It’s by definition a tool watch used as a tool watch - the concept of a separate ‘beater’ eludes him completely.

    I on the other hand, am a WIS, own 16 watches of which one is a Rolex, and wouldn’t dream of knowingly putting it in harms way.

    So who’s right? Damned if I know...

    Simon

  22. #22
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    When the shine's gone it's a tool watch.


    F.T.F.A.

  23. #23
    Master ditchvisitor's Avatar
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    I own a Deepsea which is most definitely a tool watch, I wear it everyday including flying in Afghanistan and wear it working on the car etc etc, it’s got a fair few knocks and scratches but my attitude is that I bought it to wear and it that it now tells a story.

  24. #24
    Hillary's Rolex OP has to be the ultimate.

    https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/fo...e-pics-details

  25. #25
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Holsterman View Post
    Hillary's Rolex OP has to be the ultimate.

    https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/fo...e-pics-details
    Wow. Thanks for the link.

    That watch was made back in 1950 and it has the exact same twinlock crown as my 2003 model GMT Master II.



    Maybe it was switched in Rolex service though.

  26. #26
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Another cool story from Hodinkee:

    https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-...4-months-later


  27. #27
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    The 16600 is a good, tough watch, but the idea that it, or anything similar, is the ultimate tool watch is pure fantasy. Its 1220m WR is impressive but 1000m of that is wholly useless except to a vanishingly small percentage of mankind. For virtually all day to day usage, shock resistance is far more important, followed by lume and, possibly, anti-magnetism.

    The 16600 has a solid steel case with a movement protected by a thin rubber ring. As such, is there any reason to suppose its shock resistance is better than that of any datejust, let alone a virtual infinity of other watches out there. By modern standards its lume is poor and its anti-magnetism nothing special.

    I owned the 16600 and it's a nice watch but the status to which it's been elevated within the WIS community is bizarre.

  28. #28
    Master JPE's Avatar
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    Here's my dad's 50 Euro Alpha GMT. It was used as a tool watch (literally) as my old man is a classic car enthusiast. He's very hard on his watches.



    There's more about this cheapie in this article (that I already shared before).
    https://luxurywatches635.wordpress.c...omage-watches/

  29. #29
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    Seiko skx007j or a g shock

    I always see either of these in my collection as the pieces to wear when damage may ensue though the skx in my view can carry off any situation without issue.

    I feel lucky to own an Aquanaut which is a good thing which works from a dinner suit to the sea but really who could risk it in the garage , sea or even holiday?

    The skx works anywhere.

    I am sure there are lots of Less obvious all rounders but for me this is the best

  30. #30
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    No, never.

    Great watch (I have owned a few) but not the accolade you suggest.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  31. #31
    Master
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    My first thought was the 16600. I've worn one at work for a few years now. Held up very well. A few scratches to the case but the crystal has never chipped and the bezel insert is still fresh.








    By chance (as somebody posted one) my other work watch is a SPORK. Although I LOVE them, they are nowhere near as hardy as the SD.

  32. #32
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by SeikoFrank View Post
    Which model is this? The spork, or something like that, right?
    Yes it is the Seiko Spork Mate... almost sold it a few months back but just couldn't pack and ship it away.

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  33. #33

  34. #34
    Master pacifichrono's Avatar
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    Just because the Sea Dweller is a "rugged" watch, doesn't mean it's the quintessential "tool" watch.

    I suggest that watches like the Navitimer and the various G-Shocks are more proper "tool" watches.

  35. #35
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    Don't know if there is an ultimate tool watch.
    I use my skxa35 for fishing, hiking etc and it delivers perfectly for that, but I use my g shock around the house, when doing diy and the like.

    Even then, I still remove. The g shock. If there's a high chance. It will get banged against a wall or damaged. Just because it can doesn't mean you should.

  36. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by triumph coupe View Post
    Explorer 1 or Explorer 2??

    They really do make the best beaters. They wear battle scars so well...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    That looks great, I regret letting mine go :( Currently trying to decide between an OP or Explorer 1 for an everyday work watch

  37. #37
    Craftsman FellBasher's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by triumph coupe View Post
    Explorer 1 or Explorer 2??

    They really do make the best beaters. They wear battle scars so well...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Love this, and it's helped in my decision whether or not to have my Polar Expl. II polished when it goes in for a service! It'll be creating a few more scuffs and scratches to add to the existing WABI.

  38. #38
    Quote Originally Posted by MartynJC (UK) View Post
    I managed to scratch the clasp on my 5167A last year - does that make it a tool watch?



    I wear my watches! I hate to see them sitting there in the dark safe for months on end. Let's start a revolution. BTW - I am not rich - and soon to become a pensioner won't have a load of disposable income. Never the less - I plan to enjoy the watches I have - whatever and wherever I may be. My wife wears her Rolex Day-Date as any regular person wears their watch - everyday / everywhere. Rolex developed the Oyster case and is proud of its heritage - for a reason (https://www.rolex.com/about-rolex-wa...ster-case.html)


    Martyn
    Never seen the point in keeping a watch in the safe, I am almost sixty myself and if you cant wear a watch for fear of damage or other reasons then there is just no point in having that watch, enjoy whilst you can, you cant take em with you.

  39. #39


    Watches should be worn. A little light maintenance on one of our machines at work today.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  40. #40

    This is the ultimate "tool watch".



    The prs-29a while working on the myford



    The the explorer 2 getting dirty in the garage


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  41. #41
    “The only exception is when I chop wood. I've heard the mainspring in automatic watches don't like it. ”

    Personably suggests it’s not the ultimate tool watch.

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