WATCH DNA: Building a Stronger Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Through Extreme Testing

For those who follow the Watch Hunter blog, you know how big an advocate I am for the Victorinox Swiss Army brand and the watches that they sell. I think that Victorinox Swiss Army has a well-deserved reputation for making a quality watch at a fair price, and isn’t that what we all want? Over the years, I have built an extensive collection of what I consider to be the brand’s “greatest hits” including the models Airboss, Alpnach, ChronoPro, DiveMaster 500, Hunter, Infantry Vintage, and SeaPlane. It is impressive what this Swiss manufacturer has accomplished in a relatively short-lived, but excellent watchmaking career. It’s easy to forget that Victorinox Swiss Army only started making watches in 1989… not really that long ago compared to some Swiss brands.

It might come as a surprise that I had not yet formulated a hands-on opinion on the I.N.O.X. watches by Victorinox Swiss Army. I remember when this watch was first released in 2014. The marketing of the watch positioned it as a tough watch capable of surviving horrific tests of abuse. Maybe you remember the image of the watch crashing through concrete or getting run over by tanks? Yep, the I.N.O.X. watches went through a battery of tests that might even make a hardened U.S. Marine grumble.

The first promotions provided some not-so-subtle hints of the toughness of I.N.O.X.. Photo: Victorinox

One thing that always intrigued me was the specifics of the tests that I.N.O.X. was subjected to. I contacted Victorinox to ask them more about these tests and was told that there 130 of them, but there is not exactly a published “full list”. While this list might be interesting to watch nerds like me, most consumers don’t want to go into that much detail. They just want to know the end results. While many watches undergo product testing before they are released, it seems that the I.N.O.X. tests were more exhaustive and extensive. Victorinox was clearly on a mission to prove a point about the durability of the I.N.O.X. watches.

Instead of showing sterile videos of scientists in lab coats abusing the watches and talking about the results in a dry manner, Victorinox decided to demonstrate the different durability tests in visually interesting ways. I was impressed that they were willing to abuse a few I.N.O.X. test watches for our enjoyment. But the videos and tests ultimately have a greater purpose, which is to inform and convince consumers that the I.N.O.X. can survive whatever most of us can throw at it. If you don’t believe me, check out some of the videos I found showing the I.N.O.X. in different scenarios designed to push it to the limits of what a watch is expected to survive.

This first video shows Victorinox dropping the I.N.O.X. from 10 meters, which is almost 33 feet, which is the equivalent height of a 3 story building.

The next video shows a guy willing to literally put life and limb at risk to demonstrate how tough the I.N.O.X.’s case, lugs, spring bars and bracelet are. If you are scared of heights, then this one might make you feel queasy. There is NO WAY I would ever do this stunt myself, even over a shallow lake.

The next demonstration shows an I.N.O.X. Titanium taking a ride to the stratosphere before plummeting back to earth after the weather balloon explodes. Yikes… Don’t try that with your vintage Omega Speedmaster!

Part of making a watch tough is to make it resistant to vibrations, and probably one great place to show this is by tying the I.N.O.X. to the blade of a downhill luge sled. If you have ever skied over ice, then you might get a small hint of how shaky a bobsled ride would be. 

Remember when I said that you could run the I.N.O.X. over with a tank? You can see it for yourself when masochists in this next video take turns running over the I.N.O.X. with equipment weighing over 8 tons. Many watches would be pulverized by this intense weight, but not I.N.O.X.

And, the last test that I could find shows an I.N.O.X. surviving between the extremes of fire and ice. No, I am not talking about “The Game of Thrones,” but instead seeing a watch go from being frozen in block ice to being heated with blow torches. Most likely, if you ever died in a fiery crash while driving your snowmobile, the forensic team could identify you by your watch. That is reassuring indeed. haha.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Carbon is ready for your outdoor adventure. Photo: Victorinox

Obviously, Victorinox Swiss Army did not film every kind of test that the I.N.O.X. was subjected to, but the videos show a trend. First, the watch is tough, and second, Victorinox is willing to prove it.

There is a popular genre in the watch market today and that would be what I call adventure watches. This segment might contain watches like the Casio G-Shock and other rough-and-tumble models. The watches are meant to go wherever the adventurous owners want and survive… whether that is rock climbing, kayaking or just a jog through Central Park.

Many of those so called adventure watches can be a bit polarizing in design. I might get hate mail if I say that the Casio G-Shock looks like it belongs in a Japanese robot anime, but the watch’s chunky excess and extreme angularity probably proves this point. The Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X., on the other hand, is perhaps a more grown-up style of watch that can be worn in more situations, be that on an adventure or in an office. While a Casio G-Shock might be considered beautiful to its dedicated fans for what it can do, the I.N.O.X. might arguably be considered the more traditionally pretty watch. (Before you send hate mail, I like the G-Shocks too and love Japanese anime so don’t misunderstand me.)

