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Smartwatches for the Space Age

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Breitling Watches – A History 

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Breitling

Breitling is a brand synonymous with history. Perhaps more than any other.

There’s been a lot of argument and claim in the watchmaking industry over which brand made which kind of watch first. It’s hard to know who’s right. 

When man first landed on the moon, he had a wristwatch with him. The first-ever powered flight had a chronograph in the cockpit. The military has always had wristwatches in the trenches.

1884 – The beginning 

Breitling has dominated the worlds of land, air and sea. Founder Léon Breitling started the company in 1882. The world was transitioning, thanks to the industrial revolution. Becoming more modern. Science, industry and sport were evolving. Breitling was paying close attention.

He knew these endeavours of progression were in need of the most accurate timekeeping possible. 

The craftsman had a desire for incredible feats of timekeeping innovation. He wanted to make something with superior accuracy. Breitling chased patents for everything he could from sports watches to chronographs.

1915 – The sky’s the limit

Breitling’s primary obsession was with aviation. Pilots were flying bigger and better machines. What they needed was a user-friendly timekeeper that gave them the freedom to go hands-free.

Pocket watches were the fashion of the time but having something on a chain was simply too cumbersome and challenging.

Breitling offered a solution. He claims to have made the premiere wrist-worn chronograph which had a separate button to the crown. This was extremely easy in comparison to the pocket watch. It wasn’t just easy to use in the air, those on land saw the benefit.

1935

As planes got more complex, Breitling was there. Whether the evolution of the wristwatch for pilots or navigation tools for timekeeping, Breitling made cockpits more efficient.

Recognition for the brand began to flourish and they gained accolades for their aeronautical time instruments. The RAF contracted Breitling to make chronographs. These devices became known for timing dogfights during WWII. 

Defiance in the 1940s

Willy Breitling took over the company his grandfather had forged. Nazis were in Switzerland at this time and blocking product exports. Especially anything that might aid war efforts and that included timepieces.

Willy had his grandfather’s defiance. He was an innovator too. He and a group of friends developed a makeshift aircraft that was used to fly the banned cargo; under the nose of the Nazis.

Willy Breitling needed an alibi during these midnight runs and so he went home via his local bar and had a drink or two. People became used to this and assumed he’d been there a lot longer than he had. He ended up a little tipsy from time to time, but largely he succeeded in getting the watches onto the wrists of the allies.

1949 – Peace at last?

Most people assumed that since peace was achieved then the need for chronographs would fall because the need for the air force was no more. Breitling, the innovator, adapted. He moved the brand with the times and met the new demand on the market – for elegant watches. 

People now wanted slimmer and more formal watches that would be worn with elegant evening wear.

Breitling began to focus on women’s watches. At the time, there wasn’t much investment in this area as the view was that wristwatches on women weren’t classy. Imagine! Breitling laughed because he saw the opportunity.

The Breitling Chronomat

Breitling didn’t abandon his roots. By the 1940s the brand was a Swiss giant. They continued to make their famous chronographs. This became the most popular model they would ever produce.

The Navitimer era — 1952

The Navitimer is the single most recognisable pilot’s watch. It has a knurled bezel and slide rule which is used to measure various in-flight timings. It’s an iconic land and key timepiece.

It slipped onto civilian wrists in the early 1950s. The design is so distinctive that it hasn’t been amended a lot over the years. A true icon doesn’t need to change.

The Navitimer was so successful and the engineering so reliable that Breitling instruments found their way into the most intricate of jet aircraft of the time.

The Navitimer Cosmonaute – 1962

At this point in the article, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that we mentioned Breitling conquered land, air and sea. Breitling even went to space. In 1962 Lieutenant Carpenter orbited our earth three times in his bespoke Breitling timepiece from the Navitimer collection. 

Not forgetting the sea part, only a few years prior to this, Breitling mastered the waters with the Superocean.

This watch was built for both recreational and professional divers. This design has lasted for years, even against the pressure of innovation and change.

2020 and onward

The current CEO is a chap called George Kern. Breitling is forging another new path in the luxury watch market. Kern is taking on new challenges and pushing innovation like those before him. 

He heard the desire for more lightweight, slim and refined watches. Just like the post-WWII era. Kerns has responded and slimmed down the collection. He’s introduced a beautiful simplification to the designs whilst staying true to the traditional design features. No mean feat. 

