# Most Durable/Toughest Mechanical Watch



## Bodhi6 (Mar 21, 2017)

Wondering what people think is the absolute toughest, most durable mechanical watch available. Something that is an absolute beast that would be incredibly hard to ever damage and could survive the most brutal of conditions. I'm not talking any quartz tanks like the G-Shock but strictly mechanical watches. I'm thinking maybe one of the diver watches from Sinn with submarine steel and tegemented case might be it but wondering if anyone else has a better choice.


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## oso2276 (Apr 19, 2017)

Perhaps a Sinn with a 5100 caliber, like a Sinn 156 Military. Lemania caliber 5100 is probably the strongest movement ever built. 









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## Pun (Sep 2, 2015)

Victorinox Inox..Men's Watches. ... Swiss Watch with Swiss-made quartz movement. ... It can handle a ten meter drop, being driven over by a 64-ton tank, a dive down to 200 meters below sea level and two hours in a washing machine at 90 degrees.


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## hpark21 (Oct 8, 2007)

SINN, Damasko, etc.

There is always various Seiko models.

Rolex Explorer/nodate sub may be also considered - Rolex could be repaired pretty much anywhere in the world in unlikely situation where one needs to be repaired.


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## boomguy57 (Mar 28, 2016)

Damasko!


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## ConfusedOne (Sep 29, 2015)




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## Pencey Prep (Apr 9, 2016)

Bhakt said:


> Victorinox Inox..Men's Watches. ... Swiss Watch with Swiss-made quartz movement. ... It can handle a ten meter drop, being driven over by a 64-ton tank, a dive down to 200 meters below sea level and two hours in a washing machine at 90 degrees.


How many shares do you have?


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## rhubarbsuburb (Feb 9, 2017)

Well, Rolex built their reputation on durability and I think most folks think they always did and continue to deliver on that.

At a much lower price point, Sinn and Damasko seem to perform well too.

My beater mechanical is a Sinn.


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## Skinny Rogers (Feb 15, 2016)

My vote goes for Marathon from my experience.


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## Pun (Sep 2, 2015)

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=597453
Another thread here on similar topic.


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## Pun (Sep 2, 2015)

Pencey Prep said:


> Bhakt said:
> 
> 
> > Victorinox Inox..Men's Watches. ... Swiss Watch with Swiss-made quartz movement. ... It can handle a ten meter drop, being driven over by a 64-ton tank, a dive down to 200 meters below sea level and two hours in a washing machine at 90 degrees.
> ...


None dear. Just copied from the internet to benefit OP. Later realised that it was a quartz watch. Still interesting to read the description! Regards


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## Jeffie007 (Jul 28, 2015)

Just got her today. Thing is built like a tank. Titanium, ceramic shroud and grand seiko automatic movement. This tool watch is made to rock for ages.


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## EnderW (Mar 16, 2015)

This one can handle almost anything - from hiking and mountain climbing to beach and sandcastle building, to skiing and snow sports.
































Hell, it can even handle doing dishes...


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## GlennO (Jan 3, 2010)

A Damasko or Sinn with hardened steel.


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## Medusa (Feb 6, 2010)

The all Titanium Charmex Swiss Military CX 20,000 is arguably The Most Durable/Toughest Mechanical Watch.


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## Tahitianmoon16 (Aug 20, 2016)

Bhakt said:


> Victorinox Inox..Men's Watches. ... Swiss Watch with Swiss-made quartz movement. ... It can handle a ten meter drop, being driven over by a 64-ton tank, a dive down to 200 meters below sea level and two hours in a washing machine at 90 degrees.


Mechanical watches...

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## timefleas (Oct 10, 2008)

To be truly durable, it has to have as few things as possible that could go wrong. Right off the bat, that eliminates any rotating bezels, any extra pushers or buttons (chronos, for example), anything that has plastic in its composition, as well as anything without a Sapphire crystal. And though at present I don't own one, I think the Damasko DA36 on Damasko bracelet is equal to, if not better than, any of the competition at any price, in terms of ruggedness.


