Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic.
Rugged, reliable, solar powered, etc.
Omega.
G-shock: Affordable, lots of ‘gizmos’ available too. Mine survived a year in the desert bouncing around in the dust and firing weapons.
Get a black one ;) Good luck and good hunting to your son.
regards,
Go with a “Pathfinder”, also made by Casio, they’re the more expensive version of the G Shock (but just as durable). But thy also have a thermometer, barometer, altitude sensor, and digital compass built into the watch. The watch sets itself based on the signal from the atomic clock, and it is solar powered. It also does the stopwatch, etc stuff that is more common in a basic watch. It also tells the time ;)
This will give you an idea of what it looks like, there’s a few different kinds but this will get you started:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=205065070&listingid=86256681
Buy a simple, rugged, waterproof, self winding analog watch (check out Hamilton). Stay away from the digitals with the bells and whistles. Nothing looses a Lieutenant respect from his troops faster than having his watch beeping while in an ambush site. Kind of like, “over here guys, shoot over here” moment.
Product Information The Casio Triple Sensor Pathfinder watch features a digital compass, barometer, altimeter, thermometer and many other great tools. Digital Compass: 16 points of measurement Measuring range: 0 to 359 degrees Measuring unit: 1 degree Altimeter : 6 points of measurement Measuring unit: 5m (20ft) Measuring unit: 1 degree Altimeter Memory Memory capacity: 40 records Measurement data: altitude, month, date, time Altitude alarm Barometer: Display range: 260 to 1,100 hPa (7.65 to 32.45 inHg) Display unit: 1 hPa (0.05 inHg) Atmospheric pressure differential graphic Thermometer Display range: -10 to 60 C (14 to 140 F) Display unit: 0.1 C (0.2 F) 100M Water Resistant Low Temperature Resistant (-10 C / 14 F) Auto EL Backlight with Afterglow Duplex LCD 5 Daily Alarms 1/100 second stopwatch Additional Specifications Band Material: Metal Color: Black Gender: Men More Information Model No.: PAG40-3V Shipping Weight (in pounds): 0.5 Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported Origin of Components: USA and/or Imported
Off subject: Why is he skipping 2nd Lt?
Get GPS built in!
“If you’re a military professional, then the Suunto x9Mi is designed just for you. This GPS watch is equipped with a red backlight so that you can safely use it at night. You can find the Suunto x9Mi for an average price of $500. Let’s take a look at some of the other features offered by this GPS watch.
The Suunto x9Mi allows you to plan routes beforehand and save them into the watch. The device will keep track of your bearing and point you in the right direction to your next waypoijnt. The Suunto x9Mi will also help you find your way back home easily with the find home feature. The watch will also keep track of the distance between your starting point and your current location.
If you don’t want to plan your route beforehand, you will still find the Suunto x9Mi to be a useful tool. The watch will keep track of the distance you have traveled as well as the speed that you’re moving. The Suunto x9Mi will also record the data so that you can analyze it later.
Another useful feature of the Suunto x9Mi is the digital compass. The compass has a full range of 360 degrees as well as 6,400 mils. The Suunto x9Mi also features an altimeter that will measure differences in altitude. The barometer is useful for keeping track of any changes in weather conditions.
The Suunto x9Mi also gives you he ability to change GPS tracking settings. You can have the watch track GPS every second or every four seconds. There is also a manual mode for GPS tracking. You should be aware that the battery won’t last much longer than five hours if you choose to constantly track GPS.
If you want to keep the Suunto x9Mi charged for longer periods of time, you should consider using it in conjunction with the Solio Solar Hybrid charger. This charger will use sunlight to provide power to the watch so that you can use it for extended periods of time. The battery in the Suunto x9Mi will need to be replaced after approximately 500 charges.
Take it from someone who has had a Rolex for 20+ years. If I was going into harms way, I’d get a G-Shock or one of the Luminox models.
Rolexes are tough... for a mechanical watch, but no where near as tough as the quartz movements.
As a matter of fact, after the last tune-up (which cost about half what I paid for the thing years ago), I’m considering selling it.
If you have some days before you need it, Amazon regularly puts extremely nice watches into their “Gold Box Lightning Sale” area. Last week, some super hardened watches that retailed at $600 went for $89. These are ones that go through special processes to progressively harden the metal and then are made waterproof for divers and the like.
The sales are for the ones you see in the most upscale magazines. Simply amazing. Unfortunately, you need to look starting early in the morning, then read through the vague insights they give for the succeeding sales yet to occur through the end of the day.
My grandparents gave my father a 66 Omega Seamaster when he qualified for the F4. It survived Vietnam and worked perfectly up until a couple years ago when some idiot named “Me” lost it.
Casio has lots of features and is easy to use, but the stems and buttons tend to develop minor corrosion in climates where you sweat and once this happens the watch is unreliable bucause the buttons stick. Timex seems to have a much better record where buttons and stems are concerned, maybe not as many features, but much more reliable, just dont buy anything where the strap and watch body are all one part.
Casio G Shock .... damn things are INDESTRUCTIBLE ;-)
If I were buying a gift for a new commissionee, I would honestly look at a good, high quality utility tool like a Leatherman Wave and maybe even have it engraved. Even in garrison he'll find it handy at least 2-3 times x day, and in the field his soldiers with their 12" Rambo knives hanging from their pistol belts will keep coming up to him and asking, "Sir, can I borrow your Leatherman." ;-)
a plug for suunto GPS watches:
I took a HUMMWV for a “swim” off a partially destroyed bridge in Iraq in 03. The allegedly waterproof watch got damp inside after ~ 3 hours of recovery ops - perhaps due to a detriorated gasket? Good news was that it dried out and worked, better news was that Suunto replaced it for free, no questions asked, almost a year later after I got back and was able to send it to them.
You may wish to consider the Bulova Marine Star Mens Watch model 96G55. Black face, white hands - for me, much easier to read. Has stopwatch/countdown timer function - no beepers. Stainless steel case and thick mineral glass crystal. Very good prices if you shop just a bit.
A less expensive version of this timepiece is the Seiko Chronograph Watch. Quartz movement, multiple choices on face color (including red of all things) Seiko is well known for quality and good value. BOth may be had from on-line vendors...
Please, wish your son well on my behalf and may the Lord grant both protection and wisdom in his duties.
Best wishes to your son and congrats to you and his mother for raising such a great kid.