So, my sweat eats through (so far) plastic, vinyl, leather, and chrome. As super powers go, it’s a pretty stupid one. Chrome did the best so far, lasting about a year until I wore through to the nickel underneath and broke out in a rash. All others have lasted 6 months or less.
I am allergic to nickel and all nickel alloys (incl white gold). I don’t like the look of yellow gold. What kind of watch should I buy, if I want to break from my tradition of buying $10 watches at Target twice a year and actually buy something halfway decent and dressy? Will Stainless Steel fare better than chromed nickel? Titanium?
Hm. I did mean this as a GQ - which available watchband is most acid-resistant? As opposed to a discussion of which watchbands are the most nifty-keen.
Here is an example of some nickel free, titanium watches for reasonable prices. Try searching “nickel free watches” When you’re ready there are also a lot of nickel free jewelry sites with wedding rings.
Not far off from what Quartz suggests, I use something similar to these caribiner watches . I don’t share your superpower but traditional wrist watches inhibit my ability to do my job comfortably and too often got scratched up in the the process.
I’d say one of the clip on watches or pocket watches would be the way to go. A clip on for physical work and pocket for a suit type job.
I went a couple decades where my sweat ate away all metal in contact with my skin in short time. My glasses fell apart in a year, the bridge eaten through, and the ear pieces were always replaced before then.
I share your superpower.
For the last 10 years I have been wearing a Navy Seals watch as my everyday watch. I have replaced the band once due to breakage, and the case back is now blank, but it works like a champ.
If you want a metal case watch, I have found that solid stainless, or titanium works great.
I have a Citizen watch that is solid titanium, and several SS watches that have lasted years.
Thanks for the tips. I’m glad to hear other acid sweating freaks are out there and have had success with both SS and titanium. The Navy SEAL watch is a shade, er, manly, for my purposes (it may not be obvious but I am female).
We are already planning titanium wedding bands as they are cheap and durable, like our love.
I got a St Moritz Pathfinder Titanium watch with a Kevlar band on eBay for around $125. Rubber is also available. Very cool watch, and your sweat will not eat through Kevlar or Titanium unless you’re the Alien.
Lightweight, the alarm is very handy, and the super-luminous dial is cool.
I, too, share your superpower and I do just fine with an all-stainless watch. Many watches have stainless backs but “base metal” cases, find one that’s all stainless.
About $75 or so for an all stainless one. I’ve had a Seiko (that I snapped the stem off of) and a Fossil that’s lasted for years but has started to lose time despite its new battery.
That tungsten one is very nice but waaaay out of my price range, too.