This can be seen in the Premier line which is a nod to the past with a contemporary twist. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see it’s actually a homage to the history of the brand where, in 1943, Europe was heavily influenced by the jazz era and everything was sleek and sophisticated.

If you’re looking for a luxury traditional watch with a rich history and impeccable engineering, a Breitling will be a truly worthwhile investment.

If you’d like to continue learning about the luxury market, you’ll love this article about Rolex watches.

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Breitling Exospace B55 Connected Review

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Background 

There’s no doubt that smartwatches are more popular than ever. Apple is dominating this segment of the tech market and its offering keeps getting better and better. Some argue this has destroyed the mechanical watch segment of the market, which, to be honest, has been in strain since the 70s at the peak of the quartz crisis.

Luxury Swiss brands, back then, denied that emerging technology would last. It was viewed as a fad. They were so stubborn about this that some refused to move with the times and eventually their manufacturing plants were boarded up and closed for business. Not all of them fell, though. Some engaged with the new world of better materials and electronics, even if they did so begrudgingly.

Skip to today and we see that some of the luxury mechanical watch brands should indeed have done more to adapt and adopt the technology. Those that did are coming out with smartwatches that rival the tech giants Apple, Samsung and Huawei. The thing that’s remained steadfast the whole time is the concept of luxury.

One of the brands who’ve successfully survived is Breitling and we’ll be looking at their Exospace B55 Connected.

Breitling Exospace B55 Connected

The Breitling brand has been somewhat chaotic over the last 30 years or so, but on the whole, they’ve always pushed forward. CVC Capital Partners, Europe’s biggest private investment firm came along and acquired Breitling 3 years ago. This injection of funds was very welcome and with the appointment of new a new CEO in the form of Georges Kern, their entire manufacturing process was reformed.

Kern had a penchant for a classic aesthetic but equally pushed the brand into a position of pioneering wearable technology. The B55 prototype was unveiled at Baselword in 2015 and later that same year the production model was released. The timepiece was the idea of Jean-Paul Girardin, Breitling’s VP.

Girardin is also a keen pilot and so the brand is closely associated with aviation. The B55, therefore, is specifically designed to belong to their Professional collection which are serious pieces of equipment for the elite at what they do.

Design and features

As it sits on the wrist you’ll notice it’s not a dress watch. It’s quite a beast, but, it’s comfortable. It has short lugs that curve and a 46mm titanium case, meaning it’s lighter than it looks. It has a unidirectional bezel and the branded Breitling rider tabs make it move with ease. There’s hard knurling on the crown and this means you can easily turn it, even in gloves.

It’s uber-stylish and masculine. The B55’s list of features suggests it’s been made for military aviation experts rather than commercial pilots or simply those who like an aviation-style. 

The dial reflects the style of the 2014 Cockpit B50 ($7,799) but with better readability with the use of a blue contrasting handset with digital numerals.

It has a bright LCD backlight that can be used by pressing the crown, or, even cooler, iPhone users can activate it via their build-in inclinometer by tilting the watch 35 degrees, ie, a normal wrist movement to see the time. It turns itself off to reduce distractions.

The digital display is compatible with night vision and this reduces reliance on illumination in the dark, which would affect a pilot’s eyesight if wearing NVGs. 

The timer on the watch is so advanced that it will track takeoff, flying and landing times as well as block time for helicopter pilots. This refers to the time the rotors begin moving to when they stop. This is used to monitor the wear of the helicopter. Little fact for you.

It’ll give you two timezones. One is delivered digitally and the other via the hands. You can switch them with the push of just one button. It has timers for counting down and up, a perpetual calendar, up to seven alarms and a chronograph. There’s an electrical tachymeter, too. 

Connectivity

Breitling doesn’t like to use the label ‘smartwatch’ for the B55. They prefer to say it’s ‘connected’. Smartwatch implies the watch should be a device used in addition to your smartphone. Connected implies the reverse; in that, you need an app on your phone to act as an extension of your watch. You can get the B55 app on either iOS or Android.

Synching happens via Bluetooth and when your phone and watch are connected you get the benefit of accurate timekeeping through satellite-controlled atomic time signals.

Being connected means you’ll get notifications, too. The B55 has a twin digital readout. A quirky feature means you can ‘park’ the hands in position to allow readability of your notification and then double-tapping the crown puts them back to the correct time.

