I thought it might be fun to write about two of my favorite topics — in a combined blog posting!

I am a big fan of watches and how they are not just a choice of jewelry, but also a tool for many travel purposes and a visible expression of yourself as well as your personality.

I admit I am a huge fan of Swiss watches primarily, but I will admit, not exclusively. One of my favorite brands is Breitling and I thought I would share some of the watches in my collection and how each of them serves a purpose when travelling.

OK – lets start with my favorite watch for when travelling on business and especially when travelling overseas.

My favorite watch is the Breitling Aersopace. They do not make this model anymore, but it is amazing watch to travel. Here are the benefits:

• It has a titanium case which makes it lightweight, thin and very durable
• It is not flashy and does not attract attention when travelling in dangerous places
• It fits easily and comfortably under long sleeve shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts
• It has multiple time zones. One your current time zone and one for your home time zone
• It has a very loud and reliable alarm — I never trust hotel alarm systems or wakeup calls. This is a critical function when travelling and your schedule is dynamic
• It has a battery and it literally lasts almost 2 years before requiring a change

OK – what is my favorite vacation watch when being adventurous?

The Breitling Seawolf. It is a true diving watch.

• You can actually go as deep as 3,000 meters and it is 100% titanium case with a very thick sapphire crystal.
• It is an automatic watch that is so reliable, durable and has a bracelet extension to wrap your wrist when wearing a thick wetsuit.
• It is very light and comfortable due to the titanium case

Another great choice in the tropical regions for hot weather, diving and snorkeling is the SuperOcean. Very comfortable and adaptable to your adventure needs.

Hint: these watches do not easily fits under any shirt due to its thickness to handle extreme underwater depths.

Now, when on vacation, sometimes you do want to go out and dress up a little, but not go overboard. What is one of the best choices when you still want to be a little fancier when out for dinner?

The Breitling two-tone Chronomat is a great choice. You maintain the technical styling, yet the gold accents class up the look quite a bit. It is not a large or thick as a Seawolf, so you can still comfortably wear it under a dress shirt if you like.

What is the recommendation if you are going to a major formal event and want to dress up? The classic Navitimer will always catch the eye and take the attire to the next level.

Now, if you would like some a little toned down, but still very cool and classic Breiting, what would I recommend?

I really the relatively TWA Navitimer. It has a classic look, but not flashy. It fits nicely under a shirt and has a somewhat retro look.

Now sometimes, what if you are not travelling on business and do not need a muted or simple look for a watch with an alarm clock?

This is where the Breitling Chronospace Military comes in. As a US Navy and US Army veteran, it is a perfect match for my military experience, it has a classic military style, dual time zones, amazing alarm and even works great with night vision goggles! A great choice when you want to have fun and not need to wear a watch that is subdued and business like.

Some people may ask: what is a good casual watch for daily wear when being active on vacation at the beach, playing sports or working out?

The new Breitling Endurance Pro line is one of my new favorites. It is so lightweight, thin, comfortable, water resistant and yet as a very cool look without standing out as an expensive watch. I never thought I would like a rubberized band, but this is perfect for a hot, sweaty day with sports or activities and quickly cleans up after a day out.

Now is the latest edition for travel: The Breitling Emergency. I have (and will continue to do so) travelled around the world to some (dangerous) places.

The emergency watch is a valuable asset if something goes wrong. After activation, I tried it out on an early snow season hike in Snoqualmie.

Any other watch recommendations?

Interested in more of the luxury watch market and what is going on in this dynamic ecosystem? I thought I would share a few of my favorite YouTube subscriptions which are somewhat informative and fun to stay up to date.

• Paul Thorpe
• The Timepiece Gentleman
• Bark and Jack
• Jenni Elle
• Anthony Farrer

Where do I acquire these great pieces? Thanks again to Alvin Goldfarb for the great choices, services and friendship over the years!