An active lifestyle demands a watch that can go the distance. For that reason, Jack Mason has compiled the eight most exciting sport watches currently on the market.
What Is a Sports Watch?
The sports watch, as a fashion term, is difficult to pin down. This is precisely because of the broad range of the term. Sports watches can be made for specialized activities such as diving, aircraft usage, or racing. They are often are made with additional complications or reinforcements to allow the exploration of such activities.
There are no specific requirements for a “sports watch,” though there are tendencies. Sports watches, being activewear, need to be more durable, shock, and water-resistant than their dress watch counterparts. They also often come with complications, or additional features, relating to the task at hand.
Racing watches may come with tachymeters or chronographs, and pilot watches in some situations may be specially constructed to adjust to changes in pressure. Similarly, diving watches often feature press-in crowns and other features to protect themselves from any chance of water.
With this brief introduction handled, we are ready to move on to our watch listings.
Pursuit: $149
In the air, every second matters. For that reason, the Pursuit, built for everyday wear, harkens back to the design choices which gave vintage pilot’s watches their timeless appearance.
The hard and resilient sapphire crystal protects the watch so it may become a lasting legacy, and the SuperLuminova markings and indices improve legibility under all conditions.
A quartz Miyota 2315 movement aids the precision of the watch’s measurements. With starry designs on both the caseback and crown, every inch of the Pursuit is built not only to last but to last while keeping in mind the rich heritage of the pilot’s watch.
- Highlight: With durability, legibility, and an affordable price point, the Pursuit remains the most affordable watch on this list without sacrificing one iota of style.
Pursuit Automatic Box Set: $289
At first glance, the Pursuit Automatic has many similarities to the previous pilot’s watch on this list. The automatic features the same durable case and sapphire crystal, as well as indices and legibility markings.
The box set also comes in two variants, with one featuring a navy dial and steel case and the other sporting a less-traditional black dial and case. What separates the Pursuit Automatic from the Pursuit and from most other watches on this list is its movement.
The watch uses a Miyota 8215 automatic movement, unlike the electronic quartz movement that powers most others on this list. As such, this 42mm watch has a heft and thickness to it that sets it apart. Even better, the exhibition caseback gives the wearer a peek into the gorgeous machinery that keeps the timepiece ticking.
Speaking of ticking: While quartz watches often showcase short, punctuated second-hand movements, the automatic exhibits sleek, streamlined motions that give the passage of time an elegant sweeping motion.
- Highlight: The evocative, classic design and caseback revealing a beautifully complex inner mechanism makes the Pursuit Automatic Box Set a worthy pilot’s watch.
Mirabeau Chronograph: $219
For the speed demon in all of us, the 40mm Mirabeau Chronograph is designed to evoke the feel of mid-century sports cars. The unique caseback of the watch is built to resemble the curves of a steering wheel and the tread of a tire, announcing its status as a racing watch to the world.
The built-in tachymeter solves all timing needs, and the sapphire crystal and french blue dial compliment the tri-color chronograph to create a sports watch as visually stunning as it is practical. The Miyota OS21 quartz movement ensures the precision of the watch and all its complications.
The Mirabeau Chronograph is also water-tested to 100 meters and features subtle SuperLuminova markings to improve legibility in any context.
- Highlights: The sporty caseback, tachymeter, and tri-colored subdials make for a watch that is as eye-catching as it is useful.
Pursuit World Timer: $219
Inspired by the jet-set travel lifestyle of the 1950s, the Pursuit World Timer is the perfect aviation watch for any current or would-be world traveler. The watch features hands specifically tracking GMT, as well as a bidirectional bezel with airport codes for the 24 different time zones.These airport codes are replicated in further detail on the back of the stainless steel case.
The dial is marked with SuperLuminova technology. The bracelet that comes with the World Timer is also made from individual links, ensuring that it conforms comfortably to your wrist. The watch is also made with quick-release pins, allowing for easy customization.
