Best Watches for Doctors in 2022

Being punctual is very important in the medical field. Sometimes, it can be life-saving. That is the reason why having a quality watch can make a big difference in a medical professional’s life.

There is some debate over whether doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals can or should wear wristwatches. One 2008 article in the Nature magazine debates the subject, coming to the conclusion that it depends on the type of work a certain medical professional does.

They cite two other research papers talking about the subject. One focused on the surgical environment, and the other one is talking about dentists’ practice. Neither are in favor of wearing wristwatches on duty, mainly because of hygienic reasons.

The main reason is maintaining good personal hand hygiene. Medical professionals encounter any patients, they are often exposed to viruses, bacteria, or bodily excretions which can all end up on their hands, clothes, and gear, including wristwatches they may wear. Lingering bacteria and viruses can in some cases even be deadly.

So, in order to prevent any tragic outcomes, certain practices enforce the bare-below-the-elbow rule – for example, surgical departments, some ER wards, or some dental practices. That means no jewelry, no fake nails, long nails or nail polish, and no watches.

On the other hand, no pun intended, time is very important in the medical field, as has been said before. That’s where a good watch may come in handy. One of many examples is measuring the pulse of the patient. It can also be useful when administering medication, filling in the patient’s files, and other instances.

No matter the case, if a medical professional is to wear a watch, it is important that it is a great quality watch that he or she can rely on even in the worst moments and that it is a watch that can take a beating.

In that regard, there are certain conditions – in terms of quality – that a watch must meet.

The first one is production quality and accuracy. Both of these things must be impeccable because the watch would be used as a working tool, not just a simple everyday timepiece or a fashion statement.

It’s already been mentioned that great hand hygiene is a must in any hospital or clinical environment. Therefore, the watch must be made out of durable materials that can be washed and disinfected over and over again.

In that regard, the simplicity of the design is of great importance as well. That means no unnecessary ridges, furrows, or creases in order to decrease the chance of bacteria and viruses getting “stuck” and to make the watch easier to clean and disinfect thoroughly.

Certain materials are more favorable than others. For example, a simple silicone or rubber strap is much better than, say, leather or metal one. 

Simplicity is also important when it comes to the design and the look of the case. The cover crystal should not be too reflective in order for the medical professional to be able to read the time regardless of the lighting in the room. It should also be resistant to scratches and bumps.

The dial should be simple, with numbers bigger, and easy to read, so the best option is simple white or black background and digits of the opposing color.

The hands of the watch must be easy to see, and it’s a great addition if they glow in the dark so that they can be used in any light setting.

Considering all of this, it goes without saying that the watch should be waterproof.

With all these conditions in mind, we can slowly start looking for the right watch.

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Casio Watches

Casio is a well-known Japanese brand that makes electronic products, such as digital cameras, phones, calculators, etc. One of their specialties is also making watches. This brand has a great variety of both digital and analog watches and everyone can certainly find something that fits their character and needs well.

There are several watches that can be suitable for medical professionals, especially because this brand has a reputation for making very durable and quality watches for a relatively low price. Here are some of them.

Casio MQ24-7B2

This classic men’s analog watch with its simple design is made out of resin. Resin is a pretty durable and resistant material, which is very convenient for the purpose it would have in the medical environment.

Its case is very simple, white background with black digits, which are on the bigger side, so they are easy to tell time.

Since it’s made out of resin, this watch can boast of water resistance, making it a great choice for someone in the medical profession.

Another great thing about this watch is its price. For just around $20, you get a durable watch that can last you a long time.

Casio LRW200H-2BV

This is another Casio watch designed in a classic sporty style, looking a little bit bigger than the previous one. This is a women’s model, also made out of resin, meaning it is pretty durable as well.

Its stainless steel case is a bit bigger than the one on the previous watch, but that is in accordance with its sporty style.

This particular model has a white background with bigger light-blue digits, so it is easy to see them. It also comes in black and pink versions.

This Casio model claims 100-meter water resistance and a minimum of three years long battery life, which is not bad for a $30 watch.

Casio MRW-200H-1BV

This diver-looking sporty quartz watch also offers great value for a lower price of $25. It is made out of resin and plastic, it is 100-meter water-resistant, and it has a great-looking case, with a black background and bigger white numbers. Unlike the other ones, this watch has a day and date indicator.

Casio MW-240-1BV

This is another classic-looking, simple, and easy-to-read Casio watch, with a case that has a black background and white digits.

