Lifestyle

To The Extreme: The Best Watches For Intense Conditions

To The Extreme: The Best Watches For Intense Conditions

Watches that are tougher than tough.

Should you find yourself in the sort of outing one could only characterize as “really dangerous” or “testing the endurance of man” you’re going to want a serious watch. Armed with a sense of imagination and a wealth of watch knowledge, our editors selected the best watches for truly trying conditions.

Sinn UX (EZM 2B)

If I’m going to put this watch up against extreme environments, then there better be some extreme engineering involved in creating a watch for the task. The Sinn UX (EZM 2B) is exactly that. The dial, hands, and quartz movement sit in a bath of oil inside the watch case. This serves two purposes: firstly, it means the watch will never fog and the dial will always be visible at any angle thanks to the oil inside, but it also means that water resistance is bolstered. Water ingress theoretically cannot occur because the oil inside the watch will not compress, and there is no air inside to replace (the absence of air also means the absence of moisture). Old atmospheric diving suits used the same principle with oil-filled joints, so it’s tried and true. So that addresses any sort of extreme-oceanic environment, and on land, the bezel made from tegimented steel should be sufficient. It’s stronger and more scratch-resistant than your average 316L. Bring it on. – Cole Pennington

Sinn UX (EZM 2B), $2,600

 

Breitling Emergency Watch

Emergency I With ‘Co-Pilot’ Bracelet

The Breitling Emergency is one of those rare instances of hard-core exploration gear and high-end Swiss watchmaking truly intersecting in a meaningful way. The Emergency contains a distress beacon that can be activated by extending the second crown and unfurling a  potentially life-saving antenna. It’s the kind of thing you’d never want to have to use, because if you do, it means things have gone really sideways. It means you’ve decided that broadcasting your whereabouts to search-and-rescue personnel is your best chance. Nonetheless, it’s nice to know that such life-saving gear exists. There are a couple of versions of the Emergency. The earlier Emergency 1 and the later Emergency II, which broadcasts on an additional signal. – Jon Bues

Breitling Emergency Watch, $15,685

 

Bremont MBII

While I remain tempted to pick something like a Garmin Fenix or a burly Omega Ploprof, I think if we’re talking about legitimately extreme settings, I’d want an automatic or simple quartz movement (something I wouldn’t need to charge) and the watch would need to be plenty tough but not hard to wear. With that in mind, I’m thinking a Bremont MBII fits the bill. With a case made from hardened steel, the MBII’s movement is protected from magnetism by a soft-iron inner case and shock via a floating movement mount that can survive the use of a Martin-Baker ejection seat. The MBII can be customized via Bremont’s site, and I’d likely go white dial, titanium middle barrel, closed caseback, and a rubber strap. It may not be the flashiest of choices, but it’s tough, not too big to wear in the wild, and who knows, maybe my adventure starts with me being ejected from an airplane. I like to party. – James Stacey

Bremont MBII, $5,095

 

Richard Mille RM25-01

LOL, it comes with a hermetically sealed cache of water purification tablets! And a level!! And a tourbillon!!! It’s nearly a million freakin’ dollars. I mean, c’mon. I can’t imagine a more ludicrous display of performance outdoorsmanship. It’s the billionaire’s equivalent of putting “I love hiking” in your online dating profile. And yet, I want one. Because when the world ends and all y’all are stuck drinking nasty water and trying to BS your way around by using your watch’s bezel as a compass, I’ll be chilling in the land of clean water and tourbillons with my guys Rambo and Richard. That’s it. That’s the pick. – Logan Baker

Richard Mille RM25-01, $985,000.00

Cara Roux

Recent Posts

Protect What You Love With Hodinkee Insurance

Protect What You Love With Hodinkee Insurance We're here to help avoid a potential heartache.…

2 weeks ago

Watching Movies: Adam Driver Takes Over The Gucci Family Empire Wearing A JLC Reverso in ‘House of Gucci’

Watching Movies: Adam Driver Takes Over The Gucci Family Empire Wearing A JLC Reverso in…

2 weeks ago

Second Opinions: The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Is Not A Submariner Alternative

Second Opinions: The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Is Not A Submariner Alternative It's its own…

3 weeks ago

Your Watch Just Tripled In Value – Now What?

Your Watch Just Tripled In Value – Now What? Auction season is around the corner.…

3 weeks ago

A Week On The Wrist: The 40mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Could Be Your Only Watch

A Week On The Wrist: The 40mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Could Be Your Only Watch…

3 weeks ago

Five Critical Things To Do Before Buying A Watch Online

Five Critical Things To Do Before Buying A Watch Online Originally published by Hodinkee, March…

4 weeks ago