A pax asks about aviator watches

[krismiler]

I need a large digital display for the current time zone, a secondary display for UTC, a day/date display and that's about it. Synchronising through my phone for time updates to maintain accuracy and change zones as required is a big plus, and reasonable durability so I can go swimming and use it in the gym. I find a GMT hand on an analogue display can be difficult to read and prefer 00:00 digital. If I need a stopwatch when flying, there is one on my NAV display outside of flying a stopwatch and countdown timer are useful for parking meters.

Also I don't want something obviously valuable to make me a target for muggers or "Nice watch, where did you buy it ?" questions from customs officers. I can get what I need from CASIO at a reasonable price.

Early pilots watches were big for legibility and had large crown so they could be adjusted whilst wearing gloves. The modern smart functions are mostly a gimmick. Apple managed to turn the ordinary watch which did the job, lasted for years and could be repaired into an expensive, planned obsolescence item costing hundreds of dollars and needing to be replaced when the product cycle ran out.

[Uplinker]

Originally Posted by Pilot DAR

The very most important feature of a watch, pilot or otherwise, is that the time being displayed can be easily read. So, three quarters of the wrist watches I have seen fail, either because the face is so cluttered with un needed markings, or there is poor contrast between the face and the hands......In 50 years of being a pilot, I have never owned a "pilot watch", I never felt the need...

I agree. I have never wanted a "pilot" watch - I use the cockpit chronometer if I need one - but I like good tech design, so from purely a styling point of view; the Bretling Aerospace clean graphic layout of a big clear analogue face with the two LCD digital displays looks great to me.

But NOT at over £2 grand ! My Tissot PR-50 titanium seven has a plain, slim case, but is otherwise an almost identical version of the Breitling Aerospace watch face - a large analogue display over two LCD digital displays. But no rotating bezel or any other clutter.

The Tissot cost me £250, so about a tenth of the cost of a Breitling. The Tissot also has non scratch glass and a titanium case, so it is practical, light and slim. I love it, (but I don't use it for flying).

My modern Casio waveceptor cost me about £130 from a shop in Stoke, so, no, not a knock-off from Hong Kong !
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[longer ron]

I did have one reasonably expensive watch years ago ,but as an a/c techie I decided it was a waste of time wearing a good watch
For many many years now I have just been buying Casio F91W's (or similar),accurate enough and inc an alarm function + stopwatch function.
I only ever had one bit of trouble - just before I left the RAF I had a double trip in the back of a Hawk - delivery of 1 Hawk (post Servicing + Mods) and pick up the next a/c from Brawdy to go into the mod programme.
To use up most of the fuel on the way back to Abingdon (prep for wing removal) we did some aeros + a practice div into Brize.
When we landed - my watch face was completely blank - however 1 hour on top of a hangar radiator revived it (iirc the watch 'glass' was cracked anyway).
If the strap breaks or the battery goes flat I just buy a new watch