The Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. is a great looking piece that can handle anything you throw at it – or throw it at.

Victorinox tied an INOX to a helium balloon floating 10 meters into the air. They engaged the laws of gravity by shooting an arrow at the balloon, forcing the watch to smash into the concrete floor below. Still ticking.

They froze one of the test timepieces in a block of ice, then used torches to melt the ice. The watch was faced with extreme hot and cold temperatures without any time for adjustment. Still ticking.

Next, they strapped a watch to a bobsleigh rail and sent down an Olympic course to test it’s resistance to vibrations. Still ticking.

Victorinox did 130 of these crazy tests, but most notable was the one where they ran a 64 ton tank over an INOX. You guessed it, still ticking.

A watch embodying the history of a pioneering brand that creates objects characterized by ultimate functionality and uncompromising quality. -Victorinox Swiss Army

The Swiss made Ronda caliber 715 movement is well protected by a 43mm of stainless steel. This 14mm tall case is the magic behind the strength of the INOX. It took them 3 years to develop and 6 moths to perform the tests described above.

The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is coated with a super clear anti-reflective coating, allowing for a perfect view into the matte dial. A date is neatly situated between the applied 4:00 and 5:00 hour markers. Most of the color configurations feature a red second hand, but the red Swiss Army colored model has a silver hand instead.

The real sweet spots on this watch are the bezel and crown guard. They are unique designs that you won’t find on other tool watches. The bezel is fixed and without engravings or markers, but the finish and cuts in the edges are what make it stand out. Likewise, the way the crown guard is cut out of the case to wrap itself around the crown, well, really makes for a legit guardian of the crown!

Speaking of the crown, this one is a screw-down style giving the watch a comfortable 200m water resistance. Those aren’t exactly dive watch numbers, but this isn’t exactly a diver’s watch.

The tank-tough INOX can be had on a dial matching 20mm genuine Swiss made rubber strap, steel bracelet, or special paracord strap – a 2 hit combo that’s perfect for EDC enthusiasts.

The “bumper” protective case seen here is available for an extra $17.50. It molds to the contours of the case and will transform the look of your watch while protecting it.

The horological equivalent to the cell phone case, the removable I.N.O.X. Bumper adds a distinctive twist to your favorite timepiece while keeping it scratch-free. -Victorinox

The watch retails at $495 on rubber and $625 on steel/paracord. Either of which you can purchase separately. Victorinox Swiss Army is another brand plagued by the watch industry’s lack of proper distribution and MAP pricing, so you can find it for half off.

The INOX was launched at Baselworld in 2014 and has been making an impression on the affordable watch market ever since. More here.

Update: Since this review was written, the INOX is now available in sandblasted titanium (ref: 241758) and as a 36mm ladies watch (I.N.O.X. V ref: 241768). Also, an anti-magnetic diver with a uni-directional rotating bezel.

Timepiece Featured in the Video Above
Name: Victorinox Swiss Army INOX
Reference Number: 241683
Color: Green

Video music: “Late Nights” – Saboteur