All made in-house

Breitling is passionate about being self-sufficient. The B55 is an example of this. Both the watch and movement are built in-house. Even the app has been custom developed just for them.

The movement is part of Breitling’s SuperQuartz line. Supposedly ten times more accurate than a normal quartz calibre.

Most impressive is the battery life. It has a unique lithium-ion cell battery which is recharged via a magnetic connector attached to the left of the case. This powers the watch for 2 months at a time. 

Summary

Typically, the B55 floats around the $7,000 – $8,000 level. Of course, closer to the higher end if you’re looking at titanium versions. 

There are plenty of models to pick from. The blue rubber strap, linked in this article, is the most popular.

There’s a B55 Exospace Yachting version ($5,100) that has a regatta timer. It boasts bold colours and the dial is carbon fibre. It stands out from the blackness of the rest of the range. 

Breitling’s dabbling into the ‘connected’ market is certainly a successful one. If you want a developmental achievement on your wrist, you won’t go wrong here.

To learn more about aviation watches that won’t hurt your pocket, check out our review of Citizen Watches, here.

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The Omega Watch Range

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atomic watches

Background

What is an Omega Watch? It was the first watch to be on the moon. It’s one of James Bond’s favourite brands, as well as President JFK. Even Elvis had one.

Omega has been producing sensational mechanical movements that have changed watchmaking in our time. Omega is the only real brand to go head-to-head with Rolex. This Swiss brand is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games and is accredited as one of the most accurate brands in the world.

Founded in 1848, we still see classic designs in today’s Omega timepieces. It has developed incrementally and so we get a vintage feel with modern developments.

This article is a whistlestop tour of the Omega range to get you going if you’re thinking of investing.

Speedmasters

Considered to be the Porche of watches. This is the type of watch that made it to the moon on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin. 

In 2020 you can expect many different style of Speedmaster, including designs in real gold as decorated with diamonds. 

Moonwatch Chronograph ($5,349.00)

This model has a hand-wound in-house calibre. It’s a 42mm polished stainless steel case with a matching bracelet. You have the option to swap this for leather, NATO, or if you’re inclined to, velcro.

It’s 50m water-resistant. It has a fixed bezel, black dial and luminous hands and hour markings.

Co-Axial Chronograph, aka, “Dark Side of the Moon” ($8,900.00)

This a really modern look with a carbon case and co-axis movement offering exceptional performance. It’s just shy of 45mm in black ceramic with a nylon fabric strap. You can see some versions reach $12,000.

Skywalker X-33 ($5,799.99)

Released in 1998, this Speedmaster was made for astronauts. It has a quartz movement with dual display. It will give you multiple time zones, up to three alarms, a chronograph capability and countdown timer.

The case is 45mm of titanium with a matching bracelet.

Omega Speedmaster
Omega Speedmaster

Seamasters

These are the most robust dive watches packed with tech. 

Ceramic Diver 300M Co-Axial ($4,325.00)

Here’s one found on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond.

The 300m hasn’t lost its looks over the years. It has a helium escape valve located at the 10 position that completes a look of asymmetry. 

Although the look is consistent, there are a lot of variants. You can also get a chronograph version and, budget-dependent, ones decorated with precious metals.

The case is 42mm of stainless steel and the bracelet comes in any material you could want.

Planet Ocean 600M ($5,054.50)

This Seamaster is larger than the previous and has twice the level of water-resistance. You have a lot of choice here between GMT movements (and if you’re wondering what that is, we wrote an article on that here), carbon cases, chronograph functions and other features.

The 43.5mm case comes in stainless steel with a NATO strap.

Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial ($6,899.00)

The Aqua Terra has a dual personality in that it is both a sport and dress watch. It’s both rugged and elegant. You can dive in it or wear it for a formal occasion.

It comes in either 38mm or 41.5mm stainless steel cases with matching bracelet.

The Aqua Terra also offers a 24 hour format and GMT hand. This is handy for setting the local time as well as knowing what time it is in your hometown, if you’re travelling. 

You can also get hold of a chronograph version, and this is $5,250.00.

Constellation

Here is where we find the most formal dress watches that Omega produce. There is a huge nod to the styles of the 40s and 50s. There’s a distinctive dial edge with a ruffle that’s common on the Constellation case. Women can find a diamond decorated timepiece here.