- Highlights: The numerous airport codes listed on both the bezel and the caseback give the Pursuit World Timer an international appeal that is practical for the traveler and uniquely stylish for all others.
Avigator: $289
The 45mm Avigator Multi-Scale Chronograph takes inspiration from classic 1930’s men’s watch design, and in doing so, evokes the “Golden Age of Aviation.” This loyalty is most readily seen in the sleek caseback, embossed with a winged star design instantly recognizable as an aeronautical emblem.
Every aspect of this chronograph, from the 316L stainless steel case and water-resistance testing at 100 meters to the sapphire crystal, is built to last. On a visual front, the distinctive sunray dial ensures the Avigator remains as ruggedly gorgeous as it is durable.
- Highlights: A larger case and aeronautical flourishes make the Avigator a watch whose appearance and complications belie the rich history of both aircraft and the watches made to take to the skies.
Seatrek Automatic Box Set: $359
So far, all the watches on this list have been designed as either racing or pilot’s watches. However, no list of sports watches would be truly complete without mention of an excellent diver’s watch. The Seatrek Automatic Box Set more than remedies that need.
The Seatrek is water resistance tested at 300 meters and features a screw-down crown and divers extension to assist with function and comfort, whether directly on your wrist or over a wetsuit. The 42mm case and dual-colored SuperLuminova markings assist with legibility both on land and underwater. Luminescent markings can also be found on the 120 click uni-directional bezel.
The Seatrek is also highlighted by a Seiko (SII) Caliber NH35A automatic movement, one of the most popular automatic movements on the market, with a power reserve of 41 hours.
Finally, the Seatrek Box Set, in particular, comes with both a stainless steel bracelet and a rubber strap, ensuring that it will be ready-to-wear in any context right out of the box.
- Highlights: With a 300 meter tested water resistance, a horde of other features for diving, and a rubber strap included, the Seatrek is a one-of-a-kind watch with the craftsmanship signature to automatic movements.
Pursuit Chronograph: $219
Alluding to the past while moving forward in the present, the Pursuit Chronograph offers a modern take on the classic pilot’s watch. The caseback exhibits a frontal view of a vintage aircraft, as well as highlighting that the watch has been water tested as deep as 100 meters.
While both styles of the 42mm Pursuit Chronograph showcase stainless steel cases and three sub-dials, one features a navy sunray dial with a brown Italian leather strap, and the other features a black dial with a matching black strap.
Both styles include indices and luminosity markings to improve legibility, as well as sapphire crystals and a Miyota OS10 movement for durability and accuracy.
- Highlights: The indices and luminosity markings combined with a sunray dial results in a highly legible chronograph, both functional and fashionable.
AOPA Pilot's Chronograph: $500
The AOPA Pilot’s Chronograph is the brainchild of the collaboration between the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Jack Mason. By combining AOPA’s love of the skies and Jack Mason’s love of watchmaking and craftsmanship, they have created a pilot’s watch unlike any other.
The caseback features a winged shield with the founding date of the AOPA and names the other design choices of this pilot’s watch. For the first time, Jack Mason introduces multicolored tritium luminosity markings on the watch’s hands and dial, ensuring visibility in the darkest of cockpits.
The crystal, unlike many other offerings, is made of acrylic to allow for flexibility under changing altitude and air pressure. The watch also comes equipped with a Swiss Ronda Caliber 5030.D movement that is specially protected from magnetism, good for daily use, and essential for cockpit use.
The Pilot’s Chronograph has also been protected with a layer of PVD coating to provide a high level of environmentally-friendly protection for years to come. For a practical, historic, and truly awe-inspiring pilot’s watch, one needs look no further.
- Highlights: The collaboration between AOPA and Jack Mason has resulted in a watch designed with pilots in mind and developed in collaboration with the users who need it most. With special consideration in construction and design given towards anti-magnetism, water resistance, and operation under changing pressure, the AOPA Pilot’s Chronograph is the rare sports watch that is able to function on land, air, and sea.
Sources:
What is a Sports Watch? I Chronometer Check
