I am looking for a simple watch with a countdown timer. I bought a Casio that has a 10 year battery two years ago but the resin band broke in two places.
So have the band replaced. I have a $15 Casio that’s nearing a quarter-century of service. I have gone through several batteries and a few watchbands.
Casio watches seem to last forever. A ten year battery is nice, but I got a solar powered one that doesn’t need battery replacements at all. As for the band, the first thing I do when I get it out of the package is throw away the band and attach my decades-old Speidel Twist-O-Flex band.
I’ll also throw a nod in for Timex Expeditions. I have the model linked below although I paid maybe 45 for it, not 60 like it’s listed. It’s lasted for quite a while. Certainly years I might be up to a decade. The band is fine as well, although I’ve found with all Timex’s and I would assume Casio’s as well, that the band and the watch face will always fail first. They’re cheap to replace though.
Cassio G-Shock
From $99 to $3,000 - all built like a tank
Timex. I’ve had the same basic Timex watch and band for over 30 years and while its been a secondary watch for 15 of those years (one I wear when I expect damage is possible) and its needed a new battery about every 2-3 years I am more than pleased with the maybe 10 bucks I spent back then.
The problem is it’s gotten to where watch bands can easily cost around $20 and even watch batteries have gotten more expensive. It’s frequently cheaper to replace the whole watch than just the band.
Replacing the band for my watch would cost as much as the watch and I don’t even have the tools to do it.
I am willing to buy a separate band for the watch if it is easy to install.
I used to have a G-Shock but it doesn’t run forever and battery costs a fortune to replace and waterproof. I used to also have a solar Casio which broke, just two years ago.
My G-Shock uses a lithium battery that lasts around 5 years and costs under 5 bucks. I find it hard to believe other G-Shocks being different.
Many stores that sell watches will install the new watchband for you. I have never been charged for this. One of the many reasons I try to support locally owned brick and mortar.
A G Shock on a nato or Zulu strap sounds like what you are looking for.
My G-Shock has a solar cell for charging. I’ve had it at least 15 years, never a problem. I did have to get a new band last year - fairly cheap to do.
It also allows you to set alternate timezones without changing your home time, and resets its time every morning about 4 am. Which was great except when I was in Finland where that was the middle of the afternoon.
Awesome watch. Best I’ve ever had.
The Casio F-91W. Endorsed for it’s durability by all good terrorists.
It’s also not really difficult to install a new watchband yourself, if it’s got those ordinary spring bar pins that stick into little holes in the lugs of the watch case. You just use a straight sewing pin or paper clip or what have you to retract the end of the spring bar pin enough to ease it into or out of the hole.