A lot of people wear speedmasters because the Apollo astronauts wore them. This is mostly in jest, but if people really wanted to emulate those Apollo astronaut icons, they would choose the most practical options which would be quartz watches, not mechanical watches. They’d be brighter, have better battery, keep better time, more durable, etc
But in seriousness, I totally respect the history and craftsmanship of these watches, just not their practicality in modern day.
Where on a pilot’s G-suit do you expect him (or her) to stash several thousands of dollars’ worth of bills?
I totally understand the frustration with digital watches - I find them difficult to read even for lap swimming, especially when I have tinted goggles on, so I don’t use them.