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## horrij1 (Oct 1, 2014)

If you asked me that question when I bought my first mechanical watch, I would have said the Rolex Submariner. Wore it in the service, in Alaska, beat the loving daylights out of it. It was nothing short of super accurate, why? Because it was 1985, no cell phones, laptops, or iPads, so what time was always "correct"? You guessed it, Rolex time!!! Now many years later you can very easily tell how many seconds a day your watch looses or gains. I have owned 3 rolex, 2 Omega, 1 panerai, and a bunch of lesser brand (MKII, OWC, Raven) mechanicals, and in my experience it isn't water, pressure, hot or cold that have made them loose/gain time. It has need a drop or knock, that has made a difference to my watches accuracy. With that said the two watches that seemed least impacted by impacts are my Speedmaster Pro and the Panerai. I think the Panerai "does well" because it has no second hand, so you have to be pretty far off to even notice. My Speedmaster has run +2 per day since the day I got it, and it seemed to be the least affected by bumps and knocks. I find it ironic that my watch with the small second hand sub-register, and my watch with no second hand are the most "accurate".


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## yankeexpress (Apr 7, 2013)

Another vote for Marathon GSAR, but in all honestly, I wear a G-Shock at work.










GW-9400 Rangeman at work on a steel ship. It can take whatever it encounters as a beater.


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

A lot of my initial thoughts have been mentioned - Marathon, Seiko, Damasko, Sinn...

... to that list I'd also add Ball watches. They've made some interesting innovations that contribute to movement and case durability. And their watches have passed the usual assortment of cool marketing tests (being lowered through the Ross Ice Shelf, etc.)

Welcome to BALL Watch - TECHNOLOGY


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## RubyRose (Feb 27, 2017)

I and many other infantry men wore a Marathon GSAR in Afghanistan and they never skipped a beat


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## Carrera997 (Sep 14, 2011)

Bremont MB II


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

Bhakt said:


> Victorinox Inox..Men's Watches. ... Swiss Watch with Swiss-made quartz movement. ... It can handle a ten meter drop, being driven over by a 64-ton tank, a dive down to 200 meters below sea level and two hours in a washing machine at 90 degrees.


Are you sure it's about their mechanical watches and not their knives?

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## Forestgump1987 (Aug 4, 2012)

Regarding to the toughest mechanicL watch, I think Seiko is on the top


My collection: Grand Seiko SBGR051
Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles Powermatic 80
Citizen Skyhawk Bue Angle Titanium
Casio Protrek 2500
Casio Solar DB E30


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## WatchThisKnifeThat (Dec 1, 2010)

Damasko comes to mind and I'd have to agree that the orange monster is a beast. Mine has also been through a helluva lot.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

I don't rate any mechanical as being tough at all compared to digital or even quartz analogue. I can fling my Gshock about, bounce it against a brick wall and so on which I'd never consider with a mechanical. Even my Swatch Irony quartzs are tough and have dropped multiple times without a care. People talk about how tough a Rolex is but how many dare drop their precious on a concrete floor as a test?

Hardened steel outer casings are fine for scratch and dent protection but only make things worse for delicate innards. Better for a mechanical watch to have a soft casing like plastic rubber or resin to absorb some of the G forces on impact. As for movements probably a low beat handwind is better than auto and the less complications the better.


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## Barry H (Oct 1, 2008)

obomomomo said:


> ...
> As for movements probably a low beat handwind is better than auto and the less complications the better.


Was wondering when someone would post something with some semblance of reality. Yes, cases can be hardened and crystals can be an inch thick, blah, blah, but there ain't no such thing as a mechanical 'tough' movement. You drop a heavy mechanical watch from a height onto something hard and the movement is likely toast. So, only as tough as the shock protection I'd say (both movement and balance assembly). And as above, a hand cranker would beat any auto.


