“A Matter of Definition?”
Watch lingo can be a little odd at times, yet it so often makes perfect sense. Today we explain what daily rockers and desk diving are all about.
Days too good to waste an expensive luxury watch on
Daily rockers are a trend that watch enthusiasts debate fiercely. The term generally refers to watches worn every day – a job for which many people consider their premium or luxury watch simply too precious. It also covers timepieces worn in situations where the watch risks being damaged, stolen or lost. Some adventurers, for example, pick up a watch for a camping trip or a bike ride across Finland whose loss or damage they could live with, while the Rolex or the Hublot watch stays safely tucked away in the safe at home.
You also hear time and again of watch connoisseurs who leave their luxury watch at home when they go swimming, cycling or to the gym, or when they work in the garden. That way, they don't have to worry about anything happening to their elegant wristwatch. Water does no leather strap any favors, and rough work with tools or in the dirt can leave the strap, clasp, crystal and case covered in scratches – even if they're only micro-swirls. In forums and discussions, people counter this practice by pointing out that you could just as easily take your watch off for swimming or gardening.
Well, this is where opinions differ: are daily rocker watches sensible or actually unnecessary? That's for you to decide.
Daily rocker watches for everyday wear
It's understandable, after all, that a luxury watch costing several thousand euros gets carefully guarded and looked after. And most people would probably agree that it should be kept out of harm's way. Those who wear their luxury watch day and night, whether they're in the slums of India or on Norwegian oil rigs, are likely the exception. That's why the term daily rocker emerged for an everyday watch. It's not unusual for someone to keep their prized pieces at home in a watch winder and wear them only on special occasions.
Everyday watches are especially popular with people who simply feel naked and uncomfortable without a watch. It doesn't always have to be a Rolex or a Breitling watch. Still, no one who normally wears a COSC-certified chronometer wants to walk around in daily life with a €20 plastic watch. That's why daily rockers from the mid-price segment have become an option. Such an everyday watch strikes a sensible balance between a piece of jewelry and a practical tool, managing on the one hand to meet the wearer's standards and on the other to ease the worry that the watch is too good to risk everyday wear and tear.
Typical rockers for every day
Tissot
One daily rocker that meets the highest standards is the Tissot T-Classic Everytime series. These Swiss quality watches impress with high-grade materials and the fine craftsmanship you expect from Swiss watches. The T-Classic Everytime Large, for example, features a particularly large yet understated case. It satisfies the most demanding aesthetic tastes. The Everytime also comes in many variants, for instance with a coated or gold-plated case or with a fabric strap in creative colors.
Bruno Söhnle
Another great second watch and everyday model is the Bruno Söhnle Momento with its retro design and a high-quality calfskin strap. Thanks to its steel case and sapphire crystal, this watch can also hold its own during sports and on vacation. Even so, the Momento doesn't make you sacrifice style: the white, cleanly designed dial with date display works reliably and lends its wearer the necessary chic in any situation. Luminous indices and luminous hands also make the Momento suitable for use in the dark.
TW-Steel
As a daily rocker, the TW-Steel Canteen brings plenty of variety – and, if you like, a splash of color – into your life. This colorful everyday watch is right on trend, and its androgynous style is back in fashion, too. The case is made of rugged steel. The large dial is a real eye-catcher. The fact that the affordable Canteen Fashion, for example, comes on a silicone strap makes it a perfect sports watch that can take a lot of punishment and, thanks to its large numerals, reliably tells the time even during fast movements and in the heat of the moment.
Desk diver watches
Alongside the trend of wearing a daily rocker as an everyday watch, there's what amounts to a countertrend: desk diving. This refers to wearing high-quality dive watches in everyday life. These aren't daily rocker watches worn in place of a luxury watch, but genuinely great dive watches that are worn not for diving but as a status symbol and a piece of jewelry.
Some see desk diving as a nice way to wear their favorite watch even when their next diving vacation is still weeks away. Others may find it strange to wear a watch rated for depths of up to 100 meters at their desk. But that's exactly where the appeal lies.
Many dive watches meet the highest standards and are usually very robust.
And they exude that certain charm, that touch of wanderlust and adventure. So why not show up at work wearing a piece that evokes vacations and exotic underwater worlds – and feel really good about your desk diver?
