“Will it be risky to bring my watch on the ski slopes?”
“Could the hostile temperatures be harmful to my timepiece? “
“My watch is on a leather strap, will it hurt humidity and cold?”
“I would like to start snowboarding this year, but with falls and lack of practicality I’m afraid of ruining my watch, any advice? “
Welcome back friends of IWS, as you may have guessed from the cold temperatures, from the colored lights that light up our cities and from this conscious “do-goodness” of those who “at Christmas are always better”, we can officially say that winter has finally arrived, in spite of those who invoked him so much in “Game of Thrones”.
If, like myself, this year you intend to return to the ski slopes for a well-deserved vacation, then you are reading the right article, the right magazine at the right time. Don’t worry, I don’t want to bore you talking about the flex of your skis or your boards, let alone fall asleep with a treatise on the various types of wax and application methods.
Today we will rather have fun by reviewing together some useful tricks so that you can fully enjoy all the fun on the slopes accompanied by your favorite timepiece … of course, I do not promise you that at the end of the article you will feel like Roger Moore in “James Bond: For Your Eyes Only” while fleeing from Kristatos’ henchmen on the slopes of Cortina, but no fear, we will try!
Are you ready? Let’s go…
Milano-Cortina in two Rolex laps…Taac
Without rushing as the great Guido Nicheli aka Dogui did in Christmas Holidays 83, let’s start this journey through the snowy slopes trying to better analyze what are the main dangers for our watches. It is useless to beat around the bush too much dear friends, skiing is not a very friendly sport for our timepieces.
Rigid temperatures, humidity, ice, bumps and collisions are just some of the possible dangers that are not so hidden, if we add the possibility of being able to lose them during a breathtaking descent, you understand that you need to be very careful. One step at a time and above all without haste, we reserve it all for the descents, and let’s analyze more closely those who are the main enemies for our watch..
To better get you into the role play, guys , let’s imagine our timepiece as a Marvel super hero and consider the various critical issues on the snow as the real enemies of our idol. For each of the antagonists we will attribute a difficulty coefficient that best describes the extent of his threat: from one star, low danger, up to five stars, very high danger “threat to planet Earth…”
Ice – 4 Stars
Whether it is fresh, icy, artificial or natural, snow is without a doubt the fundamental ingredient of any self-respecting winter sport. It is loved by us cold addicted as much as it is dangerous for our timepieces, so much so that it earns 4 stars of danger on the enemy scale.
Thinking about it, in fact, it is nothing more than solid-state water, so guys, when leaving for the holidays, I strongly recommend that you choose a watch resistant to at least 100 meters depth (10 bar) as your adventure companion, and at the same time that its waterproofing is guaranteed by a good recent service. T
he classic condensation or droplet of water under the glass, or worse still, inside the movement, formed due to the temperature difference between the inside of the object and the surrounding environment, is not at all to be underestimated, in how much in a very short time it can give rise to phenomena of rust and various oxidations that lead to long repairs and absolutely avoidable intervention costs.
In addition, water is not the black beast only for everything that is contained inside the case, the element is in fact less than ideal even with some types of bracelet. Whether it is coconut, lizard or Tuscan leather, we know how much leather in general is not resistant to it.
Attention folks because this advice also applies to those of you who do not practice sports on the slopes. It is precisely when you least expect it, perhaps during the classic snowball with friends, that our prized alligator gets wet, gets cold and gets sick. Cycles of “wet – dry” are the cause not only of the progressive loss of elasticity but also favor the formation of structural cracks in the bracelet up to its inevitable breakage. unpleasant color transfers, is to avoid contact with dark clothing, especially when wet.
Temperature Variation – 2 Stars
Another challenge that our superheroes are called to fight is undoubtedly that against sudden changes in temperature. This type of enemy is small, devious and once you realize that he has hurt it may be too late. For the sake of truth, considering the temperature range as a real super villain may perhaps be exaggerated, let’s define it rather as an annoying obstacle, which if neglected can turn into a real threat.
Needless to say, his favorite victims are mechanical watches, even better if vintage. The weak point in question is the balance spring, which, composed of metal alloys, could be subject to contractions / expansions as temperatures vary. These deformations can lead to an irregular oscillation, due both to possible gear changes or, in the worst case scenario, to unpleasant machine downtime.
Quartz watches aren’t faring much better. As for mechanics, also in this case the most susceptible are those with more years of service on their shoulders. The fundamental problem in this case is caused by the low temperatures that cause an accelerated depletion of the batteries inside them, putting our object out of action. So guys, although most modern timepieces are very resistant to temperature changes, be careful not to take too many bombardment breaks on the slopes.…
Bumps and Collisions – 5 Stars
Among the most difficult enemies to fight, and I don’t think I’m too far off considering them as such, there are certainly bumps and collisions. Whether you are wearing skis or snowboard, I know the feeling you get once you get off the chair lift … “I’m only good at it, keep up with me if you can, get caught I’m jumping at the first corner etc…” It doesn’t matter if you feel as skilled as our Sofia Goggia, fresh winner of everything in Lake Luis, the danger is really around the corner, and your watch must be ready to withstand all hostilities.
