Buying Digital Sports Watches
Looking to buy a watch? Take your cues from Olivia Newton-John, who sang about her timepiece preferences in the ‘80s hit song, "Let's Get Digital." Wait, did we get our lyrics mixed up? Our mistake, but the point stands: digital watches are a standout favorite for watch wearers who want functionality without fuss. Let's look at why these mini-computers might be the best watch-fit for you.
Digi-What?
To make sure we are all on the same page, let's define "digital watch." Except pages are so analog, so let's make sure we are on the same computer screen. That's what a digital watch is: a tiny computer screen with digital numerals. A watch with traditional hands that rotate around the face and point at numbers is analog. A timepiece that displays the hour, minutes, and maybe seconds as Arabic numbers on the screen with electronic numbers is digital. These easy-to-read workhorses operate on batteries and are sturdy and reliable, making them the tool of choice for surfers and salesmen, cave divers and coders, mountain bikers, and managing partners.
Digi-When?
The first commercial electronic digital watch exploded onto the timepiece scene in 1972. That's the same year Nixon signed a bill directing NASA to begin research on a reusable space transport system, which would eventually become the Space Shuttle. Both watches and space travel have advanced a long way since then, but we are still shuttling humans to space and wearing digital timepieces.
When Hamilton introduced the Pulsar P1, the retail world's first electronic digital wristwatch, it went for the eye-watering sum of $2,100, or more than $15,000 in today's dollars. Most timekeepers couldn't stomach that price any more than they could stomach a ride on NASA's C-131 Samaritan Aircraft, aka The Vomit Comet. Still, it didn't take long for the concept of these practical watches to catch on. By the decade's end, they retailed for less than $10. And it's no wonder. With digital, there's no whining about winding. A watch does all the work for you.
Even James Bond quickly got in on the digital action, wearing an electronic digital watch only a year after the Pulsar P1 hit the shelves in Live and Let Die. Bond understood that this new technology was just right for a man who cares about style but who also needs functionality, reliability, and useful features.
Progress and technology are boons. That's especially true when it comes to timepieces. Today's digital watches are sleek, versatile, and user-friendly. If you value ease, durability, and practicality, you can't beat a digital sports watch.
Your digital watch can't take you to space, but it will offer an array of features you can't get from an analog watch, all in a stylish package that can take a beating and escape unscathed. If you gift yourself a digital timepiece, you just may love yourself to the moon and back.
Digi-Who?
Digital watches aren't just for gym rats and adrenaline junkies, but we can see why you might think that because tactical digital watches are perfect for those types. However, the appeal of these high-tech timepieces extends beyond Crossfit and climbing. Whether you regularly scale mountains or the only thing they've summited lately is your sofa, a digital watch is the ultimate sidekick for the active (or not-so-active) lifestyle. Anyone who values practicality, durability, and low-maintenance wristwear, and doesn't want to remember to remove their timepiece before showering, will love a digital waterproof watch.
Even if you are the fancy type who enjoys the finer things in life, digital can be a solid watch choice. You can wear a shiny, precious analog watch when you are looking to impress a date, coordinate with a bespoke suit, or create an aura of excellence at the class reunion. Fancy watches have their place. But you can't beat digital for everyday wear or something to strap on for weekend adventures. These aren't precious, delicate snowflake accessories. They can take care of themselves.
Digi-Why?
A digital sports watch is the chameleon of the accessory world. It blends seamlessly into any situation. Need to time the intervals on your weekend's extreme workout? Digital watch. Want to snap on your wristpiece and forget about it? Boom: digital watch. Looking for something that keeps accurate, easy-to-read-at-a-glance time? Digital watch, baby. Trying to impress your crush with your effortless, rugged, outdoorsy vibe? Yes, digital watch.
These do-everything timepieces make the ideal watch because they blend right in no matter the environment. But just because they blend in doesn't mean they don’t have standout elements.
Features Galore
Ah, features—the bread and butter of any great digital timepiece. Actually, with all the features you can find on a digital tactical watch, it's more like the bread, butter, jam, bananas, and marshmallow fluff of these timepieces.
