Construction workers need a durable watch for their day-to-day activities.
They don’t want to wear something that will make them worry that it might get scratched or stop functioning when exposed to occupational hazards.
What to Look for in a Construction Watch
So what makes a good construction watch?
Here are some of the criteria we’ve used in selecting the best construction watches suitable to your needs.
Durability
This is the number one factor that you should look for.
Construction sites are full of hazardous objects and you wouldn’t want to divide your attention between protecting your watch and yourself.
The timepiece should be able to absorb impact and keep on ticking as if nothing happened.
It must be impervious to shock, scrapes, and scratches and also survive sudden drops.
Ease of use
Time should be easy to read all the time.
You shouldn’t have to fidget with the watch for too long to get the information you need.
Water resistance
You’ll never know when you need to dip your hands in water so better have a watch that has at least 100m water resistance.
Design
Construction watches usually have a rugged look.
However, this shouldn’t constrain you from wearing the watch outside of work.
Design should be versatile and fit almost all kinds of dress styles and occasions.
Price
It has to be affordable enough that you won’t worry about replacing it if all else fails.
Having a watch that costs thousands of dollars isn’t budget-friendly nor practical for the nature of your work.
The Best Watches for Construction Workers
We’ve come up with a list of durable watches fit for construction workers and outdoor activities.
Not only are they tough but they also sport a stylish design you can wear in and out of work.
Timex Ironman Endure 30
The 42mm Ironman Endure 30 is a digital watch that features a stopwatch, a countdown timer, an alarm, an Indiglo backlight, a mineral crystal, a case and band made of resin, a calendar function, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Meets ISO 1413 for shock resistance standards
- Clear LCD display
- Superb illumination
- Available in a variety of colors
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Band is difficult to replace
- Limited viewing angle
- Gets scratched easily
Casio G-Shock Men’s Military GA-110
The 51mm GA-110 is a digital watch with analog hands and features a one-of-a-kind black/gold color.
It sports a gear design with its hands and dial.
It’s made of tough resin and runs on a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Durable and shock resistant
- Gold tinge contributes a lot to its flashy design
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- You may have a hard time reading the digital display
- Poor LED lighting option
- Gold-colored hands blend with the dial color, making it hard to read the time
Timex Expedition Rugged
The 48.5mm Expedition is a digital watch with a resin case, bezel, and band.
It features a calendar function, a compass, an acrylic crystal, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Compass is fast and accurate
- Lightweight for its size
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Strap is hard to replace
- Band is not comfortable to wear
- Display is dim and hard to read even under normal light conditions
Timex Expedition Sierra
The 43mm Expedition Sierra has a stainless steel case and bezel, a leather strap, luminescent hands and markers, a date window, 3 chronograph subdials, an Indiglo light-up function, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Design and build is made for outdoor and construction activities
- ISO certified shock resistance
- Lume shines brightly
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Button for Indiglo function is hard to push
- Band is not that durable and may be uncomfortable to wear
- Time may be hard to read because of the busy face
Suunto Core All Black
The 49mm Core All Black is a digital watch with an aluminum rotating bezel, an elastomer band, a mineral crystal, and a quartz movement.
It features a barometer, an altimeter, a compass, a weather trend graph, a storm alarm, an alarm, a sunrise/sunset indicator, a 12/24-hour time function, and a backlight option.
Pros:
- Unique look is eye-catching
- Features are suitable for outdoor adventures
- Lightweight, durable, and easy to read
- Water resistant up to 30m
Cons:
- Backlight isn’t that bright
- Band is flimsy
- Bezel gets scratched easily
Citizen Chandler Eco-Drive Chronograph
The 39mm Eco-Drive Chronograph AT0200-05E features a military-inspired design with its green canvas band, stainless steel case, 3 chronograph subdials, a date window, luminescent hands and markers, large Arabic numerals, and a Japanese quartz movement.
Pros:
- Solar-powered for longer operation
- Lightweight but durable
- Easy to read time
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Strap is a little short
- May easily get scratched
- Hands may block the view of the subdials
Casio Men’s G-Shock Rangeman Master of G
The 53mm Rangeman is a solar-powered watch with a stainless steel case, a resin band, a mineral crystal, and a quartz movement.
