What do you do when you like both analogic and digital watches? Buy a digital analog watch, of course!
Chronographs and multifunctional sports watches are nice but not for everyone. Sometimes, the sub-dials can look cluttered and busy. The advantage of an analog-digital watch is that it condenses several functions into a few LCD screens. This gives the watch a cleaner look and, at the same time, delivers the clarity of an analog watch.
Ana Digi watches are some of the most technical watches you can own. They operate differently from mechanical movements. Often, they provide features like a world timer, alarm, stopwatch, and perpetual calendar on a digital display. However, one thing worth bearing in mind is the size of the average Digi Ana watch. They’re not small! In fact, I’ve still yet to find a sub-40mm one, so if you know of any, leave me a comment after!
If a Digi Ana watch has just landed on your radar, now is the perfect time to explore what it can offer. This guide will explore some of the benefits of owning one and provide some great examples.
Table of Contents
Analog vs Digital Watch
Despite mechanical watches being a more popular option than quartz, the market is abundant with the latter. However, one debate remains: the Analog vs Digital topic. Which is best? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. It all boils down to personal preference. While analog watches can be quartz or mechanically driven, digital watches rely exclusively on a quartz movement.
You may prefer the classic elegance and traditional layout of an analog watch. That said, a digital watch is more modern and utilitarian-looking and electronically features the time in digital numbers on a screen. Compared to a digital watch, analog timepieces are much simpler in design. But here’s where we get to the exciting bit. If you want something that combines the classic format of the analog watch with the features of a digital, you’re in luck. Cue the digital and analog watch combination, AKA the Ana Digi watch.
Digital Analog Watch Recommendations
If you’re ready to purchase a digital analog watch but don’t know where to start, check out these recommendations. Whether you want something complex or relatively simple, there’s an option here.
1. Hamilton Khaki Aviation Flight Timer
For the airmen among us, the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Flight Timer doesn’t disappoint. It can track up to 20 flights in its log book and 99 landings. With a staggering 1000 meters of water resistance, you’d be silly not to dive without this beast. This is also a compact 40mm model, making it a great digital watch for small wrists. It displays the seconds, hours, and minutes and features a perpetual calendar, countdown timer, and 100th of a second chronograph. It is perfect for travel and has a GMT function for tracking two additional time zones and an alarm function!
2. Citizen Navihawk JY8035-04E
Along with Casio, Citizen has to be the brand that gives you the most bang for your buck. This Citizen Navihawk is large at 48mm model. But the soft rubber band makes it comfortable to wear all the time. It features a chronograph, a timer, a perpetual calendar, a world time function, and two alarms. But it gets better. It’s also a solar-powered watch, so you won’t ever need to change the battery. Plus, it’s radio-controlled, promising accuracy every second of the day. Its slide rule functions and 200M water resistance are other stand-out features. It’s a tremendous value-for-money investment.
3. Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33
Forget the traditional Speedy for a second. This ana-digi watch celebrates the brand’s ambition to create high-tech solar-powered watches. I love the fact that Omega imposes on the digital watch grounds here. The blue and green dial has white transfers for the indexes and a liquid crystal display for the digital elements. This unique collectible is exclusive to 1,924 pieces to commemorate the Solar Impulse project. It’s incredibly cool, offering three time zones, alarms, and a chronograph. Its Mission Elapsed Time (MET) is most impressive for counting down space mission start times. The Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 is an accurate tipping of the hat to Omega’s heritage in space exploration!
4. Breitling Evospace
The Breitling Aerospace Evo is probably the best pick if you’re looking for luxurious digital analog watches. This pilot watch has everything you’d expect, like a chronograph, timer, calendar, world time function, and alarm. But it packs even more punch with its SuperQuartz movement. Breitling’s thermocompensated quartz is the most accurate kind of quartz. The movement also features a minute repeater that tells you the time with sound. A complete titanium build makes it super lightweight on the wrist and more robust than a typical steel watch. This Aerospace is the way to go for any luxury sports watch enthusiast. It’s feature-packed, accurate, and lightweight and looks the absolute business.
5. Seiko SNJ027
Seiko is famous for its dive watches. The brand has everything from affordable to luxurious and 200m water resistance to 1000m. But the Seiko SNJ027 is an oddball, being the only one with a digital display. This Seiko fan nicknames this the “Arnie” as a throwback to the original that Arnold Schwarzenegger wore in his 1980s movies. Many consider it the world’s first hybrid diver watch! The Arnie adds many useful features to a regular dive watch, like a chronograph function, alarm, perpetual calendar, and dual time. Its typical red and blue PADI aesthetics extend beyond a digital analog watch. What’s more, with its large 47mm diameter, it looks exceptionally bold and confident on the wrist.
6. Casio Analog Digital Watch Models
You know about the Casio analog digital watches, right? Seriously, if you haven’t, you need to check them out. They’re some of the best Digi Ana watches you can own! The G-Shock line is vast, and the AWG series is certainly not the most popular. Yet these watches are great, feature-packed, smaller G-Shocks, making them accessible to small wrists. This one has an interesting dial with three independent LCD sub-dials at 3, 6, and 9. And if you’re struggling to read the sub-dials, you can always move the hands out of the way! Genius! A 46mm diameter might seem big for a watch, but remember that the case protrudes at 3 and 9. The watch wears excellent on a 6-inch wrist.
As with all G-Shocks, this beauty has a shock-resistant system with up to 10G and 200M water resistance. But even better, it’s solar-powered and radio-controlled, too. There is no need to change the battery or set the time. Now add a subtle yet interesting comb pattern on the dial and a splash of color to the hour hand. You have a watch that will serve you for years!
FAQs
Learn more about the digital analog watch with these valuable FAQs.
Can a Watch Be Both Analog and Digital?
Yes, an analog and digital watch is called an ana-digi watch. It provides the accuracy and functionality of a digital watch but the classic hands of an analog watch.
What Does Analog Digital Watch Mean?
An analog-digital watch has digital features and the traditional hands of a classic wristwatch. The type of watch is popular among those looking for a combination of the two.
Is There a Mechanical Digital Watch?
Yes, mechanical digital watches exist. Such examples include the A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk and the De Buthane Dream Watch.
Closing Thoughts
Whatever the outcome, analog and digital watches serve a functional purpose on the wrist. What they offer in terms of aesthetics and features varies drastically, however. Go down the Casio digital route for a multifunctional sports watch that is both robust and affordable. Add an analog to your collection for something classic, timeless, and traditional. For both, explore the market for Ana Digi watches!
Hopefully, this article covers all the facts you need to consider before deciding whether analog-digital watches are right for you.
But did I miss anything? Be sure to let me know in the comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter at The Slender Wrist today. That way, you can ensure you’re not missing out on all the latest trends and watch-related news.
