Pilot's watches

[A340x]

Hello there
I'm new to this forum and actually this is my first post.
I am interested in aviation and watches and I am asking the following questions to get the right answers from each of you. If you were to have the PERFECT PILOT's watch, what would be the caracteristics? For example, a chronometer watch, color that pleases the eye etc.
Please give me your opinions (any opinion that might help a pilot in getting the perfect watch) as I am doing a research on this subject.

[airborne_artist]

Huge and flashy

[BelArgUSA]

hola A340x
xxx
The definitive "pilot watch" is the Breitling "Cosmonaute"... I have one...
Excellent timepiece, very accurate, many pilot functions (slide rule) on it.
Unfortunately extremely expensive.
xxx
Welcome to the forum, by the way...
:)
Happy contrails

[henry crun]

"to get the right answers from each of you. ".

What ! from all 162,772 of us ? :eek:

[the dean]

if you are a pilot...be careful..

sometimes examiners have found that a pilots abilities may vary inversionally proportional to the size of his watch....:}

[underread east]

Breitling are marvellous time pieces, but honestly, how many of you have actually used the twisty slide rule bit in anger, or pulled the ELT aerial out?

If Mickey Mouse still has two hands that go round at the regulated rate, the watch does a perfectly adequate job.:)

[bflyer]

Breitling are marvellous time pieces, but honestly, how many of you have actually used the twisty slide rule bit in anger, or pulled the ELT aerial out?

If Mickey Mouse still has two hands that go round at the regulated rate, the watch does a perfectly adequate job

Agree 100%.....BUT


The definitive "pilot watch" is the Breitling "Cosmonaute"...

Agree 100% ...No BUTs,IFs, or MAYBEs :ok:

[strake]

I'm not really sure what use a 'pilot's watch' is these days.
I cannot concieve of any real-world situation when I am flying where I would break into a sweat and think 'Thank God I have the circular slide rule, chronographic, day, date, month facilities of the Breitling Navitimer strapped to my wrist...!'

To be honest, I've had to wait so long to afford my Breitling, with my fading eyesight at the grand old age of 50, I can't read the b****y thing anyway...:)

[ILSTOMIN]

haha!
that qoute made my day :}

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:
It's a bit like that old joke which goes something along the lines of.
'Gosh Inspector, how can you tell that the dead man, lying out there stark naked, was a pilot'?
'Easy, big watch, small penis'.
;)

Personally, one finds that a Rolex green Submariner does the job quite well and for some very peculiar reason, women seem to prefer divers to flyers. Make ot that what you will!:p

[Farrell]

IMHO

Get yourself a watch with a clean readout - a dark face with large, luminous numerals and hands that mark the hour, minutes and seconds.

If you plan on marking up your logbook with UTC, then it might be an idea to have that option on it as well.

Some like it added as another hour hand like on the Torgoen T5 (shown below)

http://www.uhren-shop.org/images/product_images/info_images/Torgoen_T5.01.08.S02.jpg

or you could go for the T6 which has a flight computer bezel (which, trust me, you will never use!)
This watch is just too busy for my liking.

This is a T6:
http://www.uhren-web.com/images/Torgoen_T6.01.02.S02_200.jpg

They have also brought out a T8 - it's a nice concept but I'm still out on it.

T8:
http://www.outdoorwatch.com/ProductImages/T8.01.02.S05-s.jpg

You could also go all digital.
The Casio Pro Trek range are good and I use one with a World Time feature as I am jumping zones a lot.

To be honest, a "pilot's" watch is just a gimmick. Just go with what you like and what suits your style.

I am a victim for watches though......

I have a T5 for flying
A Pro Trek for outdoor sports
A Suunto for running
An old retro Casio G-Shock that I drag out when I'm being manly and building something.
And an Omega Planet Ocean for formal wear. (It was a gift. I could never justify one when the IR is still undone!)

[merlinxx]

Total bollo#ks. Had a navitimer many moons ago, too big. A timex stop watch, a spin wheel! What else do you else do you want? Try to use a "so called watch with a spin wheel (aka Navitimer) with one hand when you need it and try and note down your calcs. All you need is a simple stop watch and spin wheel.

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:

These big Breitlings are all very well when worn by a First Officer. Once one becomes a Captain you have to change wrists so that the punters can see through the cockpit door that the man in charge is a real pilot as he tenderly plays with the power levers.:p

[the dean]

merlinxx,

like i say i am not sure if you are a pilot...but if you are like others have said, you have enough of your time spent in the flying process there is little time to play with your watch...in VFR flying for every 10 seconds head should be outside the cockpit for 8 and in for 2...little difficult to have time for your watch...

and if IFR...no time for your watch...except to check the time in both instances...

aviate...navigate...communicate...thats it...:ok:

nowhere in there do i see anything about watches......:eek:

ticktockticktock...:}

[A340x]

Thank you for all the replies, but what I would like to concetrate on would not be a watch thatt has already been created (Breitling), I'm more concetrating on something custom.
For example: Square or round?
Metal or rubber?
etc

[rsuggitt]

My only requirements are for a big hand and a little hand, and accurate to 5 mins or so per day, so that I can note down reasonably accurate brake-brake times.

[Slopey]

My Cosmonaute is quite honestly the most (imho) beautiful timepiece I have ever had the pleasure to own. Makes a Rolex or Omega look mundane (again, imho).

