Tough, professional looking watch

[HackerF15E]

This Omega X-33 has been tough as nails through about 15 years of flying fighters and trainers -- getting banged around a cockpit, put up with countless G, water and sweat, temperature extremes....all the normal 'torture test' stuff.

If you are military and are eligible for Omega's purchase program (or can pick one up secondhand), I highly recommend it.

[SPQR476]

Well...I also have a Suunto Vector that survived an ejection...but they look crappy after about 6 months of wear.

[WillBrink]

Is there such a thing. I know of G-Shock as I own one. But are there watches that look professional/dressy and functional/tough? Weird question, I know. I just don't always wanna wear my G-Shock and Citizens.

Without a price range, difficult to give any useful advice. Do you want it to look functional/tough, or be functional/tough? Quartz or auto? Good old Seiko Monster series is priced right and well built for the $$$.

[youngAR]

I wasn't sure which movement would be better, quartz or automatic. I really like the idea of not having to change a battery, thus the reason I've got a solar powered Casio and two Citizens. Rolex is outta of my range. I'm looking in the range of Tags.

[WillBrink]

I wasn't sure which movement would be better, quartz or automatic. I really like the idea of not having to change a battery, thus the reason I've got a solar powered Casio and two Citizens. Rolex is outta of my range. I'm looking in the range of Tags.

Quartz has batteries to change, but as a rule, tougher, more accurate, and less $$$. So, if you really beat on watches and or need very precise time, quartz may be best choice. My daily "beater" watch is a Tag F1 quartz, and my fancy "power" watch a JLC auto.

I'd give an actual $$$ range. Tags can range a lot.

For a really tough, good looking, well made watch in the mid Tag price range (approx 4k), there's nothing I know of that's built from the ground up to not just look tough, but be ultra tough like the Bremont MBI/II:

http://www.bremont.com/chronometers/range/mb

[youngAR]

$3k or less. Water resistance isn't important and like it to not be a monster of a watch. Most watches I've seen of late look to be around 50mm or so. I'm not Flavor Flave or Paul Bunion dang it! Thanks for the help so far!

[steyrman13]

I would recommend the Marathon GSAR. It is an auto and can find them used for between 475-650 and new for I think around 800-900. I don't have a picture but you can google that model and see what they look like. Has tritium in the hands and hour ticks.

[JSGlock34]

I wasn't sure which movement would be better, quartz or automatic. I really like the idea of not having to change a battery, thus the reason I've got a solar powered Casio and two Citizens. Rolex is outta of my range. I'm looking in the range of Tags.

Watches are one of those items where you can spend a little or a lot.

Tag Heurer has had a mixed reputation among serious watch aficionados (over the years they've tended to emphasize advertising and marketing over quality). In your price range, I'd consider a Sinn pilot or diver's watch. I've been very pleased with my Sinn U1 (a diver), but at 44mm it is a bit large for wear with a suit. A Sinn 556 or 856 might fit your needs, and is next on my list. These are in the $1500-2000 range. Sinns aren't particularly common and Watchbuys is the only US importer.

Here's my U1.

[WillBrink]

$3k or less. Water resistance isn't important and like it to not be a monster of a watch. Most watches I've seen of late look to be around 50mm or so. I'm not Flavor Flave or Paul Bunion dang it! Thanks for the help so far!

For me, 44mm is as big as go but different watches "wear" differently on different people, so best to try on first. Problem is, until you really narrow down your needs/wants, too many choices out there. Movements, style (Pilot, diver, etc) size, complications, strap, uses, etc, need to be narrowed down.

Tough (vs looking tough), good looking, watches in that $$ range, Sinn makes some really nice watches. I tend to like Diver style watches for their rugged tough functional look. Here's the Sinn U1 I really like, but they have many other styles you may like more if you don't dig diver style watches:

http://www.sinnwatches.com/proddetail.php?prod=si014

If you like a Chrono style, just under 3k I think Tissot did a nice job with this, but it's a tad large. The non Chrono version is smaller and tad under 1K:

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/watch/...star-1000.html

My JLC which is my all time favorite so far:

[WillBrink]

Here's my U1.

LOL, I posted the same thing. Great choice. That would be on the short list if I could just kill my Tag F1 to justify another watch.