Victorinox I.N.O.X. Watch Review: It Might Last Longer Than I Will
As clever wordplay on the last four letters of the Victorinox brand name — legendary Swiss manufacturer of Swiss army knives and luggages — the I.N.O.X. watch stands for a rather lengthy name: Impact Neutralizing Object for the X-tremes.
It’s a timepiece that contains a quartz movement and is encased inside of a 43mm stainless steel case of extreme durability. Of course, the glass has to be up to snuff as well, so a scratch-resistant, triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal is affixed as the window. That isn’t the only extreme thing about this timepiece, either.
Price as Reviewed: $525 at Victorinox
Aesthetics
Not everything about the Inox is centered around the four-ounce stainless steel bloc and sapphire triple-coated surface of the watch. Some of the magic that makes the Inox a solid timepiece is on its Montbloc dial and its luminescent hands and indexes. The watch itself is water-resistant to 200m (20 ATM, or 660 feet), so while it’s not diver’s watch, it can survive a deep trip underwater.
[pullquote]”Nothing the Inox can withstand a human can. Deal with it.”[/pullquote]
Actually, this is worth bringing up: nothing the Inox can withstand a human can. Therefore, you will die and the Inox will keep ticking away. Deal with it.
However, that is nothing to be discouraged over. it simply means that while running through the town or accidentally brushing the watch against a door frame or a granite countertop will yield little to no damage whatsoever to your half-a-grand timepiece. And while I doubt anyone wearing this will come across a bulldozer, I’m sure that if you had to impress and bet against your friends by running it over, then you’d win.
Using It
Using a watch is actually a simple and complex process. Simple in the fact that, when strapped to your wrist, you don’t need to do much else. Complex in that the watch is diligently keeping time and ready for your perusal at a moment’s notice — or a flick of the wrist.
The Inox does both things, like any reliable watch would, but using it is more about details: the excellent shifting of weight on your wrist thanks to the thickness and width of the rubber band. Or, the face, which despite being coated is one the clearest I’ve ever seen (smart and regular watches included).
It also makes an excellent travel watch, capable of coming along for a swim, right, flight, run, League of Legends play session or the blazing hot NYC summer, without protest and worry about keep the timepiece on your wrist pristine. After all, the Inox did pass a variety of “tests” Victorinox planned for it as part of its marketing campaign. While I don’t imagine being frozen then set on fire to defrost is something you’ll do in your lifetime, just know that the only thing left of you might be the watch.
Conclusion
Score: 9/10
[pullquote]”I do wish that wearing it granted you some of its durability. Actually, no; I don’t want to be run over.”[/pullquote]
The Inox is my favorite timepiece to roll around the city with, for now at least. It’s technically a ruggedized watch that is also compatible with business and casual outfits, while also not being unattainably expensive or gaudy.
At the end of the day, it’s a simple quartz stainless steel watch with a rubber band, that just so happens to be Swiss, and by Victorinox no less. And that makes it worthwhile and a great timepiece for any man to wear.
Pros:
- Extremely durable design
- Tasteful rubber band
- Feels comfortable to wear despite weight
- Comes with 3-year warranty
Cons:
- 4 oz. weight might be heavy for some
- I do wish there were durable metal or leather band options
- Illuminated markers should’ve been slightly brighter
