l've been wearing my dead brother’s Citizen Eco-Drive Calibre 5700 (stainless) for the past decade for similar reasons to those in the article. It’s rugged, solar powered, and requires no thought.
It also has a small scorch mark from an arc welding incident he had that I treasure.
I have an E650 or something like that--an eco-drive. I traded an xbox 360 for it many years ago, when an xbox 360 was worth about 300 or 400 bucks. I was having trouble selling the xbox before I went overseas, but bringing a watch along worked just fine.
It's a great watch. I would wear it more, but it's a little gaudy for me, and heavy. Still, I've really mistreated it a lot, and it just keeps on going.
Similar make by the same brand here. I have been wearing it for five years without issue.
It's also a fairly inexpensive watch, so it's no big deal should I lose it. (I have no sentimental attachment to mine.)
A downside I see to smartwatches is they feel outdated after a few years. With this, you make the decision to stick to the basics, but hopefully you're not generating any more waste for the next 10-15 years.
It also has a small scorch mark from an arc welding incident he had that I treasure.