Tag: Swiss Army Watch
The Wide Range of Swiss Military Style Watches
by on Jul.05, 2010, under Mechanical Watch, Military Watches, Sport and Dive Watches, Watches of the World
Among Switzerland’s most famous brands is the wide range of military style watches that are produced. These draw on both Switzerland’s heritage of watch making and fine craftsmanship as well as on its tradition of independence and neutrality. Switzerland’s military has long been revered across Europe and the rest of the world and it has long been the country’s guarantee against invasion by its bigger neighbors. As such Switzerland has always ensured that its citizen soldiers have been well trained in marksmanship and tactics and equipped with the finest equipment. And Switzerland’s gift to the world has been the innovation and attention to detail that goes into items such as Swiss Army knives and Swiss Army Watches.
The best-known military style watches are clearly those associated with the Swiss Army knife, which made by two Swiss companies, Victorinox and Wenger. The two companies merged a few years back, yet still operate under different names in many parts of the market. That said, both offer unsurpassed quality and reliability. Victorinox and Wenger Swiss Army watches offer a really good blend of features and price. One of my favorites is the Wenger Commando Watch. This is a really rugged and tough watch. It also has a brilliantly lit up display that makes it easy to see at night. Two other favorites of mine are the Wenger Ranger Watch and Battalion Diver Watch, which is also made by the same company. The Victorinox Swiss Army Infantry vintage watch is also a really beautiful and classic timepiece with a real old-style look.
Both Wenger and Victorinox offer a really wide range of watches so that you can usually find something to fit almost any pocket with prices starting at under $100 and going up from there.
There are however quite a few other companies that you can look at when looking to buy a Swiss Military Watch. Most people overlook firms such as Hanowa, which makes a really high quality range of watches sold under the Swiss Military brand as well as the more exclusive Swiss Eagle watch brand.
Even tougher (and more expensive) is the range of watches produced under the CX Swiss Military brand. These are some of the world’s toughest watches and have stood up to all kinds of tests including being dropped out of airplanes, blown up with high explosives and shot at with a shotgun. They survived most of these tests whereas other watches just got smashed to pieces.
If you are looking for a cheap military-style watch then you could consider Invicta. These are Swiss-made watches but they have a bit of a mixed reputation when it comes to reliability. I don’t endorse them wholeheartedly but some people swear by them. That said, you can’t say they aren’t cheap. Some Invicta military watches can be bought for under $50. And although this blog is really all about Swiss Watches, there are also some other really popular manufacturers of military watches. Citizen has an eco-drive military watch that also has a really clear face with an easily-to-read dial. It also never needs its batteries changed,
Features of a Military-Style-Watch
Apart from the obvious point that most people buy Swiss military watches because they look good, some of the better ones also have some features that provide real tactical assistance. In this I’m thinking of a watch with a dial that is easy to read and a face that is not confusing. You also want something that is self illuminating, so you can see it even in the dark, and you almost certainly want a watch that will not beep and give away your position.
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Swiss Army Watches – Do They Live Up To The Hype?
by on Jun.21, 2010, under Dress Watches, Military Watches, Sport and Dive Watches
One of the most recognizable and well respected brands in the world is ‘Swiss Army’, but it seems that they are far better known for their knives than their watches. Switzerland as a country has always been known for its precision, elegance and beauty, and the fact that the Swiss government itself has a hand in making these products suggests that they are serious about making them as best as they can.
Unlike some watch companies, there is a huge variation of Swiss Army watches available at the moment – from waterproof watches that allow you to dive up to 100m deep with them, to Swiss Army automatic watches that automatically change in conjunction with daylight saving. While make watches that were designed to be worn with elegant suits and tuxedos, they also make timepieces that look far more casual that could be worn with anything, so there’s definitely a large variety available and something for everyone.
These watches are often identified by the white cross over a red background (which is the same logo as their knives have) and throughout the years, it has become a symbol of quality and precision. Swiss Army celebrated its 125th year in business recently, and although the event was very much a look back at many of their successes, it was also a look forward to a no-doubt bright future.
One of the main successes of the company is the special edition watches that they produce every few years (for both men and women). Only a handful (i.e. less than 200) of these limited edition timepieces are ever produced at any one time, so the demand for them is always high (as are the prices).
