Maybe boring Watch question
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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Maybe boring Watch question
Hi guy's,
I am a Military Watch collector as well as Aircrew. Could you please let me know what watches; make, model and colour you have been issued during your service, or even which makes you prefer. I know this won't float a lot of people's boats but please bear with me.
I am a Military Watch collector as well as Aircrew. Could you please let me know what watches; make, model and colour you have been issued during your service, or even which makes you prefer. I know this won't float a lot of people's boats but please bear with me.
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Not the answer you are seeking, I have a source for some info. If anyone is interested, please PM me.
Original link removed at request of Moderator
You have probably already found it anyway.
Regards
STH
Original link removed at request of Moderator
You have probably already found it anyway.
Regards
STH
Last edited by SirToppamHat; 28th Apr 2004 at 13:58.
I had both in my career. You know, I never noticed that the later version had a case height that was greater by .5mm. Amazing what you discover on pprune!
However, those of you who hanker after a replica WW2 luftwaffe watch would be interested in [url] Nice watches and better value than Breitlings. No connection, therefore not an advert.
However, those of you who hanker after a replica WW2 luftwaffe watch would be interested in [url] Nice watches and better value than Breitlings. No connection, therefore not an advert.
Last edited by Dan Winterland; 27th Apr 2004 at 13:53.
Preferred the old wind up when I was issued with in 1968. The one that had a strap made from what looked like old fertilizer sacking. Because it didn't have a battery which ran down at critical moments.
Eventually had one of the electric ones. Kept good time, but no stop-watch or multi time-zones made it pretty useless for world travelling. Bought a Breitling for that and only wore the service one when the Breitling went in for battery and seal changes. However, the last time I needed it the battery was flat - stores hadn't got any, nor had they any spare watches except the windey-up one which I gladly accepted. It was even older than the 1968 one I used to have!
Can't give you any more details; when you leave the RAF they don't give you a gold watch, they take yours away from you!
PS - If anyone tries to do a 'while you wait' Breitling battery and seal change, they will not be 'approved' Breitling maintenance agents and may well invalidate any warranty!
Eventually had one of the electric ones. Kept good time, but no stop-watch or multi time-zones made it pretty useless for world travelling. Bought a Breitling for that and only wore the service one when the Breitling went in for battery and seal changes. However, the last time I needed it the battery was flat - stores hadn't got any, nor had they any spare watches except the windey-up one which I gladly accepted. It was even older than the 1968 one I used to have!
Can't give you any more details; when you leave the RAF they don't give you a gold watch, they take yours away from you!
PS - If anyone tries to do a 'while you wait' Breitling battery and seal change, they will not be 'approved' Breitling maintenance agents and may well invalidate any warranty!
Seem to recall that the RAF Aircrew wind-up watches (with 'canvas' type straps) issued in the late 60s were made by Omega.
My Father still has his WWII Aircrew watch; it is still serviceable, but much of the chrome on the case has now corroded. (It took us years to persuade him to wear something more presentable!).
Think it was made by Jaeger Le Cultre, but I may be wrong.
My Father still has his WWII Aircrew watch; it is still serviceable, but much of the chrome on the case has now corroded. (It took us years to persuade him to wear something more presentable!).
Think it was made by Jaeger Le Cultre, but I may be wrong.
Bill - I'll have one to make up for the one Norman the Storeman stole from me on retirement.
Unkind - Sorry mate, I've no idea what kind of watch it was but it kept good time.
Unkind - Sorry mate, I've no idea what kind of watch it was but it kept good time.
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Unkind,
Latest issue watches for pilots are made by Pulsar. They keep time well but do bu99er all else, however, that said they're very comfortable to wear! Whilst on the subject, I'm looking for a new watch, can anyone recommend a good analogue make/model? You hear a lot about brietling but are there any other good makers of aircrew timekeeping devices?
