YOUR NEXT WATCH: A Consideration For Your Next Expedition

I spend so much time out of the day looking at watches anyway, so why not share them with you. It's also a reflection of my tastes, as well as a nice way to maybe catch a deal. Oh, and while I do love watches and write about them every day, I would never call myself an expert. Therefore, please do your own research before buying any of these watches as getting a used/vintage watch can result in a lot of tears if the watch is fake, frankensteined or otherwise modified

Smiths Everest A453, 1959: £880
This is the cheapest way into the expedition story on this list. The seller says the 17-jewel manual-wind movement has been fully serviced, the plexi crystal is clear, and all parts are original. It is a 33mm stainless steel case on a 16mm leather strap. Before you buy, know that the seller has a thin track record: 24 items sold, a member since June 2026, no returns accepted, and away until October 17.

Enicar Sherpa Guide: $2,599 or best offer
The Sherpa line is the most interesting non-Rolex mountaineering name of the period. The seller says it was fully serviced within the past two years and is in unpolished condition. Ask for the reference and caseback photos before making an offer. The listing was last updated on July 30, so check that it is still live.

Eterna Super Kon-Tiki Diver, 1960s: $5,770
The explorer link is Thor Heyerdahl’s raft. It has a 40mm steel case, an acrylic crystal, an unsigned screw-down crown, and a Gay Frères bracelet. The case has been polished, the dial and hands show moderate wear, and the hour hand has no lume left.

Hamilton MIL-W-46374B, 1979: $665
Original black dial, lightly faded, with matching hands. The minute hand is missing a little lume. The parkerized steel case is in very nice condition, 33mm, with a 7-jewel manual-wind movement.

Raketa 24-hour “Polar,” 1970s/80s, €199
This is a regular-production Raketa 24h, not the 1970 Antarctic expedition original, which is rare and often faked. But it's still a cool watch.

Citizen Promaster Altichron C040, 1989, titanium, $299.99 or best offer
This is the first-generation Altichron, the analog-digital climbing watch that started Citizen’s altimeter line. It looks strange and wears light. It’s the most useful watch on this list above 3,000 meters.

Poljot “30 Years of the Nuclear Icebreaker Lenin,” 1989, €360
Soviet in Paris. Calibre 2614.2N, made for the Murmansk Shipping Company. It celebrates the Lenin, the first nuclear-powered icebreaker, which cleared the Northern Sea Route from 1959 to 1989. The dial shows the ship route. It was last serviced October 2024 and the listing looks like it has been up since then, so make an offer.

Bulova Accutron Astronaut, 1967, $2,400 or best offer
38mm gold-filled case with a 14k gold 24-hour bezel, calibre 214 tuning fork. Recently serviced with a new index wheel, gaskets and crystal. CIA pilots wore the Astronaut in the A-12 spy plane. This example costs more than a steel one because of the gold bezel.

Sinn 142 Space Chronograph, 1990s, $2,937
43mm steel, Lemania 5100. The 142 flew on Mir in 1992 and Spacelab D2 in 1993. The Lemania 5100 is close to indestructible.

Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute 809, 1970s, $7,200
41mm gold-plated case with steel back, 17-jewel manual chronograph, original dial in excellent condition, replacement strap. It’s the 24-hour Navitimer type Scott Carpenter wore on Aurora 7. A fair-condition 1966 steel example is on Chrono24 for about $6,000 so it's not a bad price.