What On Earth Is A GADA Watch? And, The Best (Non-Boring!) Ones To Cop

If you frequent watch forums and consider yourself something of a watch idiot savant (WIS), you’re likely all too familiar with the term ‘GADA watch’. If you’re an actual functioning member of society and spend your time doing…literally anything else, allow us to explain. A GADA watch is an acronymic term that refers to a ‘Go Anywhere, Do Anything’ watch. It’s a watch that you can wear while doing anything and looks right in any location; somewhat synonymous with the concept of a one watch collection. 

Frankly a GADA watch is a somewhat fanciful notion conjured up by desk divers who spend their 9 to 5 indulging in James Bond-esque fantasies of going from boardroom to bar to the bottom of the ocean with a Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster (depending on your choice of Bond; Moore or Craig, pick your poison) strapped around their wrists and a coterie of disproportionately attractive women in hot pursuit.

That said, here at Albert Review, we’re not ones to abruptly dismiss fanciful notions. We indulge them. With that in mind, we can get behind the idea of a GADA watch. At its heart, a GADA watch is one with eminent versatility. As a GADA watch is not a technical term (it came to life on watch forums and blogs), there’s no exact technical definition. However, most sources stipulate the following requirements.

  • It must have a water resistance of 100m (or 50m at the minimum) and not be overly fussy or precious
  • Stainless steel is typically recommended as the metal of choice, with precious metals advised against
  • Should be able to be worn with formal and casual outfits without looking out of place in either setting
  • It should have a moderate case size that’s comfortable for everyday wear and unobtrusive when paired with formal outfits. Considering contemporary tastes, the general consensus is 38 to 42mm
  • It should be slim enough to slip under a shirt cuff
  • While they may have tool watch capabilities, a GADA watch generally shouldn’t have a bezel insert (such as that found on a Rolex Submariner or Tudor Black Bay 58)

However, the concept of a GADA watch is going to look entirely different depending on the person partaking in the going and doing. Someone who spends their mornings looking over legislative documents in an office with a smart casual dress code before clocking off for an afternoon surf will have an entirely different idea of what constitutes a GADA watch to someone who works in a formal office by day and attends cocktail and black tie events by night. And, as with most of the horological discourse that takes place on the dark underbelly of the internet that is online forums, it skews male. 

So, in the interest of finding the ultimate GADA watch for every taste, we’ve included classic options as well as styles that cater to a wholly different kind of anywhere and anything.

Herewith, the best GADA watches for every taste.

1. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 

What makes it a GADA watch? While it looks at home with a suit, its purpose-built origins preclude the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso from being too fussy and allow it to be worn for sportier activities (think a spot of tennis, rather than deep sea diving)
For whom: plays polo, wears polo shirts, reads Keats, leaves you on read

So here’s a watch you won’t find on any other GADA watch list. The OG sports watch that everyone puts in the dress watch category, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso made its debut in 1931 as a purpose-built watch designed to withstand the rigours of polo matches, with its dial able to be flipped (or ‘reversed’) and worn with the caseback upwards to protect against shocks. While the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is an undeniably elegant style, its ability to look equally as good on a metal bracelet as it does on a leather strap allows it to be worn for multivarious occasions. It’s never going to be the most rugged of timepieces, but for those whose daily life errs on the more refined side (and far away from the ocean), the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso just may be the ultimate GADA watch. To keep it practical, opt for the Monoface (with a solid caseback) rather than the Duoface (which features a second dial on the reverse side). While we’ve recommended the Reverso Tribute Monoface here, the Reverso is available in a plethora of sizes and configurations, with something to suit every style (and wrist). 

Price: $14,300AUD
Model: Reverso Tribute Monoface
Case diameter: 40.1mm x 24.4mm (other configurations available)
Movement: 822 (manual winding)
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours

2. IWC Ingenieur

What makes it a GADA watch? It’s smart, stylish, and rugged — it looks good under a suit cuff but can also be taken for a surf or swim after clock off
For whom: engineers, duh!

Originally developed in the 1950s for professionals who were exposed to magnetic fields—like doctors, pilots, physicists, and engineers—the IWC Ingenieur was the Schaffhausen manufacture’s first anti-magnetic watch for civilian use. Relaunched in 2023, the IWC Ingenieur is a solid contender for the best GADA watch. Crafted from stainless steel and presented on an integrated bracelet, its 40mm case size (it wears slightly smaller) and relatively slimline proportions mean it’s able to easily slip under a shirt cuff, while its 100 metre water resistance, sturdy construction, and generous power reserve make it a reliable companion for adventure and travel. A little nerdy yet eminently stylish, the IWC Ingenieur makes for a refreshing break from the deluge of Rolex Explorers and Omega Seamasters typically touted as GADA watches.

