The Fine Wristwatch in ARC Raiders is a rare trinket that most players have been selling for quick cash since launch. Described in-game as "perfect for telling the time, and showcasing that you're an exceedingly dignified person," it weighs just 0.2 kg and fetches 3,000 coins from vendors. But with the Shrouded Sky update and the new Weather Monitor System project, you actually need to hold onto one instead of flipping it for credits.
Quick answer: You need one Fine Wristwatch to complete Stage 3 of the Weather Monitor System project. The fastest way to find one is during the Bird City map modifier on Buried City, where chimney bird nests drop trinkets at a much higher rate than normal scavenging.
Fine Wristwatch item stats
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Trinket |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Weight | 0.2 kg |
| Sell price | 3,000 coins |
| Found in | Commercial, Residential |
| Craftable | No |
| Recyclable | No useful materials |
| Displays in Raider Den | Yes |
Where to find Fine Wristwatches in ARC Raiders
Fine Wristwatches spawn as random loot inside containers in Commercial and Residential zones across all maps. There is no guaranteed fixed spawn point — like every trinket in ARC Raiders, the item rotates through the general loot pool. Buried City tends to be the most productive map for trinket hunting because it has a high density of residential buildings packed into relatively small areas. Locations like Santa Maria Houses, Plaza Rosa, and Piazza Arbusto all contain apartments and cabinets worth checking.
On any map, focus on opening cabinets, drawers, and small containers inside buildings tagged as Residential or Commercial. The Fine Wristwatch can appear in any of these, though the drop rate is low enough that you may run several raids before one shows up through normal scavenging alone.
Bird City modifier — the fastest farming method
The single best way to get a Fine Wristwatch quickly is to wait for the Bird City map condition on Buried City. This periodically active modifier fills chimneys across the map with lootable bird nests, and those nests hand out trinkets at a dramatically higher rate than standard containers. You'll pull rubber ducks, watches, and other valuables from nearly every chimney you check.
The rooftops with the highest chimney density are concentrated around Town Hall, Santa Maria Houses, Piazza Arbusto, and Plaza Rosa. All four locations cluster multiple chimneys in a tight area, so you can loot several nests in a single sweep without covering much ground. Run across the rooftops, interact with every chimney you see, and you should walk away with at least one Fine Wristwatch per raid — often more.
What the Fine Wristwatch is used for
Before the Shrouded Sky update, the Fine Wristwatch had exactly one purpose: selling it for 3,000 coins. It cannot be crafted, is not used in any crafting recipe, and does not recycle into useful materials. For pure income, it remains one of the better trinkets to extract — finding two or three during a Bird City run can fund a significant portion of your loadout costs.
The Weather Monitor System project changed that equation. Stage 3 of the project requires you to submit one Fine Wristwatch alongside Arc Powercells, Canisters, and Steel Springs. The other materials are common enough that most players already have them sitting in their stash, but the watch is the bottleneck for many raiders who have been selling every one they find. Completing this stage rewards a Level 3 Renegade and moves you closer to finishing the full Weather Monitor project.
If you're working toward the Weather Monitor, resist the urge to sell your first Fine Wristwatch. Bank it in your stash until you're ready to turn in the full set of Stage 3 materials. After that, any additional watches you find are pure profit at the vendor.
The Fine Wristwatch sits in an unusual spot in ARC Raiders' item economy — it's a trinket that was always worth picking up for coins, but now carries genuine project value for anyone progressing through the Weather Monitor. Prioritize Bird City runs on Buried City for the most efficient farming, and keep at least one watch in reserve before you sell the rest.