WristWatch Selection
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WristWatch Selection
Searching this forum for the word "watch" is a dangerous task, so for those clocks you wear on your arm I'll refer to them as "wristwatch" for future generations of searchers 
I'm looking to get a WristWatch for flying, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. I'm currently flying smaller, unpressurized aircraft, and thought it would be a neat toy to get the Casio PAG40-3V Pathfinder, but it's not really designed for it.
Any suggestions? What do you use?
I'm looking to get a WristWatch for flying, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. I'm currently flying smaller, unpressurized aircraft, and thought it would be a neat toy to get the Casio PAG40-3V Pathfinder, but it's not really designed for it.
Any suggestions? What do you use?
Re: WristWatch Selection
Before this degenerates into an argument for the pros and cons of various expensive watches, declare how much you're prepared to pay, I'd suggest!
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Re: WristWatch Selection
Good point!
I'm looking for anything between $100-300US, and I don't care about "bling factor" (I'm not wearing it to impress), so functionality is at a premium. I don't put a lot of weight in the "built-in-flight-computer" function but I don't actively dislike it
I'm looking for anything between $100-300US, and I don't care about "bling factor" (I'm not wearing it to impress), so functionality is at a premium. I don't put a lot of weight in the "built-in-flight-computer" function but I don't actively dislike it
Re: WristWatch Selection
Try here:
NAWCC Bulletin Board
All your horological questions can be answered there, with the exception of "how much is my old clock worth".
YS
NAWCC Bulletin Board
All your horological questions can be answered there, with the exception of "how much is my old clock worth".
YS
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Re: WristWatch Selection
Why not make a list of your essential requirements, tick Yes or No, and move from there?
1 100 % accuracy has to be quartz then or radio signal
2. Water resistant to what depth
3. Digital, analogue or both
4. Luminous? chemical or electrical
5. Stopwatch mine has a 48 hour stopwatch
6. Alarm could you hear it in a cockpit (no)
7. Rotary slide rule on bezel
8. If quartz will it be battery, wrist movement or solar powered?
9. What else do you need to take into account?
1 100 % accuracy has to be quartz then or radio signal
2. Water resistant to what depth
3. Digital, analogue or both
4. Luminous? chemical or electrical
5. Stopwatch mine has a 48 hour stopwatch
6. Alarm could you hear it in a cockpit (no)
7. Rotary slide rule on bezel
8. If quartz will it be battery, wrist movement or solar powered?
9. What else do you need to take into account?
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Re: WristWatch Selection
The Citizen EcoDrive solar-powered watches are very nice -- multiple time zones, timers, alarms, water-resistant... There are several variations, so you should be able to find one you like.
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Re: WristWatch Selection
I never thought I would find myself replying to a watch thread!
But for me, the most important feature is the ability to switch between local time and GMT, and have these both shown in the 24hr style. If you're flying in the UK then fine; if you are flying somewhere where the time difference is, say 5 hours, or worse, 4 1/2, it really helps to be able to switch over to GMT as you get in the cockpit, and back as you head for the crew bus. I believe some watches even have several time zones....mine doesn't but it would be handy.
This usually means buying digital, and $100 is plenty unless you fancy getting mugged on your stopovers!
But for me, the most important feature is the ability to switch between local time and GMT, and have these both shown in the 24hr style. If you're flying in the UK then fine; if you are flying somewhere where the time difference is, say 5 hours, or worse, 4 1/2, it really helps to be able to switch over to GMT as you get in the cockpit, and back as you head for the crew bus. I believe some watches even have several time zones....mine doesn't but it would be handy.
This usually means buying digital, and $100 is plenty unless you fancy getting mugged on your stopovers!
Bottums Up
Re: WristWatch Selection
weasello
I've recently acquired a Tissot Navigator. It's replaced a Citizen Navihawk.
None of the Citizen world timers sold in Aus will display CST (central standard time) as all the time zones are UTC + whole hours and CST is +9 1/2 hours.
The Tissot does this. It has 150 cities pre loaded, and one can user create cities in an appropriate time zone. It has a touch screen used to access any of the multiple (count down timer, chrono, date, alarm x 2, world time, local time) functions available.
A brief press of the crown, then a tap on the appropriate part of the screen, and, voila.
One can select up to 4 time zones to be readily selectible on the world time section. For my operations I have BNE, ADL, PER & UTC. Each place can have daylight savings start & finish programmed to automatically display. Each world place can easily be swapped for the home zone, which then becomes one of the world zone places selected.