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## GlennO (Jan 3, 2010)

I guess that's why most responses to the query relate to the external materials, because there's not much to separate mechanical movements. Bremont supposedly uses patented rubberised movement mounts for additional shock protection. Perhaps there are some other brands that use other methods, but I don't know how much additional protection they actually provide. Certainly nothing that would come close to the durability of a quartz movement. But that wasn't the question.


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## MrDagon007 (Sep 24, 2012)

I love my damasko but prefer not to drop it. Case will look ok but esp the hairspring, balance wheel and escapement pieces may suffer.
Hardened cases don't help for that.

Some Balls seem well engineered with a special case around the balance wheel and an absorber ring around the movement. That seems sensible, and they quote good shock resistance for these watches.


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## pizza_nightmare (Jan 29, 2015)

FWIW via Wiki. Could do some more research as to which watches are ISO certified and which go above and beyond...
*"ISO 1413 shock-resistant standard*

The International Organization for Standardization issued a standard for shock-resistant watches, which many countries have adopted. *ISO 1413 Horology-Shock-resistant watches* specifies the minimum requirements and describes the corresponding method of test. It is intended to allow homologation tests rather than the individual control of all watches of a production batch.

It is based on the simulation of the shock received by a watch on falling accidentally from a height of 1 m on to a horizontal hardwood surface.

In practice shock resistance is generally tested by applying two shocks (one on the 9 o'clock side, and one to the crystal and perpendicular to the face). The shock is usually delivered by a hard plastic hammer mounted as a pendulum, so as to deliver a measured amount of energy, specifically, a 3 kg hammer with an impact velocity of 4.43 m/s (This will deliver approximately 30 Joules of energy to the watch). The watch must keep its accuracy to +/- 60 seconds/day as measured before the test."


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## MrDanno (Dec 22, 2016)

Muhle glaschutte rescue timer. Rubber bezel, 1000m water resistant, and a relatively small package so it stays out of the way. Eta movement, but they apparently disassemble and reassemble the whole movement and add in house shock resistant tech. Picture from Internet.









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## crash525 (Mar 19, 2015)

I would think most mechanical movements in todays age would be pretty durable. It would think the case, glass, and strap material would be a weak point. 

I heard ball watches are super durable but i dont know the information behind it. 

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## Sir-Guy (Apr 25, 2017)

@MrDanno—I hadn't seen that one before. It's interesting! Thanks for sharing.


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## Mason Delpino (Mar 3, 2015)

RubyRose said:


> I and many other infantry men wore a Marathon GSAR in Afghanistan and they never skipped a beat


 Thank you for your service. I have an uncle who was a Ranger, a cousin currently in the 101st Airborne, and a buddy who is an MSG/MEG (Marine Security Guard/Marine Embassy Guard) and was in a Stryker Battalion.


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## Mason Delpino (Mar 3, 2015)

lvt said:


> Are you sure it's about their mechanical watches and not their knives?
> 
> Sent from my LG-H630 using Tapatalk


 Yes, it's the INOX (Victorinox quartz watch) they put through all those tests. Including freezing it into a block of ice and thawing it out with a blowtorch..

Here's one of their tests-


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## Horatius (Apr 29, 2014)

Mason Delpino said:


> Yes, it's the INOX (Victorinox quartz watch) they put through all those tests.


In this particular clip you see the INOX dropping 10 metres on a tile floor. Use the space bar after 1min07 and you'll see the watch of course looks like sh*t after the drop. But yeah, it still runs. 





It depends on what exactly the watch must endure to choose a good match. In those cases in the past (say in "vintage" times) people would take off their watches I would definitely use a G Shock.


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## TwentiethCenturyFox (Mar 8, 2014)

Really like the rolex explorer II. That watch can take a lot of punishment and bullet proof movement.


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## Truman1120 (Jan 1, 2017)

The Seiko line of automatic divers have been known to run flawlessly for up to 20 years without requiring service...and look great too. 








