Why the perfect 2 watches are...
One watch pouch to rule them all! (Part 3)
In the final installment of:
“What is the perfect collection size for a non-watch person?”
In previous posts, we first laid out a very complete four-watch collection, then we downsized to three, and now, you may ask yourself “maybe three watches are too much”, thus we ought to explore one of the two expressions of watch minimalism, the two-watch collection, the beater watch and a watch that can Go Anywhere (and) Do Anything, the GADA watch.
Why downsize to two? 9/10 times is because you just want two watches that will cover you in any situation and that’s it, your lifestyle simply adjusts to it, making the justification of buying a third piece quite hard.
If the three-watch collection was an in-tune Le Mans racing team, the two-watch collection is an F1 team.
Two drivers a main one, the GADA, and the support one, the beater, one will usually take the podium, push the car to its limits, and look good while doing it; the other will test the waters in terms of mechanics, making life hell for anyone trying to steal the place of the main driver, while also winning some podiums himself, one simply cannot exist without the other, or the team crumbles.
Or if you’re not an F1 or car fan, the two-watch collection is a bicycle, yes, a tricycle is more stable, but less flexible, while the two-watch one is oddly flexible, but requires balance.
Finding the right balance here is a tough task, as one watch can opaque the other, preventing it from achieving its full use, but when the watches click, you might even question yourself if you’ll ever need another watch in your life.
As a final justification for the two-watch collection, simply think of the rule of two:
One is none, two is one
A single watch that can do it all is a feasible, but fragile concept, because that watch might not take on certain challenges well, add to this the simple fact that it can also break due to excess of use, and the justification for a second piece comes as fast as F1 car.
That being said and for one last time in this series.
Let’s begin!
Disclaimer 1: All prices discussed here are as of the time of writing and publication.
Disclaimer 2: Uncredited images were taken by me.
The Beater Watch
Casio AE-1200 “The Casio Royale”
I won’t stop and explain the whole ethos of the beater, as it has been covered previously, as you’ve read on previous posts in the series, the beater simply needs to be a rugged watch, that can withstand punishment, have a fair number of complications, be affordable, and be there when you need it.
Enter the champion of beaters watches, the kaiju that is Casio.
And, the Casio AE-1200, also known in the community as the Casio Royale, is the appropriate watch to accomplish the role of the beater in this specific collection.
I’ve been listing it as an honorable mention in previous posts of the series, while also showing it on my first post on the page as a stock image, and part of my current collection, but this post is its time in the spotlight.
But why is it that I’ve mentioned it continuously, yet not covered it until now?
Simple, if chosen correctly this is the perfect leg to accompany the GADA watch, while being a perfect beater alternative all of its own when put into bigger collections.
This watch is 45 mm in “diameter” (square case), 42.1 mm lug to lug, 12.5 mm thick, although it feels thinner, and 18 mm between the lugs, these dimensions prove to be quite versatile, as it is big enough to be legible, while at the appropriate size to pass unnoticed on your wrist.
That previous statement is also helped by its meek 39 grams in weight, simply a light watch, even on its “steel” (metallic coloured resin) variant, so don’t let appearances fool you.
Mind you don’t let these dimensions and its hesalite crystal fool you, this baby can withstand 100m of water resistance, and a fair amount of shock, not G-Shock levels, but it can take its fair share of punishment.
It can handle the gym, the café, gardening, the beach, cooking, running, the swimming pool, the airport, the trail, and if you choose the right reference and the right strap, it can pull its weight as a GADA in a pinch, as many of the photos can attest to.
The previous paragraph is mainly due to its classic Casio complications of 5 alarms, a timer, a chronograph and a backlight, but add to these a world time complication with more than 20 cities, and the ability to easily set and see your home time thanks to a digital analog watch on upper left hand corner, which if done correctly and with a sharp eye, can work as a compass.
Now in terms of looks this watch reminds me of a baby between a Cartier Santos and a classic Casio F91W, especially in the silver version, lending it the versatility to be useful beyond the rougher situations, but if you want something more classic Casio, you can go for the black resin version, or something more akin to a tactical one, you can go for the golden bezel version on a fabric strap.
My only two gripes with this watch is the weird way the 18mm lug width make some straps look, and the hesalite crystal, but this is just splitting hairs.