Overkill for bimbling about in a 172? Absolutely, but certainly gets the ladies attention at the bar!

It also has the brightest luminescence on the hands that I have ever seen - in a dark room, you can find a light switch by it, it will illuminate a patch on the wall at a distance of around 4-5 inches. Impressive (although I'm probably being exposed to untold radiation levels) -althought the wife can spot me trying to sneak in to bed after a night out with the lads thanks to the beacon effect!.


As regards a (new) custom watch and features you'd want added it depends.

If you're using the watch for actual flying - then 2 hands which tell the time, and possibly something which shows UTC. That's pretty much all you need.

If you're using the watch as jewellery, then you can add the (never used) slide rule etc.

I personally prefer round watches unless they're digital, and metal, unless they're part of the design - plastic always looks cheap which isn't any use for the 2nd option ;)

Ultimately - you don't need anything other than a basic clock as a pilot watch.

(Although the Breitling Co-pilot looks great, but only fits the Aerospaces).

[Slopey]

Actually - what might be fun (although no pilot would probably ever wear one), would be a watch where the face was mocked up like an altimeter dial, with the date in the pressure setting window. I suppose you could do one with an airspeed indicator also.

[youngskywalker]

It's an interesting topic 'Pilot watches', is it not true that the wrist watch was invented for Pilots, therefore all wrist watches by definition are 'Pilot watches?'
I can't remember which pioneering Pilot it was, I seem to recall the name 'Cartier' who made a wrist watch for 'Santos Dumont', he could not take his pocket watch out to check the time because he required both hands to control his machine? Thus Cartier invented the wrist watch, although several different names seem to claim the same invention!
Then again, I'm probably talking ball@cks :\

[Farrell]

Ok then......if ideas are what you are looking for then I would say you should aim for:

A simply-styled, digital readout watch with a square face that gives me the time and date where I am, the time and date at my destination and UTC time - there is absolutely no need for the watch to have a flight computer, as I have said before, it will never be used.

I like clear numerals and while traditional "digital" style ones are ok, a newer "computer" style font would be nice. Like the clocks you see as screensavers on PDAs or an iPhone.

For example: (apologies for my design skills!)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b140/quartermilefinal/watch.jpg

I would also like it to have a stopwatch and a countdown.
Elapsed flight-time would also be nice (separate to the stopwatch).

Pro Trek have a nice feature where the backlight comes on in low light conditions when the watch is tilted towards your face - I would like the option to turn that off if necessary.

A recurring alarm would also be necessary - a nice loud one that actually has the ability to wake a very tired pilot.

(If you want ideas on good screen layouts, have a look at the latest generation of dive computers - not dive watches though.)
Thanks

[Luke SkyToddler]

Yep - like this design above, you should copyright that Farrell!

- Two or even three big digital time readouts - one for UTC, one for home time zone, and one for time zone you're presently in.
- Easy to read in all light conditions
- An alarm clock that'll wake the dead

And that's IT, nothing else. Less is more when it comes to watches.

[Slopey]

You could do that with a Fossil Abacus PalmOS watch with a little app - same the battery life on them is terrible, but they're great for novelty value. You can still find them around for 30-40 quid.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000AO6BSQ.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Or maybe the Garmin Forerunner might be an interesting compromise? And it's got GPS (which might be handy for recording your track although no idea if it works at X,000 ft and +40kts seeing as you're unlikely to be running that fast).
http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000CSQJ8C.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
or some kind of bastardisation along the shame theme?

[rsuggitt]

Wonder if anyone should actually tell Breitling that pilots dont really make use of the fancy features in their expensive watches.....

[Slopey]

Why? Nobody buys a Brietling for the features really - you buy it because it's a Breitling, and it looks fantastic.

[Sleepybhudda]

I found the following features useful in my citizen skyhawk (old model not navihawk)

Stainless Steel (no sweaty rists)

Backlight.

Two alarms for those early reports.

UTC and 2 time zones (eg home and new destination)

A prominent digital display for an exact instant time for paperwork

But an analogue gauge just gives me a better overall picture when on a turnaround.

Stop watch for those things that you just wouldn't think of.

And finaly the slide rule....... one it can be an ice breaker "hay interesting watch you got there"

Or for those bar aviation conversations when you haven't memorised every conversion factor in the world and you want to explain how much fuel a chipmunk holds or how fast something goes in MPH.

The slide rule is a tiny bit poncey but since i dont have the 80's top gun Ray Bans i think im allowed this consession.

[topper3]

Bog standard Casio
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductLargeImagePopup?storeId=10001&jsparm=true&imageName=2533393SPA64UC211008X.jpg&imageText=
It cost me 8quid and does everything I need from a watch. Perfect for my job. :ok:

[angelorange]

And their Pliot and Flieger ranges are better value than Breitling.

[Direct BAMES]

In no particular order:
Clear, uncluttered face
Stopwatch with split timing facility
Three time zones
Analogue and digital displays
The ability apply any offset to one time zone (for places like India = UTC -5.5)
Alarm
Backlight
All but the last of these facilities are supported by the Breitling Aerospace.
DB

[Slopey]

The Airwolf will get you the Alarm & Backlight too ;)

[A Very Civil Pilot]

I used to have a citizen navihawk, but since that broke now have a Citizen Skyhawk:

http://www.citizenshop.co.uk/JR3080-51L%20S.jpg

Main reasons are:


World times
Several alarms
Eco-drive (no need for new batteries)
Slide rule (yes I do actually use it for calculations)
Good deal from high street jewellers

[Dantruck]

Sorry...just stumbled in here from Rotorheads.

