Watches

[dav8or]

Got my Breitling Chrono Advenger in ST Thomas. 20% off retail and no tax.

 

[hagen]

Love my Suunto Vector. Its great for all my backpacking and travel needs. Its got it all plus it tells time neat concept

 

[katanabob]

Wow, aren't we a bunch of fancy lads!? Breitlings and Rolexes, oh my! As for myself, I wear a Timex Expedition watch made from solid, 100%, 24 carat plastic!

Funny, I think several people once used the same tone and manner in mocking my decision to go to college.

 

[Flylo]

Gotta put in a plug for my old Omega Flightmaster. Bought it new around '72 and it's still going strong today.

Scroll down a little and look at the model 911 which is the one I have. (Interesting model # in todays context)

http://home.xnet.com/~cmaddox/flightmasterarticle.html


Of course, I put some horrible scratches on the brand new crystal soon after I bought it and had to send it back to Switzerland for repair, then it sat in a drawer for about 25 years. That may have something to do with it's longevity. The only thing wrong with it is most of the radium has fallen out of the big blue extra hour hand.

But, hey, I wish I'd bought a truckload of 'em and put them in a drawer 'till now. Probably the best investment I ever made (especially since I didn't really know I was making an investment).

Does everybody agree that's a DC8 Super 61 engraved in the back? (Scroll down some more for a pic of the back)

 

[Loafman]

I wouldn't buy an Aerospace used..
If you shop around or if you get to travel much you can find them new for around 1500$.
Just do some research and be sure to get the one with the newer movement (in the last 2 years or so)

I got mine on ebay from a guy that specializes in used high-end watches. It has the new movement and didn't look like it had ever been worn. $800.

The warranty is crap anyway, and thats the only perk from buying from an authorized dealer. Which, I'm guessing most offshore discount places are not authorized dealers anyway.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

with orginal papers Breitling will fix your watch free for years...no they dont "warranty" it, but if its a non-wear problem, just send it in, they will do it all - minus the shipping. I even got a free t-shirt and hat the time I had to send mine in (dial problem)....Its worth a shot!...

As far as buying used, especially online...be very wary...the are lots of replicas and junk online..usually at the pricier models than the Aerospace...but still....but the SELLER, not the WATCH.

 

[BoDEAN]

A few guys at work have the aviation citizen watch. I think they paid 300 for it. It is big, but nice. Has Zulu on it, and e6b dial on the outside.

Seems like most people on here don't recommend that as an aviation watch cuz it is to bulky.

Is that the verdict on it?

 

[AVI8V1]

hyeradical by swatch. circa 1987. flourescent yellow. I wear five of them on my right arm for time zones and alarms, and a big one around my neck for zulu.

 

[tlax25]

Breitlings and Tags are nice. But if you want a truly awesome watch, go take a look at a Panarai with a power meter. Those things are sweet! The price, however, is not so sweet.

 

[flywithastick]

A few guys at work have the aviation citizen watch. I think they paid 300 for it. It is big, but nice. Has Zulu on it, and e6b dial on the outside.

Seems like most people on here don't recommend that as an aviation watch cuz it is to bulky.

Is that the verdict on it?

I have the stainless Ecodrive. Know a guy with the titanium. You get used to the size and weight of the stainless pretty quick. The Ti model is significantly lighter (obviously). The solar power feature is neat - hopefully won't need batteries for a while. I play with the circular sliderule on the bezel every now and then to figure my truck gas milage or time & distance calcs occasionally. has a few conversions on it too.

I got it as a gift. Would probably by myself a nice Timex Indiglo if I had to spend my $$.

 

[Aerosmith]

Only one watch to be worn. ROLEX GMTmaster.
Breitlings and Tags are for male hairdressers.

 

[bobbysamd]

Only one watch to be worn. ROLEX GMTmaster.

I like my GMT Master. Accuracy to within 0.5 sec. per day.

While we're on the subject, how about an Omega Moonwatch? I have one and I sure enjoy it, especially the "First Watch on the Moon" engraving on the back. Not to mention that mine has turned out to be very accurate, something like +2 - +4 seconds a day, very much within chronometer standards (which doesn't mean that much; most good mechanical watches can be adjusted to those standards). The Moonwatch is a hand-wound watch, which might be an issue to some people. It's not so bad; you just have to get into the habit of winding the watch every morning.

Omega is definitely a watch to purchase from a reputable dealer. I did plenty of research before I purchased mine. You will find some apparent "deals" on the internet, but a great many of them are grey market. I've purchased from grey market for a couple of watches, but I think that for something like Omega doing so is taking a chance. Moreover, there are a number of Omega counterfeits. Shop carefully. Finally, don't hesitate about asking a dealer if it has any preowned Omega. I did. I got a nice watch with some warranty left and at a great price.

Chronocentric is an excellent website on Omega and has extremely useful information on purchasing and owning watches in general.

 

[I.P. Freley]

I like the way you think, Bobby.

Maybe a GMT Master will come my way some day, but I just put a nice down-payment down on a car for what that would've cost me... And STILL had a thousand dollars left.

Omega makes a very, very nice GMT watch as well. The Seamaster GMT Pro. Available with a white or black face, and depending upon if you get new-new or new old-stock, two different bracelets to choose from, too.

The "Moon Watch" is available in a few different models, though the "real" Moon Watch is indeed manual-wind only, and has a plastic crystal. Good news- It's easy to buff out scratches. Bad news- it scratches easily.

No matter, I will likely get one for myself when a few more dollars come my way. "Making do" for now with a Seamaster Pro.

 

[BoDEAN]

The GMT watch....is that considered an "aviation watch?"

 

[WrightAvia]

In the salvage navy, we had a saying..."big watch, little dick".

 

[avbug]

Aqualite, from Walmart. Nine bucks, and it's lasted nearly a year now.

Considering I'm more likely to lose it before it quits working, that's pretty good.

It has some giant numbers on the face so I can read it, and it lights up with the push of a button. I stuck a hikers compass on the watch band, as I tend to get lost in about 30 seconds, without one. I use it a lot when driving.

It comes with a pure aluminum back, and a genuine plastic watch band. It's two tone grey, which will come in very handy as camoflage if I ever need to hide in a luggage rack.

 

[Airpiraterob]

the watches fo rflying

i admit freely, its nice to have a really nice watch. just feels nice that something tells you time so nicely. dont let my following paragraphs kid you, i like watches. I use a Tissot PRS200 chrono. good movement. good accuracy so far. looks sharp. great for the pilot wearing the silver and navy colors. (no gold here)

but really look at your flying, and look at your watch, and tell me how much junk on that watch is actually useful.....and DO you actually use the junk?

who needs 6 timezones on their watch? i used to have one of those analog/digital ones that tell you the time twice. was great, leafe the digital in the GMT setting and occasionally synch the local time. or can't you just use your rotating bezel to mark how many hours ahead it is? oh wait you cant do that. its an E6B instead....dont tell me youre gonna squint at the tiny numbers and tell me your accurate fuel flow. i dont need a watch that tells me how much weight my oil is and be able to convert it to kilograms. its faster to use the normal sized E6B. im in the airlines and im gonna use something i have to be percise and squint at? hell why not get out the normal size one and 'zip' be done with it....while the other guy is still playing with his "Bezel"

so what to use when flying? hmm.

FREIGHT: I relied on the timex expedition. the indigo backlight face feature works wonders at night wondering what F'in time it is when your dispatch calls, also helps you find that F'in headphone plug-in or hobbs meter that the maintenance department cant put in one place in every plane they work on. Beat the hell out of it. Put it through more Shiit that would absolutely kill those precious citizens pro masters. oh yeah, even survived a few direct smashes off the granite while snowboarding (not to mention how my arm felt after) .... and then used it that night to fly.

