Round-UpHere Are 10 Waterproof Watches To Wear This Monsoon
With the onset of monsoon, the need for an everyday timepiece, which can endure heavy rains and splashes becomes the primary concern for every watch enthusiast. Amid a plethora of waterproof watches available in the market, we have handpicked 10 of the finest timekeepers that are durable, resilient and an ideal accessory for those rainy days
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The scorching summer heat has cooled off, the sky is tar-black with large clouds engulfing the horizon, the flowers are surrounded by lush greenery and there is the pitter-patter of rain on the windows. The monsoon is here and it’s that time of the year when every watch aficionado has to consider a timepiece, which is water-resistant to handle the onslaught of the splashes, showers and heavy rains. Given the market is saturated with such watches available at every price range, we at The Watch Guide have hand-picked 10 most durable and resilient timepieces that are more than just simple dive watches or water-resistant timekeepers. In a nutshell, they offer modern design coupled with top-notch technology, and look as good with a suit as they do paired with a T-shirt and jeans. So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at them.
Breitling Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 44
The Superocean Heritage collection by Breitling is an ode to the dive watches manufactured by the brand during the 1950s. The range offers timepieces that retain the design aesthetics that era but are equipped with ultra-modern technology. Here is the Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 44 that is presented in a 44mm stainless steel case with a polished, rose gold effect on its unidirectional bezel. Taking inspiration from the design of the original Heritage model of 1957, the dial of this contemporary iteration displays a triangle on the hour hand, a diamond-shaped minute hand, and slightly conical hour markers—all in rose gold. Protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, the watch has a water resistance of 200m. The Superocean Heritage runs on the self-winding Breitling B20 movement, which has a frequency of 28,800vph and a decent power reserve of 70 hours. Lending an added retro charm to the watch is its black mesh rubber strap that comfortably snuggles on the wrist.
Bulgari Aluminium Watch
For more than two decades since its introduction, the Bulgari Aluminium has been alluring watch enthusiasts regardless of their age and gender. Offering a unique combination of materials rarely used in watchmaking, the timepiece is presented in a 40mm aluminium case that features a black rubber bezel bearing the brand’s name. The charming and modern looks of the watch are accentuated by the grey and black colour palette of its dial that displays a typical chronograph layout. The 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph sub-dials are positioned at nine and six o’clock, respectively. The running seconds counter is located at three o’clock with a date window between four and five o’clock. Adding a pop of colour to the dial is the red-tipped central chronograph hand that provides perfect readability against the black and grey background. Equipped with the automatic Bulgari calibre B130, the timepiece has a frequency of 28,800vph and a power reserve of 42 hours. Water-resistant to 100m, the watch is secured to the wrist with the help of a black rubber strap.
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi Scubatec Maldives
Carl F. Bucherer and United Kingdom-based charity Manta Trust—the organisation studies Manta rays and is trying to save them and their ecosystem—began their partnership in 2013 and have introduced several timepieces dedicated to protecting marine life from extinction. Keeping in line with this tradition, they have now released a brand-new timepiece whose sales proceeds will be donated to a floating research station in the Maldives. Measuring 44.6mm, the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi Scubatec Maldives features a polished stainless steel case with a sturdy screw-down crown and a ceramic bezel. The stand-out attribute of this watch is its dial, which not only comes with a wave-like pattern but also displays oversized hour and minute hands and a date aperture at three. In order to provide perfect legibility in low light conditions, the brand have generously coated the hour markers and timekeeping hands with luminous material. The dial is powered by the automatic movement CFB 1950.1—based on the well-known and reliable ETA 2824-2 calibre. Water-resistant up to a whopping 500m, the watch comes with a solid caseback with an exquisite engraving of two Manta rays.
Longines Spirit
If there is one brand that offers bang-for-buck timepieces with glorious history and heritage at an accessible price point; they have to be Longines. Part of their large repertoire of fine collections is the Spirit line-up that is dedicated to the glory days of aviation and consists of watches with the vintage-inspired design yet featuring forward-looking technology. The range was first introduced in 2020, and this year, the Swiss watchmakers have added a brand-new iteration in Khaki green hue. Staying true to the design aesthetics of the previous iterations, the new Longines Spirit is housed in a 42mm stainless steel case along with a clean dial that displays a raised minute track with a polished metal ring, which frames the applied Arabic numerals. Under the hood, we have the Longines calibre L888.4 that has a silicon balance spring and offers 64 hours of power reserve. Available with either a brown leather strap or stainless steel bracelet, the timepiece has a solid caseback and is water-resistant to 100m.
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic
Undoubtedly, the Aikon collection, since its launch in 2016, has become one of the core line-ups of the Zurich-headquartered Maurice Lacroix. Admired for their muscular and sporty designs, the timepieces of the range have garnered a loyal base of customers who prefer high-functionality without any compromise on the looks. The Aikon Automatic is one of such well-crafted offerings and features a distinctive bezel, which comes with the six double ‘claws’ that make it instantly identifiable as an Aikon. Available in blue or black colour, the no-nonsense dial of the timepiece displays a clous de Paris pattern in addition to thin baton-shaped timekeeping hands, hour indices, and a date aperture at three o’clock position. On turning the watch over, one can admire the decorated automatic movement, ML 115, which consists of 26 jewels and provides a power reserve of 38 hours. Water resistant up to 200m, the Aikon Automatic is fashioned with a stainless steel integrated bracelet or a brown leather strap that can complement a variety of outfits. In addition to the regular steel editions, there is also an all-black, PVD-coated version of the timepiece, which boasts stealthy and sleek looks.