But now I'm here A340X...

Your design needs to sit well on the RIGHT wrist, because us helicopter boys can't see the left one...it being permanently slung low beside the left thigh as we heroically grip that collective thingy...you know, the one with the twisty bit on it that controls the noise level, and has all those impressive buttons on the end, that no-one tells you what they do.

Anyway...cavortingcatperson is quite right. Whatever it is, it's gotta look good on the RIGHT wrist, too.

Dan

PS...Check out FORTIS Watches. Nuff said!

[wasdale]

47 years old Rolex Oyster Perpetual inherited from father. Never been serviced or repaired. Gains 1/2 minute/week. Style and class in one packet.

[cavortingcheetah]

:eek:

Those who enjoy such exercises as flying over the North Pole will be delighted to know that Rolex have just reintroduced their Milgauss watch.
Given the price that the original ones make at auction, the new watch is quite a bargain at some £3,200.
One has to be a bit careful with older Rolex watches. Some of the older ones are irreplaceable and the value of them lies in small things. For example, a 1969 Rolex Submariner is no particular great shakes, but, were the word Submariner to be written in red, as a few of them were, it becomes much more collectible and hence valuable. Hence the reason why t'is is no longer, with regret, worn as a day to day watch.
There's another piece of timeless information, no doubt gone with the wind.;)

[Arjay]

Farrell,

Did you purchase your Torgoen watches here in the UK or outside of the UK? I have searched all over the place trying to find a retailer that sells the T4 Zulu Time range, in particular, the T4.01.02.S02 model. Unfortunately I haven't had any success yet.

Thanks for any info.

Robert

[PingDit]

I would like;
Round black face
Clear silver/gold numbers
Large silver/gold hands
Alarm
Accuracy +/- 4 seconds in 24 hours
stopwatch

When can you deliver?
:ok:

[SIC]

Fortis B42

3 Time zones and a stopwatch. All you'll ever need.

[Farrell]

Arjay....

I bought them online when I was in the US.

I didn't hold onto the T4 for long because I found it to be too cluttered and impractical.

The T5 however, still goes with me on most flights.

[InfraBoy]

The watch I was issued with and still use and meets the majority of your needs is a Seiko. Bloody brilliant watch and as a Nav it does what you need - the pilots (who get talking baggage) only get a watch that tells the time. So, if you can find it this is what I class as the best pilots watch:

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/B117_seiko_mil_1.JPG

Use velcro straps on it and just replace them every two years! LOL

[thrust clb]

The smart money is on a ROLEX EXPLORER II. Buy one slightly used, then use it for the next TEN YEARS, when you sell it, chances are the price will be the same or higher than when you bought it. Then buy another used Rolex and do it over and over again. Trust me, I've been doing this the past 15 years..and my best friend is a Watch dealer!

[chemical alli]

watchs define the man !

omega= wanna be james bond
brietling=wanna be richard branson or full of hot air like a balloon
seiko= still 18 and a mummys boy
casio= too cheap to shout at a bar
rolex=ancient trend setter living in the past
citizen divers= think they know where to find the g spot

the idea of big bulky gold watchs of extreme value dates back to when flyboys were shot down and needed something to trade,try a g shock ,plastic simple very unattractive but with the current pilot t&c yells ill take the hits just keep em coming.(have a laugh boys just some oz humor)

[Jimmy Macintosh]

I agree with Farrell, something clear and easy to read, features mean nothing, you rarely use them. My personal watch of choice:

http://www.timedesign.de/i/aristo/5H09RMB.jpg

I have a leather strap though. The design is based on the Luftwaffe, cannot ask for a more efficient design. All of the white on the watch is also luminous (except the date). Having the minutes on the outside means no real need of a stopwatch though you can't reset it, it's also automatic so no batteries, had mine for five years now the glass has no scratches or marks. Keeps pretty good time.

[wondering]

Imho the IWC Mark 10/11/12/15 are beautiful pilot watches. Personally, I use a Poljot Aviator. Time keeping is just ok. But, the price is very reasonable for a stainless mechanical chronograph which has a second time zone as well. And if it breaks, so what.

[Abu Bebo]

I like farrell's design and would like countdown timer with vibrating alarm. My wife gave me a Citizen Skyhawk as an engagement present. The whizz-wheel is great down the shops when you're hunting for the cheapest block of cheese: buying in bulk isn't always the budget option (I look forward to getting a job :{ )

[toolowtoofast]

Citizen Skyhawk for me in Titanium. Very nice - good luminecence, could do with a back light though. I use the whizz-wheel all the time when doing x-country flying. Have deleted time zones to UTC/Auz/NZ. Face is a bit exposed though, prone to scratching.

Also have a G-shock with analogue/digi and world time zones - again have deleted down to Auz/NZ/UTC. Lives in my car in case I forget my Citizen.