The lug width can be solved if you buy some stock Casio or specialized seller ones, and Vario makes some interesting leather options, while the hesalite crystal is solved with Polywatch (5 USD) and elbow grease.
Lastly, I’ll recommend you purchase the silver variant on a bracelet, because it becomes immensely versatile, especially if you go for a leather strap.
In terms of price the silver version can be found for under 50 USD on Amazon, and some references can be found even cheaper in other sites.
Honourable Mention: Casio G-Shock GD-350, under 100 USD, rugged, good dimensions, an abundance of complications, and some extra features you usually don’t find in G-Shocks at this price range.
The GADA Watch
Tudor 1926
As with the evreyday watch in previous posts, given that this will be your main watch in, essentially, every situation an extra amount of money here is justified. Plus, this will accompany you to weddings, cookouts, date nights, beach-going escapades, meeting room, among other events for which the beater will be out of its depth.
Here the silent witness argument is even more palpable and real, as the GADA will most likely accompany you in your best and worst moments, thus something dapper yet tough need to fill this niche.
Enter the Tudor 1926.
The sister brand of Rolex or as some watch enthusiasts call it, the Shield that protects the Crown, is prime material for the GADA, as it has an enormous amount of history, being part of expeditions, requested by militaries, and raced around tons of circuits, it pretty much has gone everywhere and done everything.
And there is no better representative for the brand and the GADA philosophy than the 1926.
I’ll be mainly speaking for the 36mm version of the Tudor 1926, as it is the one that would fit most wrists and situations the best, but the diameter of other versions will be mentioned later.
The dimensions are as follows 36mm, 48mm lug to lug, 19mm between the lugs, all encased between a measly 9.8 mm! Additionally, this watch has a screw-down crown oyster case that gives the watch 100m of water resistance and is topped with a sapphire crystal.
Essentially, you have dress watch proportions with everyday watch characteristics, a watch that can go anywhere due to its looks and do anything due to its capabilities.
The Tudor is not lacking in the details the blued hands and numerals in the white and opaline references give a stark contrast, aiding its legibility similar to older references the 1926 alludes to.
Continuing with this theme of referencing older models the even numeral markers, dagger-like indices and a crisp honeycomb dial, all taken from previous Tudor Oyster references, enhances the pseudo vintage charm and lend, oxymoronically, timelessness, as this watch can be easily worn in 1926, 1956, 1986, 2016 or 2024, its proportions being the only giveaway.
The last point is not in vain, as there’s quite the variety in sizes and references for the 1926, a 28mm black dial with diamond indices for her, a 41mm blue dial for the big wristed, a 39mm black dial for him, or a 36 mm silver dial for both, all of them with an easy to maintain automatic movement and date, just pick your poison and rock it on your wrist.
My only real gripe or critique with this watch is the lack of lume, which will make it less versatile in “rougher” situations, but that is where the beater should step in.
Apart from this you cannot go wrong and due to a very recent, yet limited experience I’ve had with the watch, in the sense of being able to handle it and try it on, I can recommend the watch with my eyes closed.
Lastly, I’d go for the reference M91450-0005 as it makes the most of the 1926s versatile looks, has blued hands and comes with the factory bracelet.
The price of the Tudor 1926 is 2220 USD on the bracelet, my advice is to go for this one, as finding a good aftermarket 19mm metal bracelet is very laborious, while on the leather strap is 2080 USD.
Honourable Mention: Lorier Astra, 500 USD, 36 mm, UG Polerouter looks, lumed hands, affordable, versatile with a hesalite crystal, form one of the best microbrands around.
As we’ve seen along the post, the two-watch collection is an exercise in restraint, balance minimalism, and versatility; one cannot work without the other, in certain areas it will be easy, the number and the types, in others it will be grueling, due to the sheer number of watches and internal variables, which GADA, which beater, budget constraints, specifications, availability, among other, hence while building this specific collection you need to exercise all four principles to end up with two watches, and when chosen correctly you will feel that all the work bore its sweet fruit.
One last message I want to leave you with before we wrap up this series is just buy what you love and makes you happy, because this is for yourself, not to impress others. Please always bear this in mind, no matter if you are either a seasoned watch collector, a beginner or just want two watches and be done with it.
Thank you for being part of this series, and if by chance you found this guide helpful please let me know in the comments.