# Watch Buying Advice for Acid-Sweating Freak **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954 "2008-02-17T03:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/1 "2008-02-17T03:34:48Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/2 "2008-02-17T03:39:00Z")
Let’s see your sweat eat through [this](http://www.jomashop.com/movado-0605619.html). ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/3 "2008-02-17T03:58:47Z")
\ Watch this! GQ \> IMHO \ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/4 "2008-02-17T03:59:31Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Let’s see your sweat eat through [this](http://www.jomashop.com/movado-0605619.html). [/QUOTE] Good lord, that thing is sexy. (I just lost all my remaining anti-establishment neohippie cred, didn’t I?) ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/5 "2008-02-17T04:00:30Z")
Maybe a nylon NATO strap? (runs continuously behind the watch case) [http://www.chronoworld.com/new/instructions.php?refid=2](http://www.chronoworld.com/new/instructions.php?refid=2) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/6 "2008-02-17T04:05:33Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] \ Watch this! GQ \> IMHO \ [/QUOTE] 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. **QED** That Movado is a hair out of my pricepoint. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/7 "2008-02-17T04:08:33Z")
[QUOTE=Key Lime Guy] Maybe a nylon NATO strap? (runs continuously behind the watch case) [http://www.chronoworld.com/new/instructions.php?refid=2](http://www.chronoworld.com/new/instructions.php?refid=2) [/QUOTE] No love; it looks like its made of nylon. My sweat eats nylon watchbands for breakfast. I’m looking for something uniquely acid resistant. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/8 "2008-02-17T04:17:46Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Good lord, that thing is sexy. [/QUOTE] It is, innit? And it’s practically indestructable, which is to say I’m not likely to survive any event which destroys the watch. Hmmm. Yeah, I think I need a new timepiece. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/9 "2008-02-17T05:49:45Z")
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. [http://nonickel.com/products.asp?cat=9](http://nonickel.com/products.asp?cat=9) I notice they are all out of stock, OOPS, maybe another site would be a better choice but I love the Skagens. I think for under 200 you should try out a titanium or SS, solid anything would be better than plated for lasting longer. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/10 "2008-02-17T10:13:52Z")
How about going for a pocket watch instead? It’ll help with the lawyer look, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/11 "2008-02-17T13:19:13Z")
Not far off from what **Quartz** suggests, I use something similar to these [caribiner watches](http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2800&itemType=PRODUCT) . 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. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/12 "2008-02-17T13:52:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/13 "2008-02-17T14:39:36Z")
I share your superpower. For the last 10 years I have been wearing a [Navy Seals](http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/luminoxshop_1983_562205) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/14 "2008-02-17T16:10:48Z")
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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/15 "2008-02-17T21:35:48Z")
Something like this? [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IZ9F5S?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=yahoo-watches-20&linkCode=asn](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IZ9F5S?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=yahoo-watches-20&linkCode=asn) Yahoo shopping lets you filter by material and there are several stainless steel and titanium options. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/16 "2008-02-18T03:47:11Z")
Swatch has a few silicone watches that might possibly work. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/17 "2008-02-18T04:31:51Z")
[This](http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Eco-Drive-Professional-Diver-BN0016-04L/dp/B000ZPOWF4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=jewelry&qid=1203308730&sr=8-8) and[this](http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Titanium-Aqualand-Duplex-ProMaster/dp/B0009N0UDU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=jewelry&qid=1203308906&sr=8-5) will be impervious to your acid sweat. [This would also work.](http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-Black-Monster-Automatic-SKX779K3/dp/B0006IHHMU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=jewelry&qid=1203309005&sr=1-3) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/18 "2008-02-18T04:53:58Z")
Oh… you’re a lady… well… um…(I feel kind of like the Hogwarts Sorting Hat) [here](http://www.princetonwatches.com/shop/EW3050-52E.asp) and [here](http://cgi.ebay.com/Citizen-Eco-Drive-Titanium-Black-dial-ladies-watch_W0QQitemZ180215403068QQihZ008QQcategoryZ31387QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/19 "2008-02-18T06:10:25Z")
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. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954/20 "2008-02-18T17:15:05Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watch-buying-advice-for-acid-sweating-freak/437954.md?page=2)