[Navex77]

Hi guys,
Just want to share, i use Casio Pro Trek. It's affordable for me as a new trainee pilot.
http://www.cnet.co.uk/story_media/49282852/prg_80_3_large.jpg
It has :
1) Magnetic Compass
2) Barometer
3) Altimeter
The altimeter and barometer are reliable if you fly in unpressurerised aircraft, not for the compass. But, i dont use it for main instrument when flying, just for reference.. :cool:

[redsnail]

I still have my old Citizen Sky hawk pilot watch from about 20 years ago. Nothing wrong with it except it didn't have a light.
Yes I used the circular slide rule a couple of times. :D

Since my wrist is a bit skinny I don't really like the mega chunky so called pilot watches (eg like my old one). I now use a Casio G-ms. It's pretty good really.

The features I like.
Solar powered face to recharge the battery.
Large clear hands.
Digital section for different time zones, alarms etc.
Metal bars to stop the glass from being scratched up.
Metal band.
Light. Although, the digital bit isn't lit. That's something I'd change.
Water resistant and tough.
It doesn't really look like a poser pilot's watch!

If it was made out of titanium it would be even cooler but probably three times the price!

[er340790]

Citizen Eco-Drive Sky Hawk is the best of many tried over the years.

However, most of my instructors used cheap digital watches - with the biggest possible numerals.

What the hell do they know anyway?!

[Flintstone]

Citizen Titanium Eco Skyhawk thingy that lives in the drawer because it looks................. yeeuch.

I much prefer my $26, blue backlit Mickey Mouse watch. Keeps great time.



PS If anyone wants to buy the Citizen......?

[Fareastdriver]

I wear a HK700 Ellesse for day to day use but as an offshore pilot one has to jump in and out of the cockpit quite frequently and the strap kept getting bent. I now use a Breitling for flying and it works a dream.
It has the black analogue face with white hands so it easy to see in all weather conditions. There are two seperate digital readouts so you have the normal stopwatch/elasped time plus 24/12 day/date and alarms. It is a Bentley Special, it says so on the back.

BENTLEY
MOTORS
Special Edition
Certified Chronometer
100M/330FT
Manufactured in switchinternet
By BRIETLING

It has a rotating bezel and as I am paid in US$ and my expenses are in Sterling it is invaluable to work out how much of a pay rise/drop I am receiving.
I have had it about 8 months and it is accurate to with 2secs /month which is probably as good as the GPS if it wasn't corrected.
The strap bending problem is solved as it has quick release pins and it isn't affected by dropping 8ft to the helideck.
The after sales service is excellent. The dealer who sold it to me has replaced four strap pins so far AT NO COST WHATSOEVER.
The only problem I have had with it was that the second hand setting button pinged off somewhere but it has an excellent cost effective manual overide, toothpicks are about 5p/1000.
Knocked him down from RMB400 to 260, about 17 quid.

[Lutefisk989]

Breitling B-1....gift from my Bride. Best watch I ever had!

[merlinxx]

B Navitimer, but that was when we needed a mini spin wheel. Wasn,t a posser piece, it was a work/planning piece, smaller than a big spin wheel. Why have a watch which distracts from the process of flying, spin wheels are cheaper and make good frizbees in the pub/garden, or KMIA ramp!!!!! A watch is for telling the time I thought?

[Dave Ishall]

Hello A340x. Just caught this thread while looking for the definitive pilot's watch myself.

http://www.h3watchshop.co.uk/images/p/l/1/312/Traser-H3-P6506-Commander-100-Titanium-Watch.jpg

My favorite is my H3 Commanders' watch by Traser. It has a clear, no nonsense face like Jimmy Macintosh's watch and fantastic visibility at night due to the tritium powered lights on the hands and hours. The rotating bezel gives me time airborne (when I remember to set it) and the date is always useful. The glass is sapphire crystal so no scratches in 5 years and the thing is waterproof down to 300m. The accuracy is phenomenal - less than 5 seconds error per month - which is all down to its swiss quartz movement. Not as stylish as a Breitling but still looks good with either a flying suit or evening wear. Best of all, you can buy five of them for the same price as a Breit.
Why am I looking for the definitive watch then? I would like an alarm on it, a second time zone, the day of the week, a chronograph and a slightly bigger face. There - that is my perfect pilot's watch.
A company called Fortis come close - but their prices are in the mid 'teens and I still have a mortgage.

[Irish_Stu]

Good buy fareastdriver. I bought the same one in Bangkok a few years ago for about £25. Man do i feel ripped off :}

Do ya think they're real? :ok:

[Brian304]

Currnetly have the Citizen ECO-skyhawk with titanium bracelet. Nice watch and sort of light. But i'm getting a new breitling Emergency watch, maybe just maybe... they could save your life one day when flying around...
Brian304

[O2AFAC67]

Many years in aviation and notwithstanding the Breitling bashers I've always enjoyed the brand. Can't see the sliderule very well anymore and never used it that much anyway but I always liked the tie to pilotage and piloting skills the different functions confer. The high tech B-1 is IMHO about as close as I could get to an ideal aviation usage wristwatch. Wish I had it to use forty years ago. LOL. :)

Cheers,
Ron

Ron - sorry to have to hit your first post, but the pics are too large and I'm afraid too many! Please have a look at image posting guidelines at Reminder 4 on http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=251368 (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=251368). One pic 800x 600 if you would.

[Bushfiva]

An early IWC Spitfire would suit me fine. Black face, clear digits. Unfortunately, IWC jumped the shark and change things for the sake of having something new to sell.

