Some people love dive watches, others love chronographs, and yet everyone loves a dress watch…
I’m curious to know what three watches every collection needs according to other enthusiasts.
Maybe I'm cheating with the field watch but my choices from the current rotation of watches would be:
My Cartier as dress, most definitely not going anywhere.
My diver would be my Orient, though I am looking into "upgrading" the watch as I feel like a good diver really makes for a great all-rounder. I've become that guy who showers and sleeps with a watch on, so I think some WR and good lume is really nice to have. Also, it's not easy to dress it up IMO but I haven't worn a suit in a while so...
I guess my "controversial" field watch pick would be a pilot watch (and a GMT, and a beater). I've seen many people refer to pilots as field watches, and I'll take it. I guess what I like most about this particular watch is it feels like a proper tool watch. The dull brushed titanium, the painted indices, the (perhaps useless for me) functions. Readability despite the busy-ness. And yet with the polished links and lugs, it does have a touch of flair for your viewing pleasure.
Field, dive, and beater for me. A nice enough field watch or dive watch can stand in for a dress watch, but a dress watch can't stand in for a beater.
Edit: I find GMT watches pointless for my lifestyle, the only time I care about another time zone I'm already holding a phone.
You raise a valid point. But as a watch lover I see a major flaw... ANY time you care about the time, you're already holding a phone. Or, at least, 90% of the time for most people.
For me, a field watch is generally a little thinner with a smaller case size at the cost of some WR. I prefer a field watch for daily use over a chunkier dive watch on my small 6.5" wrists.
I'm going to take it from the picture, beater is a digital. Then, my choice isn't there.
Field, diver, beater(digital)
Same reason as @KristianG. Plus, I don't dress up to often. Dress watches just sit in the case.
Oh don't base your choice on the photo. I literally just grabbed a photo of a 3-watch collection off Google. Personally I plan to own 2 beaters: a $100 G-Shock for when I'm doing home reno work, detailing cars, and fixing my cars. Then, I'm looking at a cheap (~$200) Orient dive watch next time my wife and I plan a beach vacation. It won't be for a while, as we prefer trips to Europe and exploring cities over sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. But eventually we'll get to an island, and I don't plan on swimming with any of my nice watches on - in a pool, ocean, or otherwise.
So a beater doesn't necessarily have to be a digital. It's just something you wear to protect your nicer watches when doing dirty work, swimming or traveling. It's the watch that you don't mind sacrificing if you accidentally drop a cinderblock on it, get it caked with spackle, get sea water in it, or have it stolen off your wrist in London.
The closest choice for me was C. However, I’d say a chronograph is more to my taste than a field if I could only have three choices.
Thank you for playing along!
We only get 4 choices when creating a poll, and there are endless choices for a 3-watch collection. I'll do more polls like this with different options, because I think they're harmless fun.
Chrono, Diver, and GMT. None of the dressy type so any of them except maybe the chrono could function as a beater but who I am kidding.
If beater really means a watch could take a beating scenario, I would either wear no watch or cheat and pull out my trusty but lovable G-Shock Square (5600, aka the cheap one). G-Shocks don't count do they? They're more utility devices that happen to tell the time like smartphones.
There are many people who would fight you for saying a G-Shock is not a proper watch hahaha.
While I have never been a G-Shock fan and vowed to never own one (and all the people who say, "every collection needs a G-Shock" make me want one even less), I have caved in. I don't have a watch to wear when working on my cars or doing home renovation projects. I was looking for a cheap watch for around $100 that would take a beating and that I wouldn't mind if it accidentally fell into a tray of oil while doing an oil change. For these purposes, I think G-Shock is the only option really.
Personally I'm not a big diver fan. So out of your list of 5, I'd eliminate the Diver and the sport/field. I can (and do) wear a GMT every day, the dress would be for, well, dressy occasions, and a chronograph would be for my weekend drives.
Oh don't base your choice on the photo. I literally just grabbed a photo of a 3-watch collection off Google. Personally I plan to own 2 beaters: a $100 G-Shock for when I'm doing home reno work, detailing cars, and fixing my cars. Then, I'm looking at a cheap (~$200) Orient dive watch next time my wife and I plan a beach vacation. It won't be for a while, as we prefer trips to Europe and exploring cities over sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. But eventually we'll get to an island, and I don't plan on swimming with any of my nice watches on - in a pool, ocean, or otherwise.
So a beater doesn't necessarily have to be a digital. It's just something you wear to protect your nicer watches when doing dirty work, swimming or traveling. It's the watch that you don't mind sacrificing if you accidentally drop a cinderblock on it, get it caked with spackle, get sea water in it, or have it stolen off your wrist in London.