It has multiple displays and features a compass, a barometer, an altimeter, a thermometer, a sunrise/sunset function, a stopwatch, an alarm, and a calendar function.
Pros:
- Shock resistant
- Atomic timekeeping function ensures watch accuracy
- Excellent lume brightness
- Lightweight although it looks bulky
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Resin band may not be comfortable to wear for some users
- Alarm sound isn’t loud enough
- Display font is small compared to the size of the watch
Casio G-Shock GG-1000 Mudmaster
The 56mm Mudmaster is a digital-analog hybrid watch with a case and band made of resin.
It has a mineral crystal, led backlight, a compass, a full calendar display, a stopwatch, world time function, an alarm, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Super sturdy and mud resistant
- Compass function works well
- Shock resistant which is helpful when in use in construction sites
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Watch size is massive and may not be suitable for everybody
- Digital display can be hard to read in low-light conditions
- Display looks busy
Casio G-Shock GST-S110-1ACR
The 59mm GST-S110-1ACR features analog luminous hands and three digital subdials.
It also has a stainless steel case, a resin band, alarms, a world time function, a countdown timer, a 12/24-hour format option, a calendar, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Stylish design suitable for different dress styles
- LED lighting is perfectly bright
- Solar-powered
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Might be too big for some users
- Band may not be comfortable to wear
- Band cannot be replaced with other strap styles
Casio G-Shock Tough Solar
The G-Shock Tough Solar is a digital solar-powered watch with an LCD display, a backlight function, a calendar function, a titanium case, and a resin band.
It has a multi-band feature for excellent signal reception and accuracy in keeping time.
The incorporation of carbon fiber with other materials makes this watch one of the toughest watches out there.
Pros:
- Precise timekeeping feature
- Superiorly durable that it can withstand a 30-feet drop
- Lightweight but made with high-quality materials
- Alarm is loud
- Great backlight brightness
Cons:
- Expensive for its basic features
- A bit shinier compared to other G-Shock models
- Strap is not replaceable
Casio Pro Trek PRG-650Y-1CR
The 51.5mm Pro Trek PRG-650Y-1CR is a solar-powered watch with a compass, a world time function, an altimeter, a barometer, a thermometer, a full calendar feature, an alarm, a countdown timer, a neon illuminator, and a quartz movement.
It’s made of a mineral crystal, a silicone band, a resin case, and a stainless steel bezel.
Pros:
- Shock resistant suitable for rugged activities
- Multi-band atomic timekeeping function ensures watch accuracy
- Lightweight but durable
- Easy to get around the multiple features
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Thermometer reading can become inaccurate
- Mineral crystal gets scratched easily
- A bit big for some users
Luminox Atacama Field Day
The 45mm Atacama features a brown leather strap, black dial with brown Arabic numeral indices, day and date windows, luminescent hands and markers, a sapphire crystal, and a Swiss quartz movement.
Pros:
- Simple design and color combination make it easy to pair up with any dress style
- Excellent lume brightness
- Keeps time perfectly
- Durable build perfect for a construction watch
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Band is a little stiff
- Only has the most basic functionalities
- Day and date windows are a bit small
Luminox Sea Anu
The 42mm Sea Anu is an analog watch with a stainless steel case, polycarbonate bezel, rubber band, luminescent hands and markers, a date window, a 12/24-hour GMT function, a unidirectional rotating bezel, a sapphire crystal, a date window, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Extremely tough to withstand scratches, drops, and bumps
- Looks like a military watch designed for rugged use
- Lume brightness is great
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Band won’t last long
- Size of the watch face seems small compared to the bezel
- Bezel is hard to rotate
Seiko Men’s SSC081 Adventure-Solar Watch
The 42mm SSC081 is a solar-powered watch that features a Hardlex crystal, a stainless steel case, a leather band, a date window, luminescent hands and markers, a compass, 2 chronograph subdials, an alarm, and a Japanese quartz movement.