I like my Dufeau, and I did like my Fortis until I actually had to try and get something repaired by them. c:mad:nts. Complete waste of space, service-wise.

[angelorange]

Actually Fortis were superb on the customer service front - yes had to send watch back to Germany but it was well over 10 years old and they did a superb job and charged minimal costs. Would have cost more through a UK watch repairer!

Hopefully they will have a good UK importer soon.

See:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=70019&highlight=Fortis

[ACARS]

Citizen Eco Drive Skyhawk (Titanium) is a very nice watch. One does have to be careful not to scratch it.

Does anyone else find that the rotating computer sticks?

Sorree! Link to commercial site removed IAW PPrune rules.

[compressor stall]

Lutefisk989 Breitling B-1....gift from my Bride.

My wife gave me a square box when we arrived at the hotel after our wedding - I opened it to find a Breitling B-1!

A wonderful watch for flying - analogue hour hand (local) and digital UTC background is great. Also home time as T2. It's good having the Alarm on T2 as you can set that for a specific time to call home.

[Re-Heat]

Accurist Skymaster

Bremont...if you have the money

[mothflyer]

Bell and Ross do a nice 'altimeter' style, very clear face, choice of colours. Personally like the orange. Come in two sizes and one size is far too big for earth beings. Far too expensive for most earth beings too.

[His dudeness]

SINN 856 S

Beautiful and simple.

[Griffon x4]

Have a look at Werners Flying watches.com.They have loads of interesting stuff for virtually peanuts!.I have x2 of the Astroavia watches..cheap as chips and work really well.One of them even looks like a Breitling!..its also more accurate than my old Navitimer!.

[richatom]

Yep, I like Farrel's design too.

I currently have a Casio tough solar watch which has two features that I really like - it is solar powered so you never need to change the battery, and it also picks up radio time signals so it is perfectly accurate and so always in perfect synch with the aircraft gps-clock. Other features of the watch are poor however - cheap finish, tiny digitial window, date only in US format, and fiddly knobology.

I would like to combine solar power and radio-time with Farrel's design. I'd also quite like a means to record block off/ block on UTC times.

[Dan Winterland]

Suprised no-one's mentioned the Breitling aerospace which of course was designed by Breitling in consultation with pilots. It's titanium and very light and quite distinctive. It has several features all of which I use. I've had mine ten years and it still looks like new.

The downsides are that too many pilots have on now, so they're far from unique and although it keeps pretty good time, it wasn't as accurate at my RAF issue Seiko. I had to give mine back when I left. The RAF is the only employer in the world who takes your watch off you when you retire!

[gulfstreameric]

Do not buy one of those machine produced things that tell time, instead go for the true swiss time keeping piece. Like IWC Pilot Chronograph, hand made and went through twenty three pair of hands for assembly and then you have something that will stand out when someone asks you the time
;)
Rolex Breiting stamp out over 700000 watches a year, and their attention to detail is only by the mechanical reproduction like you Ford Fiesta your driving

Just kidding, as long as you know what time you run out off fuel, get some runway under you beforehand.

[Milt]

Brietling Watch/EPURB

Heartell that Steve Fossett was not wearing his EPURB watch when he disappeared - otherwise he may have been located.

Are these watches fitted with an activating g switch?

[Tacklebury]

I love my Brietling. I have the SuperOcean Chrono.

Simple watch, has date, stopwatch and funnily enough tells the time. No more, no less, just a beautiful hand made piece of art.

The only problem is its an automatic and as such i have to correct the time every few months but i can live with that.

[Nineiron]

My Navitimer used to get moisture under the bezel and fog up. The damp eventually lifted the figures and markings off the outer ring. It was so big it often got caught and pulled out the strap pins. One time it fell to the cockpit floor (rubber mat) and the balance staff broke - expensive repair. Decided it was a legacy of my PPL days I no longer wanted and ended up giving it to a loadmaster. I flew the next 10,000 hrs with a simple, 2 hands and 12 numbers, clear vision, Swiss made watch sold by the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Simple, reliable and very practical.

[A2QFI]

Have a look at the Citizen Eco drive range. 15 minutes in bright sunlight runs it for up to 6 months and pro rata for indoor lighting. Displays one zone with hands, another on a digital display and UTC at all times on another small set of hands. 24 hour stopwatch, alarm, back light, radio controlled for time accuracy. When I was 2 weeks out of the radio reception area it was 2 seconds wrong when back in area so it is good worldwide really. Says resistant 200 metres so should be OK for some scuba diving. Simple conversion tables on a slide rule. Worth a look?

[onboard]

Suprised no-one's mentioned the Breitling aerospace which of course was designed by Breitling in consultation with pilots. It's titanium and very light and quite distinctive. It has several features all of which I use. I've had mine ten years and it still looks like new.

The downsides are that too many pilots have on now, so they're far from unique and although it keeps pretty good time, it wasn't as accurate at my RAF issue Seiko. I had to give mine back when I left. The RAF is the only employer in the world who takes your watch off you when you retire!



