Navigating Time Zones with Style: The Best Travel Watch

What Defines The Best Travel Watch?

It’s crucial that you have a single watch that is precise, dependable, legible in all conditions, requires minimal upkeep, robust, reasonably priced, can be recharged without hassle even when you’re on the go, and can easily transition from one occasion to another; from the boardroom to the beach.

You Only Need ONE Watch When Traveling

Sure, I understand, you have an impressive collection of watches suitable for any occasion. That’s great, but remember, when you’re on the move, choose just one and leave the rest behind. Smart travel is all about packing light, which means only one watch. Keep it simple stupid.

The Watch Must Be Durable and Reliable

Avoid investing in the least expensive watch as it doesn’t represent true value for money. Instead, opt for a timepiece that comes from a well-known manufacturer, known for their exceptional build quality and consistent track record. The watch needs to be capable of withstanding unexpected rough treatment and still functioning perfectly, and quartz watches undoubtedly excel in this aspect.

Quartz movements demonstrate a higher resilience to temperature changes, physical mishandling, shocks, and drops compared to mechanical ones. So, aim for a watch equipped with a titanium case and bracelet, and sapphire crystal.

The Watch Must Be Affordable (Under $400)

Buy a watch that’s high-quality yet within your budget. Losing an expensive luxury watch during travel can and will negatively impact your vacation. Furthermore, flashy and expensive watches may draw the attention of potential thieves. Affordability is subjective, but for this discussion, we’ll set the limit at $400. Setting our limit to $400 really weeds out a lot of options, so we’re going to give you two of the best later on. keep reading!

Also, there’s no need to justify the idea of a $10,000 watch being suitable for travel. We’re not CIA case officers who need to wear a Rolex in case they need to bribe someone for safe passage out of a country.

The Watch Must Be Accurate

Quartz watches are generally more affordable than mechanical watches, and they offer superior accuracy, albeit by a small margin. But quartz watches work off a battery and have a limited runtime you ask? Not necessarily.

The Watch Must Never Die!

According to Murphy’s Law, even though your quartz watch battery says it’s good for 3 years, it will abruptly give out at the most inconvenient time, perhaps causing you to miss a flight. Never trust a conventional battery-powered watch when traveling.

You don’t want to spend precious travel time worrying about such issues, so opt for either an automatic movement (powered by the natural movement of your wrist) or, even better, a quartz movement powered by a solar-powered battery.

Even the automatics have a failure point; if you don’t wear them consistently they lose accuracy and could stop running, requiring you to reset and rewind the movement.

To mitigate that issue, you’re only two options are either a solar-powered movement or a Citizen Eco-Drive movement.

The Watch Must Have a Screw Down Crown (200-meter Water Resistance)

A significant benefit of a watch boasting at least 200m of water resistance is that these models typically come with screw-down crowns, which are less prone to inadvertent activation compared to push/pull crowns that are adjusted by pulling out to different stages.

There have been instances when I glanced at my watch only to find out that something, perhaps my shirt sleeve, had unknowingly pulled the crown out one stop, causing the watch to stop. When the crown is inadvertently pulled out, it also exposes the internals to dirt, debris, and moisture. Watches with screw-down crowns effectively mitigate this issue.

The Watch Must Be Readable in all Conditions

Opt for a travel watch with a neat, simplistic dial design that incorporates some type of lume. I’m a huge proponent of quality lume. If I cannot tell what time it is in the middle of the night, then it’s a no-go.

You shouldn’t need to search for a light source just to read your watch. A luminous dial with a straightforward, clear design, easy-to-read numerals, and indicators at every hour will serve your needs perfectly.

The Watch Must Be Versatile

Select a simple, understated design that can seamlessly transition from casual to formal depending on the situation, and will effortlessly blend with your travel attire.

The Watch Must Have a Metal Band

While leather bands provide comfort and style, they don’t play well with water. Wristbands made of canvas, plastic, or rubber are acceptable but not as durable as metal, and they typically don’t transition well into more formal settings. For travel, I prefer watches made from metal, such as stainless steel or titanium, as they arguably complement any attire.

Now that we know exactly what to look for, let’s take a look at a few travel watches that check all those boxes.

Selecting The Best Travel Watch

While numerous watches managed to fulfill the majority, though not all, of the requirements on this list, one timepiece checks every box; the Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor.

Citizen, a century-old institution, pioneered the creation of the first solar-powered wristwatch back in 1975. When fully powered, their Eco-Drive watches can operate for up to six months in absolute darkness, making them perfect companions for your proposed half-year winter getaway in Antarctica.

For everyone else, the Eco-Drive watches harness energy from any accessible light source—ranging from bright sunlight, and overcast days, to faint artificial light—enabling them to operate continuously without any need for winding, battery replacement, or connecting to a power outlet.

The Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor boasts a water resistance of 200 meters, a sapphire crystal, and is crafted from stainless steel.

Its design is understated and neat—almost Spartan—with a clear face and glow-in-the-dark hands and hour indicators that make it easily readable. This minimalistic, streamlined design also permits it to easily adjust according to your requirements.

Our second pick is the Seiko Prospex Solar, priced slightly higher than the Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor. However, when comparing the two, the Seiko falls short in terms of toughness. Citizen pioneered solar-powered watches, whereas Seiko joined this arena much later, and anecdotal evidence from online discussions seems to suggest that Seiko’s reliability isn’t on par with Citizen’s. Seiko Prospex Solar also utilizes a sapphire crystal. Even though both watches are constructed from stainless steel, Seiko’s lacks the hypoallergenic titanium coating found in the Citizen, making it more susceptible to scratches.

Conclusion

The world of travel watches is filled with variety, but our exploration has brought us back to two standout choices: the Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor and the Seiko Prospex Solar. Both watches come with their own unique features and allure, making them well-suited contenders for the best travel watch.

However, the Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor truly sets the standard for its category. This is a wristwatch that not only boasts a century-long pedigree of craftsmanship but also a technological edge with its Eco-Drive powered system. Its durability, from its water resistance to its stainless steel construction, makes it a timepiece you can trust on your toughest travels.

While the Seiko Prospex Padi Solar is an impressive piece with its own merits, it falls a bit short when compared to the Citizen ProMaster Tough in terms of overall resilience and reliability. Its relative newcomer status in the realm of solar watches, coupled with slightly lower material quality, are factors to consider.

In the end, when traveling, reliability is key, and the Citizen Eco-Drive Endeavor offers exactly that, rendering it our top pick for the best travel watch. Nevertheless, the Seiko Prospex Solar remains a compelling option for those seeking a blend of aesthetic appeal and practical functionality. Safe travels, and may the watch on your wrist always be a steadfast companion on your adventures!