7 Tough Adventure Watches | Outside Magazine

The editors of Outside Magazine recently did a feature on 7 great watches for the adventurous man. With stores in 3 very adventurous states, and clients all over the world, I thought I would share Whitney Dreier’s thoughts on these well-tested time pieces.

1) Breitling Superocean: Originally engineered to equip professional and military divers, Breitling’s dive watches have been going deep since the 1950s. The limited-edition Superocean, which is water-resistant to 5,000 feet and has an automatic pressure valve, takes sturdiness to a new extreme. (Available at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers and online)

2) Omega Speedmaster: In 1968, astronauts on the Apollo 8 spacecraft wore Omega’s Speedmaster on the first journey around the moon. With a zirconium-oxide ceramic dial and blackened subdials, the new limited-edition Speedmaster “Dark Side of the Moon” pays homage to that historic mission. (Available at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers and online)

3) Tudor Pelagos: Last summer, after a 17-year hiatus, Rolex once again began releasing timepieces from Tudor, its iconic sister company, in the U.S. The Pelagos is the flagship dive watch: it’s waterproof to 500 meters, and the case is constructed of durable, lightweight titanium. (Available at Hyde Park and Traditional Jewelers, not available online)

4) Rolex Exoplorer II: Sir Edmund Hilary took a Rolex Oyster Perpetual to the top of the world in 1953. Today’s version, the Explorer II, is even more rugged than the original, thanks to higher-grade steel and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. (Available at Hyde Park and Traditional Jewelers, not available online)

5) Tag Heuer Carrera 1887: Tag Heuer patented the oscillating pinion, which helps chronographs start and stop accurately, 137 years ago. As its Carrera 1887 elegantly demonstrates, that mechanism—fine-tuned over decades—remains the industry standard. (Available at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers and online)

6) Bell and Ross BR 126 Sports Heritage: The sand-colored hands and numerals on Bell and Ross’s BR 126 Sport Heritage hark back to the 1960s, the golden age of air travel that introduced planes like the Dassault Falcon, one of the world’s first luxury business jets. (Available at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers and online)

7) Oris Air Racing Edition III: The candy-cane minute hand on Air Racing Edition III isn’t just for show. The design was inspired by an aircraft speed-limit indicator and pays tribute to the Swiss Air Racing Team, whose daredevil pilots count on a watch they can read at a glance. (Not available at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers or online)

The G-Shock MT-G is a great substitute for the Oris which is unavailable at Hyde Park, Traditional Jewelers and online.

Stop in to your local Hyde Park or Traditional Jewelers, or shop online, then get back to your adventures!