Well Dan,

Reputationwise I'm sorry I have to tell you that with an Aerospace you're way down on the list. It's even being used aft of the cockpit door! :{
Bought mine on a trip to Singapore years ago and have been using it ever since. I'm most thankful for the countdown timer, as it's obviously more convenient for pax to summon me to their seat and ask me what the remaining flight time is, than to check the airshow. ;)

[Knocers]

Swatch is the best of the world in my opinion

[sms777]

Hi Guys,
This is my first posting i thought i drop a line as an introduction.
This is a interesting topic, being a quality watch enthusiast myself always wanted to know what type of watches pilots prefer.
Has anyone heard the name Chase-Durer? A few years ago i picked up a US aviation magazine and i was blown away by a full page ad showing a special fighter pilots watch. I got on their website and let me tell you i was so impressed that i immedietly ordered a USAF B-52 weapons school model and within 7 days it was on my doorstep. And the price? US$499
The quality is amazing.
Check them out on www.chase-durer.com (http://www.chase-durer.com)
Let me know what you think. Cheers.:ok:

[low n' slow]

My dreamwatch:
-Titanuim (so it doesn't beep in security)
-Thin profile
-Saphire glass
-Digital and analogue readout.
-A couple of alarms
-Timer
-Automatically resets itself for daylightsaving time.

Basically a Breitling Aerospace :hmm: .

/LnS

[Fliegenmong]

Bentley Special, it says so on the back.

BENTLEY
MOTORS
Special Edition
Certified Chronometer
100M/330FT
Manufactured in switchinternet
By BRIETLING

Far East Drive *& Irish Stu hahah lol - I got one too!! But from Soho in NYC, about 3 yrs back, I'm sure the "Switchinternet" means it's real!, It is a real poser watch, I know, good fun though, so good in fact I bought another in Soho last month!! :ok:

For a rip off - it has been a really really good watch.:\ :p:8

[ArthurR]

From Dusk till Dawn, can you tell me what use a solar watch would be over 30m, so what company would water proof one for up to 200m. :ugh:

[Out Of Trim]

Pulsar - Argos £50 - replaced a U/S Timex which replaced a U/S Accurist

http://www.argos.co.uk/wcsstore/argos/images/2774664SPA65UC259266X.jpg

It has lots of time zones, Chronometer, alarms etc..

I usually leave the digits on zulu and the hands on local time.

[sms777]

Come on dude!:=
Give ARTHURR a break! We are talking about pilots watches not one of those poofter plastic Casios that you worship:(.
We all know that they are cheap and nasty and probably more suitable your paycheck but if He is brave enough to put His age on Pprune He is certainly deserves a Breitling Aerospace ( i am sure He already owns one ).
So forget the Scooby Doo:E(whatever) diving watches because most of us" PILOTS " living above water not under and i prefer my watches rather altitude proof not "attitude" proof.
GROW A WING!!!!;)

[sms777]

They're not Casios!
Have you looked at the watches on my previous posting? (#75)
That is my opinion.

[sms777]

That's cool, after all we are only pilots.
The Citizen Eco-Drive is a nice watch. As a matter of fact i have owned one for about three years, i have bought it in HK when they were first introduced but stopped wearing it because it has been gaining five minutes every month and no one seems to be able to rectify it.:( They are the most comfortable watches i have ever owned and being Titanium you can even wear it "Scooby" diving.
So, back to my Chase-Durer :D

[Wings Of Fury]

Hey Check out www.glycineairman.info/ Check out "model history"
I have the third model in on the top display, had it for a long time and it always served me well. :ok:

[Wings Of Fury]

no digital, just rotate the outer scale simple!
There is a watch on that website that can 3-4 time zones
http://www.glycine-watch.ch/e/collection/detail.e.jsp?ID_Group=100000&ID_Display=10002Q

1. Your local time zone on the outer
2. GMT/UTC one the inner
3. the other two dials have destination 1 and 2

[Wings Of Fury]

The AIRMAN was designed by Glycine 54 years ago with the help of US Military and Airline Pilots.
The AIRMAN is the easiest watch to read time in 24:00 hours, in two time-zones. You do not have to reset the hands each time you fly into a different time-zone; set inside dial to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and use the rotating bezel for local time.

All watches are Swiss made with luminous dials and hands for night read-out. They are accurate to 1 minute a year and come with a 3 year battery and a one year 100% guaranty.
Because of the 24-hour dials, our watches can also be used as a Compass; point the hour hand in the direction of the sun and find North at 24:00 :eek:
http://www.falconwatch.com/

[FLCH]

http://www.designmom.com/uploaded_images/watch1-748146.jpg

I just bought one of these a month ago, seven years ago I bought an Aerospace, both times my wife (the same one) asked me for a separation..... maybe these Breitlings are not so bad after all.....

[sms777]

I have tried the same for years but she would not leave me.:(
So, two years ago went out and bought an aeroplane to suit my watch!:E

Result: INSTANT DIVORCE!:ok:
YEEEEHAAAARR!!!!
And i have a nice collection of watches too:)

[Kerosene Kraut]

Heavy duty and powered by the now rare Lemania 5100 movement:
http://tutima.com/en/product_info.php?products_id=30

[What-ho Squiffy!]

The best watch I have ever used in the cockpit (FW & RW) is the Suunto Advizor. Very accurate, huge digits, 2 time zones, stopwatch (several hours), countdown timer, compass, altimeter, barometer, temperature, and excellent backlight, PLUS Polar Heart Rate Monitor!!. Able to change time quickly (if you traverse zones) by changing the hours and/or minutes up or down.

