New or used?
We are spoiled for choice these days... what gets your vote and why?
I really enjoyed my (although hand wound) Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer- or whatever the name... the W10 reissue if I recall correctly.
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Sinn 556i - 200m wr, takes any strap, looks equally at home in the office or in the outdoors.
I highly recommend the recently released Seiko SPB143 or 147. A great modern take on their historic diver.
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Seiko SKX. Anything else spent on an everyday tool watch is pointless and unnesarsary IMHO.
Damasko DS30 gets my vote. Very legible with a date complication, bang on accurate (when at higher wind), 200m wr and the sub steel case is pretty much scratch proof under usual conditions. It handles many strap options too and it won't attract the wrong attention.
GW-5000-1JF on a combi
Indestructible, comfortable, classic design, never needs a service, always accurate, multiple time zones, loads of features, can be used as a knuckle duster, etc.
Anything from Citizen, Seiko or Casio that doesn't have a mechanical movement.
G-Shock GMW-B5000TCM for sure!!
Sinn 556 or Damasko ds30.
A toolish everyday watch and a tool watch worn everyday are IMO very different propositions, so OP really needs to clarify the ask, or the answers will continue to range from G-SHOCKs to Sinns.
It may not be an answer you get from many, but new watch under £1k that does everything?
A-13A chronograph, no doubts.
Massive clarity of dial, hour and minute (both central) chronograph for timing, 100m WR (more than you need for anything), plus it hour hacks for travel between timezones, and you can pre-position the chronograph hands to act as a countdown, if you prefer.
And it is quite elegant too.
Just about my most worn watch.
Dave
Lovely 556 in the sale section with money left over.
I know it one of my newest acquisitions off SC from Rob but this really works for me. It would have been under £1000 retail, probably nearer £600 and last week only £250!
Damasko of whatever type you prefer (e.g. DS30 new or DA46 used), ice hardened to take some damage but also can look smart.
Well under budget but superb spec for an everyday watch...
+1 on both the Sinn 556 (wearing one now) and Speedbird PRS-22 (had one).
Just love the clean, easy to read looks on both. Both bracelets are also quite comfortable. I just wish that the 556 has a better power reserve, especially for use when working from home.
Skx0 which ever one suits. My other choice would be a Sinn 566a I had one but only on leather, would be the ideal on bracelet.
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Not sure what indestructible means in a watch especially a mechanical one. If you drop it especially onto a hard surface you are going to do some damage either to the case or the movement no matter how big it is or how bright the lume happens to be
It may not sound fashionable but just get one of those Steeldive homage watches for £100 and feel comfortable that you can bash it about and its not a massive loss to you and keep your decent watches for other activities.
Other than that just buy an Orient Mako or Ray or any Citizen eco drive.
Looks like Paolo is struggling to get movements to produce more of these. And that looks to have been the case for a while now. I’ve had a couple of these pre-owned. I always thought the hour hand was lagging behind ever so slightly on both of them. Probably not the case at all but that’s what I thought.
Is this what your looking for? a tool watch surely must have actual tools rather than tell the time like any other watch.. I just dont get the "Tool Watch" analogy!
All not quite a 'tool' watch perhaps but nice for a grand.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...h-Lemania-5100
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Last edited by Gomers; 12th October 2020 at 20:11.
Another vote for the Baby Marinemaster MM200!
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A few answers in relation to A-13A watches.
Paolo has struggled to get movements, but he instagrammed the arrival of a large batch of them recently (end Sept). I hope this batch has not just vaporised dealing with a demand backlog, but I have no idea whether the watches are in stock to buy as of just now. The website suggests possibly not. I have messaged Paolo and he is ususlly quite good at replying promptly, so will let you know. - EDIT UPDATE - Paolo has already replied, this evening. He thinks he has enough movements to last a year, so an order will get one.
That is indeed a Morellatto (sp?) cordura strap, which is also the OEM manufacturer for the A-13A strap, and discontinued. Paolo managed to get the last batch of them that they made, and sold them to some of his original customers, so I have 2 of them. Nice straps.
Dave
Last edited by sweets; 12th October 2020 at 18:55. Reason: Additional info
Very pleased with my Hamilton Khaki Automatic which was way under budget.
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I think I’d be tempted by a number of
62MAS type Seiko divers
Speedbird GMT
Certina PH200M Ceramic bezel or PH500M are tempting my debit card right now too.
It's just a matter of time...
Both well inside your budget if bought used . . .
F.T.F.A.
To qualify for the epithet "tool watch", a watch needs to be extremely robust and highly functional, and for me that has to go beyond the usual materials, i.e. hardened metal cases, scratchproof crystal and bezel, minimum 100m depth rating, and exceptional shock proofing. I'd also look for functionality a little beyond just time and date - so let's lob a chronograph in to the mix and stare in amazement as the tumbleweeds blow through Reality...
The closest to the above mix that comes to mind is Damasko's DC56, 57 or 58 - good luck finding one under £1k nowadays, money very well spent if you do though.
Another contender out of left-field - albeit one that misses the chronograph and the price requirement pretty comprehensively - is Formex's Essence Leggera range, which combine a carbon-fibre case and zirconium-ceramic fixed bezel with Formex's nifty case suspension system. Subtler dial colours exist than the one pictured, but it looks pretty compelling to me and the strap has one of the cleverest and nicest clasps in the business:
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For a squeezed budget, Citizen's got you covered with their tiny, oft-overlooked "Promaster Tough" range. This features hardened stainless steel (and sometimes Titanium) cases executed in a similar manner to Sinn's "tegimenting". Being solar powered takes the tool watch ethic an extra step down the road, too, and £250 gets you a choice of 3-handers and a slightly 1990's-tinged chronograph -
I'd also definitely be looking at both Archimede and Dekla, who both have top-quality hardened-case automatic watch ranges that come in well-under £1K brand new - scratch the itch and not the watch ... 'n'all that... Coat, get, etc.
Yes i know its a Steinhart but the value on these is crazy, fairly modded movement and all for under £1K new