My current watch is a Fossil diver's watch, a discontinued model, but very similar to a Rolex Oyster, with a blue face. Polished stainless steel case, polished cast steel band, date, rotating bezel, sapphire crystal, shoulders on either side of the crown, 100 meter water resistant, 11 year warrantee. I am (unintentionally) hard on watches, so the long warrantee is very important to me.

I have fallen so hard snowboarding the watch was ripped off my wrist, and the band was separated from the case on both sides. I have accidentally tossed the watch down onto a concrete and tile floor so hard the hour markers fell off the dial. The crystal has never scratched or broken, and the watch has never stopped running or gained/lost time in the five years I've owned it (not counting the battery dying). The only thing I don't like about it is it takes a battery every five years or so and doesn't have a screw-in crown, otherwise it is my favorite so far.

How sturdy are Rolexes? I would consider a new or used Oyster, but I am not looking for a watch that looks good in the boardroom. The Rolex web site goes to great lengths to tell you how great they are, but doesn't mention what the crystals are made from, whether it will cost me money to get my Rolex repaired, and whether they offer any kind of warrantee, much less for how long. I am certainly not going to pay more than $100 for a watch from a company that won't back their workmanship with a warrantee against breakage for more than two years.

The only reason I would buy a Rolex is to get a watch that never needs a battery, and can seriously take a beating without giving up the ghost. I wouldn't mind paying a modest sum to repair one every so often, but I would not buy a watch without a sapphire crystal and steel case at this point. The band has to be cast steel or equally sturdy, and the rotating bezel needs to feel flawless. I don't think Fossil makes the greatest watches, but mine is pretty close to perfect for any price, to me. It would be pointless to replace it with something that breaks or doesn't keep very good time (I check mine at least once a week, so being off a few seconds a day is not bad, in my mind). Does it make sense for me to look for a Rolex, or would a Rolex be wasted on me?

Are there other brands of mechanical watches that are either automatic or winding and have a reputation for being indestructible, or are these things usually mutually exclusive?

Thanks for your help.

 

Having been mugged for my Rolex a long long time ago, I can't speak to how durable they are..

I can say however, my Breitling Navitmer is practically indescructable.. Take a look at them, and see if you like them

 

Casio G-Shock.
Many more functions than Rolex.
Doesn't hurt if it is misplaced/lost.

 

I have a submariner and I suspect I'll have to put a bullet in it before it will stop running. Its very plain, just SS, but sporty and heavy duty. However, it is pricey and you would kick yourself if you lost it. In that case, the G-shock, Omega or even Seiko are some good time pieces.

 

Rolexes are quite sturdy. I have a Date and a DateJust and they've been taking a pretty good beating at times without any problems. If you want a real sturdy watch, try a Officine Panerai. These watches are one of the most durable watches on the market. However, they are quite big. If I'm not mistaken, they get to about 44mm. I've been seeing more and more of these Panerais on people's wrists lately.

You can't really go wrong with a Rolex. Great watch and sturdier than many other manufactures out there. I also have a Omega Speedmaster and although a GREAT Watch, I feel it isn't as solid as the Rolexes. The Omega Seamaster would be the closest to that of a Rolex. The Rolex Submariner is a great watch that might fit your needs.

Another watch to consider would be a Tag Heuer but you mentioned you wanted an automatic movement watch. There are just a few Tags that are available in automatic movement that might be something you want to look at too. Good luck with your decision.

 

If I had the money, I would buy a Panerai.

 

lol
yes indeed
and you won't care if you bang it up or something
i love mine (2 actually, and looking to pick up another 5700 touch solar )
i love watches
but i tend to buy many different ones than to buy only one expensive one

 

Found this in the course of my research. Cannot believe someone actually did this, but I thank them for such dedication to science:

http://www.timezone.com/messageView.aspx?f...&msgId=op003190

In case you can't read it, some people took several watches, "Invicta 8926, Citizen Eco-drive GMT, Poljot Alarm Aviator, TAG 2000 Exclusive Quartz, Breitling SOP, Rolex Sub, Panerai 44mm, and of course this forum's favorite Omega SMP," and ran them thru a washer and dryer and dropped them off a two-story house onto a cobble-stone driveway. The only watches that made it through the dryer alive were the Breitling, the Panerai, and the Citizen (but it had lost it's second hand, so was retired from competition). Sadly, the Breitling expired upon meeting the pavement, but the Panerai was unfazed.

This is only one test, so the results are hardly conclusive, but I thought it was worth posting, because I started this thread to learn this very thing.

Spanky was apparently telling no lies when he wrote, "If you want a real sturdy watch, try a Officine Panerai."

 

A few years ago I was debating between a Rolex Submariner and a Tag Heuer Ti5. I opted for the Ti5 because I felt that I would be more tolerant of incidental abuse and would require near-zero maintenance. The Sub is an awesome watch but I didn't want to deal with the need for regular tune-ups.

Fast forward to this day and the Ti5 has superficial scratches but the crystal is still perfect, vulcanized rubber strap is in great shape, and the lithium battery is not due to be replaced for another 4 years.

Good luck with your search!