[/QUOTE]


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## Bodhi6 (Mar 21, 2017)

Barry H said:


> Was wondering when someone would post something with some semblance of reality. Yes, cases can be hardened and crystals can be an inch thick, blah, blah, but there ain't no such thing as a mechanical 'tough' movement. You drop a heavy mechanical watch from a height onto something hard and the movement is likely toast. So, only as tough as the shock protection I'd say (both movement and balance assembly). And as above, a hand cranker would beat any auto.


This is great point. Most of even the toughest watches, like Sinn or Damasko, use stock ETA movements. Which are fairly sturdy and have been made for decades, but probably aren't as durable/tough as the over-engineered cases they come in.

Wondering if anyone has info on the durability/shock protection of the ETA movements. I know they have basic shock protection but are they vulnerable if you are really knocking your watch around?

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## sticky (Apr 5, 2013)

There's a vid online of Josh from Page and Cooper trying to scratch a Damasko case (lost cause ahoy) but if you want something more affordable the Orient M Force is reckoned to be pretty robust.


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## WTSP (May 6, 2012)

The answer is obviously some model in the Zenith Defy Xtreme line.




























Aside from being rated to 1000 meters and featuring advanced materials like Zenithium, this is the only line of watches that can create time warps, black holes and has deity smiting abilities. I'm only half joking when I say that these are totally awesome and probably some of the most rugged watches ever made.


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## Stoshman (Jun 26, 2015)

So it looks like the billion$ that Rolex spends on ads and events are simply wasted here?


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## georges zaslavsky (Feb 11, 2006)

Breitling Avenger Seawolf and Breitling Avenger Hurricane Chrono


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## molarface (Oct 12, 2009)

Bodhi6 said:


> This is great point. Most of even the toughest watches, like Sinn or Damasko, use stock ETA movements. Which are fairly sturdy and have been made for decades, but probably aren't as durable/tough as the over-engineered cases they come in.
> 
> Wondering if anyone has info on the durability/shock protection of the ETA movements. I know they have basic shock protection but are they vulnerable if you are really knocking your watch around?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


As usual, most people never really read your original post.

The Muhle SAR Rescue Diver ( https://www.muehle-glashuette.de/en/wristwatches/functional-wristwatches/sar-rescue-timer/ ) mentioned earlier, is designed to be tougher than other mechanical watches. As far as I know, it's likely the champ in the reasonable price category.

Their major improvement is the 'woodpecker neck mechanism, which they use on all their watches.

Patented Woodpecker Neck Regulation: :: Muehle-Glashuette

The rubber bezel, off-set crown and other small things all add up to a tough watch.


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## Bodhi6 (Mar 21, 2017)

molarface said:


> As usual, most people never really read your original post.
> 
> The Muhle SAR Rescue Diver ( https://www.muehle-glashuette.de/en/wristwatches/functional-wristwatches/sar-rescue-timer/ ) mentioned earlier, is designed to be tougher than other mechanical watches. As far as I know, it's likely the champ in the reasonable price category.
> 
> ...


That woodpecker regulation is very cool and definitely seems to really add extra protection to the movement. You'd think more watch brands would be developing similar things.

My main concern though with the Muhle is will that rubber bezel hold up long term? Seems it could get damaged or simply wear down a lot faster than any metal or ceramic bezel.

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## Immortus (Aug 27, 2016)

​Albeit, a bit dated...








​


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## shea2812 (Jun 25, 2016)

Lume is useless on that one!


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## BSOJ (Jan 23, 2017)

Kaventsmann triggerfish A2 bronze seems to be tough. It can apperently survive a blow of 10lbs C4 and have water resitance to 3000m.

Hard to beat that I think


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## topol2 (Jul 12, 2016)

.


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## oso2276 (Apr 19, 2017)

topol2 said:


> .


😂👌

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## tiffnsell (May 9, 2017)

reviving a dead thread here but its not that old..... what would make a movment tougher? thicker gears and larger arbors? or would the increased mass give increased inertia and thus no real benefit? pointless having a diamond hard case if the movement will bend about?

also re fancy rubber mounts and shock absorbtion, surely the crown is hard mounted to the case to ensure water tight seals so thus the crown stem would be the weakest point of all watches?


