You don’t need to carry a Swiss Army Knife around to have an adventurous streak. Similarly tough watches aren’t just designed for going on outdoorsy expeditions. There’s too much chat about military replica watches being bulletproof, which feels a bit jargon-y and OTT. On the contrary, what we like best about this type of watch is ensuring you’re comfortable actually wearing them. If they get a bit bashed around or scratched, great – it adds personality. And while some watches’ dials are loaded up with different features and functions, the simplicity of just being a watch that tells the time can never by overrated from https://www.swissfactory.to.
Are tough watches the answer to us surviving out there in the big bad world? Probably not. But do they add heft and look pretty cool on our wrists? Cop a load of our favourites and decide for yourself.
With its brutalist mix of steel and black ceramic, there’s no hiding the intent of the AP Royal Oak Offshore. But even with a 43mm case and those brick-sized chronograph pushers, that smokey tapisserie dial gives you a very different feel to the more everyday tough-guy choices. The RO line obviously has a rock solid reputation, but the lithe feel of designer Emanuel Gueit’s big boy fit deserves more noise. £37,800. At audemarspiguet.com
Stealth is the word for this slim, sandblasted replica TAG Heuer Solargraph (it’s solar charged) as it’s made of heavy-duty grade 2 titanium which as well as having a darker vibe than steel, is also a proper lightweight. The sunray-brushed striated dial boasts two-tone lumed markers that’ll pop off the scale at night. £2,700.
This 40mm Montblanc is not far off being the exact opposite of big and brash. As part of its vintage-inspired 1858 line, over time the svelte bronze case will take on an ever-evolving patina as it traces whatever adventures you have planned. Bearing that in mind, the rose gold/olive green pairing will only improve with age while remaining consistently understated on the wrist. £2,820. At goldsmiths.co.uk
Rado Captain Cooks has been its ace card in the icons game, and that’s all good. So you can imagine how keen the watch fraternity would be for this muscular ceramic version, which merges Rado’s tech-ceramic skills with the balanced aesthetics of a dive watch. Its 43mm version has a pro-spec 300m depth rating and a big 80 hours of power reserve – worth knowing when push comes to shove. £3,150.
Last year’s Pelagos 39 in light titanium somewhat relieved Tudor lovers of their unhealthy obsession with the Black Bay. Because if understated functionality is what you’re after, look no further. It’s a no-nonsense, get-on-with-the-job kinda tool that’ll suit a lot of wrists. One small touch of red enlivens a dial that, with a blocky simplicity, archetypes legibility. £4,040.
The Omega Speedmaster may not need an introduction but it’s always worth shouting from the rooftops when its Dark Side Of The Moon series gets a new entry. Especially when there’s an actual Saturn V rocket on it. Rendered in badass black ceramic, this larger 44.2mm is a meaty take on the Moonwatch packed with fun, from its laser-etched moonscape dial and the rocket hand to those pops of yellow that carry onto the leather strap. £13,500.
With a carbon composite case and zesty lemon details, this high-tech 44mm Panerai diver is a pretty tough cookie in all respects. Limited to 162 pieces, it sets the bar for personal exploits even higher because it’s named after the toughest commandos on the planet. Skeleton hands and a crosshair sight at 9 o’clock ups the ante to standard you’d better man up to. £18,300. At panerai.com
Seiko’s cult fave Alpinist has always been a solid alternative to the Rolex Explorer with its affordable price. With this new version, it has somehow distilled its bullet-proof facade into 39.5mm of brushed steel. Packed with an inner compass bezel, date at 4:30, and a new GMT function, it’s makes this 6R54-powered Seiko big value. And then there’s the 72-hour reserve too. £990.
Grand Seiko does enigmatic dial art like no other brand, but its no-nonsense tough divers are also pretty (and impressive). In high-intensity titanium, the 44.2mm case feels way lighter than you’d expect, while its Spring Drive movement is accurate to +/-15 secs a month. Why go Swiss when the Japanese hand-crafted one-upmanship is this tempting? £6,950. At grand-seiko.com
Zenith does retro all too well with the sleek Chronomaster series, but the flip side of its vintage-dipped coin is this colourful beast. Combining ultra-tough with the colourful art of Felipe Pantone, this unfeasibly fresh tool watch has a brawny steel case and an iridescent sapphire dial, powered by the tech-packed 1/100th second El Primero 21 calibre. £25,300.
We all know the G-Shock as the toughest there is so this might look like standard fare, but no. This is the testosterone-busting oversized brother of the normal 5600-series, with an insane 55.5 x 53.6mm body and massive soft rubber pushers. The GX is a brute of a watch with a 200m depth rating. It also fits over a puffa jacket and might survive a nuclear blast. £129. At jurawatches.co.uk
Black and olive green two-tone sets the tone for this eminently wearable ceramic Big Bang Unico. Whether you opt for its camo-fit rubber strap or rip-tough fabric option, the outdoorsy feel of this 42mm number is tangible. Hublot sticks to its open-worked guns, proving that legibility and great chronograph functionality don’t need to be understated to work. £21,400.
In spite of the replica Rolex Submariner being the one-for all Rollie to many, we’re all for the quietly confident and slightly larger 43mm Rolex Sea-Dweller. Intense black and no frills, it’s all about tough functionality so let it get banged-up. You might not be diving to 1220 metres, but the depth rating merely reflects on its undefeatable nature. £11,150. At rolex.com
Omega is all about moon watches and 007’s Seamaster, but we want its über tool watch the Ploprof (plongeurs professionels, see?). Machined from the same precious 904L steel used by Rolex, the angular beauty has been refreshed with an intense summer blue dial. A retro-tastic matching rubber strap will affix its hulking mono-bloc case to your wrist. £13,500.
An asymmetric version of Bremont’s Trip-Tick case spells mission-ready for the stealthy Supermarine. This S502 Jet in 43mm has a soft, broad-shouldered case, and is a comfortable wrist presence on its striated rubber strap. Powered by the precision BE-93-2AV calibre, this is the dark version of the Supermarine series, with a tangy yellow extra arrow hand marking its GMT travel functionality. £4,495.
The Fifty Fathoms is the daddy of dive watches, and despite the unreasonably affordable new Swatch collab, we’re pining for the Tech Gombessa. This is the real deal, designed for long dives, and the first replica watch capable of measuring immersions of up to three hours. Orange-popping dial markings become a vivid two-tone lume at night or below the surface, and the grade 23 titanium might be an inexcusable 47mm, but it’s seriously lightweight. €29,900.
Timex is known for casual everyday timekeepers and digital retro, but this is a expedition-ready alibi. Sporting a hardy up-cycled fabric strap and matte 41mm titanium case with a 200m depth rating, this is all the tool you need. With the bonus of crystal clear legibility on a textured grey dial, this tough nugget of titanium is great value at £320.