The Watch Collectors’ Club is here to help you learn more about the world of watches. We will introduce and explore types of watch, and highlight some of the variety available from around the world. This week we consider a very popular type of watch: Tool Watches.
What is a Tool Watch?
A Tool watch is a watch that contains one or more functions additional to telling the time. It is a watch that provides a useful tool on the wrist.
Some functions are common and some are very rare. In the watch world, functions are also known as complications. Watches with a date function or calendar function are not usually thought of as Tool Watches but can be a very useful tool themselves. Many Tool Watches include more than one additional function.
There are many variations of tool watch design as designers like to experiment with ways to display these features, but most tool watches are very easy to read and use.
Rolex Daytona Chronograph – a watch with a Stopwatch tool
Mido Multifort Dive Watch with timing bezel tool and decompression station diagram on the dial
Patek Philippe World Timer showing time zones around the world
Citizen Promaster Flight Pilot’s Watch showing both analogue and digital flight tracking and route planning tools
Why buy a Tool Watch?
The best reason to buy one is that you want to use the function it comes with. You might buy a Chronograph, or Stopwatch, if you want to time how long something runs for, or even just timing a recipe. You might buy a watch that shows multiple time zones to keep track of a meeting with colleagues overseas, or your home time while you are abroad.
People love Tool Watches for other reasons. They were originally designed for specific uses, such as Scuba Diving, Navigation for Air Pilots, Motor Racing Timing, and Artillery Timing. The design requirements for these uses have a lot in common. The first is a really clear dial, including the function readout. So if a chronograph is to be useful, it needs to be easily read on the subdials, the second-hand needs to be clear etc. If it has a scale around the outside then this needs to be clearly marked, such as the Tachymeter on the bezel of the Omega Speedmaster or Rolex Daytona.
Dive watches in particular need to be useful underwater where the light is filtered. This leads to dark dials, bright indices or numbers and luminous material used liberally. They also often have Bezels around the dial which can be turned. These are used for dive timing and need to be very easy to read. Rather obviously, they need to be waterproof, and sturdy so they aren’t easily damaged. These features are found in other Tool Watches and are very helpful. People want watches that are waterproof and sturdy.
Omega Seamaster Timezone Date which has the timezones around the outside and the date on the inside of the dial
Longines Heritage Diver with an internal rotating bezel to allow for Dive timing
Tool Watches will remain very popular
There are so many options, designs, and functions to be found in the world of tool watches we encourage you to explore widely, embrace interesting options, and if you don’t know what a watch is trying to do, ask! There are many great Microbrands experimenting with Chronograph or Dive Watch design. The world of High Horology excels in finding complicated ways to add functions to watches, often putting many different ones in the same watch. We love finding both the new and exciting ways to represent something done widely and also the niche new technological marvels from the very cleverest watchmakers.
List of functions that would make a watch a Tool Watch
All Digital and Smart Watches are Tool Watches
Most digital watches come with a range of additional functions and are Tool Watches by default. This is because adding the functions adds no cost to a digital watch, just a decision on where to put the buttons in the design. Customers expect functions such as timers, stopwatches and alarms to come with a digital watch.
Smartwatches are all Tool Watches also. Smartwatches, including the Apple watch, are small computers to which software applications, or apps, are added. All of these Apps provide a function or a tool for their user.
Casio G-Shock Digital Watch. One of the most famous Tool Watch ranges
Casio G-Shock Moonwatch with digital timezone features
Explore with us at our Events
The Watch Collectors’ Club exists to help you learn, explore and share your passion for watches. This coming Monday, March 21st we are hosting a digital Meetup via Zoom, where we will talk about the watches we’ve seen at this weekend’s London Watch Show. If you’d like to join in please register here.
In April we are very excited to announce our first event with a Retail Partner, where you will be able to directly compare and contrast Tool Watches from two top Swiss brands. You’ll be able to directly see the features of Dive Watches and Pilots Watches especially. If you’ve never been to a watch boutique before, this is a great opportunity to join us for a friendly introduction to how they work. We’ll also be giving some informative talks to introduce the brands, what they stand for, and what to expect from their timepieces. It’s on April 12th in Central London, and you can find more details here.
Finally, if you liked this article and know someone else who might find it useful, please forward it to them, and let them know The Watch Collectors’ Club exists. We are on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and will be hosting at least one online and offline event every month. We hope you can join us!