By Roberta Naas:

If you Google it, the term ?sports watch? has a lot of different definitions. Not all of them are correct. In fact, one definition says that a sports watch must combine water resistance with a stopwatch and an alarm. Another definition says it must be a tactical watch with LED lighting. The list goes on and on ? with most definitions being only partially accurate.

The truth is that what defines a sports watch is a host of factors. Among them: its function-ability for the specified use. Sports watches should be water-resistant (to varying degrees based on the end use). They should be made of durable material such as titanium, carbon or steel that can take a bit of a beating without being damaged. Similarly, their crystals should be made of an equally as shock-resistant material.
Sports watches should be highly legible. Let?s face it, if you?re climbing a mountain or flying a plane at night, you want to be able to glance at that watch and see the time instantly. Typically, a sports watch will have luminous hands and markers for easy readability, and often they will be clean in design.

Additionally, a sports watch should have functions built into it that are useful for the activity. A stopwatch ? or chronograph ? is great for a runner or a racer (as is having a tachymeter scale for measuring speeds or distances), but may be less important for a diver. Divers might want rotating, ratcheted bezels for measuring dive and resurfacing times. If you...