Sharp Watch Shout Out: The Nautica Men's Stainless Steel Round Multifunction Watch

Sometimes a watch stops you mid-swipe, mid-scroll, mid-search, and demands your attention. Such is the case with Nautica Model 10061. The watch simply looks perfect. The Amazon ad copy said this watch is where "masculinity and metal come together." I tend to agree. That's why this Nautica gets this week's sharp watch shout out. It features a deep blue dial surrounded by gleaming stainless steel. So shiny!

Nautica Men's Stainless Steel Watch (Modiel 10061)

Powered by a Japanese quartz movement, this Nautica has a 41mm diameter stainless steel case that is 11mm thick. Both the watch and bracelet are constructed of stainless steel and the strength results in 100-meters of water resistance. The multifunction dials provide the 24 hour time, date and day functionality. All of which combine to provide excuses to order a great looking watch. If you are interested, you can find this Nautica here on Amazon via my affiliate link.

TGIF: Nautica Plastic and Resin Watches At Reasonable Prices

I recently came across a couple of interesting Nautica watches that use resin in the cases or straps.  They are both attractive watches and come in around a $50 price point.  In these inflationary times, $50 seems to be a rare price point for a quartz watch with a known and popular designer brand label. Let's take a quick look at the Nautica watches in question.  The first is the Nautica N83 Men's Coronado Bay Black Case, Black Dial, Back Resin Strap Watch.  The model number is NAPCNF109.  According to the original Amazon listing, this watch has a plastic case and a resin strap.

The Nautica N83 Coronado Bay Plastic Watch in Black

This first watch offers a reassuring 100 meters of water resistance. It has a bit of lume on the markers and hands and Indiglo backlighting. This isn't surprising since Timex Group designs, manufactures, and sells Nautica watches under a licensing agreement. On Amazon, some reviewers criticized the Indiglo function for not working or being faint, but overall the watch got 4.4 stars out of 83 ratings. One Spanish-language reviewer stated that the watch was a good value for the money. You can find this watch on Amazon here via my affiliate-program link.

The blue version, the Nautica N83 Coronado Bay is similar. The model number is NAPCNS214. This watch offers 50 meters of water resistance. The listing for this watch says that the case is made of resin and the strap is made of silicone.

The Nautica N83 Coronado Bay Resin Watch in Blue

I generally prefer watches with metal cases. But, I have plenty of watches that have plastic or resin cases.  My venerable Casio Forester has a plastic case. My LaCoste watch has a composite (plastic) case. Even my Armani Exchange watch touts at nylon case. 

Poking around on the internet, I see that plastics and resins are touted as being lighter than metals and appropriate for long wear as sport watches. I'm certainly no materials engineer, but the rise of various plastics is an interesting development when it comes to name brand watches.

[These watches have evolved a bit, but you can find similar Nautica watches here on Amazon.]

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Nautica Quartz Watch with Yellow Strap

If you want a watch that you can't easily misplace, check out this bright ray of sunshine from Nautica.  It's a great watch for summertime wear and one that's likely to cure seasonal mood disorders during the dark days of winter.

A Nautica Quartz Watch with Signal Flags and Yellow Strap

If you like the ocean and all things nautical, this watch is a great choice.  I like the signal flag theme.  The globe motif in the background.  It's another great looking quartz watch for men and, if you can find it, it won't break the bank.  I picked this one up in a Ross store.

A Nautica Quartz Watch in its natural environment

Best Watches to Stick in a Shoe at the Beach

Memorial Day weekend is behind us and summer vacation season has started in the United States.  People will be spending time at the beach, at the pool, and by various swimming spots in lakes and rivers all around the country.  This is a good time to ponder the age old question:  which watch should I wear to the beach?  Unless you are wearing some kind of SCUBA Steve commando diver watch, you probably don't want to actually swim with your watch on.  Your watch might end up tucked in a shoe by the water's edge or on the beach house patio.  

Watches from Nautica, Chase-Durer, Casio, and Izod
grace ratty old shoes with their presence

Back in the 80s and before, you'd just have a little mound of shoes and clothing marking your spot and you'd just jump in.  Of course, now, that you've got a $2000 phone, you'll probably leave a person by your stuff just to stand guard.  But, let's just pretend you were going to leave a watch tucked into your shoes while you go swimming.  Which watch will you leave behind in those shoes?  Here are four watches that I'd tuck in a shoe at the beach.

Bulova Marine Star - 

I picked up this nice Bulova Marine Star watch at a thrift store (Don't Tell Anyone) and it shows its nautical inspiration is many subtle ways.  But, it's an old watch and I wouldn't fully trust it's 100-meter waterproofing now.  It might be the watch that needs some fresh O-ring caseback gaskets.  For now, it'll be in the shoe at the beach and look great at the seafood shack later.

A Bulova Marine Star Watch

Nautica Black Dial Signal Watch - 

My old Nautica watch has the perfect look for bumming around at the beach.  The rubber strap is beginning to deteriorate a bit and it will soon be time for a replacement strap.

Nautica Black Dial Signal Watch

Timex Weekender -

If any watch was ever made for weekends at the beach, it would have to be the Timex Weekender.  No matter what kind of strap color combination you choose, it would be perfect for shoe time by the shore.  It was a big deal when the Timex Weekender came out and you can still find them here on Amazon.

