Construction sites are pruned to potentially dangerous objects, temporary structures, heights, and the possibility of falling debris. To ensure their safety in construction sites, construction engineers wear hard hats and everything that goes with their profession.
So, what are the best durable watches for construction workers? An ideal watch must be made to stand up to the job environment just like any tool used on the job site.
In this post, we discuss tough watches for construction workers you can use today.
Buying Guide for Durable Watches for Construction Workers
The best watches for construction workers come with features to make life easier for those wearing them. What makes the best watch for construction workers? A watch that has the following features at its core:
Durability
We recommend a shock-resistant timepiece. This means your watch won’t break if dropped onto concrete floors or metal surfaces.
Given the nature of the working environment, a watch equipped with shock resistance can absorb all the day-to-day impact and still keep ticking.
Water Resistance
As a construction worker, it may require you to work in wet environments and at such moments wearing a water-resistant watch is a must.
Durable outdoor watches for construction workers must be at least water resistance for up to 100 meters. Water-resistance adds up to the durability and flexibility of a product’s function.
Legible Display
For construction workers, reading off the time and other uses of a watch should be easy to do. A good watch for construction engineers should have a simple design. This means legible hour marking in place to help read the time easily.
Also working in the dark demands that the timepiece should be equipped with luminescent hands and indications.
Affordability
Watches for construction workers have to be affordable enough to keep them from getting worried if it fails. For this reason, we have below a list of affordable and most durable watch brands for construction workers. Go for the best work watches that you can easily replace.
Tough
If your work involves heavy lifting, then you need a sturdy timepiece. You should go for a modern design made from durable materials. For this purpose, consider the Mudmaster G-Shock series. They are made to last.
Has some necessary features
A good smartwatch for construction workers is built around some necessary features. These include a barometer, compass, altimeter, weather trackers, GPS, etc.
All these features provide the end-user with the confidence to make good judgment calls without the threat of putting their life at risk.
With all the mentioned features above, finding the best smartwatch for construction workers shouldn’t be a difficult task for anyone.
Best Durable Analog Watches For Construction Workers
Timex Expedition Field Chronograph Watch
Things we like:
- Added Night-Time Indiglo function feature.
- Tough look with brown leather strap.
- The dial is nicely styled and illuminated.
Timex is known for manufacturing tough watches that come at affordable prices. This is a rugged outdoor construction watch.
The Expedition Field Chronograph watch is shock-resistant, meaning it takes its place among the best watches for construction workers.
The looks and feel of this watch are appealing. The case is made of stainless steel, the dial window has mineral crystal and the strap is leather. This is definitely one of the best watches for construction workers from Timex.
It comes with a date display and chronograph function. It’s water-resistant for up to 100 meters. With an Indiglo dial function, the watch gets illuminated with a push of a button.
G-Shock Men’s GG-1000-1A5CR
Things we like:
- Built like a tank and works really well.
- Built to keep the mud out.
With every construction work that comes with dirt and mud on an active site, a mud resistance watch is definitely something to consider when shopping for construction watches.
This Casio G-shock Mudmaster model is mud resistant, shock resistant, and 200-meter water resistant.
Additional features of this analog/digital watch are a super illuminator LED light, Neo-brite luminescent hands, a digital compass, a thermometer, world time, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, five daily alarms, an hourly time signal, a full auto-calendar, and 12/24-hour formats.
Citizen Men’s ‘Eco-Drive’
The Citizen Eco-Drive CA0649-14E comes built with plenty of advantages for construction workers. It is built with a stainless steel case, a mineral crystal dial window, and a leather strap. It is also water-resistant for up to 100 meters.
As part of the Eco-drive ecosystem, this tough solar watch is entirely powered by sunlight. No need to constantly worry about changing the batteries. With a Japanese quartz movement on the inside, you can rely on it for accurate timekeeping.
To help construction workers feel comfortable with this watch, it features luminescent hands (easy to read in the dark), a date display, a chronograph function, and a tachymeter bezel.
Casio Men’s G Shock Stainless Steel Watch (Model: GST-S110-1ACR)
Typical of a G-Shock series style watch, this Casio G Shock GST-S110-1ACR ships with a case diameter of 59.1 mm. This is one that is suitable for people with beefy wrists.