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## WTSP (May 6, 2012)

The "Autotractor" project at Jaeger LeCoultre may offer the best answers to this questions, bearing in mind that there may be some bias toward JLC's way of doing things.

https://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=Jaeger-LeCoultre_Autotractor

"Ceramic bearings, zirconium-oxide coated in steel, reduce maintenance requirements
Unidirectional winding produces more power in real-world use than bi-directional systems
A "SPYR" design for the gear teeth is more rounded to reduce friction and maintain more even torque (as used in the JLC Mechaquartz)
A large, free-sprung balance wheel
Laser-welded hairspring with adjustment by means of screws on the periphery of the balance
A screwed cross-over bridge rather than a balance cock for durability and shock resistance
"Maltese cross" date changing gear allows instantaneous and bi-directional movement of the date wheel
An in-house mainspring manufactured by A. Lange & Söhne
A small seconds design with the center wheel in the middle, as in traditional watches"


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Well designed shock absorbing jewel mounts for the balance and escapement will do the most.


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## WTSP (May 6, 2012)

John MS said:


> Well designed shock absorbing jewel mounts for the balance and escapement will do the most.


That's certainly true. The Vulcain Exactomatic system would be a good example of this.


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## Norwolf (Nov 27, 2008)

A Seiko Monster would be a good choice because they are tough -- but also inexpensive. If somehow you do manage to break it, you can buy another one. 

Also, i know the OP said no quartz and G Shock, but i have to mention my new GXW 56BB-1JF. It's G shock on steroids, with added (extra) shock absorbing systems, added gel, and a double layer of mineral crystal. it's one tough mother.


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## cuthbert (Dec 6, 2009)

My vote would be a good put together Vostok Amphibia, the movement is agricultural and made with few pieces, but it's very tough, and the thick case and crystal protect it very well.


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## TheSanDiegan (Jul 8, 2008)

The three names that immediately come to mind are the GSAR (built to milspec standards), the Speedaster (still NASA certified for all manned space missions), and last but not least Ball, who's core philosophy is and always has been "Accuracy under adverse conditions."









This philosophy permeates their product line, as reflected by their most recent upcoming release -


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## harry_flashman (May 30, 2016)

oso2276 said:


> Perhaps a Sinn with a 5100 caliber, like a Sinn 156 Military. Lemania caliber 5100 is probably the strongest movement ever built.


I agree, and would add the titanium Sinn EZM1, with a Lemania 5100... Too bad they are so hard to find. Maybe a Sinn U2, with an 2893-2 and about every possible Sinn technology and domed sapphire.


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## BevHillsTrainer (Aug 7, 2015)

This. After I get shot, blown up, run over, thrown from a plane and then my body disposed of in the Mariana Trench, it'll still be ticking


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## osamu (Dec 17, 2013)

tiffnsell said:


> reviving a dead thread here but its not that old..... what would make a movment tougher? thicker gears and larger arbors? or would the increased mass give increased inertia and thus no real benefit? pointless having a diamond hard case if the movement will bend about?
> 
> also re fancy rubber mounts and shock absorbtion, surely the crown is hard mounted to the case to ensure water tight seals so thus the crown stem would be the weakest point of all watches?


Yea, I know there are different shock mechanisms for mechanical movements with the incabloc system common in most ETA movements, but I have no working knowledge of what would make a movement "tougher" than another. Would be interesting to hear from like a watchmaker exactly what would make a mechanical movement tougher than others. I would think they'd all be faced with similar limitations.


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## lovetheautos (Nov 29, 2017)

A thick case and big crystal do nothing to dampen shock, which is (my guess) the major weakpoint of a mechanical movement. Unless the manufacturer is using the extra real estate to install some form of shock absorber, the sturdy look of various big watches is simply an aesthetic choice. 

Folks bring up Marathon or Omegas, being military and/or NASA certified..that's fine, but what requirements do these certification programs outline? 