Karl Elsener, founder of the company that later became Victorinox

There was a little bit of mystery in the naming of these watches. Technically speaking, Victorinox Swiss Army displays the product name as I.N.O.X., which implies an acronym. I could not find any reference to what it might stand for so I asked Victorinox who confirmed that this spelling was a way to differentiate the product name from a common manufacturing material. You see, if you remove the periods from that acronym, then you are left with “INOX”.

It may not be obvious to English speakers, but “INOX” actually, refers to a material that most of us handle every day and is a popular metal for watchmaking. The word for stainless steel in many parts of the world contains “inox” and is derived from the French words: “acier inoxydable.” This material was developed at the end of the 19th century and perfected in the early 20th century into the metallurgical compound that we now know. Today’s 316L stainless steel, which is used in many I.N.O.X. models, has “a low carbon content and is resistant to staining, pitting and rust because of the inclusion of at least 10.5% chromium” (ref: Wikipedia). In simplified terms, chromium blocks oxidation and prevents rust from spreading. We take it for granted these days but imagine having to worry about your cutlery rusting. Gross!

There is some irony in the naming of the I.N.O.X. watches because not all of them are made from stainless steel. Some have cases made from high-grade titanium and others are made from space age carbon. So, the word I.N.O.X. may originally refer to the first stainless steel models, but the meaning may be less literal as a materials descriptor. It may be an analogy of how tough these watches are. This might be similar to using the common phrase “tough as nails!” I do not believe the name is always meant to be taken literally, even if it fits for many models.

There is another interesting connection with the I.N.O.X. watch name and that is with the history of Victorinox itself. The company name Victorinox is a combination of two words: “Victoria” for the mother of the founder Karl Elsener and “inox” for stainless steel. Victorinox has been known for over 130 years for producing high-quality steel products like military bayonets and the famous Swiss Army knife. Later, the brand expanded to make other products like high-end cutlery, luggage, clothing, timepieces and even fragrances. Talk about having a well-rounded portfolio!

Besides great watches and Swiss Army Knives, Victorinox makes other high-quality consumer goods. Photo: Victorinox brochure

Color Variations

Obviously, changing the color of a dial is a great way to please more people. Color is always one of the most subjective things for consumers. It can be trendy and point to different eras in time. If you have ever seen avocado green appliances from the 1970s, or mauve curtains from the 1990s, then you know what I mean. Luckily, Victorinox Swiss Army picks popular colors like black, blue, red, olive. More options include yellow, white and gray. Accent colors on watch hands and in watch bands are matched for maximum impact.

Some of the Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. color variations. Photos: Victorinox

Case Materials

I already mentioned that I.N.O.X. watches come in stainless steel, titanium or carbon. Each of these materials brings a different kind of color variety to the cases that need no explanation. In the future, I could see Victorinox designers playing around with other case treatments like a deep black PVD application or even a gunmetal PVD application that they call “black ice”. In the past, Victorinox has also produced “gold tone” PVD watches like the quartz DiveMaster 500 in 38 mm. In my wildest dreams, they would produce a limited edition bronze I.N.O.X. in 40 mm, but Victorinox has not produced a watch in that material… yet. Hint hint! Because bronze watches actually gain a patina, which is the antithesis of a stainless watch, this will likely never happen. But, it would be cool to see the shape of an I.N.O.X. rendered in trendy bronze.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. cases are made from stainless steel, titanium or carbon

Size Options

Since I just mentioned size, you may not know that the I.N.O.X. comes in a variety of case measurements. This is not something that can easily be seen in photos. The smallest size starts at 37 mm, the next size up is 43 mm and the I.N.O.X. Professional Diver is the largest at 45 mm. Many dive watches are large for durability and legibility so that is not out of the ordinary for that type of watch. Obviously, wrist presence and feel is a personal choice, but my hunch is that the 43 mm middle size will be the most popular selection. The 37 mm I.N.O.X. is targeted to watch wearing women, but there is a segment of male vintage watch enthusiasts who wear this size or smaller so don’t be surprised if you see a guy wearing the smaller size (well, maybe not the one with a pink seconds hand, but the blue or black one definitely).

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. watches come in 3 sizes (as of 2017)

Watch Band Options for I.N.O.X.

Victorinox Swiss Army offers a variety of watch bands for the I.N.O.X. line. The first I.N.O.X. watches came with natural rubber 2-piece straps with a buckle. These watch bands were often color coordinated to an accent color on the dial. They were also different because they had sort of an imprinted segmentation on them. The segmentation echoed the straight line lug area… a nice design touch. For those wanting a full-metal look, an “H-link” bracelet is available.

