A Roundup of Tool Watches

Five Tool Watches for Your Everyday Adventures

Tool watches, like dive watches or pilot’s watches, are just what the name suggests. They’re straightforward, purpose-built models designed for practical application in specific fields. Even if you’re not an avid diver or amateur pilot, a tool watch is still an excellent model to own. They come equipped with array of enhanced features, from greater water resistance to ultra-lightweight construction. These elements are precisely why tool watches are great models for the summer. During the warmer months, we’re more prone to venture into the outdoors or near our favorite body of water. A solid tool watch is the perfect companion for wherever your summer travels take you. Here, we’ve rounded up five of our favorite models.

Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project

The Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project is more than your traditional tool watch. In fact, it’s a highly specialized limited edition model first introduced by the brand in 2008. The Alaska Project pays homage to a unique Omega prototype watch created in 1970 for NASA. The brand was tasked with developing a version of the Speedmaster that could perform in extreme temperatures, like those on the dark side of the moon. As a result, a model with the code name “Alaska Project” was created. To achieve the temperature resistance, it featured a distinctive protective casing comprised of red-anodized aluminum. The 2008 reboot is almost an exact replica of the original, down to the removable temperature control case.

Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller

The Sea-Dweller was Rolex’s second foray into the field of dive watches, following the Submariner in the 1950s. After a successful 40-year reign, the Deepsea joined the Sea-Dweller in 2008. The Deepsea undoubtedly draws inspiration from the Sea-Dweller. It boasts a unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute graduations and Rolex’s patented helium escape valve. However, the Deepsea gets a modern upgrade in the form of another patent: the Ringlock system. As the name indicates, this allows the Deepsea to operate at even greater depths than the original Sea-Dweller. Since its debut, Rolex has put the Deepsea to the test in some of the most taxing conditions. Every time, the model has prevailed, earning its superior tool watch status.

Breitling Navitimer

Just as the Deepsea descended from the Sea-Dweller and Submariner, the Navitimer descended from the Chronomat. The Chronomat was Breitling’s first watch to feature their patented rotating slide-rule bezel in 1941. About a decade later in 1952, the Navitimer was born. Today, the model has become one of the most instantly recognizable and highly sought after tool watches produced by Breitling. From professional and amateur pilots to genuine fans of the brand, the Navitimer is a true icon among pilot’s watches.

Rolex Explorer II

The Rolex Explorer II is the second incarnation of the brand’s popular Explorer model, first debuting in 1971. For nearly five decades, the Explorer II has lived up to its name in the tool watch category. While it has an ultra-sporty look and feel with a distinctly modern design, everything about the Explorer II is big and bold, from the oversized case construction to the lugs and dial markers. One of the most notable differences from the original Explorer is the addition of a fourth hand and a twenty-four-hour bezel. This additional hand is traditionally orange and has become a hallmark of the model.

Omega Seamaster Apnea

Last but certainly not least, the Omega Seamaster Apnea is an incredibly unique variation on the classic Seamaster. You may know the term “apnea” from the medical condition sleep apnea. It means the temporary suspension of breathing. However, the model gets its name from its inspiration – the legendary free-diver Jaques Mayol. Free-diving is an extreme sport in which divers descend without equipment and test how deep they can go in a single breath. Mayol worked with OMEGA to design the model back in 2003. The most notable feature is the unusually designed chronograph function on the dial, which has optimized legibility for free-divers. It features seven discs that turn from black to red as they count down one-minute intervals from left to right. The function then reverses the process for a total measure of fourteen minutes.

These are just a few of our favorite tool watches – are there others that are yours?