I wore an Apple watch for about 8 years until, in 2024, I decided that it was creating more harm than good. So I ditched the Apple Watch for analog timepieces.
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Health Journey
You see, I have a type of anxiety that most call health anxiety, and in 2024 it was the worst I’ve ever dealt with.
Any little ache, pain, or warm rush of feeling sent me down a spiral that I couldn’t shake. The first thing I did each time I felt uncomfortable was grab my watch and do two things: check my heart rate and run the Apple Watch ekg. Every single time.
On top of that, any time my watch would show a notification, I was like Pavlov’s dogs, thinking I needed to respond or react to every red dot that would show up.
It was extremely exhausting.
I still have the watch, and I feel it’s a great tool for when I’m on trail, but how to use it for that is for another video. If you’d like to see how I use it while hiking, let me know in the comments below.
I have a coworker who is into watches and subconsciously became more fascinated with the different types of watches, bands, et cetera.
I wore analog watches all my life until the Apple Watch, so I decided to find a smartwatch replacement, and here we are. Check out this list for what to pack in your daypack.
Watches are meant to be accessories, and for some a tool, but they’re also an extension of your personality. So everyone’s watch journey will be unique.
The state of my collection for 2025 consists of a few familiar favorites, some special memories, and some fun designs.
These are all going to be under $500 on average, but to me, they have much more value than that in any regard. And I’m not going to get too much into the weeds about the specs on these watches. I’m just a casual watch collector, so if you do want some great watch content, I recommend checking out someone like Teddy Baldessare.
Citizen Promaster Diver
When I decided to grab the first watch of this collection, I spent a few weeks watching videos and looking up “best of” lists. I wanted to buy something that was a good design and a good value.
After researching styles, and settling on a price range, I opted for the Citizen Promaster Diver. Model BN0151-09L
What drew me to this diver was Citizen’s eco-drive technology. It’s powered by light either natural or artificial, so it has a good steady charge to its battery.
It features a 44mm face, and the watch is encased in stainless steel. That sturdy material has made this my daily watch for work because I know it will hold up to how often I bump into things.
The band is a simple polyurethane strap, and the dial rotates counterclockwise.
I use the dial as a very basic timer, especially during soccer season here in Austin, but I definitely don’t use this for diving. But if I ever took up that hobby, I’m happy to know it will perform well.
So that’ll be my first re-entry into my modern collection, and the next one is my first hand-me-down so to speak.
Luminox 8400 Black Ops
My dad is a huge Apple Watch fan, and when I visited him last year and told him about my new obsession he got up from the couch, went to his bedroom closet, and brought me this watch.
This is the Luminox 8400 Black Ops Steel Series.
This is my go-to when I’m wearing black, which isn’t often, but it’s the perfect item to compliment that vibe.
The watch is heavy-duty, and probably overkill for just my needs of telling time, but It keeps great time and is built like a tank.
I received it with a dead battery, and a little dirty, but once I put in a fresh one and cleaned it up, this watch has been one of my favorites for sure.
The band that was on it previously didn’t quite fit my wrist, and somehow the original one literally crumbled in its packaging, so I just went to Barton Bands for a replacement. Not sponsored by them, but that’s a great shop if you need a new band.
This watch started to define what I wanted my collection to be. Sure, it’s a neat-looking watch, but the meaning behind the watch. It was a gift from my dad, and it will always be that. Every time I look at it, I can have that memory.
Despite this also being a 44mm watch, it feels beefier because of the weight of the watch. The dial is also a little hard to rotate, but again, once I cleaned it up, it was fine. Not overly loose, I don’t want it rotating unknowingly, but just right.
It has nice, bright numerals on the face that make time easy to read. There is lume on here, but it’s not noticeable after general wear. You have to shine some serious light on this watch to make that lume pop.
So I shared my first watch, a family watch, and the next one, which may just be my personal chase model that I will continue to hunt for. The next watch on this list also marks my entry into mechanical watches.
Seiko 5 Sports Field Watch 110th Anniversary
This is the Seiko 5 Sports Field Watch 110th Anniversary Limited Edition with Cream Dial on the included leather strap.
Model #SRPK41
As it turns out, in 1913, Seiko released its first watch dubbed the Laurel. Which just happens to be my last name. A couple of cool tidbits about the legacy of those original models are
- The Laurel’s creation marked the beginning of a tradition of innovation at Seiko.
- The Laurel’s design has inspired modern Seiko timepieces, which feature design elements like white dials, red markers, and blue hands.
In 2023 they released this model along with multiple reissues to celebrate this heritage.
This Seiko 5 was limited to 6000 copies, and while that may seem like a lot, it’s cool that it wasn’t a continued series.
This is my smallest watch face at 38 mm, but with my smaller wrist, the proportions work just fine.
I love the vanilla ice cream hue of that cream dial, which makes the red numerals, and blue dials, really pop.
This design leans into the field and aviator heritage, so the Arabic numerals are large while the 24-hour numerals, in red, are featured just under that.
You also have a day and date at the 3 o’clock.
I don’t wear any of these watches in water, but this one is suitable for up to 100 meters, or 330 feet. So not a ton.
This mechanical watch will kick back on with movement, but you can also wind it to give it some energy.
I switched this Seiko to the leather strap that came with it because of the next watch.
Seiko Presage Cocktail
This watch is my anniversary watch. My wife and I celebrated a significant wedding anniversary last year, and she gifted me this amazing piece that is now my dressy watch.
It is the Seiko Presage Cocktail time. Model SRPB41. $450
This watch features a stainless steel case and bracelet with a beautiful blue color that has this pressed pattern. You can see it shimmer in the light when you move it around.
This watch, like my other Seiko model, features automatic and hand-winding options to charge it back up. It has about 41 hours of power reserve when it’s fully wound, but because of the frequency I wear this watch, I usually have to charge it up every time I grab it.
The face of this watch swaps the numerals for the pressed pattern, but the longer I’ve worn these watches the easier it is to tell time on them. That reminds me, the Citizen I featured earlier doesn’t have the typical numerals on the face either, so there you go.
This watch brings a smile to my face any time I wear it because of what it represents. It’s a great watch, but it also signifies that milestone in my life.
It’s a little dressier than I like to wear to work, but if I’m feeling snappy at work, or having a date night, this is my go-to.
Finally, my fun watch is a classic brand that most of y’all are going to be familiar with.
Casio World Time
This is the Casio World Time digital watch. Model AE1200WHD-1A
You can usually find this watch for under 50 dollars, and I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t been said by a ton of other fans of this watch except, it does exactly what you need a tool like this to do.
It features multiple time zone functionality, which makes it a fun little travel watch. I used that when I went to the east coast for work, so I just changed my time zone, instead of fiddling around with resetting the watch. It has a little light, it has a stopwatch, and its silver case and band make this a little dressier than an all-black version.
So that’s my watch collection so far going into 2025. I like where it’s at right now, but of course, I have my sights set on some other classic designs, including some vintage Laurel models.
All of my watches are kept in my Father’s Day gift from last year, a Holms and Hadfield watch box. It’s their watch deck pro. It features four spots for your watches and a pull-out drawer for rings, knives, or whatever else you may keep in your pockets. I just put some extra watch straps, and my dry cloth to wipe watch faces off before putting them on.
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