Victorinox Swiss Army also offers a watch band option that I have not seen from any other large Swiss manufacturers, which is a paracord strap. I had first seen these as custom handmade options made by specialists on the internet so seeing them mass-produced is kinda cool and brings a survival vibe to the I.N.O.X. Even the ladies version has a paracord option with a subtle accent color to match the second’s hand.

Victorinox Swiss Army offers at least 5 types of watch band options and a variety of colors for each. (NATO not shown). Photos: Victorinox

Accessories for a Watch?

Yep, there is one more set of accessories that I want to mention for the I.N.O.X. watches, and that is what Victorinox Swiss Army calls a bumper. Their web site says that these bumpers are the “horological equivalent to a cell phone case,” which is a perfect description. Some smart alecks may ask why would an “indestructible watch” need a protective case? That is a fair enough question with a simple answer.

The Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. is a hardy watch, but not necessarily scratch proof. Bumpers keep it looking new. Photo: Victorinox

This is a good time to point out that while the I.N.O.X. case is incredibly strong, 316L stainless steel (or titanium or carbon) is not impervious to scratches or dings. A good tumble on concrete or a bash against a rock could give your watch some battle scars. If you think that chicks will like your watch more with scars, then, by all means, bash away. However, if you plan on keeping your I.N.O.X. for a long time, then the bumpers help to keep the I.N.O.X. looking its best. As a bonus,  you can use them to personalize the watch because they come in different colors and functions.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. cases can be protected with bumpers of different styles and colors. Photo: Victorinox

There is one type of form-fitting bumper showing North, South, East, and West. I am not sure how this compass feature is supposed to be used, but it likely has to do with the position of the sun. There is another blocky style with military style 24-hour time scale. The I.N.O.X. dive watch gets a bubble style that actually magnifies the dial like a giant cyclops window. Even the ladies I.N.O.X. V gets a fluted bumper like a plasticized Rolex Datejust bezel. The bumpers are pretty affordable and can be replaced for about $18 each, which is cheaper than replacing a beat up watch.

If you are not impressed by the amount of variety inside of the I.N.O.X. family of watches, then maybe nothing would do the trick. I am not sure if I have ever seen such a comprehensive system of watch design. It is almost modular in the way different watch bands and accessories can be combined to make a seemingly endless array of possibilities.

Now that you have seen some of the possible variations of the I.N.O.X. watches, I want to quickly touch upon the common design language that binds them all. Here is a quick highlight reel of the major design characteristics.

The I.N.O.X. watch case has been designed to be incredibly strong and counteract some of the common weak points of wrist watches. Perhaps the most vulnerable part of a watch is the crown, which usually sticks out like a sore thumb just waiting to be snagged or even knocked off. Many modern sports watches tend to have crown guards integrated into the case. The I.N.O.X. takes this idea and goes to the next level of protection building one of the largest crown guards that I have ever seen. The screw-down crown is practically encased in protective metal. The front of the crown guard is slightly beveled to help reduce visual bulk, while still retaining strength.

Another interesting case feature is the straight line of metal seen between the lugs. Normally, you might see the curvature of the case in this area. I can only assume that putting this much material between the lugs serves to strengthen it. I certainly cannot see the lugs breaking or the spring bars pulling out because the lugs moved.

The crystal is made from Sapphire and is resistant to scratches. The bezel surrounding the dial is slightly raised above the crystal to provide some impact resistance. It has to be said that the bezel might be the most distinctive feature on the I.N.O.X. and makes it instantly recognizable. I cannot think of another watch (Victorinox or otherwise) that has this hexagonal shape with slopes for a bezel. The dial designs have some variations over the years, but there are some common traits as seen below. Most seem to be rendered in a matte surface no matter the color. This helps the polished applied indices and hands stand out.

Major I.N.O.X. dial variations. Photos: Victorinox

If I had to describe an I.N.O.X. to someone who had never seen one, I would use the word “dimensional”. Many watches use simple flat paint to create a dial (and there is nothing wrong with that) but Victorinox did the opposite using 3-dimensional applied parts that build a sense of depth on the dial. The applied indices and logo, have polished metal edges that reflect even the smallest amount of available light. This creates an interesting half-light effect, where the lume is not active but the indices are visible by these reflective surfaces only. The matte dial surface enhances this effect.

This amazing photo from morethan-stats.com shows the dimensionality of I.N.O.X.

Dials with depth sometimes show the inner case walls when viewed from an angle, but Victorinox used a sloped chapter ring to add interest and hide the sidewall. On some of the I.N.O.X. designs, the indices literally cut into the chapter ring for a very cool effect. Chapter rings often have additional information on them that does not need to be directly on the dial. This could be a tachymeter or chronograph scale.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X.’s chattering scale shows 1/3 second increments. Curious for a quartz watch.

