The "Daily Beater" Field Watch
I'm Kristian, the owner of Noto Strap Store.
I’ve been a watch guy for years—ex-Army, still chasing life's adventures whenever I can, though now I love to do it with my kids. I camp, rock climb, surf, fish, and snowboard, and I’ve owned everything from Seiko Divers to Tudor Pelagos.
I believe in the "Use Your Tools" as much as the next guy and I don't mind a scratched-up watch but I do care probably just a bit much about a dented bezel or in one case last summer a lost Citizen Aqualand when surfing in North Devon. (My two boys eventually found it but I was genuinely gutted for four hours 😂)
That's when my quest for a daily beater began. Not a £300+ Scurfa or Seiko but a sub £70 watch that still looked good and performed well and wouldn't make me cry if I lost it or smashed it.
I needed something rugged, no-nonsense, and dependable—a watch I wouldn’t stress over if it got scratched, dinged, or even stolen out of a gym locker.
For me, It had to have that classic military styling, proper lume, and at least 100m of water resistance (because what’s the point of a tool watch if you’re scared of water?). And while G-Shocks are brilliant, I wanted something that looked and felt like a real watch—not a digital computer strapped to my wrist
(Also damn those tiny recessed buttons!!! 😂)
And just as importantly? I didn’t want to spend a fortune.
So my quest began for the perfect daily beater.
I scoured the worldwide market, I bought watches from China, from the USA and I lived on eBay. I spent over a grand on cheap watches. Some were microbrands, some were no brands and some were God know's what. Lots were good but too expensive or really awful but most were just ok but in the end I wanted a watch that was reliable and looked good and cost less than a G-shock.
And then I found the one....
So here it is—the Daily Beater.
- A 38mm sandblasted stainless steel field watch, built to take a hit and keep ticking.
- The domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating laughs in the face of scratches.
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It’s got 100m water resistance, a screw-down crown.
- S3 Luminova in a vintage-styled pumpkin yellow finish.
Inside, the ultra-reliable Seiko VH31 quartz movement gives you an almost smooth, four-tick-per-second sweep (looks a bit like an automatic) without the hassle of winding, setting, or worrying about accuracy.
(Also no date window not because I'm a snob but I can't read the flipping things so what's the point??)
It comes on a classic military nylon strap with matching sandblasted steel keepers for that vintage Mil-W issued vibe.
And because I hate brands that over-promise and under-deliver, I’m backing this thing with a no-BS lifetime warranty (minus the battery, obviously).
I’ve only got 5 in stock right now—just testing the waters. If you want one, grab it while you can. And if it’s not for you? 90-day returns, no questions asked.
So if you’re after a no-fuss, take-anywhere, do-anything field watch—one that you’re not scared to wear, beat up, and live in—the Daily Beater is for you.
I think you will love it as much as I do and if you don't send it back to me for a full refund.
Otherwise, the only problem you are going to have with this watch is you will never want to take the damned thing off!
Best regards,
Kristian
Noto strap store