Very light, water resistant, user changeable battery comes in different colours/materials and affordable. And when you get to your destination you can wear it running instead of going straight for a beer!

However, it may be now be superseded. But I am sure they have a worthy replacement (or get one on eBay).

:ok:

PS the best altimeter-style watch is by Revue Thommen. They actually make aircraft altimeters.

[freerideroj2]

Hi guys, i have a chase-durer pilot commander XVI - very good watch.

[blue monday]

Im very happy with my once MOD issue Seiko pilots watch. Its uncomplicated and easy to read at a quick glance thanks to the large numbers.

[miles offtarget]

Infra boy is spot on, had my RAF nav watch since 1988, a dent in the side from Moortrek, two batteries and one service since, and it's still as reliable and as functional as ever.

But ....If only the rest of the flying kit was the same.

[Kenny]

Rolex GMT Master II.

Wanted one for years, although it ended up being a present to myself when I made the move to the left seat.

Simple design, well engineered and made, last forever and most importantly doesn't set the damn metal detectors off.

[Farrell]

At the risk of repeating myself....

A good pilot's watch contains the following:

A clean, high contrast face with all numerals and date showing. Non-reflective and non-polarised. (Especially if you are wearing polarised lenses!)

Good size difference between hour and minute and a clearly marked second hand.

Tritium markings on all points. Or high quality luminosity.

A hand to mark out the hour in Zulu time.

An alarm that could wake the dead.

No stopwatch, no slide rule, no compass, no baro, no altimeter.

KISS

[ford cortina]

Personally, I have a Omega Seamaster, no alarm, but very big and easy to see.
Now if I had the money an Rolex Oyster would be my choice

[usedtofly]

sometimes examiners have found that a pilots abilities may vary inversionally proportional to the size of his watchMy watch is really tiny :E

[vinayak]

in that case i don't have a watch:E:E

[Doug the Head]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41wy21iBa-L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Omega 300m Chrono Diver.

[Bravo73]

Doug,

Just a touch too 'fussy' for me.

http://www.prestigetime.com/images/watches/2531.80s.jpg

Perfection. :ok:

[ABX]

I have a Citizen Navihawk and love it. Even though I love the watch and am happy with it, I feel it lacks some things:

1) A second hand;
2) Luminescent hands and numbers, and;
3) A back light

If those things were added it would be a perfect watch.

[bobsback]

I had a mickey mouse watch given to me by her majesty on joining the RAF. No stopwatch just two big hands. No stopwatch on prop plane I was flying. When I went gp1 at Valley I got a sieko with stopwatch. Plane was full of watches. Figure that?!
When I left the airfarce I was the lucky one that kept my watch but became fixated with buying more.
Now I have several watches including Omega Breitlings x2, Fortis, Rolex & Panerai. I also have several Nike sports watches. I have one favorite that I wear through thick and thin...
however the only use I have for the chronographs on each of these watches is to time my eggs to perfection. And boy do I do a great dippy egg!;)
ps I am now married so no more watches for me!

[john_tullamarine]

... guess I'll just have to keep feeling inadequate ... when working in Jo'burg some years ago I bought a cheapie watch in the local market for the equivalent of a dollar or so ... doesn't lose more than a second every umpteen months, is easy to read .. and, if I lose it, I don't have a heart attack thinking about the replacement cost ...

Cost of replacing the battery every now and again is a bit steep, though, by comparison.

So I'm a dyed in the wool luddite .. I can live with that.

[scruggs]

Not sure how popular/practical they are in aviation circles, but Patek Philippe does some beautiful time pieces. Well worth a look if you're considering spending a few quid.

Cheers

S

[Wings Of Fury]

4 time zones! nice looking one too! :ok:

http://www.glycine-watch.ch/e/collection/detail.e.jsp?ID_Group=100000&ID_Display=10001Y#

http://www.glycine-watch.ch/e/collection/detail.e.jsp?ID_Group=100000&ID_Display=10001Y

[BigGrecian]

A simply-styled, digital readout

Digital watches don't give you time appreciation.
I have watched many a student, passed and present struggle to get a quick estimation of time from a digital watch.

Hence, the watch required by the FAA to be powered by the aircraft must have sweeping hands.

Also, in the UK, there used to be a time (maybe still now) where a PIC had to wear a watch, I also believe with sweeping hands.

Farrell; I look forward to seeing your T5 some times soon ;)

[ford cortina]

Bravo, Being a Seamaster owner, the model you show, the original James Bond Model. There is one small problem with it and all Automatics, it keeps losing time like a b:zzz::zzz::zzz:tard, Still looks nice

[dom175b]

If we are going to be on this subject it has to be a Breitling Navitimer the original pilot watch, its also very useful in the air for last minute calculations! Even better when you get it for xmas!

[aviate1138]

If you want accuracy and a hand made watch then Audemars Piguet watches are a must.

Not cheap - this chronograph is on eBay for "Buy it now" price of $102,000 dollars

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k35/beejaviate/Picture22.jpg

[POL.777]

IWC Doppelchronograph Top Gun Edition.

If I didn't have bills to pay and people to feed I would put my name down for one of them Top Gun watches.

[Roales]

I love Chronomat Evolution by Bretling

But it´s too expensive...

[Sir Osis of the river]

TAG Kirium F1

Blank, neat analogue face, for formal wear.

