Being a traveller who frequently sleeps in noisy hotels with inconsiderate neighbours (sound proofing of doors not exactly being high priority in even the best of most hotels...), I thought a vibrating watch would be a really neat way to sleep with ear plugs and yet be woken up by an alarm.
This watch is small and light which fits my bill for being portable and easy to travel with. I also like the dual clock (since I am often in a time zone separate from those I might call).
As a reminder alarm it would probably work fine. The two audible alarms are very discrete with the barest of audible 'peeps' as the audible alarm goes off. In fact it is the most pathetic peep I've heard next to a Suunto watch - an airconditioner's quite hiss would be enough to render this peep inaudible! The vibration is sufficent to alert you that an alarm has gone off, though I am sure some people will hear the 'zzzffth' sound it makes as it vibrates against you (yep, louder than the peep...).
But I'm relieved to say it wakes me up when I'm sleeping with ear plugs. I was at first very apprehensive about the vibration - didn't think it would be sufficient. Then I spent weeks travelling and my body was so out of whack I was frequently awake before the alarm went off. But now after several months, my backup alarm clock has been deemed unnecessary - the vibration from the watch seems to be sufficient to jar me from my slumber.
I would probably recommend that if you are going to use this watch to wake up, then set the 2nd alarm as a 'snooze' alarm because it only vibrates for 20 seconds and in a very deep slumber, that only seems to bring you around - the second alarm maybe necessary to wake up completely. But I can be a very deep sleeper and I have not yet failed to be woken by the vibration on my wrist.
I do also agree with one reviewer that it is very easy to accidently turn the alarm off... I do end up checking in a parnoid manner as I go to bed that I didn't accidently turn the alarm off if I touched a button - because the next alarm mode after vibrate is off!
The watchband will defintely be an issue for anyone with slim wrists as well. Yes, I am female and this is a male watch, but I am on the last notch of the band and it still feels loose. I wouldn't even consider this watch for a child... I would also say for the price you pay, the watch band is a little cheap.
So for discretion and reminders, this watch is exceptional. For the purpose I bought it for - as an alarm to wake up with, its turning out to be not to bad, and if lucky, the manufacturers will one day remedy some of these issues.