Latest issue watches for pilots are made by Pulsar. They keep time well but do bu99er all else, however, that said they're very comfortable to wear! Whilst on the subject, I'm looking for a new watch, can anyone recommend a good analogue make/model? You hear a lot about brietling but are there any other good makers of aircrew timekeeping devices?
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Like BEags I had a clockwork watch with a canvas strap - a Hamilton. Excellent! held on to it from early 60's until PVR- time.
Recommendation (no shareholding, honest): Breitling Aerospace made of titanium - at last a competitor to my Hamilton; works fine, lasts a long time.
Recommendation (no shareholding, honest): Breitling Aerospace made of titanium - at last a competitor to my Hamilton; works fine, lasts a long time.
Just found a picture of an Omega Aircrew Watch, which might be reminiscent.
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Would any of you guys who have directed questions and opinions to links that ADVERTISE watches like to change your post. Or maybe you would like to get the suppliers to take out a banner ad on PPRuNe!
Don't like to be rsy but............................
Talk about them by all means but please do not advertise.
Don't like to be rsy but............................
Talk about them by all means but please do not advertise.
PPRuNe Pop,
If the Omega picture above your post breaks the rules, then I do apologise, and will gladly delete. I did think about this before posting, but as it only shows an old photo, with no sale details etc, I judged it was OK. Please advise.
If the Omega picture above your post breaks the rules, then I do apologise, and will gladly delete. I did think about this before posting, but as it only shows an old photo, with no sale details etc, I judged it was OK. Please advise.
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Advertising
PPRuNe Pop
As with previous poster, sorry if my original broke the rules. Please advise if I need to remove the link.
I am not conected to the site in any way, but found it really useful when I was researching same subject last year. To be honest, the site wasn't selling any of the watches then.
Regards
STH
As with previous poster, sorry if my original broke the rules. Please advise if I need to remove the link.
I am not conected to the site in any way, but found it really useful when I was researching same subject last year. To be honest, the site wasn't selling any of the watches then.
Regards
STH
Cool Mod
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Oh how I wish moderating was as simple as this all the time.
Sir Toppham my suggestion is that you do remove the link because it is advertising, but if you give your e-mail address if anyone wishes to pursue it - it will solve the problem.
Sorry!
Sir Toppham my suggestion is that you do remove the link because it is advertising, but if you give your e-mail address if anyone wishes to pursue it - it will solve the problem.
Sorry!
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While working in various RAF calibration labs in the sixties and early seventies I used to clean and calibrate watches as well as doing the usual aircraft general instrument work. I remember the Hamilton GS as the most common, at least on the 'V' force with the Smiths W10 a close second. IWC XIs were common on transport command and I saw the occasional CWC and Omega chronographs, but navigators were famously reluctant to surrender these to the stores for routine servicing. They took them to the local jewellers generally. I wonder why?
Of the first three common watches above, I found the Hamilton GS's to be the most accurate with differences between face-up, pendant up and pendant down measurements of less than a second in 48 hours. Not bad for an old clunker. The Rolex Chronograph Daytona that I bought for myself in Singapore wasn't a patch on the Hamilton for accuracy or reliability. I've used a Seiko Premier ever since - probably the best watch on the market [but much too small for pilots
]
I believe the British government are buying a military version of this watch for general issue at the moment..
On the question of colour, I've never seen an RAF issue watch that wasn't white or luminous green hands/figures on a black background. That doesn't mean that there weren't any others, but it does suggest that the specification called for those colours.
Of the first three common watches above, I found the Hamilton GS's to be the most accurate with differences between face-up, pendant up and pendant down measurements of less than a second in 48 hours. Not bad for an old clunker. The Rolex Chronograph Daytona that I bought for myself in Singapore wasn't a patch on the Hamilton for accuracy or reliability. I've used a Seiko Premier ever since - probably the best watch on the market [but much too small for pilots
]I believe the British government are buying a military version of this watch for general issue at the moment..
On the question of colour, I've never seen an RAF issue watch that wasn't white or luminous green hands/figures on a black background. That doesn't mean that there weren't any others, but it does suggest that the specification called for those colours.