Globemaster Co-Axial ($9,140.29)

This design leans toward a classic 1950s vibe. This is a modern day dress watch rather than a sports watch. It’s a bread-and-butter dress watch that was made to complement your Italian leather tan brogues. 

You can get stainless steel, solid gold or a two-tone if you like a bit of both.

The case is 39mm and the bracelet comes in a supple leather.

Devilles

The Devilles range has the same dial as a lot of the older Omega watches. It has a decidedly vintage feel ranging from the 1950s and 60s. Largely due to the fact that, at this time, Americans were the core market for Omega. 

The Devilles you see today are the most elegant as well as the most complicated of all Omega timepieces. 

These watches are so fancy they extend from dress watches into haute horlogerie (high quality watchmaking).

If you like retro class and have the big dollars to spend, the Devilles collection will be bang on.

Co-Axial Chronograph ($4,944.50)

This is instantly recognisable as a classic, however, it’s also packed with tech. This offers a co-axial movement and this meets the Master Chronometer specification required for the utmost accuracy in mechanical timekeeping.

This offers a 42mm case and comes in various materials such as stainless steel, gold, leather, etc.

Hour Vision Co-Axial

This timepiece offers a sapphire case for the purpose of allowing a lateral view into the famous co-axial movement. Omega developed this window in the early stages purely for this function. It remains a unique characteristic of the Deville range. This, and they offer a calendar that will keep rotating all year thanks to the co-axial movement behind it.

The case is 44mm and comes in stainless steel with a leather strap. You’ll find it around $7,500.

Tresor Co-Axial 

A Tresor is part of a sub-line offering a sleek case and is made of precious metals and diamonds. They’re usually something you reserve for occasions where you’re wearing a tuxedo. 

If you wash caviar down with Dom Perignon, this will be something to your taste. 

It’s a 40mm case of yellow gold with a leather strap. It has a hand-wound movement on the inside, which is of course,  co-axial.

You can find a Tresor for around $18,000.

If you’ve enjoyed reading about the Omega collections, you should read our Swiss Watches for Men Guide. Thanks!

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Fitbit Flex Review

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The Fitbit Flex ($107.81) is not so easy to get your hands on these days as it’s been superseded by the Fitbit Flex 2. If you’re interested in dipping your toe into the Fitbit water with the first version of the Flex, you’ll find it comfortable, minimalist looking and water-resistant.

Background

The Flex dates back to 2013 and fits in with the rest of its step and calorie counting siblings, offering the features we’ve come to love from Fitbit trackers.

The biggest change in the design offers the wearer some advantages. The sensor located on the back is secure and the position it naturally sits on the wrist has been reported as nothing less than perfection, offering zero irritation, even in sweatier times.

There’s another benefit for those interested in tracking their sleep. Where the Fitbit One offered the chance to monitor sleep with the use of an additional velcro armband at night, the Flex stays on your wrist all the time and you don’t need to do anything different to get the benefits of sleep tracking; it’ll do it without you even knowing (so long as you don’t remove it). Before a firmware update in 2015, one would have to put the watch in sleep tracking mode, but these days it’s automatic.

Advantages
  • Sits perfectly on the wrist 
  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
  • Automatically tracks sleep and activities
Disadvantages
  • The display information is limited thanks to the screen size
  • The wristband could be visually better
  • Only select Android devices work with this version

Design

The band is simple with a basic join mechanism. Unlike alternatives like the Jawbone Up ($99.99), this model has two separate components which are simply the strap and the sensor. The sensor is smaller than before (for example, on the One). This is thanks to a lack of LED display.

There are 5 LED lights which display the number of steps taken each day. You activate these by tapping the screen twice.

Closing the mechanism on the band takes some getting used to because it’s not intuitive. Here’s where it’s not quite as comfortable as the Jawbone Up, but it’s no less functional.

You can have your pick of many colours of wristband for the Flex. It’s easily customised. You can even get a gold bracelet if you like as Fitbit have welcomed third party designers.

The wristbands can be quite costly but you get what you pay for. You also don’t have to swap them if you don’t want to.

Power

If we look at the flex versus the Jawbone UP, the most obvious and immediate benefit is the wireless Bluetooth synchronization capability. Rather than taking the device off and plugging it in, the Flex doesn’t need this.

