Sport Watches - Top 5

Since summer is right around the corner, I thought of sharing here my Top 5 of high end sport watches for 2013. Please feel free to comment on my list or share yours.

1) Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time. Still a constant winner for me on the sport watch category. Excellent in all variations, but I would go for the pink gold version on alligator/rubber strap.

2) Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5146. The most beautiful and comfortable on the wrist watch from Patek's sports line. Even better from the more classical Nautilus right now and with the best rubber strap on the market.

3) IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph. A true sports watch both in heart and appearance, with a generous case size and real water friendly from every aspect. In addition, the chronograph complication is perhaps the only complication "allowed" in the sport watch category. The EDITION "LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION" with its blue dial is a real knock off!

4) Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The Daytona actually needs no words to follow its name. Nonetheless, I did not really like the last installments with the ceramic bezel. I prefer the "old school" or Paul Newman dial version - a yellow gold/ white dial/alligator strap Daytona is hard to ignore. On the other hand, an all white gold Daytona with bracelet is much more subtle and classic.

5)IWC INGENIEUR DOUBLE CHRONOGRAPH TITANIUM (r.3765). If you think that a sport watch should never come in any other metal, other than stainless steel or titanium, then really there is no more competition out there, other than the best from the new Ingenieur line.

Cheers!

I would respectfully ask that this discussion be focused on IWC, since this is an IWC forum and sponsored by IWC. Talking about other watches in the context of IWC, such as by way of comparison, is of course fine.

That said, does anyone have any criteria for what constitutes "top" or even what makes a "sports" watch? To me, no matter whatever the criteria IWC comes out around the top with a lot of models.

In the context of this post, I refer to "sport" watches as in watches that can be worn in warm weather, on or underwater (not necessarily diving watches) and with a bracelet or rubber strap.

Can't argue with inclusion of the Yacht Club (though I may be biased).

I used to like comparison lists, like top-10 best this or that. They gave me the opportunity to get to know interesting watches and brands. Certainly when your view is initially biased by your favourite brand, it is informative in a way. But there is no truth, no objectivity here, not in a way you can rank the fastest runners. And I guess there is no real point in ranking watches, that is, number 1 is not five times better than number 10, and neither is number 1 very fit for a certain purpose and is number 10 a poor performer in that field. In fact, I guess all well made watches are fit for about every almost normal endeavour. Practical arguments can be presented on straps and bracelets. And of course it is safer to dive with an Aquatimer Automatic than with a Portuguese Handwound, but we all know that already, we don't need a list for that.

Kind regards,
Paul

1)IWC Deep Two. Good design/looks and a highly accurate mechanical depth guage!

2) INGENIEUR DOUBLE CHRONOGRAPH TITANIUM (r.3765). If you think that a sport watch should never come in any other metal, other than stainless steel or titanium, then really there is no more competition out there, other than the best from the new Ingenieur line.

3) IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph. A true sports watch both in heart and appearance, with a generous case size and real water friendly from every aspect. In addition, the chronograph complication is perhaps the only complication "allowed" in the sport watch category. The EDITION "LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION" with its blue dial is a real knock off

But then. There are so many other great IWC Aquatimers out there - all great sports watches.

Quote! :)

Agree with you, Mark! :)
And add the Ocean 2000 besides the ATs of the vintage and current collections.

Kind regards

An impossible question. What sport? Participant or spectator? You have to chose your particular sport with care.

An Aquatimer 2000 or an Ingenieur 3227 are tough but they lack Chrono functions so they can't be used for time critical sports.

IWC doesn't make a watch that would survive on the wrist of a driver during an F1 race and there is only one driver who wears a watch during a race.

A soccer player would be thrown off the pitch for wearing a watch.

Most sports folk who run long distances wear G shock type watches, if they have to wear a watch at all. I certainly would not wear an IWC on the golf course for fear of grounding the club.

However, I would happily wear a Portuguese Perpetual Calendar while playing snooker because days would be the best way of measuring time while I play.

I think the term "sports watch" is rather pointless.

If my life depended on choosing a sports watch, it would be a pocket watch while watching the Masters. I just happened to have finished winding an IWC pocket while watching the Masters when I found this post.

Have to agree with you there, Michael.. Anyone who knows me from other watch forums will know that I have a bias towards a particular Japanese watch brand.. Having said that, there are a multitude of criteria that could constitute what a sports watch is..

[ul]
[li]Ability to be used in the sport of diving or other water sports.[/li]
[li]Ability to be used to time events, lap times, etc.[/li]
[li]A limited edition watch to celebrate a sports event or person/team.[/li]
[/ul]

These are just some examples that come to mind..

Problably the most important argument: do I look nice and sporty with that watch when being casual, like when attending a barbecue?

Kind regards,
Paul

If the watch modifies the person .. now that's a whole new sport!

I know that I will reach the bottom of the swimming pool quicker when I wear my Ingenieur 322701!

Most of the times though, I wear my Aquatimer Split Minute in the swimming pool so I can time how long I can stay under water. Once the guardian came to me and told me that he wasn't too fond of me lying around at the bottom of the pool... I guess why?

Kind regards,

Clemens

I was thinking about this topic a bit last evening while watching the Masters. To me, sport watch doesn't imply that the watch need be worn, or even appropriate, for playing sports. How many of us put on a sport jacket for a game of tennis? I doubt even the most well-heeled among us would unless playing in a 1920s themed event. I think the term says more about style than activity.

IWC 812 Ad. White dial please.