Beast is an expression that has worn down following its profuse usage with anything that its creator wants to appear tough and formidable; still, out of a lack of a more appropriate word, we stick to it.

A few, essential facts to start with

It’s only a specific grade of toughness or above that can be rightfully bestowed upon the honorific title of a ‘BEAST’. Those below that toughness level might just drown taking your hopes and dreams along with them to their rock bottoms. But with the BEAST tag attached, you could stay rest assured that the price tags will be high as well. You are shaped like that by common belief.

Don’t join the herd. They’ll tell you only about beasts that cost a pretty penny but well, they well deserve that price and a slightly higher price would also justify it. There are no arguments about it. You don’t question a Seiko SKX or a Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic; a Citizen Promaster RC or Citizen’s Marine Satellite Wave GPS Titanium, for you know quality and reliability demand a price. Well-established brands – so it’s OK to pay the price. However, tell me the truth – Would you risk it for a day in the Sun, amidst all that sand and the stretches of the seas? Or, maybe while you reach for the equipment that somehow landed up in a puddle of mud? Guess not; you fear risking a thousand dollars – more or less – and more than that, a beautiful timepiece to adorn your wrist. Despite they are built to withstand the extremes of Nature, the fear lingers in your mind.

This is where watches like the Casio Edifice World Time Mobile Link (also its Solar version), the Casio G-Shock Analog-Digital GA-200, the Ratio FreeDiver 200m, and the Orient Star Sports/Diver Power Reserve Automatic come to your rescue. Let these accompany you to the beach while those mentioned earlier can join you at the beachside pub. Or wherever else you’d like to spend a wild night.

The Beasts in a nutshell

The Beasts: Under the scanner

Casio Edifice World Time Mobile Link Quartz:

The best part about this Mobile Link Edifice is you do not need to worry any further about your watch whether it’s keeping the perfect time. Question your mobile link provider instead. As you establish a smart-phone link with your module, the watch will adjust itself to the current time without any human interference. But there’s more to this Edifice and that goes beyond its octagonal, black bezel from EDIFICE, which continues to evolve as an advanced high-performance metal chronograph. As long as the watch is close to a Smartphone, it can link to the dedicated “EDIFICE Connected” app through Smartphone Link using Bluetooth®. This enables the watch to schedule (start and end) events on your Smartphone. The LED light lights up with a simple tilt of the wrist. The bezel has a black ion plate finish that resists scratches and its schedule timer is based on the F1 standards.
This Edifice from Casio can tell time in 38 different time-zones in the world, which is particularly useful for them frequent travellers; or, those who have to deal with multiple time zones for just any purpose. This too you can access through the ‘Connected’ app on your Smartphone.
There’s a little surprise waiting still, which is the Phone Finder. Whenever you forget where your Smartphone is, the watch tells you its location. It will make your Smartphone ring at the push of a button.

Casio Edifice World Time Mobile Link Solar:

A pleasant surprise about the watch is its über-tough aesthetics that you’ll find resembling very closely that of the G-Shock’s. It is as eminently functional (plenty of technical wizardry) but with a different and intelligent design language that let’s speed take control!

There’s nothing much different with this model compared to the other one with the starkest difference being the black ion-plating. Stealth look, as the watch world would call it. A busy, travelling executive or someone who runs a business at different time zones might find it way more useful than them who are not. It is a standalone wearable accessory that brings multiple functionalities within an expensive look minus the stress of wearing one. The Super-Illuminator is a power guzzler, so they’ve provided a battery-level indicator and the Tough Solar power-generation mechanism.

• Casio G-Shock 30^th Anniversary Edition:Casio has incrementally improved its backlighting technology and it’s evident in this generation G-Shock. They are adequate for reading the time and the LCD screens, though not as bright as some of the fully lumed analog dials. You can’t expect the light of this G-Shock to flood the dial the same way. Partly, it’s the highs and lows of the dials that are responsible; however, it’s not like you have to try hard to get the readings. Maybe it’ll just take a little while to get accustomed to at the most.
  All in all, the 30^th Anniversary G-Shock is hard to beat when a chunky, sci-fi style is what you’re looking at. It offers enough urban appeal without compromising on technicalities. A durable package, a cool timepiece – call it whatever you may like!A G-Shock every bit though it brings fashion full tilt within the features and functions domain. Its most impressive part is an intricate, detailed dial and its evident some very advanced machinery were employed to cut those ultra-precise gaps to bring that techie and cool look; the kind you might expect in sci-fi movies. Very hip, very modern, very casual, though you sacrifice legibility slightly for this ultra-tech look. Its metal pushers amplify that feel even further.
• Ratio Freediver 200m: At times, you just want to avoid excess and stick to the basics; the essential stuff meant for the deep; the stretches and the highlands, terrains desiccate or lush. Finding the bare minimum useful for this purpose tucked into one is at best, tough; finding something like this also fit for the urban realms is tougher. Yet, it’s not ludicrously high-priced like the lot with nothing or little to offer besides the brand names. With the Ratio Freediver 200m, you do not need to show it around. The recognition for the piece arrives following a hard yet fascinating day under the sea, on the sand or on the mountains. Then you come to know about its sapphire glass, Seiko automatic movement and the surgical grade stainless steel that went into its construction.  It’s a great relief; especially for growing teens and active young adults.
• Orient Star Classic Sports/Diver Power Reserve Automatic :
  Orient Star is the higher-end range of watches from Orient. Many among you will be surprised to find an outdoor watch among the line-up but it’s not only the dress watches that wear the name.
  This Orient Star is visually more playful than a lot many dress/divers – some even much higher on the price ladder from other brands. It was released as a part of the Orient Star Classic collection, the sports/diver version of the Orient Classic-Elegant Open Heart Automatic to help celebrate Orient’s 70th anniversary. It’s equipped with calibre F7M62 automatic, which is the Japanese brand’s in-house, flagship movement the watch-world has appreciated since its inception. It’s visually attractive, functional and reliable and can endure a great deal of stress; way higher than any weekend adventurer can ever expose it to. This 3Hz movement offers 50 hours of power reserve, which is also slightly greater than the usual 41 hours span. It is decently decorated and partially visible through the porthole window which makes it an open heart watch.  The backside of the movement you can see through the transparent case back.

You must be wondering about its luminous intensity now which is pretty decent; bright and long lasting and the ARC Sapphire crystal kind of magnifies its brightness. Make it to 200 meters underwater or inside a dense, tropical rainforest at night to see it in its full glory!

Why should you find these Beasts a home? Sorry, a wrist?

Tough watches are nothing new to the world. There were tough watches before; there are and there will be, boosted by the developments in materials and technology to follow. But these herald the advent of the smart watches of today – funny it might sound – and they are not exactly the ‘all work and no play’ type. They’ll be with you through the thick and thin unlike snowflake smart watches which can be with you for business and pleasure but not play’.
All the drama we are facing in the world now – pandemics and wars – it makes sense to get your hands upon some of the hardiest stuff among all. Let’s start that with our respective watches. For – may the day never arrive – in a post-apocalyptic world; your watch might be the only tool you’ll get to find out time and direction and maybe, even to drive the tent pegs in!

Keep dropping in to leave your replies below. State which one from the above watches you’d like to go for the most and reasons behind it. 

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