A GADA watch – short for Go Anywhere, Do Anything – is a timepiece designed for maximum versatility: sized between 38mm and 41mm, made from steel or titanium, with an automatic movement and 100m water resistance, it is a watch you can strap on and wear to any occasion.
If you could only own one watch, what would it be? That’s not an easy question but it’s one that’s been asked as long as there have been watch collectors. Ultra-rare high complication? Over-engineered diver? The problem is that unless you’re a madman, you probably don’t want to take that F.P. Journe on a boat trip or that Omega Seamaster Ultra-Deep to a gala dinner. Even with the laws of horological style getting more blurred than ever, there are limits.
Instead, if you were to have one watch and one watch only, you want it to be versatile, wearable and suited to any and all occasions. You want a GADA watch.
GADA as a term has been in use since the early 2010s, courtesy of the r/Watches subreddit, but the humble Go Anywhere Do Anything watch has been getting more traction of late as a core idea in watch collecting. The name says it all. A GADA watch is a timepiece that you can strap on without thinking about it and know that it’ll work both aesthetically and practically no matter your plans for the day.
The big question then is obvious: what makes a GADA watch? The concept of versatility is relatively nebulous, so what does it mean in reality?
What Size Should a GADA Watch Be?
First and most importantly, sizing. You want to aim for the 38mm to 41mm goldilocks zone. Below 38mm often won’t suit larger wrists and while smaller modern icons like the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36mm might be tempting, you’d be safer with the larger versions. You also don’t want to go above 41mm. Even on larger wrists, anything bigger than that starts to look imposing. More importantly, a GADA watch is one suited to wearing all day, every day, and a huge chunk of steel on your wrist isn’t the most comfortable for that.
While it’s easy to get hung up on diameter, thickness is also important. If you want it to be able to slip under a shirt sleeve, look for watches under 12mm thick. This keeps proportions elegant, works with whatever you wear and feels good on the wrist.
What Dial for a GADA Watch?
There are more colourful dials than ever before: orange, yellow, blue, red, anything eye-catching. But you can’t wear a splash of turquoise to a funeral. To make sure that it not only suits every situation, but every outfit you might want to pair it with, there are a handful of colours that always work.
Black, dark grey and blue are the standards here, the kind of colours that you expect from a well-cut suit. If the watch is on the more elegant side, silver works well, and on the sportier side, white. Sticking to what is essentially greyscale might sound limiting, but pretty much every watch collection covers at least a couple of them.
Within the dial, of course, you can have a bit more fun. Hints of other colours here and there, interesting indexes, a date window. But an adaptable base colour is vital.
What Materials Should a GADA Watch Be Made From?
As for metals, you’re looking at stainless steel or, these days, titanium. Steel is durable, can easily be buffed out and weighs less than much softer, easily scratched precious metals. It’s the industry standard for a reason and you’ll never be short of options.
Titanium, on the other hand, might be most associated with sports watches for its ultra-lightweight and strength, but they’re both qualities that work with any GADA watch. Even if you prefer a bit more heft on your wrist, there’s no denying that titanium is one of the most comfortable materials on the wrist and the matte, dark grey is aesthetically distinctive. Either way, steel or titanium, pair it with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and you have a watch that’ll shrug off most of what you throw at it.
What Movement Does a GADA Watch Need?
A GADA watch needs an automatic movement. You don’t want to have to pause to wind it all the time or worry that the battery is running down. Anything deemed a workhorse movement works here, be that entry-level Sellitas and Miyotas, higher-end ETAs and La Joux-Perrets or in-house versions. Reliability is the key here. A lot of everyday wearers will come with a weekend-proof 72-hour power reserve, but it’s not strictly necessary. The idea is that you never really take a GADA watch off, so you don’t need to worry too much about it winding down.
What Water Resistance Does a GADA Watch Need?
While there are diving watches that match all the criteria, generally more water resistance means a bigger, thicker watch. And honestly, if you’re not actually diving with it, all you really need is 100m. That’s enough to shower or hop in the pool without worrying. And if you do insist on wearing a watch scuba diving, you’ll want something much more specialist anyway. For everything else, 100m is the perfect balance of slimness and practicality.
What Straps Best for a GADA Watch?
Strap versatility is underrated – and it’s where a GADA watch earns real personality. Metal bracelets of various designs, leather straps for formality, rubber straps for sports, there are countless ways to customise your watch to suit any occasion.
It can be a little fiddly to change a strap, but once you’ve done it a few times it becomes second nature – and buying multiple straps is a good deal more accessible than buying multiple watches. With specialist makers like Delugs, Watch Gecko and Jean Rousseau offering everything from chunky FKM rubber to exotic skins, you won’t run out of ways to wear your GADA watch of choice.
Conclusion
So, to quickly run down, a GADA watch should be no smaller than 38mm, no larger than 41mm; it should be made from steel or titanium and protect its automatic workhorse movement with 100m water resistance. It should have a versatile dial colour and work on a multitude of straps and most importantly, should be wearable in any and all situations.
While the above is a recipe for versatility however, you don’t need to sell your collection in favour of an Explorer. You might actually need the 1,000m depth rating of the Omega Seamaster Ultra-Deep; you might need a chronograph or a GMT complication in everyday life. Your collection may only be complete with an F.P. Journe. The point of a GADA watch isn’t to replace everything else.
Instead, it’s about having an everyday wearer, a watch that fills in as many gaps in your collection as possible. Perhaps you’re travelling and can only pack a handful of watches; perhaps you simply can’t decide what to wear one morning. Whatever the reason, a watch designed to be versatile and built for any situation should be a core part of every watch collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does GADA stand for?
GADA stands for Go Anywhere, Do Anything. The term originated on the r/Watches subreddit in the early 2010s and describes a versatile watch suited to any occasion.
What size should a GADA watch be?
A GADA watch should be between 38mm and 41mm in diameter, and ideally under 12mm thick so it slips cleanly under a shirt cuff.
Can a dress watch be a GADA watch?
Only if the sizing, materials and water resistance criteria are met. Many dress watches are too thin for 100m water resistance or too small below 38mm.
Does a GADA watch need to be automatic?
Yes. An automatic movement winds itself from the motion of the wrist, so you never need to change a battery or remember to wind it. That set-and-forget reliability is central to the GADA concept.
What water resistance does a GADA watch need?
100m is the practical minimum. That covers showering, swimming and pool use without adding the bulk that higher ratings require.
Excellent writeup! It is quite interesting that the GADA watch seems to be the hottest watch category lately.
Interesting. I think quartz can be fine with a GADA if the specs are improved. My Precista PRS-11 comes to mind, with its “up to 10-year battery life”, a fine watch. Remarkable how little mention the sad passing of Eddie Platts has mustered, who had the foresight to purchase the Smiths and Precista brands and then produce beautiful watches of incredible value over 30 years or so. Homage? Sometimes, but with transparency, respect and love.
My Clemence Photic 2 is the perfect GADA, but only with the blue-gilt “photic” dial when a strap change takes it from tool to almost dress. That 10.5mm thinness with 200m WR is killer. My 2023 CWC Mellor 72 is great, but lacks the versatility to meet the GADA versatility outlined here. Enjoyed the article.