I have analogue hands set to home zone (where I am at the time) and UTC in the digital display. But there are several different choices.
~ AUD$690.00
I've recently acquired a Tissot Navigator. It's replaced a Citizen Navihawk.
None of the Citizen world timers sold in Aus will display CST (central standard time) as all the time zones are UTC + whole hours and CST is +9 1/2 hours.
The Tissot does this. It has 150 cities pre loaded, and one can user create cities in an appropriate time zone. It has a touch screen used to access any of the multiple (count down timer, chrono, date, alarm x 2, world time, local time) functions available.
A brief press of the crown, then a tap on the appropriate part of the screen, and, voila.
One can select up to 4 time zones to be readily selectible on the world time section. For my operations I have BNE, ADL, PER & UTC. Each place can have daylight savings start & finish programmed to automatically display. Each world place can easily be swapped for the home zone, which then becomes one of the world zone places selected.
I have analogue hands set to home zone (where I am at the time) and UTC in the digital display. But there are several different choices.
~ AUD$690.00
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Re: WristWatch Selection
Just bought one of these :
http://www.transair.co.uk/product4.a...roduct_ID=3504
There may be more functional watches around but this is a brand new model.
I just figured that Seiko make good tough reliable watches so it may last me for 20+ years or so...
Seiko website RRP is 295GBP. I got mine in Hong Kong for 165GBP so I would shop around.
B/R
http://www.transair.co.uk/product4.a...roduct_ID=3504
There may be more functional watches around but this is a brand new model.
I just figured that Seiko make good tough reliable watches so it may last me for 20+ years or so...
Seiko website RRP is 295GBP. I got mine in Hong Kong for 165GBP so I would shop around.
B/R
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Re: WristWatch Selection
I have a Citizen Eco-Drive Skyhawk Titanium. One of its dials is permanently 24H UTC. It also converts between timezones easily.
I used to hate big heavy watches, but being titanium, it is great (@£250)
I used to hate big heavy watches, but being titanium, it is great (@£250)
Re: WristWatch Selection
But don't buy a solar powered watch if you've just started a job as a night freight pilot - as a course mate of mine did. You will constantly asking the other guy on the course what the time is!
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Re: WristWatch Selection
Ask around as to how many long time professional pilots have ever used the circular confuser on a watch. Very few I would think.
You need one that is accurate, tells the time, has a couple of time zones and it's useful if it lights up as well. You can find that for 40 - 50 pounds and not look like a wannabee.
You need one that is accurate, tells the time, has a couple of time zones and it's useful if it lights up as well. You can find that for 40 - 50 pounds and not look like a wannabee.
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Re: WristWatch Selection
I have a Breitling Cosomnaut. Cos it looks good in tha ads and makes you a better pilot, innit?
And, it's great when someone asks you the time as it takes about 5 minutes to work it out.
And, it's great when someone asks you the time as it takes about 5 minutes to work it out.
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Re: WristWatch Selection
buy a cheap csio and when it needs a battery through it away and buy another I have one for about $30 us that has every time zone and abut 5-6 othr funchions and if I loose it or robed I don't care. Works great, has a light and never breaks down. Took my Tissot to get cleaned and it cost me about $100 us
Casio is the way to go
Tailwinds
Casio is the way to go
Tailwinds
Re: WristWatch Selection
Originally Posted by Capt Claret
weasello
I've recently acquired a Tissot Navigator. It's replaced a Citizen Navihawk.
None of the Citizen world timers sold in Aus will display CST (central standard time) as all the time zones are UTC + whole hours and CST is +9 1/2 hours.
I've recently acquired a Tissot Navigator. It's replaced a Citizen Navihawk.
None of the Citizen world timers sold in Aus will display CST (central standard time) as all the time zones are UTC + whole hours and CST is +9 1/2 hours.
Unlike the other World Timers which suffer the problem with CST, the Citizen Eco Drive World Timer I have (that I can't remember the model name of) has an analogue face which is in no way connected to its digital time, so you can set the analogue to any time you please (CST for example) and have the digital for UTC. The digital part also has the standard Citizen world time zones.
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Re: WristWatch Selection
Casio Waveceptor. Cost about £80 UK, radio controlled (not sure about US coverage), battery/solar powered, no crap around the edges (has anyone ever used a slide rule since the ground exams, let alone one on a watch?). Dogs bollocks (that means good in the UK).