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Additional Posts in Luxury Watches
Pro
Saturday roll call…
Chief
Time to clock in
Rising Star
Second BCG 1, rubber straps are always going to bust due to wear and tear. My running watches always start with a small crack then eventually give out. Fabric straps have done the best for me as an alternate for more outdoors/movement.
If you’re exercising I wouldn’t recommend wearing any watch outside a watch meant to take a beating.
Tag is a wonderful brand but don’t overlook shinola, they’re often forgotten in the watch discussion and provide a quality time piece for $$.
Pro
Shinola gets a lot of hate due to lack of pedigree.
Eh, I know plenty of people who bicycle/run/golf/play tennis with Rolex watches. Is it the best thing in the world for an automatic movement? Probably not - it’s excess wear at the least - but it’s certainly possible.
I’d skip a rubber strap as your only strap - I don’t think that those will really play with a dress shirt and in a lot of situations they’ll look out of place. As a lux sports watch, I think you have to go bracelet - you can get an aftermarket rubber strap to swap out when you want, but don’t go rubber only.
I think there are lots of watches that meet these requirements - what you’ve defined (sans the rubber) is essentially just the definition of the market segment. In the sub-$8000 time-only segment, I’d consider the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra or the Rolex Explorer or Oyster Perpetual.
Pro
I wore a Seamaster Pro GMT on a blue rubber strap to the Pentagon last year with a three piece suit, no one noticed or cared. I wear watches on rubber with a dress shirt all the time — not as frequently as leather or a bracelet, but regularly. It looks fine with the right color combinations.
Chief
Richard Mille. Even Yohan Blake wears one while sprinting
Check out my set up as it could work for you. Chose an option that allowed for flexibility.
Explorer 1 with oysterflex band. Additional pic below showing how it looks on its original SS band
I find the cooling channels are quite effective on warm days. Also makes the watch float/pop out a bit on your wrist which I also love.
Aside from being higher quality, I just find it has a more natural/cleaner transition and look when it connects to the watch face compared to rubber b and Everest. The aesthetics of this was the biggest selling point to me.
It’s also a Rolex part, which will give you that feeling that everything on your wrist is Rolex and not so much a Frankenstein (very minor point)
Bowl Leader
Not sure I agree with the sentiment that rubber is going to quickly degrade with sweat. Cheap rubber is of course cheap, but quality rubber from a real brand will likely last decades.
When you say you want to use it for “running” are you wanting to time your runs, or do you just want to be able to have a watch that’s comfy while moving? What immediately comes to mind as a good option would be the Aqua Terra on rubber. It’s got good water resistance, a bomb-proof movement, not too expensive, very classy (they use a nice rubber strap design), it has a date, and it’s way lighter and slimmer than a Seamaster or Submariner.
The 41mm version is also a great consultant watch because you can adjust the hour hand without stopping the seconds hand (this helps when you’re changing timezones frequently).
Pro
You want a luxury watch for running? I would recommend against that. Your sweat is going to degrade that rubber band quicker than you can say “corrosion”, and mechanical movements don’t take nicely to shocks and vibrations. Get a nice watch (read: not a modern TAG) on a leather or fabric strap for the office/everyday, and an Apple Watch for exercise. If you give us a budget, we can recommend a model.
If you really want a rubber strap, I love having my Seadweller on a Rubber B strap. They have options for most popular sports watches. An alternative is Everest.
Chief
Oorah.
Tag gets a lot of hate in this group, but I personally love my Monaco and I wear it on a rubber strap. If your looking for a watch primarily to run in though I’d just get an Apple Watch.
Yeah, I specifically mean the Monaco is classic! Haha
Chief
Omega Seamaster 300m and Aqua Terra both look great on fitted rubber straps.
Check out the Seamaster with a white dial and black bezel on a black fitted rubber strap, really cool look.
Re: what the others have said, if you want a watch for running don’t get a lux watch. G-shocks can be super cool, are great for activity, and get love from watch nerds.
Love the suggestions. To clarify: for 'running', it's more the idea that I could go on a quick run. Would never go running with a patek & leather band, but if I forgot to take off [this] particular watch, it'd be OK.
Chief
Ok, makes sense. In that case, it would be hard to go wrong with the Aqua Terra that bowl leader and I suggest.
Honestly, it might be the most versatile luxury watch out there. Classy, sporty, luxurious, and also no preconceived notions from others like a Rolex. Also it has a date complication and the jumping hour hand making it useful.
PP Aquanaut