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Garmin Fēnix® 8 51mm Unisex Watch
Ref. 010-02907-11
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The fēnix 8 is the direct successor to the fēnix 7X Solar, and Garmin has used the transition to address the one thing a multisport watch this capable still lacked: a genuinely useful interaction model. The addition of a built-in microphone, speaker, and inductive buttons sealed against water ingress means voice commands and wrist-based calls are now part of a package that previously required a phone in hand for either. The integrated LED flashlight, carried over and refined from the 7X line, remains one of those features that sounds like a gimmick until the third time it saves a trail run at dusk. At 51mm the watch is not trying to be unobtrusive, and the 15.4mm case thickness sits at the thicker end of the category. What prevents it from wearing as heavily as those figures suggest is the titanium construction: the watch head itself comes in at 67 grams, which for something running a full-colour transflective solar display alongside GPS, heart rate, altimeter, compass and thermometer is a genuine engineering achievement. The Power Sapphire solar lens is not a supplement to battery life here — in strong sunlight it can sustain smartwatch mode indefinitely, and Garmin rates the watch at up to 48 days on a charge under normal conditions, which changes the calculus for anyone planning extended time away from a power source. The QuickFit system on the 26mm lugs means the silicone strap that ships with the watch can be swapped in seconds without tools, which matters for a watch that is equally likely to move between a training session and a dinner.
- Reference
- 010-02907-11
- Brand
- Garmin
- Case size
- 51mm
- Case thickness
- 15.4mm
- Lug width
- 26mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, Alarm, Backlight, World time, Solar powered, Compass, Thermometer, Altimeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Silicone strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Garmin
Gary Burrell and Min Kao founded Garmin in 1989 — the name is a contraction of their first names — to build GPS receivers for aviation and marine use. Consumer navigation came later, and wearables later still.
Unlike most names in this directory that arrived from outside watchmaking, Garmin is not a licence. It designs and builds its own devices, writes its own software and runs its own satellite-positioning stack, which is why its watches do things Swiss houses do not attempt.
The fenix line established the template in 2012: a rugged multi-sport GPS watch with mapping, altimeter and week-long battery life. Forerunner covers running, Instinct the hard-wearing end, Venu the smartwatch end, and the MARQ line puts the same electronics in titanium and sapphire at Swiss prices.
Battery life is the differentiator. Where most smartwatches are measured in days, Garmin measures in weeks, and in solar-charging models sometimes in months.
These are instruments rather than heirlooms, and they date the way electronics date — but for anyone who actually trains, they are among the few watches on the market that earn their place.
- 1989
- Founded by Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
- 2003
- The Forerunner brings GPS to running watches.
- 2012
- The fenix line defines the multi-sport GPS watch.
- 2019
- MARQ places the electronics in titanium and sapphire.
- 2020
- Solar charging extends battery life to months.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Chronograph Watches (1,043), Watches 44mm and Over (823), Solar & Kinetic Watches (133) and Titanium Watches (125).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 51mm is a large watch with real presence
- 15.4mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 010-02907-11 |  GMC-B2100D-1AER |  JY8110-51E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £859 | £739 | £799 |
| Case size | 51mm | 51.5mm | 47mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 200m | 200m |
| Movement | Solar | Solar | Solar |
| Strap | Silicone strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Titanium bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
What size strap does it take?
26mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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