Timex

If you work in construction or are likely to be considering a gift for someone who does, it’s worth thinking about the types of watches for construction workers. Construction workers have a harsh environment to deal with every single day. Not only is their job busy, but it’s physically demanding too. And they’re always under pressure to get the job done to a high standard and on time. I’m tired just writing that. 

Also, there’s the fact that they’ve got to work to health and safety guidelines because they’re surrounded by dangers and hazards all day. So they’re going to need some pretty durable watches on their wrist to keep up with their working lives.

To that end, we’ve come up with a list of the 6 best watches for construction workers that are reliable and durable. 

Let’s start the list now…

Casio G-Shock Men’s Mudmaster

G-Shock has a reputation for being one of the most durable brands on the market. In fact, the military use their timepieces, so that’s an indication that they’d also be a great brand of watches for construction workers.

Design and build

The Mudmaster is a good-looking watch with a superb build which is exceptional quality. True to G-Shock nature, it’s bulky at 55mm by 16mm and will resist scratches and bumps that naturally happen throughout the day for anyone in the building trade.

It comes with a digital compass, stopwatch, thermometer, 12 and 24-hour time formats, a world timer for 31 timezones and an automatic calendar. You’ll see the hour, minute and second hands, a subdial, and two digital displays on the dial. Inside is a Quartz movement.

Five press-action buttons are totally solid and cannot be broken, even when used in wet conditions like mud or underwater. It offers a 200m water-resistance rating, which is adequate for submersion and swimming—even some dives.

The bezel is hulking and despite its soft silicone feel it will resist knocks and dents. And the face is protected by mineral glass. On the whole, the design certainly resonates with construction workers. 

Features

G-Shock is known for its impressive feature list. As the name suggests, this timepiece is mud-resistant as well as shock-resistant. It offers up to five alarms, timer, hourly signal, on/off and low battery tone.

Pros

• Low battery tone is useful
• Rugged design
• Strong build for durability
• Handy features for outdoor enthusiasts like a compass and thermometer

Cons

• There are none, this is a fantastic watch!

You can find the Mudmaster for around $250

G -Shock Rangeman

Sticking with Casio and G-Shock because they truly are the most rugged watch brand. The Rangeman is the king of tough watches with a design and engineering like no other. It’s very high up on this list of watches for construction workers.

Design and build

Perhaps the best thing about this is that it’s solar-powered, so you get unrivalled performance. For example, like its sibling above, the case is mud-resistant, and the buttons are sealed so mud, dust, and dirt cannot get in. 

What sets this watch apart is the unique shock-resistant triple sensor that keeps an eye on the temperature, barometric pressure, altitude and direction all at the same time. We think these elements are likely to be experienced on a construction site and during any mountaineering adventures!

The huge 60mm case is made from stainless steel with a ceramic case back. On the front, you get sapphire crystal glass (which is the best you can get for scratch-resistance) and the band is carbon fibre resin. Plus, it’s water-resistant to 200m and temperature resistant to -20. All in all, this watch is going to withstand any impact from falling or intense knocks effortlessly.

Features

This watch offers up to 4 alarms, an automatic calendar, built-in GPS with the option to backtrack if you get lost, battery level indicator, Bluetooth, compass, countdown timer, moon phases, sunrise and sunset display, tide information and more. The list goes on and on and certainly makes this one of the best watches for construction workers.

Pros

• Highly durable, shock, scratch, mud and water resistant
• Solar-powered, no need for a charger
• Packed with features

Cons

• Expensive

The four watches in the Rangeman collection are around $800.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar

This Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar has been specially designed for people who are super into sports, but we also feel it should hold a position in this list of watches for construction workers.

Design and build

With the Pro Solar, you get a 47mm by 15mm fibre-reinforced polymer case and a 22mm silicone band. What’s great, and why this watch is on the list, is that it also offers 100m of water-resistance, which more than covers the typical splashes you’d expect on a building site. 

Of course by the name you already know it’s solar-powered. Another great function for those working outside all day. No need for a charger. In fact, this watch has been carefully designed for those who spend a lot of time outside.

The display is easy to read in direct sunlight, and there’s a useful backlight for when lighting conditions aren’t the best. The display itself is 33mm with 260 x 260 resolution. You’ll find that navigating this watch is intuitive and the buttons and menus are easy to use.

Features

Garmin is well-known for packing in features and the Fenix 6 Pro Solar is no exception. 

