I carried a manual wind Timex pocket watch back when I was doing auto upholstery in the early 80s for the same reason. Would be destroyed on my wrist, but with a flip open cover and a belt chain it was safe in my pocket and I could pull it out without fear of dropping it...even when I was upside down and sideways in a car trunk screwing vinyl top molding back on. Had to make sure I was still on schedule for getting to the the next job site.