The INOX has a curious addition for a quartz watch and that appears to be a chronograph scale with 1/3 seconds tick marks. This is interesting because these scales are usually only seen on mechanical chronographs with sweep hands that can measure 1/4 or 1/5 second increments depending on the hertz of the movement. On a quartz watch, the second’s hand should always land directly on the second marker so these fractional second’s markers are not usable. Because of this, I believe that the fractional tick marks on the I.N.O.X. are purely for style and to make it look like a technical watch. Most consumers will not realize this, but watch nerds will. I have to admit that it does look cool, even if I know that form does not follow function with this design choice.

I.N.O.X. watches are powered by a Swiss 5-Jewel Quartz movement, the trusty Ronda 715. This caliber is highly efficient and provides an average battery life of 5 years. It also features the EOL (End of Life) battery system that warns the wearer when the battery gets low.

Ronda 715 Swiss quartz movement in the I.N.O.X. Photo: Ronda

Perhaps nothing is talked about more by watch collectors than whether mechanical or automatic watches are superior to quartz watches. This is a matter of snobbery and not common sense when it comes to an adventure watch. To get the obvious out of the way, a battery-driven quartz watch will be more accurate than just about any watch powered by a spring. Period… end of story.

Also, quartz movements are less susceptible to damage by knocks, vibration, magnetism and other things which might misalign a mechanical watch’s gear train or alter its regulation. In short, a high-quality Swiss movement is a perfect solution for a watch at this price point with the intended purpose of being an adventure watch. That is just the way it is, no matter how much we tell ourselves that mechanical watches are ALWAYS better. You can check out my article on The Joy of Beater Watches for more perspective on that hot topic.

You might be wondering by now how much a tough watch like this might cost, and you might be surprised at the answer. While not a cheap watch, I think that the cost is compelling for a watch from a large Swiss watch brand. I won’t compare the I.N.O.X. pricing structure to micro brand offerings because that is not really an apple-to-apple comparison. It looks like the price will depend mostly on the case material used because I believe that they all use the same Swiss quartz movement. The more exotic and high-tech, the more the watch will usually cost.

Starting with the ladies stainless steel case version called the I.N.O.X. V, and the standard I.N.O.X. will cost you $495 on the standard rubber (or leather) watch band. The I.N.O.X. Titanium will cost $595 on a rubber watch band. The space age I.N.O.X. Carbon case will set you back $850, but that would be considered a bargain when compared to other carbon watches in the market place. For now, this material commands a premium, but that may not be the situation if it gains widespread adoption in the watch industry.

There is also an astronaut-inspired Titanium I.N.O.X. Sky High limited edition with a special white dial and Naimakka paracord strap for $850, but I suspect that will soon sell out. There were only 2,000 pieces made worldwide.

Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Sky High Limited Edition. Photo: Victorinox

There are other variations in the model pricing depending on the type of watch band that you want. The rubber or leather watch band is the standard issue at the base price. Beyond that, you will find the paracord and metal bracelet versions for roughly an additional $130. It is more cost effective to buy the metal bracelet with the watch (saving you $120) because that alone will cost you $250 as an additional accessory.

So, this is the moment of truth. I will be honest in saying that I was previously not that interested in the I.N.O.X. This is purely for the selfish personal reason that I am a recovering chronograph addict. I rarely choose a watch with only the time and date. I have to at least have a bezel to fiddle with to allow me to play the timing games that I invent for myself. With that confession made, I now have a much greater respect for the I.N.O.X. collection and what Victorinox Swiss Army has accomplished in a sub-$1000 watch. I would consider my mind officially changed after careful consideration.

The INOX watch can be personalized to suit your own send of style. Photo: Victorinox

Maybe I never really understood the full depth of the I.N.O.X. collection because I kept seeing the individual releases as one-off timepieces. By writing this article, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the variety, versatility, and creativity that Victorinox’s watch designers demonstrated. I think that they were thoughtful to include different watches for both genders, different sizes, styles, and “options for customization”. The I.N.O.X. family of watches represents a significant investment of time and energy for Victorinox Swiss Army. It looks like the I.N.O.X. line is a bonafide runaway success, and I look forward to seeing how they will continue to innovate. If anyone is listening, here are some pie-in-the-sky ideas…

My suggestions for possible future I.N.O.X. models:

In summary, I would happily recommend the I.N.O.X. watch for anyone looking for a high-quality Swiss made adventure watch. I no longer think of the I.N.O.X. as just a watch, but a modern system of watches with a lot of room for customization and individuality. It should be a kind of daily wear watch that you just put on and go about your business, whatever and where ever that may be. More importantly, it is a “steel” (haha) at the price. It would make a great all-around daily wear watch capable of practically any task you throw at it and look good in the process. I think that the I.N.O.X. Sky High might be calling my name….