Price: $17,300AUD
Model: Ingenieur
Case diameter: 40mm
Movement: 32111 (automatic)
Water resistance: 10ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 120 hours

3. Cartier Tank

What makes it a GADA watch? Its sartorial versatility and compliment magnet status
For whom: the guys, the gays, the girls! A Cartier Tank looks good on everyone

Let’s face it, the majority of us don’t have a James Bond-esque itinerary that entails engaging in hand-to-hand combat or going scuba diving after a black tie function. For most, sartorial versatility is actually what determines a GADA watch; i.e. the watch’s ability to pair with outfits across a variety of dress codes. The Cartier Tank is equally at home peeking out from under a velvet suit at a cocktail party or holding court on a bare arm at a black tie gala as it is hanging out with jeans and a chore coat on a weekend away. Its eminent versatility and wide range of styles and configurations (think different metal options, case sizes, and quartz, manual, or automatic movements) means there’s a Cartier Tank for everyone. Those who want a true set-and-forget watch can opt for—gasp!—a quartz Tank, while gold and rose gold options suit those whose taste leans more classic. And don’t listen to those who flog the ‘bigger is better’ mentality; it doesn’t ring true for the Tank. Just look at Muhammad Ali

Price: $21,200AUD
Model: Tank Louis Cartier
Case diameter: 33.7mm x 25.5mm (other configurations available)
Movement: quartz
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes

4. Longines Conquest

What makes it a GADA watch? Restrained design language, elegant details, a robust build, and solid technical specs make this a GADA watch in the truest sense. The affordable price point doesn’t hurt either
For whom: white collar workers who file their tax returns at four o’clock, hit the waves at five o’clock, and head to a cocktail party at seven o’clock — this timepiece really can go anywhere and do anything

Longines has been putting out some retro-modern bangers lately. A GADA watch in its truest sense, the Longines Conquest proves timepieces with colourful dials can indeed be versatile, balancing classic aesthetics with sporty prowess. Crafted from stainless steel and featuring a relatively slim profile, it’s both refined and robust, with a water resistance of 100 metres. Its domed bezel and sunray dial keep things elevated, making for a timepiece that traverses dress codes and social milieu with ease. The Longines Conquest is available in 34, 38, and 41mm case sizes, each with an automatic movement (we’d recommend the former two—depending on wrist size—to stay within classic GADA proportions). 

Price: from $3425AUD
Model: Conquest
Case diameter: 34mm, 38mm, 41mm
Movement: L888
Water resistance: 10ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 72 hours

5. Rolex Datejust 

What makes it a GADA watch? It’s dressy and undeniably stylish yet can take a splash
For whom: Renaissance men and women, recovering explorers

Ha! You thought this would be an Explorer, didn’t you? While the Rolex Explorer can literally go anywhere and do anything, we’d wager the Datejust is the better GADA watch overall — for those not engaged in daily manual labour, at least. For our desk divers and concrete jungle explorers, the Rolex Datejust is an all-occasion timepiece, looking at home in any setting. Resistant to magnetic forces and water resistant to 100 metres, it’s more than capable of going (almost) anywhere and doing anything; it just looks more refined while doing so. Opting for a fluted bezel ups the dressy factor while a domed bezel reads a little more subdued. For a GADA watch, we’d recommend sticking with stainless steel and a size that doesn’t dominate the wrist (likely 31mm or 36mm, depending on wrist size).

Price: from $11,200AUD
Model: Datejust 31 or 36
Case diameter: 31mm; 36mm
Movement: 2236 (Datejust 31, automatic); 3235 (Datejust 36, automatic)
Water resistance: 10ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 55 hours (Datejust 31); 70 hours (Datejust 36)

6. Grand Seiko SBGH347

What makes it a GADA watch? Modest proportions and an elegant dial coupled with solid water resistance
For whom: the artiste or creative who wants something that’s simultaneously understated and statement-making

With their elegant dial finishes and durable yet streamlined construction, several Grand Seiko watches are solid GADA watch contenders. We’re partial to the Japanese watch brand’s heritage collection, with the Grand Seiko SBGH347 boasting one of the most beautiful dials we’ve seen of late; with the intricate pattern recalling a frozen waterfall on Mount Iwate, which is visible from the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi. Pair that with a heritage-inspired case design (and proportions) with 100 metres of water resistance, an in-house high-beat automatic movement and you have an artistic take on a GADA watch.

Price: $9900AUD
Model: SBGH347
Case diameter: 37mm
Movement: 9S85 (automatic)
Water resistance: 10ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 55 hours

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Words by T. Angel