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Garmin fēnix® 8 51 mm Solar Sapphire Unisex Watch
Ref. 010-02907-21
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The fēnix 8 is the direct successor to the fēnix 7 Pro line, carrying forward its multi-sport credentials while adding a built-in microphone and speaker for voice commands — a first for the series — alongside revised mapping software and an updated interface. The solar-charging lens is not a token gesture: under good light it pushes standard smartwatch battery life out to 48 days, which changes how you think about charging on a long expedition. At 51mm and 95 grams the watch makes no attempt to be unobtrusive, but the fibre-reinforced polymer body keeps that weight lower than an all-metal case of this scale would reach, and the titanium bezel and metal caseback give the construction a grounding that pure resin would not. The 26mm QuickFit strap swaps without tools, which matters when the amp yellow silicone suits the trail but not the office. Dual-frequency GPS and leakproof inductive buttons — the latter enabling genuine dive use to 40 metres — sit alongside the altimeter, compass and optical heart rate sensor, making this a functional instrument first and a wearable second.
- Reference
- 010-02907-21
- Brand
- Garmin
- Collection
- Fenix 8Case Size: 51Case Thickness: 15
- Case size
- 51mm
- Case material
- Resin
- 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
- Yellow
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Warranty
- 2 years
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 3 collections
This watch appears in Chronograph Watches (1,043), Watches 44mm and Over (823) and Solar & Kinetic Watches (133).
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
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 010-02907-21 |  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.
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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