There is a limited number of devices available for this synchronization, though. Fitbit continues to improve its connectivity, though, and the later versions of most Fibit trackers have excellent performance with both Android, iPhone and even Windows phones.

The Flex comes with a USB dongle that you can use on either a PC or Mac. It works adequately, but mobile synching is far superior as you don’t need the cables.

The battery life is pretty good on the Flex, which is due to the minimal display drain on power. It will easily give you between 5 – 8 days between charges. 

The Jawbone Up does have stamina for 9 days (this depends on how much activity you do). Getting one less day is an acceptable price to pay for the wireless synching function and better display options.

Accuracy

You can wear your Fitbit on either your dominant or weaker wrist; you just need to tell it which your preference is within your app. 

Sleep tracking on the Flex needed some work. You might physically get up and out of bed multiple times in the night, say for kids, and the Fitbit will simply tell you that you were unsettled in the night. 

Steps are quite generous so take them with a pinch of salt. Perhaps the sensors are sensitive, but the Flex has a tendency to record most movements as a step.

Compared to the Up in a comparison of 100 steps, the Flex comes out close to the mark.

App

The Fitbit app is user-friendly and intuitive. It drills down in your data and displays it in a digestible way.

If you’re tracking your food, you might want to connect a MyFitnessPal account rather than use the native food tracking, but this mostly boils down to preference. They both work well, but you get more features with MFP.

You can be social via the app, too. You can talk to friends and family and participate in challenges to keep you motivated.

If you’re an IFTTT user, you can automate a number of features which enhance your overall experience with minimal effort. Check out the IFTTT website for more specifics.

Summary

Overall, the Flex is an incredibly useful fitness tracking tool. If you’re a newbie to fitness, Fitbit has some welcoming arms to ease you into a new, healthier lifestyle.

The pioneering Flex is still worthwhile despite the launch of the Flex 2. The more accessible price, being one reason. You still get a great basic tracker and if you’re thinking of investing in something more high-tech and expensive in the longer-term, but are new to trackers, the Flex is perfect.

You have to take the accuracy with a pinch of salt; the algorithms bubbling away working out data in the Flex are a little primitive in comparison to newer Fitbit models, but that’s to be expected.

The wristband would use some improvement. Despite being comfortable and light on the wrist, it could be seen as a little childlike rather than a cool tech device. In fairness to Fitbit regarding this issue, they did welcome third party designers onboard to extend the band range.

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit is a strong performer. The Flex is a wonderful option for anyone looking to join the family, but, be cautious as it’s not the best model on offer. 

If this has wet your appetite, but you want to check out more Fibit offerings on the lower end of their range, read why we think the Charge 2 is still a great option.

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Rolex Watches Reviewed

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Rolex

Background

Rolex started in the early 1900s at the hands of a chap called Hans Wilsdorf, who was the tender age of 24 at the time. Rolex has become a brand that has elevated itself above all boundaries.

As a private company who’s manufacturing plant is more secure than the Crown Jewels, there’s not actually alot to say about daily life inside the company!

Which Rolex model should I buy?

The internet will offer encyclopedic volumes of opinion on what the best model is. Luckily, we’re here to offer you the light version. There are, of course, many versions. We’re catering to purist Rolex fans here and that can only mean a choice between three classic models, the Submariner, the GMT or the Sea Dweller.

The Submariner (from $7,000 upward)

The Submariner is an automatic watch that will never need a battery and therefore recharging. It gets its power from the natural movement of your arm and wrist. Of all Rolex models, this is considered to be the workhorse.

It’s quite thickset with a 40mm case, but not so heavy that you’ll be weighed down. 

The first version of the Submariner came out in 1953. The majority of Rolex fans will tell you this is the most instantly-recognisable of all Rolex watches. Amusingly, it is the most commonly counterfeited.

It was developed for divers, which you’ll notice from it’s incredibly 300m water-resistance. It offers a unidirectional bezel which allows you to instantly work out how much time (oxygen) you have left so you know when to start your ascent.

Newer versions of the Submariner are a nod, design-wise, to the vintage version from the 1950s. The overall look is something that can easily be worn with jeans as it could a three-piece suit. It’s the most classic design Rolex offers.

Submariner History

If you’re into doing your due diligence, look up the 5512 and 5513. These versions were made between 1958 and 1978, and 1962 and 1989. They are stainless steel and although this was before the introduction of the date window, the look is undeniably suave. The 5512 tends to be slightly cheaper than its sibling and this is due to the limited number of 5513s released.

