Coral Reef Watch | Miyota Quartz | Recycled Nylon Case & NATO Strap

Somewhere between learning to read a clock face and realizing watches can tell you when snack time is, children figure out that wristwatches are how you know you're in charge of your own schedule. We chose this watch because it gives that feeling without the fragility most kids' timepieces bring—it's built like something that can handle recess, puddles, and the kind of Tuesday that involves climbing. Miyota quartz movement keeps time accurately enough that someone will eventually ask you what time it actually is, expecting a real answer. Mineral glass crystal resists the scratches that come with checking the time while your wrist is covered in playground gravel. Recycled nylon case and NATO strap mean the whole thing is made from materials that already had a life before this one, which feels right for something that's about to live a second life timing frog observations. 3 ATM water resistance handles handwashing, rain, and the shallow end, though it's not rated for the deep end or bath time debates about whether submarines can tell time underwater.

The first day it will be checked roughly every four minutes, mostly to confirm that yes, it still works, and yes, time is still happening. By the second day someone will announce that recess starts in seven minutes, then five, then two, with the kind of countdown authority that suggests air traffic control training. Water resistance will be tested not on purpose but because a puddle appeared and required immediate investigation while the watch was still attached.

Details

• Miyota quartz movement with 2-year warranty
• Mineral glass crystal
• Recycled nylon case
• NATO strap made of recycled nylon
• 3 ATM water resistance (shallow water, rain, handwashing—not for swimming or submersion)
• Weight: 100 g (3.53 oz)
• Currently timing an expedition that has been underway since breakfast and involves four stops to examine interesting leaves