A Look At Some Of The Best Destro Watches

September 15, 2011

No, I didn t buy any specific watches when my son and daughter were born. But now that I have a few watches, I do enjoy the idea of handing them both down a watch when they re older. I m not sure exactly which watches yet, but for my daughter, it will probably be one of the smaller ones. For my son, though, it might be a little more challenging because, as it turns out, he seems to be left-handed. I m not saying he isn t able to wear any of my sinistra watches, but he might prefer a dedicated destro model. That s why today I m taking a look at the best watches out there with the crown on the left side of the case.My dad is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to which side he uses for what. He taught himself to write with his right hand. However, when I would play football or ping pong with him, he would always use his left foot or hand. I am fully right-handed, just like my wife and our daughter are, but our son does everything with the left side of his body. He s turning four years old soon, so I think we can safely conclude by now that he s a lefty. So let s take a look at some of the best destro watches out there and see which one would suit him best.Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00557 Destro 3 DaysOne of the watches that immediately jumped to my mind is the 47mm Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00557 Destro 3 Days. That might have something to do with Thomas s recent acquisition. When I looked at the Panerai website, though, I saw that there are no destro watches listed in the brand s current collection. There are, however, a bunch of them available on Chrono24 for about $6,500. And that is probably even the better way to go because buying a Panerai at full retail isn t the best idea. I m just not sure whether my son would enjoy such a big watch on his wrist.He s the kind of boy who can t sit still and is constantly looking for the next thing to climb on. I m sure he ll become more relaxed with age, but I don t think a 47mm Luminor would suit his wrist, especially if it s anything like my 17cm one. I do agree with Thomas that Panerai offers something very different from other watches. Like him, I would also opt for a Panerai with as few complications as possible. But maybe I should look for something smaller and a bit more classic first instead of going for such a quirky left-hand giant right away. GMT-Master II 126720VTNRProbably the most famous destro watch of recent years is the GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR. People were very surprised when this GMT-Master II with a black and green bezel saw the light about a year and a half ago. But why wouldn t make a specific watch for the lefties, who make up about 10% of the world s population? I do agree with many others that it seemed to come out of nowhere, but it s a good-looking GMT-Master II nonetheless, especially on a Jubilee bracelet. Besides, it s a much more classic-looking watch than the PAM00557.At its retail price of $11,400, isn t even out of this world. Unfortunately, I probably will never be able to get it at that price. On the pre-owned market, the 126720VTNR is selling for a little more than $20,000. I don t think I m able to swallow such a premium for that watch, even if it might be worth a lot more whenever discontinues it. The other thing I m a bit concerned about is safety. You hear a lot of stories about watches being robbed off of people s wrists. I wouldn t want my son to become the victim of such an act.Tudor Pelagos LHD M25610TNL-0001The more sane option here might be the Tudor Pelagos LHD ref. M25610TNL-0001. It s a bit less desirable than the GMT-Master II and retails for $5,010. Besides, this watch already debuted back in 2016, so you might even be able to get a decent discount if you ask for it. Apart from all those benefits, though, it s also one of the most toolish watches in the Tudor collection. It s made from titanium and should be able to go as deep as 500 meters underwater, so you really can take this one anywhere. And that s exactly what it looks like - a watch that wants to be worn under any condition.In addition, its (semi-in-house) movement is a COSC-certified chronometer, and the watch has one of the best and most impressive bracelet extensions I ve seen. I also adore the square hour markers that eat into the rehaut and the red Pelagos text. It s a no-nonsense sports watch, and I think that s exactly what my son would need as his first serious watch. However, $5,000 is still a lot of money, and I m not even sure if he s into watches yet. Maybe it s a good idea to look at some more affordable options first and see if he likes those.More affordable destro watchesI know Yema just introduced a destro version of its Superman 500. It s a limited edition of 250 pieces and sells for $1,299. Just like the Pelagos LHD, it should be able to withstand water pressure to 500 meters, and it comes with Yema s signature bezel lock. Another brand that offers destro versions of its watches is Serica. When you buy any of the brand s watches, you can choose whether you want the crown at 3 or 9 o clock. I think that s a very smart and inclusive way for a brand to offer its watches. In addition to that, Serica watches look great and don t cost the world.I m already tempted to get my son one of those destro 4512 field watches with a funky California dial for $690. It might be a bit of a hassle for him to wind that manual movement every day, though. In that case, the new Jacques Bianchi JB200 Poulpro might be a nice option. It sells for almost the same price but does come with an automatic movement, a date window, and a quirky octopus on the dial.Which one would you choose?As you can see, there are quite a few nice destro watches out there. I might wait a little longer, though, until my son gets a bit older before I buy him anything specific. Which of the watches above would you choose for your son or perhaps even for yourself? Let me know in the comments below. And if I ve missed any nice options, make sure to let me know as well.