Nomos Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date
Known for their Bauhaus-inspired aesthetics and minimalistic designs, Nomos released the Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date in 2018. Comparatively larger than the other timepieces crafted by the brand, the Autobahn Neomatik comes in a 41mm stainless steel case with flawless polishing and finishings. However, what instantly grabs the eyeballs of the viewer is its dial. Designed in collaboration with the well-known German designer Werner Aisslinger, the midnight blue dial of the watch features a semi-circular ring in Super-LumiNova coating, along with the hour hand coated in with a blue luminescent material and a slender red-tipped minute hand. The hour markers are accompanied by small linear indexes with minute numerals and an extended date window below the seconds sub-dial—displaying the preceding, present and succeeding dates. Despite all these attributes the dial remains well-balanced and makes for an ideal candidate as an everyday watch. The Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date is equipped with the iconic DUW 6101 self-winding movement that consists of 27 jewels and offers a power reserve of 42 hours. Water-resistant to 100m, this watch sports a complementing dark blue NATO strap.
Omega Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 41MM
Paying tribute to the glorious and illustrious maritime history of Omega—the brand delivered more than 1,10,000 timepieces to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) between 1945 and 1948—the Aqua Terra timepieces are formidable offerings with astounding performance and great looks. Seen here are the stainless steel models of the line-up, which are available in two dial colours, including blue and grey. Housed in a 41mm round case, the iterations feature a combination of polished and satin-brushed surfaces and owing to their symmetrical shape and curved lugs, they are a delight to wear on the wrist. Meanwhile, their dial is characterised by a horizontal ‘teak’ pattern that resembles the wooden deck planks of fine, classic yachts. Sporting a short hour hand, a vintage-inspired ‘Broad Arrow’ minute hand and hour markers filled with Super-LumiNova, the timepieces have an uncluttered display with perfect legibility. Powering the timekeeping system and a date window at six is the Omega calibre 8900—an in-house movement with a power reserve of 60 hours and an ability to withstand magnetic fields of up to 15,000 Gauss. What’s more, the iterations are water-resistant to 150m and are paired with elegant rubber straps, which add to the overall cosmopolitan and modern feel of the watches.
Seiko 5 Sports 140th Anniversary Limited Edition
This year, to commemorate their 140th anniversary, the Japanese watchmakers Seiko have introduced a limited edition of the much-famous 5 sports collection. Sized at a chunky 46mm, the watch, like its previous iterations, takes its design cues from the Seiko 7548 that debuted in 1978. Just like the original timepiece, the new limited-edition model also comes with its crown distinctively positioned at four o’clock and a unidirectional bezel with engraved markings. Thanks to a robust case and a screwed caseback, the watch exudes sporty vibes and offers water resistance of up to 100m. The white textured dial perfectly complements the blue-coloured bezel and features a three-hand timekeeping system, bold hour markers and a day and date window at three. Powered by the automatic calibre 4R36, which beats at a frequency of 21,600vph, the timekeeper can run autonomously for 41 hours.
TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Calibre 5 Automatic
At the 2021 edition of Watches and Wonders, TAG Heuer unveiled a slew of brand-new iterations of the Aquaracer 300 collection, and one of them was a special edition watch, which comes with a sandblasted matt-finished titanium case, a green sunray-brushed dial and a radial-brushed ceramic bezel insert. Featuring the signature dodecagonal silhouette as its predecessors, the new Aquaracer 300 Calibre 5 Automatic provides high-functionality, flawless performance and bold looks. The dial of the timepiece consists of the trademark horizontal pattern of the collection, a date aperture at six, and sword-shaped timekeeping hands. Equipped with the trusted and reliable Calibre 5 movement, the watch can run autonomously for 38 hours. On top of everything else, the titanium case is water-resistant to 300m and is attached to a newly designed integrated bracelet, with a folding clasp.
Zenith Defy Classic
Unlike its peers in the genre of modern luxury sports watches, the Zenith Defy Classic sized at 41mm, doesn’t have bulky dimensions and is perfectly sized for petite wrists. Crafted from titanium, the case of the watch has an ergonomic design and is as light as a feather. However, the show stealer here is the open-worked dial—shaped like a star, resembling Zenith’s logo. Featuring a central, three-hand timekeeping system, lume-filled hour markers, a date aperture at six o’clock, and a blue chapter ring, it offers optimal legibility, even in low light conditions. The skeletonised dial gives an unhindered view of the Zenith Elite calibre 670, which features exquisite finishings and has slim proportions. Providing a decent power reserve of 50 hours, the movement is also visible through an exhibition caseback and consists of a silicon pallet lever and escape wheel. Attached to a super-comfortable and durable rubber strap, the timepiece has a water-resistance of up to 100m.