The 16800 ($8,900) was on the market between 77 and 87. Another stainless steel classic, but where Rolex started to shift away from using matte dials with hand-painted markings and more toward using white gold markers and glossy dials.

This version is a bridge linking the old and new. 

The 16808($19,950) from 1981 to 1990 is an 18 karat gold Rolex. You can’t beat the value of this particular model. You get that gorgeous vintage look with modern elements from the black (or blue) dial. Prices begin around $14k and can tip over $25k.

The 116610LN ($9,950) is the current version of the Submariner. It has wide lugs and offers a different feel to its predecessors. You can get this version from around $8.5k.

GMT Master (from $10,995) and Master II (from $12,560)

Weighing in as the second most purchased Rolex model, the GMT came out in 1954. It was the result of a partnership with Pan Air; developed for pilots who needed to tell the time across time zones. 

The 50s saw an increase of long-haul flights. The GMT in the title literally means Greenwich Mean Time. The GMT has an additional hand and a bezel for tracking more than one timezone across the world. 

The design doesn’t stray far from the Submariner, but there are some subtle differences. The 24 hour bezel, for one. 

The GMT Master II that came out in the 90s is the version you still get today. Much like the Submariner, the GMT is water-resistant, although lesser so. 

Both the Master and Master II have either a two-tone or solid bezel. The Pepsi ($17,936) is a great example of a striking Rolex version.

A GMT is another traditional Rolex look that offers the same style, with a little more colour. 

GMT models

The 16750 was available between 1981 and 1988. This particular style was similar to the Submariner by way of being a transitional watch at a time where Rolex were producing some unique developments. 

Before 1986, this version had the signature matte dial but this was swapped for the glossy dial later. There was an addition of a quickset feature that meant the date could be changed easily. If you’re interested in the history, see if you can find a “coffee” or “root beer” bezel which is a golden brown; they’re very unique pieces.

The 16760 was around between 1983 and 1988 and was a stainless steel offering. It’s the pioneering GMT Master II. It was lovingly referred to as the “Fat Lady” after its curvy look and thick case. It came with a red and blac bezel and an uncommonly big crown guard.

Deep Sea ($14,375) and Sea Dweller ($13,554)

Both versions here are technically dive watches, similar to the Submariner. This was initially developed in the 60s with the intention of mimicking the much-loved design aspects of the Submariner. The Sea Dweller is something of a big brother; it’s larger and more durable in terms of offering a better water-resistance.

The case on the Sea Dweller is thicker, so it does offer more weight on the wrist. One outstanding feature that separates the two is the helium escape value which means the watch can go to over 1,200m, which is significantly more than the Submariner.

The Sea Dweller was put out to pasture in 2008 and in stepped the Deep Sea. An even larger offering, if you can believe it. It can withstand 3x the depth. That’s right, over 3,600m.

These versions have grown in popularity over the past 5-6 years. This is likely thanks to the internet and the accessibility to purchase them online. 

Should I buy a Rolex?

If you have the money to buy a Rolex then there isn’t a single reason not to. Rolex is one of the best, most loved, most trusted brands in the world and has stood the test of time for over 100 years. The name Rolex is inherently linked with the luxury market.

It won’t lose value, the materials will not wane over time and the time-keeping will remain accurate. Heads always have and will always turn when they see a Rolex on your wrist.

If you’re enjoying learning about the luxury watch market, check out the kinds of watches stockbrokers and investors wear; the price tags are insane! Equally, you must have thought about James Bond during this article. Head here to see the watches 007 has worn over the years.

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Timex Ironman Run X20 GPS Review

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Introduction

The Timex Ironman Run x20 GPS is a great basic fitness tracker. That’s all it is, though. It’s a very simple little device and if you’re after the bells and whistles of a Garmin or G-Shock, you’ll be disappointed. As fitness wearables go, the Timex Ironman Run will be a faithful companion, but it is cheap and cheerful at around $100.

This is a no-frills minimalistic watch for runners. Sometimes you just need something to do what it says on the tin. It’s got a GPS connection (which some might class as a frill), and it uses this to monitor your distance in real-time as well as pace and the calories you’ve burned. That’s all. That’s the whole functionality and features bit covered. 