Though its water resistance is not on par with other watches listed above (50-meter water resistance), its simple design and lightweight materials add up just enough to make it a great choice for paramedics.

Casio MW-59-1BV

This beautiful, simply styled unisex watch is a great choice for those looking for a classic feel. Its design is even simpler than previous watches, with even fewer ridges on the band.

It comes with a small and simple black case with white numbers that are easy to read. It has 50-meter water resistance and a lightweight resin band.

It should be noted that all of these watches are available in several colors. In some cases, it’s only case and digits colors that are variable, but in some of them, like the Casio LRW200H-2BV, you have a bigger choice of colors for both bands and cases.

Swatch Watches

Swatch is another mainstream and well-known watch brand that makes affordable but durable watches as well. They also offer a great variety of watches in different styles, with different features and for different purposes, and here we chose a couple of them that would be suitable for someone working in the medical field.

The thing about these simple and cheap, but durable watches is the fact that, though they offer good longevity and quality for their price, it is much easier to part with them than with some classier and more expensive brands. So, on a day-to-day basis, especially in an environment that will test any watch’s limits, they might be a better choice.

And Swatch watches are made with that in mind. So, let’s go on and see what they have in their selection.

Just White Soft (GW1510)

This is a beautiful and simple women’s classic white watch with black 12-hour marks that are easy to see and three black hands that glow in the dark.

The strap is made out of silicone and the case is plastic. The strap is smooth on the outside, which makes it fairly easy to clean.

Swatch claims 3-bar water resistance, which is perfectly fine for often washes and disinfection.

Once Again (GB743) and Twice Again (SUOB705)

These two unisex quartz watches are similar in style and design. Both come in black color, with black straps and black cases that have a white dial with simple and easily readable black numbers on it.

The difference is that the Once Again watch has a plastic strap and the Twice Again watch comes with a silicone strap. Also, Twice Again is a little bit bigger overall, while the Once Again version has a bigger day and date indicator.

Both watches have 3-bar water resistance and both seem like a great choice, it all comes down to individual preferences.

They also both come with hands that glow in the dark.

Black Suit (GB247R)

If you want to go completely dark, then this is the perfect watch for you. This quartz watch comes with a black silicone strap, black plastic buckle and black case.

It has a black dial with easily readable white numbers and hands that glow in the dark on it. It is very simple, so it will surely suit its purpose well.

This beautiful men’s watch is a great choice for those going for a more classy style. It comes with a black silicone strap, and its case and buckles are made out of stainless steel.

So, on top of looking elegant, it is very easy to clean and maintain. Inside its gray-colored case, there is a black dial with soft greenish digits and lines indicating hours. This watch’s hands glow in the dark as well.

There is a Blue Suit edition as well.

Black Reflexion (YGS135)

This is another simple and great men’s watch. It comes with a gray rubber band. Its case and buckle are made out of stainless steel. The dial inside is white, with black numbers and big hands that can glow in the dark.

The smooth rubber band and stainless steel parts make it fairly easy to disinfect and wash regularly and glow-in-the-dark hands are very useful in darker rooms.

Speidel Original Scrub Watch

This simply designed watch has been specifically made for use by medical professionals. They advertise it as easy to read, clean, adjust and personalize.

The materials used to make this watch are medical silicone for the straps and stainless steel for the back of the case. It is 50-meter water-resistant.

The dial inside the case is white with 12 and 24-hour markers in black and red, very easy to read. The watch has a bigger black hour and minute hands, the second hand is bright red and very easy to see as well.

There is also an opposite version now, with black dial and white numbers, as well as the glowing version which is most suitable for those working the night shifts.

The silicone band can be customized in terms of colors and sizes. There is around 15 colors that match uniforms, and they expand from 5” (127 mm) to 7.75” (196.85 mm).

The back of the case can be engraved, so if you are looking to buy a present for someone working in healthcare, this might be the perfect one.

TICCI Unisex Medical Quartz Watch

This watch is adorned with similar features as the previous one. It is a waterproof (30-meter) Japanese quartz watch and its dial glows in the dark. It has also been specifically made for medical professionals, having a clean, easy-to-read dial without many unnecessary details.

It comes with a silicone band as well, which makes it easy to clean and disinfect on a regular basis. It is also pretty unobtrusive and easy to wear. There is also a variety of colors for the bands to match your uniform, though there are fewer options than with the Speidel watch.