Pros:
- Classy watch design is suitable for any kind of dress style
- Accurate timekeeping
- Good lume brightness
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Leather strap is cheap
- Alarm sound is too low
- Band may not be comfortable to wear
Suunto Traverse Alpha GPS/GLONASS
The 50mm Traverse Alpha GPS/GLONASS is a complete package containing the Suunto watch, a USB charging cable, a power bank with 2200mAh capacity, and a wall mount and car USB charging adapters.
The digital watch itself features a moon phase calendar, sunrise alert, shot detection, a weather trend function, an automatic breadcrumb for retracing your steps, and other functions designed for hunting and fishing activities.
Pros:
- Sturdy build with features made for outdoor activities
- Accurate GPS works great on all occasions
- Rugged look suits those who work on construction sites
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Design may be too bland for some users
- GPS signal acquisition is somewhat slow
- Temperature readings may be inaccurate
Casio WSD-F20 Protrek Smart Watch
The massive 58mm WSD-F20 Protrek Smart Watch has a case, bezel, and band made of resin.
It has a full-color display, analog hands, a mineral crystal, an activity tracker, a compass, an altimeter, a barometer, a mic, and a quartz movement.
It’s compatible with iPhone and Android phones.
Pros:
- Built especially for rugged use
- Full-color map is excellent for travelling
- Sporty look is fit for rugged use
- Battery can last up to a month, depending on the functions turned on
- Water resistant up to 50m
Cons:
- Battery life is a bit short
- Strap is not changeable
- Gargantuan size may not be suitable for some users
Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Titanium Perpetual
The 42mm Titanium Perpetual is a solar-powered watch that has a power reserve indicator, an alarm, a 12/24-hour time function, a date window, 3 chronograph subdials, luminescent hands and markers, a tachymeter bezel, a titanium case and band, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and a Japanese quartz movement.
Pros:
- Modern design makes it easy to pair up with any kind of fashion
- Titanium material used in the watch is very sturdy
- Power reserve can last from 10 months up to 1.5 years
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- Dial is a bit small for all the features the watch has
- Lume isn’t that bright
- Date can be hard to read
Casio G-Shock Frogman
The 53mm Frogman is a solar-powered watch with a stainless steel case, a resin band, a mineral crystal, and a quartz movement.
Its digital display features basic functions like the date and a stopwatch timer.
In addition to that, it also displays the tide and moon data which may be useful for divers.
Pros:
- Accurate atomic timekeeping
- Water resistant up to 200m
- Clean watch face makes information easy to read
Cons:
- It’s quite heavy to wear
- Too expensive for its basic features
- Band is bulky
Garmin Fenix 3 Titanium HR
The 51mm Fenix 3 HR Titanium is a digital watch that has a case, band, and bezel made of titanium.
It also features a sapphire crystal, an omnidirectional antenna for GPS/GLONASS reception, a 3-axis compass, an altimeter, a barometer, a heart rate sensor, fitness training functions, and a Japanese quartz movement.
Pros:
- Material used can endure pressure and torture
- Large font display makes reading time easier
- Multi-functional features for work, fitness, and travel
- Battery life can last from 40 hours up to 2 weeks
- Water resistant up to 100m
Cons:
- Watch is a bit expensive
- Might be too big and heavy for some users
- Heart rate monitor can be a bit inaccurate
Casio G-Shock Black Dial MTGS1000D-1A4
The 55mm G-Shock Black Dial is a solar-powered watch which has a polished stainless steel case, a fixed bezel, a black chronograph dial, luminescent hands and markers, a 12/24-hour function, an alarm function, 3 subdials, a date window, and a quartz movement.
Pros:
- Exquisite, eye-catching design
- Power reserve of up to 5 months
- Good lume brightness
- Tough as a rock
- Accurate atomic timekeeping feature
- Water resistant up to 200m
Cons:
- A bit bulky and heavy to wear
- Quite expensive for a construction watch
- Face looks too busy
Conclusion
We guarantee that the items on our list of the best construction watches have high durability and can endure the abuse brought about by your demanding job.
When picking a construction watch, consider the factors we’ve listed above.
Use it as guide to narrow down your pick and choose the best suitable for your job and style.
