Beaters and tools

Hi, 6” here. No I don’t take that bait 😇

Ok fair enough, but what word shall I then use for ”the watch I normally take when doing some serious physical activity but still want to wear a watch”? The one I use for that is one out of 2 with sentimental value to me. It’s just built like a tank. I can drop ”beater” if there a better word available. 

I agree. While it has become somewhat out of fashion, Rolex was a tool watch brand, and I know people who used submariners as beaters. Think about it this way, salt water, sand and sediment will damage a dive watch eventually, if used for its original purpose. A beater could be a rather expensive watch that has seen a lot of wear, meaning that it's all about what you do with a watch. My personal beater cost around $1000 adjusted for inflation, but it simply is old and worn.

I like the term "daily driver" borrowed from the car enthusiasts. I guess the problem lies in that it may sound to much like "daily diver" which certainly doesn't describe 98% of what I own.  Also, I know what is meant by "tool watch", but since every watch is a tool, it seems redundant.  I would just once like to see someone tighten a bolt or hammer a nail with a chronograph.

I’m just confused if the name beater is the problem here. Or the fact some collector using another collectors grail watch as such. Maybe it is time to start a Name Committee. What about grail watch? My grail could be another collectors entry level watch. 

I like 'beater'. Mine is a G-Shock and I beat it. That's all it's for. I remove it when I'm finished whatever chore is beating it. Then I might put on my GADA unless I need to time something. In that case I would wear a chronograph, a tool for measuring time. In the evening I'll wear my dress watch to the opera where people will admire my good taste and apparent wealth. Before I go to bed I'll slip on my tritium military watch for overnight maneuvers. The names work fine for me. Cheers!

I'm sticking with beater..because.. Merica!! Land of the free-ish. 

While I still have what's left of the 1st amendment, I may find things offensive, but it allows me to be offensive to others. 

My beater range is around $500. My yard work watch is either a citizen Fugu or yesterday I was wearing my Helm Vanuatu Titanium while I was cutting up a tree that had fallen over. 

I doubt this is someones grail, its a beater.  

I find the use of the term "beater" a bit silly, but that's just me. It's a tool, or a piece of jewelry, either way it's not something that shouldn't be abused. 

You don't abuse tools because you depend on them for your job, and if you abuse jewelry it's a fashion choice not a necessity. 

BEATER needs no explanation, thank you! Nor does DRESS or SPORT WATCH.

Must be a slow day on the forum.

I see no point in getting caught up over the language used...if your "grail" watch is someone else's "beater" then so be it.

When someone calls a watch a "beater" everyone knows exactly what they mean.  I don't think anyone calls a watch a "beater" to belittle other collectors.

To me “tool watch” describes the broad category of watch based on design and physical characteristics (like the term “dress watch“) and is more or less objective.  “Beater watch” describes the role a particular watch plays in my collection (vs. for instance “office watch”) and is entirely subjective.

I'd rather drop the word "Grail"

or maybe ”watch”. A lot of tension in that word.

That is precisely what a properly worn "work watch" should look like.

Nice!

People who collect things tend to categorise them.  Certain classifications become shorthand amongst the 'community'.  I would push back on people demeaning a person's taste, collection or financial ability to throw money at the hobby.  However, I'd not see any point in avoiding labels such as tool, beater etc as they can be descriptive of how people use or perceive their watches.  It tends not to be an issue with words but an issue with intent.

Agree 100%.  I would never call anyone else’s watch a beater, only my own. 

I actually take it as a term of endearment for a watch that you use often. My daily beater is my favorite watch. To me, the “daily beater“ is simply the watch worn the most.

Maybe I am using it wrong. 🤷‍♂️

But it has a special appeal to it. 

I agree. at the end of the day it’s a tool. You have to be careful with expensive tools but they are tools at the end of the day. For the longest time I wore a Rolex bubbleback as a beater. I’d only take it for if I was going to work out or swim.  But other than that the watch stayed on. It’s a watch that’s older than my father and I love it, but its still a tool. 

The Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat is a beater, as well as any watch that has a jumping seconds complication, for that matter.

And any watch that has a heart rate monitor built into it is a beatee.