Going Viral: Five Watches To Wear Under Quarantine

The Coronavirus is at the top of the mind for a good percentage of the global population. The virus’s reach is alarming, and many health organizations around the world are quarantining travelers who may have been exposed.

When faced with a potential pandemic, quarantines are good for the population at large. In the case of the Coronavirus, the isolation period is two weeks. In that time, those under quarantine must not only mark off the hours, days, and weeks, but they will also have to monitor their health. 
 

Luckily for the watch obsessed, there’s a variety of timepieces to help you deal with almost anything life throws at you, including a medically induced period of isolation. Some are sensible. Some are almost unattainable. But if you find yourself quarantined, these five timepieces can all help with the healing.

When you are diagnosed with a communicable disease and isolated from the healthy population, you have to focus on wellness. Fortunately, the Apple Watch Series 5 is chock full of health tracking apps, including an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram. So if you are quarantined at home, you can still monitor your vitals.
 

If you are ordered to isolation, boredom is going to be a big challenge. The Series 5 also has features that can help you deal with the stress, like the calming Breathe app, or apps for when you need help feeling connected to the outside world. Plus, you can access the complete Apple Music library and a whole bunch of music, podcasts, and audiobooks to keep you from going stir crazy.
 

WHY WE PICKED THIS WATCH: The Apple Watch is the only Chinese Made watch that made our list. But considering Apple's Foxconn plant in China’s Henan province is still shut down, we felt it was a safe bet to buy a pre-Coronavirus Apple watch.

Medical experts say to stay home if you recently traveled to an area experiencing an outbreak and now feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. 

The new G-SQUAD series can help you decide if you need to see a doctor. It has built-in GPS (in case you are quarantined abroad) and five health sensors, including an optical heart rate monitor and a thermometer.
 

This watch helps you stay connected in case of a medical emergency with its automatic GPS time syncing, Bluetooth mobile link, vibration alerts, solar power, and USB charging. 

One note: The G-SHOCK GBD-H1000 won’t be available until April 2020. Hopefully, the virus will have been subdued by then, but it’s always best to be prepared.
 

WHY WE PICKED THIS WATCH: Because it's packed full of quarantine ready features. 

Also known as the Stallone Watch, this million-dollar timepiece is the ultimate survival tool. This is especially true if you are quarantined in less than ideal circumstances, such as a cruise ship.
 

It comes with a hermetically sealed compartment made of Carbon TPT that holds five capsules, each capable of purifying a liter of water safe. And it’s constructed of super rugged materials, such as titanium and Carbon TPT, so it can withstand the heat and humidity, if should you find yourself stranded in a tropical locale.
 

WHY WE PICKED THIS WATCH: Because if it's good enough for Slyvester Stallone, it's perfectly suitable for your house arrest. Plus this watch already made our Top 10 Apocalypse watches list.

What if you are quarantined but have to report your pulse to a medical professional? And what if you are under house “arrest” in Switzerland? Why not reach for a beautiful tool watch like the Patek Philippe 5170G Chronograph?

Chronographs are essentially computational devices, and while we normally associate them with calculating speed, they can also be used to measure heart rates. Here’s the trick: find the person’s pulse, start the chronograph, and on the 30th detected beat, stop the chronograph. Then, take the number the chrono’s second hand is pointing to on the bezel and divide it by two. 
 

For example: If you start the chrono, then stop it at 30 beats, and the second hand points to the 180 pip on the bezel, then your heart rate is 90. Simple, no?

If this is too complicated, then you need the Patek Philippe 5170G. Introduced in 2013, it has a pulsometric scale, like the ones found on vintage doctor’s watches. You know, so you don’t have to do as much math.
 

WHY WE PICKED THIS WATCH: Because the Patek Philippe 5170G exudes class – yet remains a very functional quarantine tool.

Prevention is worth a pound of cure, and according to the Center for Disease Control, the best way to keep the spread of COVID-19 (and other viral respiratory diseases) at bay is with some simple hygiene.

If you are quarantined, you should always wipe your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can and wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
 

In general, viruses survive for longer on non-porous (water resistant) surfaces, such as stainless steel and plastics, than porous surfaces, such as fabrics and tissues. It is why polished sapphire cases and rubber bracelets appeal to the hypochondriac in us.

Sapphire is one of the hardest minerals and, therefore, non-porous. And if it gets sneezed on, the case and strap can be safely cleaned with a small, soft brush and warm, soapy water. 
 

True, some of these watches cost more than a hospital stay. But gazing at the Big Bang MP-11’s intricate HUB9011 Manufacture Manual-winding Skeleton Power Reserve Movement with 7 Series-coupled Barrels and Power Reserve Display Roll will keep your mind off your insurance bills. Plus, it has a 14-day power reserve, which is exactly the length of time most doctors recommend for quarantine!