Tough Time

In 1993, a little known company called Luminox created the first self-illuminating watch that required no charging. The breakthrough came by way of tiny glass chambers of tritum gas positioned around the face. When the US Navy heard about this, they commissioned the four-year-old California watchmaker to craft them a set. The rugged, Swiss-made dive watch is now standard issue for all SEALS and the Colormark series is the next generation of the classic. Substantial in size without being bulky, lightweight yet extremely durable, the handsome timepiece is an ideal off-duty watch (or on-duty, depending on your line of work). Maybe it's the no-nonsense styling or the naval history, but you feel a charge of testosterone just strapping the thing on your wrist. And for the price, it's a modern classic that's easy to own.

$295, (on sale for $163 with free shipping) at Amazon