There’s a whole host of fitness and health sensors including heart rate monitor, respiration rate, Pulse ox blood oxygen saturation, stress tracking, hydration and much more. If you’re in a physical job like construction, you might be interested in knowing how your body is coping. 

It’s also no surprise that it offers all the basics like the others on this list such as alarms, timer, stopwatch, countdown, etc.

Pros

• Long battery life
• Accurate GPS
• Hard-wearing
• Easy to use

Cons

• Another expensive model

This will set you back around $650

Seiko Adventure Solar Watch (SSC081)

For 25 years, Seiko has made quality watches in terms of luxury design and reliability. The SSC081 Adventure Solar Classic sits very much in this space. The Adventure Solar Classic watch from Seiko is a high-quality watch that’s a little more casual than the others on our list, but it offers everything you’d need if you’re in a heavy-handed role like construction work.

Design and build

A matte black dial sat on a 42mm stainless steel case (with 13mm thickness) with a genuine leather band.

The face offers an hour, minute and second hands that are luminous, date window at the 3 position (you might notice there is no number 3 because of this), a compass and two chronograph sub-dials. The second crown at the top-left position is used for rotating the watch while the second crown 9 (at the quarter-hour mark) is used for date and time setting. Inside is a Japanese Quartz movement.

Finally, this has a 100m water-resistance rating, which is great for those on construction sites as it’ll resist things like splashes and submersion in water.

Features

You get a chronograph, it measures-seconds, the hands are luminous and there’s a stopwatch.

Pros

• 100m water-resistance
• Good build using strong materials
• Supple leather strap is soft but durable

Cons

• Some don’t like the double crown
• Possibly too casual compared to others on this list

This watch costs around $500.

Read more about the best Seiko watches for men, here.

Timex Expedition Rugged Chronograph

This watch also called the T49986, is a rugged chronograph with a leather strap. And if you compare it with the Seiko above, you’ll see how it becomes wholly possible to have a leather strap watch that looks tough, rather than sleek. It’s possible to swap an office shirt for overalls, making it one of the most diverse of watches for construction workers.

Design and build

The 45mm diameter brass case, round face with black dial and brown leather strap make for a gorgeous watch. Worth noting that the brass is particularly durable.

The hour, minute and second hands on the face are a shimmering silver with a luminous tip for easy reading in even low-lighting conditions. Additionally, you’ll be able to utilise Timex’s branded Indiglo backlight at the push of a button. You can read more on this range, here.

Inside, the Expedition Rugged Chronograph has a Quartz movement, which offers spot-on accuracy.

It’s also water-resistant to 100m.

Pros

• A leather watch made for outdoorsy people
• 100m water resistance
• Brass case is scratch-resistant
• Low cost

Cons

• Although leather is durable, not as ideal for construction workers as silicone or resin

You should be able to find this watch well under $100.

Citizen Drive

Citizen is famous for its reliable and high-quality watches. This Eco-Drive range for men has been designed for everyday use, and we think the Drive belongs on this list of watches for construction workers because it offers excellent protection against the kinds of bumps, dust and splashes these workers would come across. 

Design and build

If you like a sportier style that makes a bold statement, the Drive is all-black with punchy red accents.  It also has long lugs which serve to add to the wicked design. 

The case is a 45mm stainless steel with black dial, protected by crystal mineral glass. The band is a perforated polyurethane strap that is waterproof and scratch-resistant.

On the face you get only 12 and 6 in Arabic numbers, luminous hands and a slim date window at the 3 position, other than that, you get red hour markers and a black aluminium bezel. 

Features

Eco-Drive refers to technology inside the watch which works to charge itself by absorbing either natural or artificial light. So, it doesn’t need a battery. This is perfect for construction workers who work inside and out, so they don’t have to worry about needing a charger at the end of the day.

Inside is a Japanese quartz movement, which you’ve likely come to learn is highly precise.

This watch is also water-resistant to 100m.

Pros

• 100m water-resistance
• Never need a charger or battery
• Comfort for all day wear, important for manual labour workers

Cons

• Nothing! This is a luxury brand with, solid build and a bold design for a small cost!

The best part is that this watch costs only $250.

Conclusion

We’ve covered six watches for construction workers here in the list and we hope you’ve found something of use! Ultimately, what you should be looking for is quality materials that offer resistance to water, dust, scratches and impact.

The best materials to look out for are stainless steel and brass when it comes to the case, sapphire crystal protecting the dial and silicone straps. If you have time, head to our article telling you more about what features to look for in a rugged watch.

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