A Timex Weekender displayed with multiple strap combinations

Caribbean Joe -

Finally, you've got to include any watch from Caribbean Joe.  The beach hut and the palm tree are right there on the dial.  My green sunburst dial Caribbean Joe watchgreen sunburst dial Caribbean Joe watch has the right vacation mindset, but doesn't offer any water resistance.  Fortunately, it was cheap enough to go into a shoe.

A Close Up of a Caribbean Joe Watch Dial

Whether you tuck your watch in a shoe or put that water resistance to the test, have fun at the beach this summer!

Wristwatch Review: Nautica Aviation-style Chronogragh Watch

A new job calls for a new watch.  That's my story and that's why I've stuck a new Nautica watch on my wrist.  If I remember correctly, this watch was about $80 at T.J. Maxx and I haven't seen one quite like it on Amazon.  I believe this may be a chrono classic and it is a quartz watch.

 

Watch Design.  This Nautica has a cool style that harmoniously  brings together many classic watch design elements. First it has the vintage stainless steel look of a 1960s James Bond watch.  The case and bezel are neither highly polished nor flat.  Instead, the watch has an experienced classic look. 

Second, the watch has some aspects of a dive watch.  The time and date are set via a screw down crown.     The non-rotating bezel has numbers and markings that subtly evoke a dive watch. 

Third, beneath the crystal, a white triangle at 12 o'clock deftly pays homage to the classic aviator watches that have been so popular in recent years.  The aviator-style is backed up by simple numerals denoting each hour.

Watch Functions.  This Nautica has a lot of functionality built in.  There are three subdials to present information.  At 3 o'clock, the subdial provides the 24 hour time to the nearest hour.  At 6 o'clock, another subdial presents the elapsed seconds once the chronograph function is started.  Finally, at 9 o'clock, a final subdial records the elapsed minutes.  To complete the complications,  a canted date window between 4 and 5 o'clock provides the date.  I wish that the bezel rotated, but it is rather thin and streamlined.

Watch Construction.   Nautica may be a fashion brand, but they also make pretty solid watches.  This Nautica is water resistant to 100 meters.

Overall, I highly recommend this Nautica.  It's a stylish watch that has the looks I like!

Wristwatch Review: The Nautica Unisex N14663G NST 15 Date Watch with Textured Yellow Band

Spring is coming! But, to hasten its arrival, my wife recently bought me a very bright Nautica watch. It's the Nautica Unisex NST 15 Date Watch (Model N14663G) with a bright yellow band.

I've long admired Nautica watches because they have innovative designs and solid construction.  Unfortunately, one of my co-workers wears awesome Nautica watches all the time and I don't want to steal his style.  No one likes a copycat.   

Style. I like this watch dial design because it combines retro sensibilities and innovation.  I think that this Nautica watch looks like a dive watch from the early 1970s.  It is well proportioned with a 45 millimeter diameter case that is just over 13 millimeters thick.  But, the inner part of the dial contains a very cool retro-grade calendar.  In the first picture, notice the orange arrow pointing to the 5th day of the month at 10 o'clock.  How cool is that?  However, I must confess that I can't read the tiny date numerals at all.  That's what an old guy gets for trying to be hip.  The 20 millimeter wide yellow band is quite bright and takes some getting used to.  However, there is a similar Nautica watch with a dark blue band.

Construction.  The Nautica NST 15 Date Watch is solidly constructed with a stainless steel case, bezel and case back.  A screw down crown helps ensure 100 meters of water resistance.  According to Amazon ad copy, the watch is suitable for snorkeling or swimming, but not diving.  That's too bad because the watch also has a unidirectional rotating bezel.  I love those for the functionality of being able to measure elapsed time.  The dial is protected by a mineral crystal for scratch resistance.  Finally, beneath the beautiful exterior lurks an ever reliable Japanese quartz movement.   

Price. My wife got a phenomenal deal on this watch at our local TJ Maxx / HomeGoods store.  However, the prices on Amazon are quite good. Overall, I highly recommend the Nautica NST 15 Date Watch.  This is a watch deal that I'm excited about. It's a great looking watch and it's a great watch value for the money.

[2025 Update: The styles of Nautica watches change regularly as fashion watches are prone to do. However, you can find the latest in Nautica watches for men here on Amazon.]

Nautica Watches for Christmas

N doesn't stand for Nautica in my watch collection. I don't own a Nautica watch.  But, I've had a change to look closely at a couple of Nautica models.  One of my co-workers has a two Nautica watches and they look great.  The dial is big, but not overly bulky and the materials used simply look good and seem very durable.

I like the Nautica shown below because it has nautical flags to mark each position of the clock.  To me, a nautical theme really fits the Nautica brand and makes the watch look very distinctive.  I would own one of these watches in an instant.  But, unfortunately, I don't want to be a watch copycat.  I won't own a Nautica until I go work somewhere else!

If you'd like to purchase a Nautica watch for a loved one this Christmas, check out the Amazon offering below: 

Nautica Men's N16553G Stainless Steel Watch with Black Band

[2024 Update:  This post was updated with a newer model Nautica watch.]