Beater Watches?

It helps if you realize that for the last 20 years or so since cell phones (all phones on the network are synced, so time is accurate across all devices) became ubiquitous, watches in general have been in this transition period from useful & used tool to jewelry. 

Because of that, we want them to stay as nice as possible for as long as possible, but they still do a reasonable job of telling the time. Therefore, we started the practice of using a watch we didn't mind if it got scratched & dinged for activities where scratches & dings were more likely. 

I don't like sweating a lot when I wear my nice watches. I also wear a beater if I am doing something where there is a real chance of damaging the watch (sports, etc). 

Golf, shooting Pistols and Revolers, Mountainbiking ...

lot's of G Forces, that to not need to enter my expensive watches.

Here is my “beater”.  A Casio DW 290.  It has been from the Forbidden City to Dublin Castle, from San Francisco to Shanghai, from Victoria BC to Baccaro NS and from Seattle to Belize.  It is the watch I wear when I am hiking, sailing or wrenching on my car.  And it still keeps on going.

While all of my watches could be considered beater watches, I still wear my oldest, most-scratched quartz watch on a rubber strap for stuff like mowing the lawn... and my toughest quartz dive watch on a rubber strap for the beach. I don't want my other watches (of similar value and toughness) getting sunscreen/bug spray/sweat/sand on the bracelet or fabric strap.

I use one when I'm doing actual work inside or outside the house, work, to the gym, helping family/friends out and on the playground and the beach. Or my watches would be scratched to hell within two weeks after getting them.

I suspect that some people use the term 'beater watch' to denote a watch that is a lot cheaper than some other watches that they own. As in: 'oh, that would be OK as a beater...'

I have a couple watches that I will wear if I know I am going to do something that might damage the watch.  But I will sometimes just wear those watches when I want to because I like how they look. 

I think that term might be what I'm responding negatively toward.  I'm all for wearing a watch that is appropriate for your scenario, especially when safety is a consideration.  

It seems like the term "beater" devalues those watches that suit specific purposes.  You're not wearing a less interesting/worthwhile/cool/etc. watch, you're wearing a kickass GShock.

I usually wear my G-Shock for any kind of outdoor activity. Hiking, kayaking, camping and such. I really see not need to bring a nice watch to the woods. (The whitetails aren't impressed.)

What's confusing about the idea of a beater watch?  It's simply a lower cost watch that you don't have to be afraid of banging around.  I have a lower cost watch for situations where my day is likely to involve large amounts of physical labor which would likely result in the watch being banged around, scratched up, etc.

100 bonus points for knowing the term SMERSH

It's simple for me. I won't scream if I destroy an $80 Gshock on the car engine, mountain biking wreck, on a rock hiking, putting in a fence or whatever. I could wear a tough, nicer watch but why would I risk the more expensive one if there is a better option? 

I avoid wearing anything of steel or other metal. Plastic and rubber hides scratches much better. 

I've never really considered any of my watches beaters and while I don't try to go out of my way to smash them (if I climb a mountain, I probably won't wear a really nice watch) I also try not to worry about them too much either.

It's not fighting SMERSH agents but once I did have to knock out a violently drunk friend using my Roadster as brass knuckles.  It was kind of a bad situation...he's been sober ten years now thankfully as a result.

Also, the Roadster is a freaking tank. It's made me really reevaluate what well constructed watches can take outside of cosmetic damage.

A beater watch can be any watch. Just follow the money.

Yes, how have we made it this far without some bozo claiming to have a Breitling or Tudor beater?

If the damage or destruction of the watch will not bother you, you've got a beater! Honestly, I'd be sad if I ruined my F-91W even though I could just get another one for well under $20 with no inconvenience.

It's an excuse to buy another watch (usually something you like that is affordable to YOU) as in, that would make a great beater so I should pick it up.

After I got my Speedy (which started me collecting), I used my Apple watch as my "beater" for lawn work and when I didn't want to risk my Speedy.  Despite this, I picked up a Seiko 5 as my every day "analog" beater. 

I now have a quartz beater and true dive beater on my future watch list too.  When I added a dress beater to the list, I realized beater to me is just a more affordable version of another watch in my collection AND not a watch I would be ok to see destroyed.

Maybe I need a beater for my "beaters". 

https://youtu.be/kMxzkBdzTNU

G-Shock is my true beater. Mostly comes out when working on the car.

I think so much of it boils down to perspective and how much disposable income one has. To me a beater would be a good shock, tough and easily replaceable. I like to watch the YouTube channel "Brave Beaters" and many of the watches he classifies as beaters would be near grail level for me.

I like watches that can be used to hammer nails 

I don't own a beater.

Me either.  I own expensive watches, and inexpensive watches, rugged watches and fragile watches; they're all appropriate for different things.  

My mountain bike is cheaper than my gravel bike, but if I'm going out mountain biking I don't think of it as "a beater", I think of it as the appropriate selection for that use case.

I don't set out to harm any of them, but if they got broken, they can be fixed.  If I knew ahead of time that I was about to do a thing that was likely to damage a watch, I would probably question the wisdom of having it strapped onto me.

Ahh SMERSH agents — a man of class and sophistication

I have a Casio Duro as a beater; I'll wear it to concerts and to the beach. Anything physical like yardwork, hiking, etc makes my wrists swell a LOT. So I just go for no watch instead of a beater in those occasions lol

agree. Also at work the magnetic forces inside an armoured turret would be terrible. So for me a beater watch is needed as much as the others, or more.