Backlit, dual time digital, stopwatch, dual alarm, countdown timer, rotating bezel, etc to impress the Trolley Dolleys, ( If you feel the need)

best overall package for me.

Also have aten year old Seiko world timer. still going strong, bjut digital display is not backlit, so hard to see in the dark

[thewatcher]

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/8634 :eek: Check this out!

Anyway...the choice depends on each pilot personal taste. If you wear the best pilot watch don't make you better pilot and vice versa. Clothes and objects don't change who you really are. If that could be true than I would design a watch addressed to F/O's that one become captains! Could be a success!

Happy times whatever watch you may own!

[ExSp33db1rd]

Glycine Airman, 40 yrs old, dial numbered 1 - 24 and hour hand only goes around once a day - like the sun. Permanent GMT with outer bezel to show local time if you really must and no need to have to remember which buttons to press, just twist the bezel. Second hand and date ( I usually know what day it is. ) Automatic so no battery or forgetting to wind problems. KISS. ( Keep It Simple, Stupid )

[WISH2FLY]

Can anyone recommend a decent watch for a student/cadet pilot? Budget around £100 - £200 (don't laugh!)

Cheers

wish2fly :ok:

[ITCZ]

Budget around £100 - £200 (don't laugh!)
Not laughing. You dont need to spend any more than that.
I bought a Casio Edifice EFA-119 a little over a year ago.
http://www.casio-intl.com/wat/edifice/active/images/efa-119bk-1avdf.gif
Pictures and specifications (http://www.casio-intl.com/wat/edifice/active/efa-119.html#spec)

Things I like about it:

"Glow in the dark" hour and minute hands and dial for analogue display.
Press button or automatic (by selection) backlighting for digital displays
(Glaring omission in my previous "pilot" watch, Citizen Wingman - no light!! What, you guys don't go fly at night? :ugh:)

Countdown Timer
Stopwatch
Hourly alarm

30 timezones, INCLUDING the unusual half and quarter hour offsets from UTC (again, Citizen Wingman unable :ugh::ugh: )

Thermometer in C or F :hmm: Not particularly useful, you have to take it off your wrist for a couple of minutes to read OAT - it reads temperature every minute and if you are wearing it, it reports your skin temperature.

Cost me AU$75 from a Singapore eBay trader.

Looks? Gets compliments from cabin crew and other pilots, but not from the watch enthusiasts. To each his own. I'd rather spend my spare $1,000s on a motorcycle or a boat.

Very happy with it :ok:

[alex_swiss]

I have a Breitling Emergency, love the watch but my favorite is my first one, a revue thommen airspeed (this is the real pilot watch!!!)

http://www.revue-thommen.ch/

check out the airspeed

Fly Safe!

[QF A330]

Does anyone know of a shop in HKG that sells genuine Tag watches and is not a rip off??

Thanks

[Wings Of Fury]

hey thewatcher,

imagine submitting a flight plan - pilot in command part! :eek:

[hilrtougi]

anyone knowS>?

[Metro man]

About GBP 1400 :eek:

[youngskywalker]

1400 GBP for a navitimer?? yeah like try multiply that figure by two and your getting closer!

[hilrtougi]

:{ woah just as i thought,one month 1st officer pay, thanks!

[ShyTorque]

So why not just buy a watch, not a display item status symbol? My watch cost £99 and reliably gives the time and date.

When I'm off duty I'm no longer a pilot and prefer not to advertise it. I only want to know the time, not let everyone think my watch is probably bigger than my d!!k.

:p

[Arjay]

My watch cost £99 and reliably gives the time and date.That much? Mine cost £35 and was a gift from my mum six years ago. I won't be attracting any chicks with my piece. :rolleyes:

[youngskywalker]

...never mind though, she may still like your watch! :}

[warmkiter]

file:///C:/DOKUME%7E1/wpuser/LOKALE%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpgfile:///C:/DOKUME%7E1/wpuser/LOKALE%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpgCheck this out...

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:OyufjXimDMfRxM:http://www.princetonwatches.com/images/watches/SS013319010.jpg

file:///C:/DOKUME%7E1/wpuser/LOKALE%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpgfile:///C:/DOKUME%7E1/wpuser/LOKALE%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpgThis brings me home if both FMS, 3 ADC and some other fancy stuff fail ;)

pretty cool gadget and not too expensice

Quality work and design from Finland

L

[bluenose81huskys]

I have the Casio Protrek Compass Watch,

This watch i recommend, and is very accurate whilst flying any unpressurised aircraft and from my experience whilst flying a piper warrior 161 is very accurate to that on the altimeter, it also gives direction, barometric pressure and temperature readouts.

You can buy it from the Flightstore pilot shop! They also sell this in argos!!

Heres the links: http://www.flightstore.co.uk/prod/PROTREK/Brands/casio/

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2543699/Trail/searchtext>CASIO+PROTREK.htm

regards

[ShyTorque]

This watch i recommend, and is very accurate whilst flying any unpressurised aircraft and from my experience whilst flying a piper warrior 161 is very accurate to that on the altimeter, it also gives direction, barometric pressure and temperature readouts.


Hopefully you can fit looking at all the gimmicks on the watch into a good lookout scan.... what's wrong with the aircraft instruments?

[bluenose81huskys]

Well we all like to test out our little gadgets out dont we being human!:ugh: