Good watches for flying?
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Good watches for flying?
My better half wants to buy me a watch as a gift. Was going to go for a TAG Link though just wondered if there are any specific manufacturers/models that are particularly good for flying? Budget is ~£1000. Thanks.
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I've never used a watch for flying other than for telling the time to make sure I'm not late! I don't really buy all this Breitling nonsense . . .
If I had a grand to blow on a watch, I'd go for something simple like an Omega - time, date, second hand . . . job done!
If I had a grand to blow on a watch, I'd go for something simple like an Omega - time, date, second hand . . . job done!
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It depends if you want to wear it for show or something which you can actually use.
I like the citizen eco drive watches.
Personally I find the most aviation watches clutered and nearly unusable much prefer a plain analog face water resistant to 100m and a decent none metalic strap.
Might not get up to your £1000 pounds though.
I have always quite fancied a russian aviators watch with a 24hour dial.
I like the citizen eco drive watches.
Personally I find the most aviation watches clutered and nearly unusable much prefer a plain analog face water resistant to 100m and a decent none metalic strap.
Might not get up to your £1000 pounds though.
I have always quite fancied a russian aviators watch with a 24hour dial.
Best watch for flying? 
A nice clear sports stopwatch with elapsed timer for about a £5er from any good sports shop!!!
Mmm, guess not quite what you were after.
But, you still have £995 in hand!
Use that for whatever takes your fancy! It matters not!!!!
Cheers, H 'n' H
A nice clear sports stopwatch with elapsed timer for about a £5er from any good sports shop!!!
Mmm, guess not quite what you were after.
But, you still have £995 in hand!
Use that for whatever takes your fancy! It matters not!!!!
Cheers, H 'n' H
Absolutely! Before I started training I bought myself a nice silver D&G watch for a few hundred pounds. Once I'd done a few flights I realised it was next to useless and got a cheapo digital one for £5! Echoing the last post, get a nice simple digital watch, its always nice to know what date it is for when your entering your flight plan as well.
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functional they may be, but a casio is about as aesthetically pleasing as a lurid green shell suit and a Bobby Charlton combover!
Personally i'd go for a breitling, but TAG's are nice looking things as well.
Personally i'd go for a breitling, but TAG's are nice looking things as well.
LUMINOX - 3001 DIVE SERIES ORIGINAL, they don't set off the metal detector - these days sadly the most useful aspect of a timepiece on your wrist.
I wouldn't go for a 'aviator' style large watch as its all a bit suspect image-wise whilst you go through your training. If you're not careful you'll find yourself in a pair of Ray-Ban classics toying with the leather flying jacket catalogue... Sometime it takes years to live this sort of thing down.
WWW
I wouldn't go for a 'aviator' style large watch as its all a bit suspect image-wise whilst you go through your training. If you're not careful you'll find yourself in a pair of Ray-Ban classics toying with the leather flying jacket catalogue... Sometime it takes years to live this sort of thing down.
WWW
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When I first started my PPL I treated myself to a really nice watch and was pleased that it could do just about everything.
The downside was it was useless at telling me the time and after setting 270 overhead, I would be half way across the Atlantic before I had gone through the process of setting the stopwatch.
Keep it simple.
The downside was it was useless at telling me the time and after setting 270 overhead, I would be half way across the Atlantic before I had gone through the process of setting the stopwatch.
Keep it simple.
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The best watch for flying is a cheapo casio digital, not your "aviators watch"; save the later for the disco!
The bigger "aviators" ones are a nightmare for metal detectors, can catch on things, and scratch easily especially on walkarounds etc.
The bigger "aviators" ones are a nightmare for metal detectors, can catch on things, and scratch easily especially on walkarounds etc.
Bajadj,
When did you come round and peek in my wardrobe?! 
Lets see who the SAR guys find first tho!!! H 'n' H may have the last laugh there! Who needs a Hi Vis jacket when you don the old LGSS!!! 
Cheers, H ‘n’ H
PS End of lurid green thread creep!
a casio is about as aesthetically pleasing as a lurid green shell suit
lurid green
Cheers, H ‘n’ H
PS End of lurid green thread creep!
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I looked at 'aviator' watches a while back and decided against one as the dials are so complex that they're virtually unreadable, and - more importantly - they make you look like a bit of a tw@t.
I bought a Citizen eco-drive with a titanium bracelet instead. Simple, clear face, keeps perfect time, never needs batteries, lightweight and doesn't set off metal detectors. All for around £150.
A cheapo digital with a stopwatch would be just as good, but any half-decent aircraft will have a stopwatch anyway. Personally I'd tell the missus to save her cash for something more useful, like fast cars and beer.
I bought a Citizen eco-drive with a titanium bracelet instead. Simple, clear face, keeps perfect time, never needs batteries, lightweight and doesn't set off metal detectors. All for around £150.
A cheapo digital with a stopwatch would be just as good, but any half-decent aircraft will have a stopwatch anyway. Personally I'd tell the missus to save her cash for something more useful, like fast cars and beer.
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Yep, I'm in the same boat as VK2TVK. I've got one of the dual analogue/digital Casio watches and it's great for the flying job. Dual time is very useful. I leave the digital bit on 'home' and then just change the hands to local time. I know it's much easier on the Breitling and Citizen 'pilot' watches but I don't think that justifies £1000. I want, and have, an alarm (it's got two but I only ever use one). I want, and have, a stopwatch for the twice yearly run and I want to be able to see what day it is, as I always remember the date but never the day.
I once sat in DXB with a Breitling Aerospace on my wrist. I'd promised myself when I got my first command I'd get one and knew exactly the design I liked. I was offered the watch at an acceptable price but, even though it's what I thought I always wanted, when I sat there and admired it's featherlight(ness) I just could not justify spending (then) £800 on a watch that looks good but really doesn't do anything more than a £50 Casio.
Buy a Casio and spend £950 on beer
I once sat in DXB with a Breitling Aerospace on my wrist. I'd promised myself when I got my first command I'd get one and knew exactly the design I liked. I was offered the watch at an acceptable price but, even though it's what I thought I always wanted, when I sat there and admired it's featherlight(ness) I just could not justify spending (then) £800 on a watch that looks good but really doesn't do anything more than a £50 Casio.
Buy a Casio and spend £950 on beer
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a match made in..... heaven or hell, you choose!
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I recently purchased the TISSOT T-Touch - at £550, not the most expensive option, although certainly a handy little gadget for the price. I have found the compass to be very acurate and easy to use in the air! (would have to go for the orange strap).
Tissot
http://www.tissot.ch/data/usersmanual/138-en.pdf
Tom..... you've aged mate!!!!
Tissot
http://www.tissot.ch/data/usersmanual/138-en.pdf
Tom..... you've aged mate!!!!
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A lot of the guys at my company have Breitling's, of one kind or another....
They are a bit Naff, along with the Rayban aviators, although now I have lost my Serenegeti's, that's what I am reduced to!!
Its a personal choice, I use a Omega Seamaster, titanium so it does not set off the detectors. A friend has a bi-metal Submariner (Rolex, to those that don't know), now that's nice....
Personally I like a large uncluttered face simple and does the job, telling the time.
If I had the money I would get a Bi-metal Rolex GMT Master II, but then my fiancee would kill me.
Enjoy
They are a bit Naff, along with the Rayban aviators, although now I have lost my Serenegeti's, that's what I am reduced to!!
Its a personal choice, I use a Omega Seamaster, titanium so it does not set off the detectors. A friend has a bi-metal Submariner (Rolex, to those that don't know), now that's nice....
Personally I like a large uncluttered face simple and does the job, telling the time.
If I had the money I would get a Bi-metal Rolex GMT Master II, but then my fiancee would kill me.
Enjoy
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I'm really going to sound ignorant now but when I first saw the post, I thought it was a wind up. A bit like posting a thread like "What pen is best for flying" and expecting to get silly replies like a "BIC weighs less compared to a Mont Blanc". haha.
Anyway, it seems that this is a serious thread! Am I missing the trick here. Is there a specific criteria of watches that make for good flying other than telling the time?
Anyway, it seems that this is a serious thread! Am I missing the trick here. Is there a specific criteria of watches that make for good flying other than telling the time?
