Posted: 11/11/2010 6:20:30 PM EDT
So back a few years ago I bought what I thought at the time would be a great survival watch. G-Shock MTG solar powered battery and Atomic nice black metal band. Yet I have had many problems with it as the battery will go from a full charge to no power at anytime. The glass face of the watch will fog up on the inside of the watch anytime there is a temp change say you go from your warm/ cool car to the cold/hot outside of your car it will fog up and you can read the numbers on it. Last this thing reflects light like it is cool! I know it's because it's solar and it would be useful if I needed to flag down a NASA spaceship! No flame the solar/atomic G-Shocks my wife loves hers and has no problems with it at all.
I'm looking for something to replace it. I like digital as it's easy to look at. I'm not looking to spend a lot of money on this watch. Any advice? I have been looking at the Pathfinders but maybe there is better out there? |
| just bought a pathfinder today..... i mfing love it!!! way better than i expected.... its so light.... i too fell victim to the "solar" gimmick, and after countless e-mails to casio about the poor craftsmanship of their g-shock solar watches, they issued me a refund and i used that to purchase this pathfinder (no solar)..... $175 but it has barometer, temperature, compass, and altimeter.... the compass is on a dual layer lcd screen so you can turn the compass on and it doesnt interfere with viewing the other features....hopefully ill have no problems with this one...... |
| Whatever you do, don't buy Timex. I had a cheapo watch from them that lasted years on one battery, so when it was time to buy a new watch I bought one of their more expensive models. Wearing it once in the shower killed it (a 50 meter waterproof watch) the first week I had it. I called and explained to them that I was in the Army and had used this somewhat expensive watch for less than a week before it failed, and they told me tough luck. Luckily the PX took it back, but I'll never buy Timex again. |
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Though I once owned a Rolex submariner, cash, or the lack there of took that LONG before I could see how industructible it was...
over the years I went through couple of SEIKO self winders, but they die eventually and cost more to fix, than buy new 10 years ago, watchless, I stumbled on a basic stainless steel TIMEX Chronograph, its was in the $90.00 range and on sale for $30..and it is still running strong it has been wet, dropped, stepped on, knocked off my wrist to the point of broken links and replacing S/S band and washed in the washer at least once. after drying out in the sun for a week, it started running again I have had ONE battery replacement but THEY screwed up the plastic water sealing ring and I no longer wear it when getting wet intentionally. 5 yr ago, I picked up a second one on sale, a bit dressier as it is white faced and has a gold ring around the bezel and a leather strap. while in a SHTF situation long term, batteries die..day to day use it has been a fine watch and I highly recommend. for SHTF I have 3 wind up pocket watches of various ages and styles that work fine if extended issues arise and a sun dial in the back yard that is fairly accurate. Chef |
| i personally love my timexs. some of the most rugged watches i have ever owned. the one i am weaaring right now rode in the engine bay of my truck for a year before i found it again. summer to summer (its cold, wet and nasty in MI in the winter)...i only had to replace the nylon band. i have gotten a bummer from time to time, but i always pay the extra 5.00 for the warranty when i buy a watch. that way when i get the winding dial snagged on a locker door and rip it out of the watch (happened last year) they will replace it. |
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I've had great luck with Timex ironman/triathlon type watches. They always last for years until I lose them.
- They handle swimming, showering, and shallow diving (never tried taking one more than than 66ft) -I've banged them around quite a bit on howitzers and MRAPS and they kept working - $21-24 (usually available at Walmart too) - Plus they are slim, so they don't overshadow my girly wrists. 
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I am a mechanical watch junkie. The two I wear most often are an 1957 Omega "Bumper Automatic" and my G-Pop's service Bulova "Hack Watch" dating from his service in WWII. Both watches run like champs and keep good time. I have an old school watch guy that cleans and services them for me every few years. They will serve me well if we get hit with the big EMP or batteries go missing from the shelves.
For work I tend to wear cheap plastic or stainless Casio's, Timex's, or Swiss Army watches. I beat the hell out of them, they are constantly wet, and in every way abused. All of the above brands have served me well. My $7 Casio ran for ten years before I replaced it, and the only reason I replaced it was because I could no longer stand looking at it. It was still running when I tossed it in the drawer. My $15 Timex Forester was pretty much the same, and it too got tossed in a drawer when I could no longer stand wearing it. These low end watches seem to be pretty indestructible, and can be had for under $20 when on sale at K-Mart or Wally World. My current work watch is a Swiss Army in stainless, by far the most expensive at $25 on sale. It looks better than the previous watches, and runs as well as they did. So far it has gone four years on the same battery. These are all simple analog watches with no bells or whistles beyond the date window (though the Forester was an "Indiglo" model). Perhaps it is the simplicity of their functions that made them so durable. I say go cheap for a work/play watch. They run well, and you do not mind if the get knocked around, damaged, or lost. stasiman |
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Have you considered an automatic? no batteries to worry about. It winds itself as you move your arm. I have an Invicta automatic, in addition to my Rolex Submariner. It is a good watch. I have had zero problems with it. The lume on mine is excellent. It is easily visible at night. Amazon sells them at very reasonable prices. Here are a couple for your consideration.
Invicta Silver automatic Invicta two tone dressier automatic Blue face silver Invicta All of these are under $100. There are others that are more expensive. I'm just trying to give you some of the less expensive choices. They all offer a date window, too. I hope this helps. edit: Sorry, I just saw the part about your preference for digitals. All of these are analog. |
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Quoted:
Have you considered an automatic? no batteries to worry about. It winds itself as you move your arm. I have an Invicta automatic, in addition to my Rolex Submariner. It is a good watch. I have had zero problems with it. The lume on mine is excellent. It is easily visible at night. Amazon sells them at very reasonable prices. Here are a couple for your consideration. Invicta Silver automatic Invicta two tone dressier automatic Blue face silver Invicta All of these are under $100. There are others that are more expensive. I'm just trying to give you some of the less expensive choices. They all offer a date window, too. I hope this helps. edit: Sorry, I just saw the part about your preference for digitals. All of these are analog. +1 I love my Seiko. Might see if I can find something with a better reputation for long term reliability as a back up though. http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SNM037-Automatic-Black-Urethane/dp/B001BMFBY6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1289588118&sr=8-11 |
| No one built a manual wind up watch like Timex did. I.e. built to be made cheap and last forever. Times used to be one of the innovaters in mechanical watch design; they worked very hard to build a cheap and dependable pin lever mechanical movement. They weren't built to be taken apart and fixed, so they were made to be bullet proof. You can take the movement apart but it is a difficult and trying task to put them back together. They have a plate that captures all the pins/springs etc that you must maneuver carefully to get all the pins and srews to line up before you can tighten it down. |
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Quoted:
just bought a pathfinder today..... i mfing love it!!! way better than i expected.... its so light.... i too fell victim to the "solar" gimmick, and after countless e-mails to casio about the poor craftsmanship of their g-shock solar watches, they issued me a refund and i used that to purchase this pathfinder (no solar)..... $175 but it has barometer, temperature, compass, and altimeter.... the compass is on a dual layer lcd screen so you can turn the compass on and it doesnt interfere with viewing the other features....hopefully ill have no problems with this one...... What year did you buy your solar? I got mine back in 2007 but I bought one for my wife same as mine in 2009 and she has had no problems with hers. Other people I have talked to who bought theirs later then I have told me they have not had problems with theirs. I really like the Pathfinder a lot where did you get yours at? I do like wind ups but I have found that the digital was a lot easier for me to read at night and faster. Not sure why it just was I'm going to be using this watch mostly for my police job (If I get it) in ND . |