Rugged Watches

• Durable resin case
• Indigo backlight technology, activated by pressing the crown
• Scratch-resistant mineral glass
• Lightweight

This Timex watch has a simple design with an almost military feel.

The case is resin, so it can take knocks and bumps, and we like the way that the crown is set into the bezel so it won’t snag or catch.

The face is black, with clear and bold hour markers and both 12- and 24-hour indices, as well as a date display.

If you’re trying to read the time after dark, you can activate the helpful indigo backlight feature by pressing the crown. The hour and minute hands are also luminous.

The fabric strap is durable and has some attractive leather accents.

The lens is acrylic and resistant to scratches. Overall, we found this to be a robust timepiece at a great price.

• Combines an analog and digital display
• Built-in solar battery
• Shock resistant
• Stopwatch and countdown timer

G-Shock watches made by Casio are known for their rugged design, and this is a perfect example.

It’s a large watch, with the case measuring just under 60mm in diameter.

There’s an analog time display with blocky hour markers and the face also has three digital dials.

Features include world and 12/24 hour time, stopwatch, countdown timer, five daily alarms, and full auto-calendar.

The useful hand shift feature allows you to easily move the hands out of the way in order to view the dials. As this model is water-resistant to 200m and shock-resistant, it should stand up to a variety of uses, although some wearers find it can scratch quite easily.

A big selling point for us is that the watch is solar-powered, with a battery level indicator to let you know when the charge is running low.

• Eco-Drive movement is powered by light, so doesn’t need a battery
• Stainless steel case with an anti-rust coating
• Can function under extreme temperatures
• Hypoallergenic

This is a no-nonsense timepiece, designed to be tough and durable. The black ion-plated stainless steel case has an anti-rust coating and sits on a robust ballistic Cordura and PU strap.

The black dial has bold, luminous hour markers and indices.

The date display at the 3 o’clock position is a little small, which makes it tricky to read.

This watch has the ability to function under extreme temperatures and it’s also water resistant to 200m, so it can take some tough knocks. There’s no battery as the Eco-Drive movement is powered by light.

• Lightweight titanium case
• Swiss made by Victorinox
• Watch undergoes numerous quality and performance tests before leaving the factory
• Includes removable protective bumper

Victorinox is a Swiss brand known for producing quality Swiss army knives, but they apply this same attention to detail and quality to their watches.

It’s claimed that models in their I.N.O.X collection have been engineered to handle extreme conditions, even being driven over by a truck, but we certainly couldn’t put that to the test!

The design is simple, with the titanium case housing an analog display, luminous hour markers and tapered, luminous hour and minute hands.

The face is otherwise uncluttered, with just a small date display and the Victorinox logo.

It’s available in a range of colourways and with different straps, but we reviewed a model with a rubber strap which was comfortable but still smart enough to wear to work in a professional environment.

The watch is also water resistant to 200m.

• Sandblasted titanium case
• Extra strong sapphire crystal lens
• Precision automatic movement functions without a battery
• Unidirectional rotating hour marked bezel

The makers of this watch state it is designed by members of the German Special Forces, and you can see the military influence in the clean and simple style.

The Grade 2 titanium case is sandblasted to avoid light reflection, and is both tough and lightweight, with a lightweight nylon strap. The lens is also robust, made of extra strong sapphire crystal.

The face has luminescent hands and hour markers, and a small date display at the 3 o’clock position.

A key advantage of this watch is the precision automatic movement, which is powered by the wearer so doesn’t need a battery.

This is a simple design, made from hard-wearing and durable materials.

• GPS watch which accesses multiple navigation satellite systems
• Can monitor your heart rate, activity and stress
• Constructed to US Military standards
• Can be connected to a compatible smartphone to show notifications

Garmin have produced a watch which fits the ‘rugged’ bill, but also offers a large number of features.

It’s a GPS watch which can also access other navigation systems (GLONASS and Galileo), and there’s a 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter.

This means that it can track your location and display it on the clear digital face.

It can also monitor your estimated heart rate, and there are preloaded activity profiles such as running and biking to track your exercise.

The watch itself is constructed to US Military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance, so it’s tough and durable.