The criticality in question affects mechanical timepieces more easily. As components such as rockers, anchors, wheels and escapements are very susceptible to collisions, they represent a fertile ground for this type of problem. Mind you guys because even just a fall can be enough to create irreversible damage to our adventure companion. To enjoy a peaceful holiday, therefore, I recommend that you prefer a quartz watch, which is certainly more equipped to cope with this type of problem. Otherwise, if you are unable to separate yourself from your mechanic, first of all you will have to make sure that it is equipped with an anti-shock system, and secondly, if you don’t want to, slow down a little.…
The good guys arrive
After having become aware of all the possible enemies that our watches may encounter in the snow-capped mountains, the question arises: are there models capable of defeating all the villains described and above all that meet the necessary criteria to face these dangers? The good news is that there are so many dear friends of IWS, and below we will have fun together discovering some of them…
Let’s start with professional quartz watches. With their multi-functions useful for keeping our sports performance under control and not only, smartwatches have seen a real boom of success in recent years, carving out a really important slice on the international scene. Although on the market we find so many and for all budgets I will limit myself to introducing you to those that in my view represent the best value for money.
One of the best timepieces for those who love winter sports is undoubtedly the GARMIN FENIX 6X. Resistant up to 100 meters deep and equipped with a 36 mm diameter display, protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, this timepiece is perhaps the best choice for those who love sports in general.
In addition to containing navigation functions, satellite tracking, three-axis compass, altimeter, barometer and gyroscope, this fantastic object is particularly appreciated by ski lovers as it can include, after software loading, the topographic – ski maps of 2,000 ski resorts in Worldwide. In terms of battery life you can also count, depending on the use made of the object, on 15 hours in GPS and music mode, up to 21 days in smartwatch mode, up to 46 days in GPS Expedition mode and up to 80 days in battery saver mode … really tough on snow and extreme sports in general …
A no less alternative given the characteristics is definitely well represented by the COROS VERTIX. This adventure watch in addition to being equipped with all the sensors we look for in an extreme watch is designed and built for exceptional performance at prohibitive temperatures.
In fact, made of a very resistant titanium alloy and equipped with a comfortable 36 mm diameter display in sapphire glass, this timepiece is able to range in real time between navigation data, checkpoints of the routes we are driving, altitude, pressure, temperature and many other functions available. Water resistant up to 15 ATM, VERTIX is therefore particularly suitable for all lovers of extreme sports in general.
With its 5 days in regular use mode, its 60 hours in full GPS mode and 150 hours in ultramax mode, the battery performance is a real strength for the COROS.
The mechanical watches to go for
What if we wanted to get into mechanical movements instead? Which ones, in your opinion, have the best characteristics to keep up with the rugged mountain conditions? To answer the question, even in this case, the big names on the world scene, her majesty Rolex and Lady Omega, come to the rescue.
The crowned ones par excellence who are best at ease in the world of winter sports are undoubtedly the two brothers of the Explorer line. It is no coincidence that already Sir. Edmund Hillary and his trusty Sherpa Tensing Norgay wore the first Explorer prototypes during the first successful ascent of Mount Everest back in 1953.
Thanks to both the extremely robust stainless steel Oyster case and the famous Twinlock double seal crown, both models, Explorer and Explorer II, enjoy an established reputation among mountaineers and explorers from all over the world.
However, the case and water resistance are not the only strengths of these timepieces. The Paraflex shockproof system in tandem with the particular Parachrom spiral ensure perfect protection against bumps and collisions, while ensuring excellent operation in extreme conditions.
If, to all this we add to all this the elegance and indistinguishable style of the Rolex house, you understand that we will be at ease on all occasions of our vacation …
A very valid alternative that combines elegance, style and superpowers against adverse environmental conditions is undoubtedly the Planet Ocean 600 m from Omega. This celebratory timepiece, produced in a limited edition for the “Pyeongchang 2018” Winter Olympics, is equipped with an automatic movement equipped with a Co-Axial escapement which guarantees excellent resistance to shocks and shocks of all kinds.
Una validissima alternativa che unisce eleganza, stile e superpoteri contro le condizioni ambientali avverse è senza dubbio il Planet Ocean 600 m di casa Omega. Questo segnatempo celebrativo, prodotto in tiratura limitata per le Olimpiadi invernali di “Pyeongchang 2018”, è equipaggiato da un movimento automatico munito di scappamento Co-Axial il quale garantisce un’ottima resistenza a urti e scosse di ogni genere.
The stainless steel case together with all the components of the watch are able to withstand magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss, while the domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is practically indestructible. A positive feature of the object is certainly represented by the rubber bracelet which not only lightens the overall weight but at the same time confers comfort and practicality even in extreme conditions. On the other hand, it is certainly no secret that the La Chaux-de-Fonds fashion house has experience to spare when it comes to winter sports.…
Conclusions
Here we are guys, after having described the main enemies through which our heroes can come across the mountains, studied the best solutions to face them and identified together the timepieces that are best at ease on the slopes, I leave you the latest very personal advices so that you can fully enjoy your skiing holiday.
In the first instance, and more than a piece of advice, it is a very fast recap compared to what was previously developed, avoid bringing with you any watch that does not follow the IAR rule, Water resistance, Shockproof and Resistance to low temperatures.
Secondly, if you are new to winter sports, my confidential suggestion is to leave your precious adventure companion for a moment on standby waiting for you to become familiar with boots, boards and skis. Once you are an expert it will be a pleasure to take it with you but trust me from time to time …
Last but not least, never forget to always support practicality and elegance. There is really a wide variety for lovers of skiing and winter sports in general, therefore, when you are asked to choose, always try to do so remembering that the object must fit well both when you are wearing the suit and when you are wearing the suit. for the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Have fun and above all happy holidays…
Author: Jacopo Invernizzi
Translated by: Enrico Della Guerra