The standard Swiss Army mens watches start somewhere between $200 and $240, with more expensive models breaking the thousand-dollar mark. It is important to note that while these watches are expensive, they are supposed to be something that you can keep for years to come, so in fact, this is more of a one-time investment than something you do every few years (which is the average lifespan of many inferior watches).
One interesting thing about these watches is that they are only ever available in analogue format (i.e. with the hands pointing at numbers) and that they have never made a digital watch. That being said, they do include many of the features that typical digital watches have (such as a date and month reminder and a stopwatch) so you are really not missing much at all.
It is not only men that Swiss Army makes timepieces for, but women too. Most women like the idea of wearing a watch more as a fashion accessory than as a practical and useful object, and it seems that they fully understand that. By this I mean that their selection of lades watches are stylish and right up to date with the fashion trends of today, and each one retains the famous red and white logo that is now almost a fashion icon in itself.
The basic Swiss watch was designed with the adventurous person in mind, which is why they are suited to those that like to get outdoors. As I previously mentioned, many of them are waterproof (meaning you can go swimming with them on) and lots of them also have a tiny light inside of them so that you can see them in the dark. This type of watch is perfect for those that are frequently out in the dark (such as fishermen and hunters).
Their most popular model currently on the market is the men’s Chrono Classic watch, which can be bought from Amazon.com for around $330.00. It is part of the Victorinox Swiss Army range, and has a classic stainless steel look to it. It is water resistant up to 330 feet and feature luminous hands that glow in the dark.
Their second most popular selling timepiece at the moment is the Class Chronograph Brown Dial watch, which is available for around $275.00. This watch has a fairly more subtle look, as it features a brown leather strap and a slightly less vibrant face. It has a date display that can be easily set by pressing the buttons on the side and twisting the dial, and it is the perfect watch for anyone looking to get started.
The most popular ladies Swiss Army watches on the market are the Victorinox Cavalry watches, which can be found for around $250.00 each. This timepiece has a far more feminine feel about it, as it does not have the same loud and brash features as its male counterparts. Made in Switzerland, it has a scratch resistant screen that is easy to read thanks to the large numbers. Another really popular watch is the Wenger Commando Watch. This is really tough and great for the outdoors. If money is no object and you are looking for the world’s toughest watch, then the CX Swiss Military is the right one for you.
Overall, Swiss Army watches are some of the finest on the entire market, and if you are looking for accuracy and durability these will provide you with everything you will ever need.
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CX Swiss Military 20,000 feet: the World’s Toughest Watch
by on Mar.19, 2010, under Military Watches, Sport and Dive Watches
A lot of watches are made pretty tough these days. Even cheap quartz digital watches or almost-throwaway watches like $25 Swatch watches can take a heck of a lot of abuse. A secret I picked up when I first started Scuba diving was that a lot of the older professional divers out there didn’t bother with fancy and expensive diving watches, they just used cheap little Casio and Swatch watches and seemed really happy with them. So for basic wear it is true that most of today’s watches will routinely stand up to abuse that would have quickly killed our grandparents’ watches, even if they might take a few scratches on the way (a real downside of the cheap Swatch, with its plastic face, in my view).
That said, there is a certain satisfaction that one derives from wearing a really high quality, well made watch. It is more about knowing you are wearing an art work, or an engineering marvel, than it is about really expecting to put your watch to the supreme test. And if that sort of thing appeals to you then you have to be impressed by the CX Swiss Military 20,000 feet Watch, which is without any doubt the world’s toughest watch.
This thing holds the world record for the deepest dive. It has also been blown up with dynamite and just kept ticking. If that isn’t enough the guys who make the Swiss Military Watch have dropped it out of airplanes, stomped on it and done just about anything you can think of to get it to stop working. In one video the company blasts it with high powered fire hoses at Zurich airport, in another they place it just a few feet from some explosives in what they call a “real live test” in a quarry. They also placed another watch (they don’t say who) alongside the Swiss Military Watch. The Swiss Military watch was fine, the competitors one was blow to pieces. In another test they put the watch in a shooting range and blasted it with a three rounds from a12 gauge pump action shot. And it just laughed at the abuse, picked up a few scratches and carried on ticking. Another competitor watch was completely destroyed. In a third test on its own ordinary 1000m certified dive watch, the watch was also completely smashed. So if you plan to get shot, blown up, dropped out of a plane or hosed down by a fire engine and want your watch to keep on ticking, then the CX Swiss Military Watch is the one for you.
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