These bad boys come packed with more bells and whistles than a marching band on parade day. Altimeters, barometers, and calorie-burn counting: that's the ABCs of digital watch features, and that's before you get to the rest of the alphabet. There's a feature for every occasion.
Want to know your heart rate while you're hiking? There's a watch for that. Are you looking to reach your 10,000 steps every day? A digital watch with a step counter is just the thing. Need to generate a hologram to make your boss think you're at your desk when you punched out early to hit the epic waves at your favorite spot? Um, you might be out of luck. You can't expect the watch to do everything, but given all the things digital watches can do, we aren't surprised you think there's nothing they can't assist with.
Style Points
If the word "practical" brings cargo shorts and orthopedic footwear to mind, you clearly think that practicality means dowdy and inelegant. When it comes to shoes, you might be right. But in the world of watches, you really can have it all: functionality, practicality, and enviable style.
Gone are the days of bulky, clunky timepieces that scream "Function over Form." Today's digital watches come in more colors, designs, and materials than you can shake a fitness tracker at. If you want something sleek and understated for the office but still practical and durable, go digital. If you prefer something bold and flashy to show off at the gym, digital can do that, too. With endless options for customization, you can find a digital timepiece that suits your personality better than your favorite pair of shorts. Pockets for cargo not included.
While digital timepieces are known for their chunky, rugged appearance, more sleek, slim versions are available if you prefer a more subtle watch. Men's and women's digital sport watches come in enough shapes and sizes that you’re sure to find something just right.
Because their casing materials can easily be dyed, digital watches also allow you to get a watch with personality. If your happy place is a hunting blind, a camo digital watch will blend right in. If you’re a hippy-at-heart, find a tie-dye digital watch. Proud military member? Buy a military-themed digital watch that honors your particular service. Digital watches and their versatile case materials make all these options available.
When shopping for your watch, look for companies like Rockwell that offer many size, shape, and color options. That way, you can wear a watch that truly fits your style–not just a one-size-fits-all type.
Digi-How-Much?
Digital watches are tiny computers with LED (light-emitting diode) or LCD (liquid crystal display) technology. They've got to be expensive, right? Like some people's relationship status, it's complicated. While you can certainly drop some serious coin on a top-of-the-line timepiece, reliable, stylish models packed with features are available for less than many people spend on fancy coffee every month.
You can buy a beautiful, feature-packed watch without busting your budget. These sporty watches are available at every price point.
Digi-Whatever
Makers of digital watches know their wearers will put them through their paces. They will handle whatever you throw at them. High-quality digital timepieces are made to be even tougher than the adventurers who wear them. Whether on the wrist of a racer at the Indy 500 or a Wall Street banker who doesn't flinch in the face of a plummeting S&P 500, this is tough technology. A digital watch can handle tight situations without breaking a sweat, which is more than we can say for our driving and investing friends.
Quality digital watch cases are made from exceptionally sturdy materials. You may not have heard of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), but digital watch companies have. It's a robust, durable plastic. You can also find digital timepieces cased in polyurethane or stainless steel. These are tough, built-to-last materials for tough, built-for-adventure users.
Digital watches offer a wide range of features to fit any and every lifestyle and activity. Your digital watch could have functions like step counters, burned-calorie trackers, heart-rate monitors, distance trackers, chronographs, and lap/split options. A waterproof digital watch is a must for those involved in water sports or who work up a substantial sweat at the gym. You might also find dual time zone functions, multiple alarm capabilities, and additional activity trackers. Think about how you live and what features will be the most beneficial for your day-to-day life.
Contrasted with the more delicate, hand-crafted mechanics of traditional analog or automatic watches, digital watches are the high school quarterback, compared to the kid who sits on the side during gym class. In the durability and performance arenas, there's no contest. These watches are tough as nails, much like the adventurers who wear them.
Well, folks, there you have it—the ultimate guide to buying a digital sports watch. Whether you are a hardcore athlete, a weekend warrior, or just someone who wants to look fly while counting your steps, there's a perfect watch out there waiting for you. All you have to do is buy it. Life's too short to wear a boring watch. So go find the digital timepiece with features that fit your fancy and style that suits your swagger.