It's an interesting topic. I wonder what Ball, for example, do to their watches in order to market them as tough and built to endure severe conditions? More marketing than function?


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## columela (Jan 5, 2015)

It has been mentioned before, but a Vostok amphibia is really a tough simple watch, capable of surviving many extreme conditions


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

lovetheautos said:


> A thick case and big crystal do nothing to dampen shock, which is (my guess) the major weakpoint of a mechanical movement. Unless the manufacturer is using the extra real estate to install some form of shock absorber, the sturdy look of various big watches is simply an aesthetic choice.
> 
> Folks bring up Marathon or Omegas, being military and/or NASA certified..that's fine, *but what requirements do these certification programs outline?*
> 
> It's an interesting topic. I wonder what Ball, for example, do to their watches in order to market them as tough and built to endure severe conditions? More marketing than function?


I can't speak up for all brands and what they say they do for testing -- Rolex can't be the only one who pressure-tests every watch they sell, right? -- but NASA's testing protocol for choosing a watch for their manned space missions has been outlined and posted online.

Scans of the original documents are out there somewhere, I think, but here's a couple places to start:
https://www.twentytwoten.com/1574/nasa-testing-regime-omega-speedmaster-moonwatch/

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/3jwzqo


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## orian (Feb 10, 2010)

WTSP said:


> The answer is obviously some model in the Zenith Defy Xtreme line.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


These would be really nice watches if it were possible to read the time by them.


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## iwc3 (Jun 22, 2019)

Amazing photos. I haven't seen a monster in awhile. That was a treat.

~iwc3


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## Mr Auto (Apr 29, 2019)

If I had £150k spare I'd go with a Richard Mille particularly the RM055. Made for the golfer Bubba Watson everything from the case to the movement has been designed to absorb extreme impacts. 

and it's probably the best looking RM I've seen IMO. check out the review on watchfinder 

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## rcorreale (Jan 25, 2008)

Deleted


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## Sub4 (May 5, 2009)

When a watch gets an impact, the first to protect the mechanical parts of the watch should be movement holder (be it rubber or plastic to absorb the vibration). As of today, it looks like a watch that uses a double bridge holding the balance assembly helps absorb the vibration before it reaches the balance assembly, or at least it absorbs (I would say) at least 50% of the shock to protect the balance. If there are other mechanical aspects that help reduce the vibration (shock) to the wheel assembly (stem/shaft/mainspring) then that should add more to reduce the shock to those delicate moving parts.

Kind regards,
Louis


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## timefleas (Oct 10, 2008)

Sub4 said:


> When a watch gets an impact, the first to protect the mechanical parts of the watch should be movement holder (be it rubber or plastic to absorb the vibration). As of today, it looks like a watch that uses a double bridge holding the balance assembly helps absorb the vibration before it reaches the balance assembly, or at least it absorbs (I would say) at least 50% of the shock to protect the balance. If there are other mechanical aspects that help reduce the vibration (shock) to the wheel assembly (stem/shaft/mainspring) then that should add more to reduce the shock to those delicate moving parts.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Louis


Huh? Better late than never?


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

timefleas said:


> Huh? Better late than never?


#ThatsWhatSheSaid


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## U5512 (Feb 25, 2006)

Real life diver and NOT a desk diver......it is still in perfect working condition.


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## Kwcsports (Oct 16, 2009)

I'll take my Sub over anything.


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## por44 (Dec 21, 2007)

Explorer l or Oyster Perpetual (both compact & basic)


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## SmoKi (Dec 10, 2020)

EnderW said:


> This one can handle almost anything - from hiking and mountain climbing to beach and sandcastle building, to skiing and snow sports.
> View attachment 11710802
> View attachment 11710810
> View attachment 11710818
> ...


Hello I'm new here so sorry if I'm asking in the wrong place and for replying in an old post but which model is this? I'm looking for a watch that can can take a banging and this looks solid.
Thanks )


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