A combination of a stainless steel case and resin strap gives it its beauty. While this timepiece is powered by a quartz movement, it is entirely solar-powered. You need not worry about batteries.
One cool feature of this shock-resistant watch is the hand shift feature. With a press on a dedicated button, the watch hands are temporarily moved out of the way. This is useful if you want to read the digital display contents beneath the hands.
Other features of this solar-powered watch include a double led light, five daily alarms, 12/24-hour format, hourly time signal, a countdown timer to name a few. The watch has a 200-meter water resistance rating.
Seiko Men’s SSC081 Adventure-Solar Classic Watch
The Seiko SSC081 Adventure-Solar watch comes with a matte black dial that’s legible from every angle. Being a tough solar watch it’s efficiently powered by the sunlight.
Its energy-efficient Japanese quartz movement ensures the watch keeps ticking for longer periods on a single charge.
One thing you’d notice on this Seiko men’s watch is its dual crowns. The second crown on the top left of the watch is used to rotate the compass that is visible on the watch dial. So in order to use the compass on this watch, you need to know how to determine the true North using the sun.
The Arabic numerals on the analog display are legible and are fixed in the four cardinal directions. To keep the dial legible in the dark, Seiko uses its in-house LumiBrite paint on the dial and watch hands. Its luminous hands glow once light flashes on it.
The stainless steel bezel is well polished and it’s difficult to pick up scratches.
This timepiece is water-resistant up to 100 meters, has a stainless steel casing with a diameter of 42mm, and ships with a genuine leather band. The chronograph watch measures up to 1/5th second increments. You’d easily notice a date display at the three o’clock position.
Best Durable Digital Watches For Construction Workers
Casio Men’s G Shock Stainless Steel
Things we like:
- Great looking watch that represents the G-Shock bloodline in great standing.
- It has a large face, easy to read, especially in the dark.
- It is solar-powered, charges with natural and artificial light.
This Casio model expresses the hardness and beauty of metal in its design. If you are out looking for a rugged construction watch that blends with casual activities as well, then this timepiece fits it all.
This G Shock watch for construction features a high-quality, shock-resistant metallic body that provides protection and aesthetics at the same time.
Being shock-resistant, it can withstand different hits at construction sites. Its durability against shock and water makes it suitable for all kinds of construction work.
Timex Expedition
Things we like:
- Watch is robust, surviving lots of shakes.
- Nice looking timepiece.
This Timex men’s watch comes with lots of features for construction workers. It features a chronograph, Indiglo dial, a digital compass, and an occasion function. It’s shock-resistant and has a water resistance of 200 meters.
The cons though are this watch comes with a band that doesn’t last long. It undergoes fatigue and breaks over time.
Casio G-Shock Rangeman
Things we like:
- Solar-powered watch.
- The triple sensor ABC functions.
This rugged digital watch is designed to withstand the most grueling conditions imaginable. Rangeman employs a Shock Resistant Triple Sensor, which makes it capable of keeping altitude, barometric pressure, temperature and direction readings at your fingertips.
This solar-powered watch comes with a stainless steel case, a resin band, a mineral crystal, and a swiss quartz movement. It has multiple displays and features a compass, a barometer, an altimeter, a thermometer, a sunrise/sunset function, a stopwatch, an alarm, and a calendar function.
Best Durable Smartwatch for Construction workers
SUUNTO Ambit3 Peak
Things we like
- A fantastic GPS watch, useful for trail running and training.
- Easy to read in the dark.
- The heart rate monitor is perfect and very comfortable.
The Suunto Ambit 3 Peak watch comes with a stylish design for outdoor activity. This timepiece is very reliable for construction workers and it’s built to last.
The watch features a GPS with advanced tracking and training features. This useful feature makes it easier for outdoor users to find and trace their paths.
What makes this timepiece stand out is its barometer, altimeter, digital compass features, and the fact that its water resistance for up to 100 meters. Some models also feature a heart rate monitor that works perfectly out of the box.
The Ambit3 Peak has a 128 x 128 monochrome display with a battery life of up to 30 days in time mode. It is heavier (89g) and bulkier than other models like the Ambit 3 Vertical.
