What makes a watch a sports watch?
One view holds that a watch rated below about 100 metres of water resistance should not really be called a sports watch. Many sports watches have a screw-down crown, which helps keep water out. The rotating bezel has been called the most recognisable feature of popular sports watches. Inside, the movement needs protection from knocks. This often comes from Incabloc, a spring-loaded mounting for the jewels.
Where it comes from
At first, any watch with a link to sport was called a sports watch, and most were chronographs. One account says the sports wristwatch began at the same time as the men’s wristwatch. It traces both to 1904, when Alberto Santos-Dumont made a request to Louis Cartier. Rolex introduced the Oyster in 1926, and it became the first waterproof wristwatch. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is named as one of the earliest sports watches in the modern sense. Over time the term widened. It now covers any watch that can stand up to sport and outdoor use.
Which later watches are named as firsts?
The Omega Marine came out in 1932. It is often regarded as the first dive watch sold to the public. In 1953 Rolex, Blancpain and Zodiac each released a dive watch with a rotating bezel. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak came out in the 1970s. It was the first sports watch made as a high-end piece.
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