I totally get it. Though, it still doesn't change anything for me my beater would still be a digital. The watches would change according to the budget but not the type. And I personal like the Kamasu. You could dress it up or down and not afraid to get it wet.
Personally I'm not a big diver fan. So out of your list of 5, I'd eliminate the Diver and the sport/field. I can (and do) wear a GMT every day, the dress would be for, well, dressy occasions, and a chronograph would be for my weekend drives.
Ok, ok.
1-Sport (surely a Monta Noble can double as a dress watch)
2-Diver (doubles as a beater-best candidate is a Pelagos)
3-GMT/Chrono (Omega has a couple that would fit the bill but 44mm is too large)
Or the sport/dress model could be a GMT (Omega A-T GMT or Monta Atlas GMT)
I honestly never would have thought a three watch collection would be enough. Your exercise and proven me wrong.
Real estate professional based in northern New Jersey. Though I have loved and owned watches for over a decade, I decided to start over in 2023. My goal is to build a collection that is meaningful to...
Genuinely not trying to be awkward, but Dive, Beater, GMT.
Field, dive, and beater for me. A nice enough field watch or dive watch can stand in for a dress watch, but a dress watch can't stand in for a beater.
Edit: I find GMT watches pointless for my lifestyle, the only time I care about another time zone I'm already holding a phone.
Dress, Dive, Beater.
A dress watch for, well, dressing up.
A diver can take the place of a field watch, with potentially better WR.
Beater for working on the car, in the garden, etc.
🍻
Not enough options to vote, Dress, GMT & Chronograph for me
1 Flashy, 1 Understated, 1 Beater 🤣
None of the above, and you don’t need anything.
No option quite matched my 3 essentials:
Diver pretty, diver beater, diver luxury . … then a few divers. Something like that
This ones a conundrum. I use my cheaper divers as beaters and ditto the less expensive field watch.
Infact the only ones I don't use as beaters are dress watches as mine are vintage and therefore more fragile.
But I don't like the term beater really as I try to take care of all of them.
Confusion reigns!
GMT, Diver and dressy-sports or sporty-dress
I’m not sure what category people are putting the Santos in. But that’s me
I’d need a pilot in my list
Maybe I'm cheating with the field watch but my choices from the current rotation of watches would be:
My Cartier as dress, most definitely not going anywhere.
My diver would be my Orient, though I am looking into "upgrading" the watch as I feel like a good diver really makes for a great all-rounder. I've become that guy who showers and sleeps with a watch on, so I think some WR and good lume is really nice to have. Also, it's not easy to dress it up IMO but I haven't worn a suit in a while so...
I guess my "controversial" field watch pick would be a pilot watch (and a GMT, and a beater). I've seen many people refer to pilots as field watches, and I'll take it. I guess what I like most about this particular watch is it feels like a proper tool watch. The dull brushed titanium, the painted indices, the (perhaps useless for me) functions. Readability despite the busy-ness. And yet with the polished links and lugs, it does have a touch of flair for your viewing pleasure.
I didn't vote, because I would take dive, field, and pilot if I could only choose three, and that wasn't one of the choices.
Dress, field, beater. I'm assuming beater included cheap digitals or other plastic fantastics. I have less than zero desire for a chronograph or GMT.
Field, dive, and beater for me. A nice enough field watch or dive watch can stand in for a dress watch, but a dress watch can't stand in for a beater.
Edit: I find GMT watches pointless for my lifestyle, the only time I care about another time zone I'm already holding a phone.
You raise a valid point. But as a watch lover I see a major flaw... ANY time you care about the time, you're already holding a phone. Or, at least, 90% of the time for most people.
For me, a field watch is generally a little thinner with a smaller case size at the cost of some WR. I prefer a field watch for daily use over a chunkier dive watch on my small 6.5" wrists.
Chronograph (this doubles as dress) any Patek works here
GMT or Worldtimer Rolex GMT or Explorer 2
Diver (doubles as beater) too many to choose but I currently use a Pelagos 39 for this.
Preferred
i voted c (field, beater, dress)... but can i give the dress watch away? 😊
None of the above, and you don’t need anything.
You, sir, are a party pooper
I'm going to take it from the picture, beater is a digital. Then, my choice isn't there.
Field, diver, beater(digital)
Same reason as @KristianG. Plus, I don't dress up to often. Dress watches just sit in the case.
Oh don't base your choice on the photo. I literally just grabbed a photo of a 3-watch collection off Google. Personally I plan to own 2 beaters: a $100 G-Shock for when I'm doing home reno work, detailing cars, and fixing my cars. Then, I'm looking at a cheap (~$200) Orient dive watch next time my wife and I plan a beach vacation. It won't be for a while, as we prefer trips to Europe and exploring cities over sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. But eventually we'll get to an island, and I don't plan on swimming with any of my nice watches on - in a pool, ocean, or otherwise.
