Vaer S5 Dirty Dozen 40mm Quartz vs Casio AE1500WH Large LCD Digital Watch

Buy the Vaer S5 if you want a watch that looks like a field watch and can be worn to dinner: sapphire crystal, screwdown crown, and a 40mm steel case put it well above the Casio on materials. Buy the Casio AE1500WH if you want a cheap, near-indestructible digital beater with a 10-year battery, alarm, stopwatch and LED light. The Vaer's 4.9 rating from 78 owners beats the Casio's 4.6 from 154, but the Casio wins on battery life and abuse tolerance.

• Choose the Vaer S5 Dirty Dozen if you want a quartz field watch with sapphire, a screwdown crown and a metal case that works at the office and on the trail.
• Choose the Casio AE1500WH if you want a set-and-forget digital with a 10-year battery, alarm, stopwatch and light for rough daily use.