Sailing Time: Top Yachting Watches for Your Next Regatta

Rotatable bezel, precise chronograph, GMT function, and high water resistance are some of the specific tasks that would require certain tools to accomplish. This is what makes tool watches come in handy in various designs and features.

Tool watches are born out of necessity. They are specifically designed to serve and achieve certain purposes and, as such, functionality is the key highlight. There is a specific reason behind making every tool watch and why it is made, be it when the demand is urgent or the watchmakers have something in mind to provide a better experience for a certain community. The story of pilot watches could be an example as it came into production when pilots found it hard to tell the time from pocket watches.

Tool watches are almost everywhere to serve and accompany nearly any profession, including sport. Today, however, I would like to discuss further yachting watches.

What is a yachting watch?

Sports and watches have always come along together to serve each other -- as sports rely on accurate timing. The same thing also applies to yachting watches. Presented with a particular design and features, it is made to meet the needs of the sailing community, especially for a regatta. Unlike other sports, the starting point in a regatta is a nerve-racking moment where the athletes must keep their boat steady while also dealing with the current and at the mercy of the wind. Controlling the boats as well as paying attention to the countdown, that's where the demand for this type of watch came in.

A yachting watch, also known as a sailing watch and is predominantly used to measure distance and speed when racing boats or in a regatta. It also boasts the water resistance as in dive watches but with additional features for yachtsmen. In general, a countdown timer and a chronograph are the main features of a yachting watch.

You might start asking, "How does it differ to dive watches?".  The most common thing about dive watches and yachting watches is the function of measuring elapsed time -- both of them need to provide precise calculations. However, as they are different watch tools, they also have different approaches to fulfil the needs -- dive watches use bezels while sailing watches feature chronographs.

Having a watch with bezel complications, especially a rotatable bezel, is a must for divers. They also emphasize extreme water resistance to be used underwater. While for yachting watches, a chronograph is more common to have. It inherently offers better precision as it also displays the interval time in minutes and seconds. As such, it could help the yachtsmen to keep track of their lap and race times. 

Another distinction also lies in their water-resistance ability. In many cases, sailing watches would have a much lower resistance than diving watches -- but they still can withstand splashing waves or a quick dip.

Basically, a yachting watch and dive watch still share common things but I would say that yachting watches without chronographs are missing something. Without any further ado, here I'd like to share 3 recommended sailing watches for you.

Yachtimer Plexi - Ltd Ed 100pcs

An impeccable Swiss-made quality with stunning design, the Steinhart Yachtimer Plexi - Ltd Ed offers you an impressive experience to feel the nostalgic feeling of nautical timepieces in the early days. It features the ever-reliable ETA Valjoux 7753 automatic chronograph movement that will please you with its robust and impeccable performance.

Talking about its chronograph, it applies the classic "3-6-9" design with three contrasting black dials. And as to how yachting watches should be, it attributes a feature intended for yachtsmen to assist the calculation of average speed over a defined distance. It has a 100m water resistance and is equipped with a fixed bezel to measure the approximate speed by displaying the tachymeter scale.   

Adding to that, it is also accompanied with a screw-down crown and a set of pump chronograph pushers, resulting in a confident and outstanding presence on the wrist, feeling like a brave yacht captain on the course. It's only exclusively limited to 100 pieces for Gnomon watches, so make sure to snatch one of them.

Promaster Marine Eco-Drive Yacht JR4061-18E

Its bright orange polyurethane strap must have caught your attention to dig a little bit deeper into this yachting watch. The Citizen Promaster Marine Eco-Drive Yacht JR4061-18E not only boasts of its visually attractive piece but also impressive features to make it one of the recommended yachting watches. The C660 combination chronograph and Eco-Drive technology will never run out of power and serve you with the time in 30 cities worldwide.

The orange rubber strap that makes it stand out from the rest would also be beneficial for yachtsmen. It's lighter, easier to adjust, and more sustainable in the sailing environment. Not to mention the stopwatch, a 99-minute countdown race timer, a rotating bezel, and 200m of water resistance that would be an essential complication for yachting watches.

Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 44

Sporty and elegant would be the first impression you have about this impressive sailing watch. The Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 44 comes in Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement which is a COSC certified chronometer. It is fitted with a warm tone sub-dial that is well-matched with the blue background on its dial.

The watch is featured with a unidirectional big bezel that offers easy handling operation for yachting activities. Its sporty look is accompanied by the mesh-styled rubber strap and screw-locked crown along with its classic chronograph layout -- would also look so fine on a daily basis. It further features 200m of water resistance that makes it a reliable yachting watch. In all, the Superocean Heritage is the true style representation at sea.

Much like some other tool watches, yachting watches also present a range of functional features to provide precise calculations and serve a better experience for yachtsmen. Impressive performance along with the terrific style of sailing watches to look sharp even in a boat race.