So a beater doesn't necessarily have to be a digital. It's just something you wear to protect your nicer watches when doing dirty work, swimming or traveling. It's the watch that you don't mind sacrificing if you accidentally drop a cinderblock on it, get it caked with spackle, get sea water in it, or have it stolen off your wrist in London.
Not crazy about the poll choices since I don't wear or need a dress or a GMT watch.
I'd go Dive, Field, Chrono (with a digital beater)
Yeah unfortunately I only had 4 poll slots and there are unlimited possibilities. I'll do more, because I think they're fun.
The closest choice for me was C. However, I’d say a chronograph is more to my taste than a field if I could only have three choices.
Thank you for playing along!
We only get 4 choices when creating a poll, and there are endless choices for a 3-watch collection. I'll do more polls like this with different options, because I think they're harmless fun.
And I agree with you, I'm a chronograph guy.
Chrono, Diver, and GMT. None of the dressy type so any of them except maybe the chrono could function as a beater but who I am kidding.
If beater really means a watch could take a beating scenario, I would either wear no watch or cheat and pull out my trusty but lovable G-Shock Square (5600, aka the cheap one). G-Shocks don't count do they? They're more utility devices that happen to tell the time like smartphones.
There are many people who would fight you for saying a G-Shock is not a proper watch hahaha.
While I have never been a G-Shock fan and vowed to never own one (and all the people who say, "every collection needs a G-Shock" make me want one even less), I have caved in. I don't have a watch to wear when working on my cars or doing home renovation projects. I was looking for a cheap watch for around $100 that would take a beating and that I wouldn't mind if it accidentally fell into a tray of oil while doing an oil change. For these purposes, I think G-Shock is the only option really.
Swiss, German and Japanese.
Ahhh, I like what you did there!
Can't go three
Five minimum
GMT
Diver
Dress
Sport/Field
Chrono
If you absolutely had to go 3, it could be done.
Personally I'm not a big diver fan. So out of your list of 5, I'd eliminate the Diver and the sport/field. I can (and do) wear a GMT every day, the dress would be for, well, dressy occasions, and a chronograph would be for my weekend drives.
I choose...
Chronograph
Chronograph
Chronograph
Chronograph Dress Watch with Annual Calendar...
Chronograph Dive Watch...
Double Chronograph Split-Seconds...
As a chronograph fan, I like your style.
I selected D because not everyone loves a dress watch. I can appreciate them but they are far from being my favorite type of watches.
I understand. And thank you for playing along. I realize that there are endless options, but I only had 4 slots to choose from.
Chronograph (this doubles as dress) any Patek works here
GMT or Worldtimer Rolex GMT or Explorer 2
Diver (doubles as beater) too many to choose but I currently use a Pelagos 39 for this.
Preferred
All excellent choices!
Oh don't base your choice on the photo. I literally just grabbed a photo of a 3-watch collection off Google. Personally I plan to own 2 beaters: a $100 G-Shock for when I'm doing home reno work, detailing cars, and fixing my cars. Then, I'm looking at a cheap (~$200) Orient dive watch next time my wife and I plan a beach vacation. It won't be for a while, as we prefer trips to Europe and exploring cities over sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. But eventually we'll get to an island, and I don't plan on swimming with any of my nice watches on - in a pool, ocean, or otherwise.
So a beater doesn't necessarily have to be a digital. It's just something you wear to protect your nicer watches when doing dirty work, swimming or traveling. It's the watch that you don't mind sacrificing if you accidentally drop a cinderblock on it, get it caked with spackle, get sea water in it, or have it stolen off your wrist in London.
I totally get it. Though, it still doesn't change anything for me my beater would still be a digital. The watches would change according to the budget but not the type. And I personal like the Kamasu. You could dress it up or down and not afraid to get it wet.
If you absolutely had to go 3, it could be done.
Personally I'm not a big diver fan. So out of your list of 5, I'd eliminate the Diver and the sport/field. I can (and do) wear a GMT every day, the dress would be for, well, dressy occasions, and a chronograph would be for my weekend drives.
Ok, ok.
1-Sport (surely a Monta Noble can double as a dress watch)
2-Diver (doubles as a beater-best candidate is a Pelagos)
3-GMT/Chrono (Omega has a couple that would fit the bill but 44mm is too large)
Or the sport/dress model could be a GMT (Omega A-T GMT or Monta Atlas GMT)
I honestly never would have thought a three watch collection would be enough. Your exercise and proven me wrong.