AIRLINE: well its gotta look good. thats the number one. i mean you can't let your passengers think youre barely employed with your airline and making 20k right? I fly with my Tissot chrono. Looks absolutely marvelous old boy, indeed. It has jsut what i need. The time! theres nothing else to confuse me. Now for those that mush have the extra special bling-bling on their wrist, my father bought a Rolex Perpetual once when he was in DC. corner of K and 12th, $14, turned his wrist green, the second hand fell off and rattled around inside the "crystal". but it looked just like a rolex. would have passed any passengers inspection ill tell you that......except the green wrist. and of course this is assuming that he was a pilot or something, wich he isn't, but his fellow reporters thought it was snazzy, again except for the green wrist.

RAP STAR: the marvelously huge timepiece on a gold chain around your neck circled in gold and/or diamonds. the other choice is what i saw jsut the other day. A large watch with diamond-oids circling the face and imbedded in the face was a giant dollar symbol in diamond-oids taking up the whole face.

overall however what do you need in a pilot watch? i mean really. all you need is good movement to keep good time. (atomic precision) a built in chrono. Ability to keep at least 2 timezones, GMT and the one youre actually in. good style in the gold or silver + leather colors and remarkable durability.

what you DON'T need:
-6 timezones. wtf?...uh, WHY??
-an E6B on the Bezel. i've never thought to myself "thank god i have an E6B on my watch!" however on thinking about this, perhaps only if youre in a small plane and your rivet holding your e6b together falls out and youre now lost, then your watch can be used....assumign your batteries in your GPS handheld have failed and yoru dashmount GPS is Raiming like crazy.
-any dials that tell you the MONTH youre in. "what time is it?....oh its October! Hot damm!"
-Jewel encrusted parts of any kind. It's nice, its fashionable. But i'm a guy. why do i want diamonds? how does this help me fly better? the only bonus is that it can help you score divorced women....or already married ones too.....or Vain college girls.

however again i really like watches. i dunno why. theres those reasons above for not going overboard but honestly its the same hatred i have fo rthings like the Cadillac SUV and the Hummer H2 and the petite women with cell-phones tha tbuy them. absolutely useless big "cars" that im happy to drive behind at 80 and get another 30% in mileage. just what ammount of Excess makes you happy i guess.

my watch i want overall? Tag-Heuer Monaco. (Steve McQueens watch.) or the Autavia.

And/or a Rolex Daytona- the sign youve succeeded. something good for yourself. but im not into too much flash. so the Tag will have to do

but if i wanted perfect time accuracy a watch from www.junghansusa.com (german) who make ceramic-solar-atomic watches that set themselves with the atomic clock. good for 1 second over a million years. and in case i was falling through the atmosphere on re-entry from space it could withstand the temps. (BEAT THAT, GAY BREITLING!) not much else in the order of flash for you rap stars in the cockpit.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

that was pretty funny...

BUT..

I do find 3 time zones fairly useful.

1 for Zulu (when to expect slots/flght plans)
2 for local (when to meet other crew for drinks)
3 for home (when to call the family)

when traveling globally with min. rest these come in pretty useful.

But as far as flying an RJ around the US, I think most of us can keep 2 or 3 time zones straight and not worry about accidentally calling home a 0200...

however..spending 5K or more on a watch??? I would say 90% of pilots or similar incomes who do this are poor. Probably put that rolex on a frakin' credit card....sad...

 

[dogman]

Take all the bull $**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** out of a pilot, and all you have left is a ten pound watch and a pair of sunglasses!

 

[Lopaka]

I'll be keeping my Breitling Emergency for a while. Very functional, easy to read at any angle, easy to set, and accurate. I looked at the Aerospace but the edge around the bexel was too sharp whereas the Emergency was smooth and less likely to snag somthing, but it's twice as big so instead you start kocking into things but it never shows a mark. Got mine in Cozumel for over a grand less than US dealers.