9 of the best survival watches made to get through a sticky situation

Buffy Acacia

With the growing popularity of shows like Alone and an increasing desire to escape the normalities of life, the art of survival is more popular than ever. Whether you crave the personal challenge of subjecting yourself to nature’s toughest conditions, or you just want to live a more sustainable, closed-loop life, owning the right watch could be a significant tool. Let’s take a look at some of the best survival watches across the cost spectrum.

Casio G-Shock Rangeman

The Rangeman is part of G-Shock’s Master of G series that represents the pinnacle of hardiness. Not only could it survive pretty much any natural disaster other than perhaps a volcanic eruption, but it has sensors for measuring altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, and directions anywhere in the world. Even the cylindrical pushers are engineered to the nth degree for ultimate shock resistance and water resistance of at least 200 metres. Price: US$330

Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar

 

Including smartwatches in these kinds of lists can be controversial, but Garmin has an excellent reputation for outdoor technology, and the Instinct Crossover Solar does include an analogue display. There is a cheaper model without solar charging; however, replacing batteries or putting something on charge will never contribute to an immersive survival experience. The solar charging means you can just forget about power altogether, as long as you’re outdoors. A 70-day power reserve, GPS sensors, and a heart rate monitor are just a few of the dizzying number of features. If you’re prioritising survival over being an analogue purist, then this is probably your best option. Price: US$450

Luminox Bear Grylls Survival Rule of 3

Few names inspire adventure the same way Bear Grylls’ does, and the sheer amount of survival gear bearing his name is staggering. Luminox itself has at least 13 collaborations with him, but my personal favourite is the Limited Edition Rule of 3. Often quoted in many of his survival programmes, the Rule of 3 states that a human can live without air for three minutes, shelter for three hours, water for three days, and food for three weeks. This is printed on a patch towards the top of the rubber strap, reminding you to never give up whenever you check the time. Even though the watch doesn’t have any specific complications to help you improvise, adapt and overcome, the “Never Give Up” printed on the strap provides moral support that’s incredibly important. Price: US$545

Citizen Promaster Land JV1008-63E

With a 44mm steel case and a dial and bezel decked out in camouflage, this special edition celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Citizen Promaster range is tough as nails. The MIP display sets it apart from traditional LCD screens for the digital section, while the Eco-Drive light indicator gives you instant feedback for when it needs some exposure to charge. The internal compass bezel can be rotated via the crown at 8 o’clock for navigation, and the whole thing is 200m water-resistant to put up with anything you throw at it. Price: US$1,599

OX Oceanix FROG300

The inaugural release of American microbrand OX Oceanix, the FROG300 is an intriguing dive watch that is as novel as it is aesthetically distinctive. OX describe it as “the world’s first automatic tool-watch that utilizes an integrated emergency data system with NFC technology”, a proprietary system they call ID+SYS. Essentially, an NFC chip embedded in the FROG300’s caseback allows rescue teams to access your relevant health data (validated through facial recognition), with this system unable to be broken, run out of battery or require a passcode. Hopefully, you survive long enough for your rescuers to be able to use this info to save your life – thankfully, the FROG300 is particularly robust, with a grade 3i titanium case, a thick FKM rubber strap and Cerakote-treated inner links and crowns. Price: US$1,720

Victorinox I.N.O.X. Carbon

You’re likely aware of Swiss Army knives, but Victorianox can do so much more than sharpen steel and toothpicks. It’s one of the only brands to complete all of its durability testing in-house rather than outsourcing it to laboratories, and its deep ties with the actual Swiss Army give it insider knowledge on exactly how rugged something needs to be. The I.N.O.X. Carbon is a relatively simple watch with a quartz time-and-date movement, but the carbon fibre case almost looks hewn from stone and has excellent scratch resistance and lightness. Of course, the sage green printing is combined with Super-LumiNova for after-dark visibility, and the paracord strap with green flecks offers both comfort and resistance to wear. Price: US$1,895

Seiko GPS Astron SSJ013

At the end of the day, no mechanical watch is truly capable of keeping reliable time. If you’re in the wilderness and your movement starts losing several minutes per day, then you could accidentally find yourself wandering away from camp when the sun is just about to set. When the time is a survival factor, you need something that takes all questions of accuracy and reliability away. The Seiko GPS Astron isn’t just highly accurate, but it uses GPS signals to determine the correct time and date for your location without any adjustment needed ever. The solar-powered movement will maintain that accuracy in perpetuity as long as it’s not kept in the dark forever. You can even check whether or not the watch can get an accurate GPS signal via a pusher which moves the seconds hand to the ‘Y’ or the ’N’ on the chapter ring. Assuming you needed to, you could use this feature to find your way out of isolated areas. Price: US$2,200

Breitling Emergency

When discussing watches that could save your life, it’s rare that the watch actually plays an active role. The Breitling Emergency, however, can serve as a legitimate rescue tool should a disaster arise, sending out an analogue signal at 121.5MHz and a digital signal at 406MHz, replacing a personal locator beacon. Unfortunately, it’s also a watch which could land you in financial danger, because a false alarm will make you liable for the search and rescue costs as well as the reconditioning of the watch, which could be a huge bill. In its own right, the 51mm diameter and the DLC-coated titanium case makes for a rough-and-ready adventure watch that would more likely dent a tree than pick up scratches. Price: US$19,300

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Richard Mille RM25-01

Including a watch that surpasses a million dollars doesn’t exactly seem fair, but a conversation about survival watches wouldn’t be complete without the RM25-01. Inspired by Rambo and designed collaboratively with Sylvester Stallone, this watch is one of few that could actually save your life – if only for the inclusion of water purification tablets which only cost $10 a packet. It’s powered by a hand-wound tourbillon movement, but that doesn’t prevent the carbon and titanium case from taking a beating. Other accessories include a removable compass module, spirit level, and a chronograph. Only 20 pieces were made, but if you have the funds you may be able to track one down for your next hike. It cost nearly US$1 million on launch, and there seem to be examples available for US$1.2M at the time of writing. The real question is this: can you bank account survive purchasing one?