It’s not a Garmin Forerunner 935 or Polar Vantage V (which you should read about, here), but at $100 you can’t expect it to be.

Design, display and power 

You can get hold of an Ironman Run in a few colours from a bright magenta to black, blue, white and yellow. Whichever you go for, please don’t think this will be a suitable accessory for any kind of formal occasion. It’s for wearing during your run and nowhere else.

The strap has a lock-in mechanism that keeps it secure on your wrist. So secure that some users have said it’s difficult to open, but there is a technique to it that you’ll get used to. The idea is that it stays with you during your run.

Considering it is a GPS watch, it is fairly slimline. It’s light, at only 60g. It does have a plastic feel to it, which is no surprise because, well, it is. There’s no pleasant surprise of feeling more lux than what it is. If you’re out on a marathon run, you want your watch to be practically non-existent. The Ironman Run will disappear on your wrist, in a good way.

It has a basic crocodile clip attached to a USB plug that bites into 4 charging docks on the belly of the watch. It’s a little uncouth, but it works. 

You can expect up to 7 days between charges. This is based on a short to mid-length run, every day. In constant full GPS mode, you get 6 hours of power.

It shares a feature with the best smartwatch on the market (the Apple Watch Series 5), and that’s the always-on display. It’s a little difficult to read in either very bright or very dull lighting, unfortunately. 

It has five buttons, which is good. It means the Ironman is really easy to use. You have a button for off and on (top left) and light (giving you a blast of LCD lumination), stop, menu, enter and back. They all help you navigate inside the menus too, but it’s easy to figure out.

Tracking your run

You can use the Ironman in two modes, either intervals or as a stopwatch. The latter is what it says it is, you running against a clock. The former is a bit more complicated, where you run in intervals of time or distance. Great for anyone into HIIT. You can name your sessions, which is very useful.

You can use a format of your choice, either mile or KM. It’ll record your laps and vibrate to indicate you’ve met an increment. If you’re not just a runner and like the odd bike ride, you can use these modes for cycling too.

The Ironman does offer a level of water-resistance at 50m, so you can go for a shallow swim but not a dive. Note, the GPS won’t work underwater, of course.

It offers you no sensors for heart rate or sleep. It doesn’t carry an altimeter or gyroscope or compass. You cannot use it for contactless payments. It’s a simple running buddy who looks after the numbers whilst you concentrate on your movements. It does offer an alarm to remind you to get outside, though.

Does it work well?

Like any other GPS watch, the synchronisation process with the nearest satellite can take a while. It’ll only work outside, too. Sometimes you might be better off starting your run so it can catch up with you. You’ll know when it has because it’ll buzz. Once connected, it’ll hold onto that connection.

It doesn’t come with a lot of onboard memory, so if you’re keen to store lots of runs, unfortunately, you’re restricted to only ten.

The data it will store per run is: distance, time, minutes per mile and miles per hour, number of laps and calories burned. A lot of alternatives have better capacity, like a number of Fitbit Flex that will store it more efficiently within the dedicated app. The Ironman might have you creating a spreadsheet, which some people actually enjoy.

Speaking of apps, there isn’t one. Nor does it play nicely with any other app. You have zero digital strings, which, again, is not a drawback to a lot of people. If you want to monitor your progress, you’ll be needing that spreadsheet.

Verdict

If you’re seeking a fitness tracker that will do what you need it to and offer nothing more than that to impress you, the Ironman is perfect. If you’re not someone who wants or needs their smartphone with them on a run, this wearable is great because it doesn’t rely on the phone to supply the GPS connection, or to sync to an app or connect to the internet.

The best selling point about this watch is the price. It’s always under $100 but typically around $80. It’s built using cheap materials and you pay for exactly what you get. Having said that, there’s a benefit to the plastic case, as it’s incredibly light and doesn’t weigh you down.

The time it takes the GPS function to kick in can be frustrating, as can running out of memory in less than 2 weeks. The design will not be winning any awards and people will not think you’re cool. It’s almost aggressively lame.

But, and this is a big but, it gets the basics absolutely right. It’s reliable because it’s only purpose is to deliver the essentials.

If you’re a novice at running, don’t have or want to spend a lot but want to measure your performance, the Ironman is really advisable. If you want something with more features, check out our article where we discuss which is best between Garmin and Fitbit.