This watch for construction workers syncs wirelessly with a smartphone and using the free Suunto Movescount App you can turn your smartphone to a second watch display.
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Series
Things we like:
- The battery life is amazing.
- More detailed data on the sleep cycle.
- A rugged design fit for outdoor activities.
The Garmin Fenix 5 series is recommended for serious outdoor adventures and is also suitable for construction workers.
Though on the pricey side, this model has all the GPS and fitness features expected from a rugged smartwatch. It features a superior battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode which is ideal for off-grid working days.
This recommended watch for construction workers has a stainless steel or diamond-like carbon titanium bezels. They have built-in navigation sensors include 3 axis compass, a gyroscope, a barometric altimeter, and multiple satellite systems. It also comes with an activity tracking feature.
Also, the shock resistance on this timepiece is impressive. This feature is ideal in construction environments.
Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F30
If you are more inclined to Wear OS smartwatch for outdoor activities like construction, this Casio Protek is a smart pick.
It is water-resistant for up to 50 meters and has a rather large case diameter measuring 60 mm. The case material is made from resin, ideal for most outdoor activities.
This rugged smartwatch comes with a dual-layer color (OLED 390×390) and a monochrome (time mode) touchscreen digital display.
It features a smartphone link, GPS, altimeter, barometer, compass, sunrise and sunset indicator, moon phase indicator, and tide indicator.
Best Durable Watch Brands For Construction Workers
You invest a considerable amount in getting your timepiece. Therefore, it is important to consider the durability factor when making your purchase of the best work watches for builders. Some particular watch types last longer than others.
With construction work, you need a watch that lasts longer on your wrist and can take the outdoor beatings. There are watch brands that are outstanding in building durable watches for construction workers.
Citizen
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Citizen builds Eco-Drive watches powered primarily by light. The Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Chronograph is an example of a watch design for construction workers. Also known for producing calculators and small electronic organizers, Citizen watches offer more beautiful designs.
Casio
Tasked to produce an ultimate, tough and unbreakable watch, Casio launched its G-Shock model which is extremely durable.
The G-Shock models can withstand a 10-meter free-fall and also has a 10 bar water resistance and above. They are built to last longer. Besides the G-Shock,
Casio produces other smaller electronics like digital cameras. If you are in the market for rugged work watches for builders, consider the Casio G-Shock models.
Timex
The Timex group makes affordable watches with a very simplistic design. Their watches are however very durable.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, this company has successfully risen over the years in the durable watch category. The Timex group builds the Expedition Model that lasts and comes with shock features.
For those who are not watch collectors but need accuracy, reliability, and low priced timepiece, you can’t go wrong with a Timex masterpiece.
FAQs
Which is the most durable watch in the world?
Durable watches for construction should have proof of real-world use, longevity, and durability therein. The most durable watch in the world could be an open debate as this question is subjective.
However, the Casio G shock DW5600E-1 model earned the 2017 Guinness World Records title for the most durable watch on the planet. After withstanding a weight of a 24.97-ton truck, this G Shock is currently among the toughest watches in the world.
Are Casio G Shock watches durable?
While they are watch models that can last you a few years, the Casio G Shock was designed to be the most durable watch model in the world. G Shock watches are shock-resistant, water-resistant, and have a design structure that enforces the watch’s ruggedness.
They can survive accidental drops, wet environments, and high pressures. The video below shows some G Shock watches under rigorous tests.
Is Apple watch good for construction?
Apple watches are among the best smartwatches in the world, no questions asked. However, what about construction? Are these watches among the most durable watches for construction?
According to most construction workers, these watches can withstand the construction environment. It keeps your phone synced all the time and it’s dustproof. With lots of Apple watch cases to choose from, I recommend you always use one on the construction site. Also, getting a stainless steel Apple bracelet is a logical choice so you can buff off any scratches it picks up easily.
Wrapping Up
When picking a construction watch, consider the factors we’ve listed above. Use it as a guide to narrow down your pick and choose the best watches for construction workers. Depending on taste and purpose, all the above work watches for builders are great picks for construction watches.
Whatever watch you pick as long as the watch is able to withstand whatever comes in its way during construction work, I think you got the right watch.
If you still haven’t found your watch above, we recommend you check out this discussion forum to discover the right construction watch for you.