Help me find a new watch.

April 18, 2005 2:08 PM

For the second time in as my years, my Timex Expedition watch has stopped working. I put up with it because I like the style, and re-setting the time every few hours wasn't that big of a deal. I'm having trouble finding another (non-Timex) watch with an analog face AND a small digital display... do any MeFites have any recommendations? (Another Timex with the features I want... and a Swiss Army one with the look I want....)

Hopefully under $150, because for a college student Tag Heuer's are just a pipe dream....

posted by ruwan to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 comments total)

I debated a ~$1K Tag, and ended up finding a Swiss Army "Infantry" model (web site, picture of mine). I paid retail ($195), and am VERY happy with it.
posted by mrbill at 2:48 PM on April 18, 2005

I have a G Shock watch by Casio that has an analog face and a small digital display. I haven't been able to find a pic online, though.
posted by astruc at 3:01 PM on April 18, 2005

Have a look at these. If that link doesn't work, it was to a search of "G shock analog" at Amazon.
posted by astruc at 3:04 PM on April 18, 2005

Whenever my timex expedition stops working I let it sit for a day or two and magically it is back up. Frustrates the hell out of me, but alas, I too am saving for my $1K Tag.
posted by jmgorman at 3:14 PM on April 18, 2005

How about this one from Casio for $30? Search that site for more variations on the dial, etc.

An Omega X-33 is nice, also!
posted by ix at 4:33 PM on April 18, 2005

If you still like the Timex Expedition you can send it to the company for repair at their Little Rock, Arkansas factory.
posted by ericb at 5:33 PM on April 18, 2005

I thought it was supposed to take a licking and keep on ticking. Guess not. All the Casios I've had have totally stopped working after a couple of years. Including an "indestructible" G-shock. My current Timex hasn't, but I've only had it for two years. Knock on wood.
posted by grouse at 5:43 PM on April 18, 2005

The tricky part with almost all analog/digital combo watches is that most of them require setting the analog time and the digital time separately. So for instance, when daylight saving time comes around, you have to set your watch twice :(.

And, a word about Casio watches -- I used to buy Casios for years, but they kept breaking on me (in the same way). What would happen is that the bracket which holds the watch band to the watch face would break. Of course, you can replace the band, but the bracket is part of the watch face and it's irreparable. After that happened to me on about three different watches (the most recent of which was about six months ago), I no longer buy Casios.

FWIW, the reason why I wanted an analog/digital combo watch was so that I could have the fashion of an analog watch while still being able to tell time ;). (I've never been able to tell the time on an analog clock in less than ten seconds.) But, after I ran out of options -- especially since most analog/digital watches required setting each component separately -- I went with a digital-only watch from Nixon.
posted by Alex Handcoding at 6:07 PM on April 18, 2005

I had similar problems with the Casios, but mine were not so bad that I couldn't get the band replaced, at least temnorarily—it would take a much shorter time for it to fall off the next time.

But eventually they all short-circuited and just DIED. I never felt like going to the trouble of sending them into Casio for service, so I just got new cheap watches. And eventually ditched Casio.
posted by grouse at 12:46 AM on April 19, 2005

I have the format2 by St. Moritz - analog face with numerous digital options like alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer, alt-time, etc. In addition its good-looking, waterproof and tough as nails. More expensive than a Timex. (Much) less expensive than a Tag.

My only complaint is that the night-light button is also a control button and therefore limits night use of the digital functions.

Still a very good watch and I'd buy another if I lost this one.
posted by kaymac at 7:54 AM on April 19, 2005