NBONAL Medical Waterproof Watch

This is another similar watch, great for use by healthcare professionals. It comes with a durable rubber band that can fit a range of wrist sizes, from 5.7″ to 8.7″ (145mm-220mm), which makes it suitable even for people with smaller wrists.

It is a 50-meter waterproof watch, great for frequent hand washing, and easy to clean and disinfect. The manufacturer claims that the materials used are hypoallergenic.

The dial of the watch is white, with black 12 and 24-hour markers. It has a so-called luminous coating. During the day, it absorbs the light in the surroundings. Then, during the night it glows in a light green color, which can last up to five hours, so it is easy to read even in the dark.

The back of the case is made out of stainless steel, and is already engraved with an inscription – “To the lovely angel”, and it makes a great gift.

VAVC Nurse Watch

VAVC Nurse Watch is another watch designed for healthcare personnel. This watch has a slightly bigger case than previous ones. It has bigger 12 and 24-hour marks, and it also has minute marks around the edge.

Instead of rubber or silicone, its strap is made out of calf leather. You might want to be careful about that because it probably is not as sturdy and durable as those other materials. Though, the manufacturer claims up to 50-meter water resistance.

There are various different colors of the strap, and it should be soft and comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

The back of the case is made out of surgical-grade stainless steel, and the front is made out of sapphire-coated mineral glass.

Archimede’s Klassik Doctor’s Watch

Being on the more expensive side, this watch might be more suitable for people who are in the field for quite some time already, than it might be for youngins just entering the medical profession.

This watch has a sand-colored dial underneath an A/R coated sapphire crystal which, complemented with a beautiful black leather band, gives it a very vintage look. The hands of the watch are slim and black.

The watch comes with a pulsometer even showing starting points for measurements, making pulse reading considerably easier, without having to do multiplications. After finding the patient’s pulse and waiting for the start point, a doctor just needs to count the first fifteen heartbeats and then see where is the second hand of the watch.

The back of the watch is made out of brushed and polished stainless steel.

With its old-school look and bigger price, you might consider this watch for someone more mature, or maybe even as a retirement gift.

Sinn EZM 12

This sturdy German-made watch is the winner of several awards. Like Archimede’s one, this watch is also considerably more expensive than previously listed ones, it costs about $3530.

It is designed specifically for air rescue service, hence its amazing 2 bar pressure and low resistance, but it can also be a great tool for healthcare professionals, especially those working on emergent cases where every second counts.

Its case is made out of sturdy bead-blasted stainless steel and the strap is made out of silicone. The strap is designed in a way that makes it possible to attach it or remove it without additional tools.

The watch is extremely scratch-resistant because of the use of so-called TEGIMENT technology, so it will successfully withstand even the greatest challenges.

It has a special pulse rotor with a pulse rotor scale for the purpose of measuring heart rate.

Unlike any previous watches, this watch can also boast extreme temperature resistance, preserving its functionality in temperatures ranging between −45 °C up to even +80 °C, as well as humidity resistance.

St. Gallen DN1 Watch

Last, but certainly not the least. On the contrary, this watch is the most expensive on our list, costing about $9000.

Like many others on the list, it has been specifically designed for use by medical professionals. But what sets it apart?

First, its case is made out of “seamless single block 316L stainless steel”. The front of the case is adorned with anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The strap is made out of medical-grade silicone rubber that can be easily detachable, cleaned, and disinfected. It also has an additional alligator strap that can be used in leisure time, since it cannot be disinfected.

In addition to having a pulsometer, this watch has a respiratory calibration counter as well. It also comes with a Swiss Super LumiNova display, which makes it easy to use in dark environments.

It has higher grade water and pressure resistance than most of the other listed watches, with up to 100 meters of water resistance (10 ATM pressure resistance).

There are several other models on the St. Gallen website, but this one seems like the one that fits the watch-as-a-medical-tool purpose.

Conclusion

There are many things to consider before buying a watch, especially if it is going to be used for a special purpose, which it certainly has in the medical field. Robustness, durability, resistance, and sturdiness are the first thing that pops into one’s mind.

In this article, we tried to list watches that can fit everyone’s tastes, but also budgets, ranging from really cheap ones that you can buy for $20-$50, to the ones that can cost up to several thousand dollars.

In short, whether you are buying the watch for yourself or as a gift for a special someone that happens to be a healthcare professional, take your time to pick an appropriate watch.

Ruzica Eres

Ruzica is an aspiring content writer who can cover various topics. Graduated with a degree in Political Science and has a talent for the written word. Also interested in digital marketing.