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Sun dials...
Even though the proud owner (and wearing) a classic Breitling Navitimer/Cosmonaute (24 hrs dial) with aviation slide rule, which is always kept on UTC - I still miss my "Seiko Worldtimer" digital that I bought around 1980 for some US$120... I lost it. And the model was discontinued, although I understand some stores still had a few for sale in some drawers, nearly forgotten by the salesman. But I did not get back to HKG or SIN since long.
xxx
If you still can locate a "Seiko Worldtimer", jump on it. You probably will not pay much for it, anyway. Besides local time for many world locations, it was the ideal "pilot watch", just the local time for Gander, and some Indian areas were missing. Seiko is reputable, it kept accuracy within a few seconds monthly.
xxx
One type of watch not to buy are some "cheap" digital, maybe for some US$20... I once bought one, and was horrified that it only showed AM/PM, was impossible to program it for 24 Hrs display. Inconvenient for pilots.
xxx
Another type of watch discontinued by Seiko (and Citizen) are the watches with analog display and small digital display at bottom of dial. I recall that flight attendants loved these (some were ladies' size) so to keep "home time" on the analog dial, and UTC on digital display.
xxx
Buy a Mickey Mouse watch, his left hand shows hours, and the right hand shows minutes.
xxx
Happy contrails
xxx
If you still can locate a "Seiko Worldtimer", jump on it. You probably will not pay much for it, anyway. Besides local time for many world locations, it was the ideal "pilot watch", just the local time for Gander, and some Indian areas were missing. Seiko is reputable, it kept accuracy within a few seconds monthly.
xxx
One type of watch not to buy are some "cheap" digital, maybe for some US$20... I once bought one, and was horrified that it only showed AM/PM, was impossible to program it for 24 Hrs display. Inconvenient for pilots.
xxx
Another type of watch discontinued by Seiko (and Citizen) are the watches with analog display and small digital display at bottom of dial. I recall that flight attendants loved these (some were ladies' size) so to keep "home time" on the analog dial, and UTC on digital display.
xxx
Buy a Mickey Mouse watch, his left hand shows hours, and the right hand shows minutes.
xxx
Happy contrails
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Its weird I used to be of the any watch will do camp and definitely went for the big stop watch during training.
Now 6 years down the line I have a few things I know I want out of a watch. A couple of things which are handy with my current work watch and some things I definitely don't want.
My current work watch is eco drive citizen world time with a zulu arm.
1. Its light weight *
2. Its doesn't set off metal detectors *
3. Its got a leather strap *
4. It never needs batteries (my diving eco drive is still going strong after 15 years) +
5. It can go in the shower if I forget to take it off *
6. Its accruate I reset it once a month off the GPS. *
7. It reads well with minimal cockpit lighting *
8. Its dead easy to set local time but still have zulu at a glance. +
9. Its got the date on it. *
10. Uncluttered and analogue. *
11. It cost 100 quid which isn't the end of the world if it gets nicked. *
12. Its rugged ie if it gets knocked off the aircraft door it won't break. *
* is must have for me + is nice to have
A fancy watch seems to be a common gift to wannabie pilots, most of them look the part but don't really hit the mark for me in the day to day useful bit of kit league.
Now 6 years down the line I have a few things I know I want out of a watch. A couple of things which are handy with my current work watch and some things I definitely don't want.
My current work watch is eco drive citizen world time with a zulu arm.
1. Its light weight *
2. Its doesn't set off metal detectors *
3. Its got a leather strap *
4. It never needs batteries (my diving eco drive is still going strong after 15 years) +
5. It can go in the shower if I forget to take it off *
6. Its accruate I reset it once a month off the GPS. *
7. It reads well with minimal cockpit lighting *
8. Its dead easy to set local time but still have zulu at a glance. +
9. Its got the date on it. *
10. Uncluttered and analogue. *
11. It cost 100 quid which isn't the end of the world if it gets nicked. *
12. Its rugged ie if it gets knocked off the aircraft door it won't break. *
* is must have for me + is nice to have
A fancy watch seems to be a common gift to wannabie pilots, most of them look the part but don't really hit the mark for me in the day to day useful bit of kit league.