7 Pretty Tough Adventure Watches
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These seven modern watches that are as classically handsome as they are adventure-worthy.
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 ($3,290), which is water-resistant to 5,000 feet and has an automatic pressure valve, takes sturdiness to a new extreme.
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” ($12,000) pays homage to that historic mission.
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 ($4,125) is the flagship dive watch: it’s waterproof to 500 meters, and the case is constructed of durable, lightweight titanium.
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 ($8,100), is even more rugged than the original, thanks to higher-grade steel and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
Tag Heuer Carrera 1887
Tag Heuer patented the oscillating pinion, which helps chronographs start
and stop accurately, 137 years ago. As its Carrera 1887 ($5,200) elegantly demonstrates, that mechanism—fine-tuned over decades—remains the industry standard.
Bell and Ross BR 126 Sports Heritage
The sand-colored hands and numerals on Bell and Ross’s BR 126 Sport Heritage ($4,500) 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.
Oris Air Racing Edition III
The candy-cane minute hand on Air Racing Edition III ($1,650) 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.
