What is the best aviation watch (Zulu time)?

[PilotswifeII]

My husband wants a watch with Zulu time on it. I assume this is GMT? He is going to start a new job flying all over the world, and I wanted to get him a good (not too expensive) watch that will do the job for him. Does anyone have any suggestions fo a decent "starter" watch? Thanks.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

For around $50 bucks you can get a nice Timex Ironman Indiglo watch that has a digital readout with a 12 and 24 hr format. It also has a lot of the standard features like stopwatch and multiple laps too. I've had a couple over the last several years and are quite satisfied.

 

[sqwkvfr]

The Citizen Skyhawk seems to be the watch that is used by the vast majority of pilots that I've met. It is easy to switch the time shown by the main display to whatever zone you happen to find yourself and there is a digital readout on the face that you can leave on "zulu" time.

The only problem that I have with it is the lack of a light for reading it in the dark...but it's a small problem.

The price is around $300 for the one that I bought...that was the titanuim version....and I bought it through an online store at a pretty good discount.

It's in the price range to make a nice gift for Christmas, yet won't break the bank.

Here's the stainless steel version...if you google it, you'll find several different versions.

 

[CheapFlyer]

The titanium is available from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007OER0S


Right now its available for $300 from Amazons affiliates. A few months ago it was $250 direct from Amazon. So if you don't need it right away keep checking back, or call Amazon to see if they will be carrying it again.

Great watch!

-CF

 

[Swass]

Rolex GMT if you want to spend the coin. Pretty slick watch.

 

[dseagrav]

I wasn't aware you needed a special watch for GMT. Is this like those special $50 cross-platform mouse-pads that work with a PC and a Mac?

 

[PilotswifeII]

Sorry, but someone had to do it.

Thank you to everyone who gave me some good ideas. I'm looking into the Skyhawk. I am not a pilot, so I am unaware of certain terms and lingo, but my husband is a professional captain with over 6,000 hours of jet time. He told me what he wanted and mentioned both zulu & GMT and I wanted to get it for him. Thanks again.

************************
dseagrav: I noticed in reading posts on this message board that someone always feels the need to make a snide comment in an attempt to make the poster feel inferior--or to make themselves feel superior to everyone else. I don't know what Zulu time is, I just want to make my pilot husband happy. I don't know much about flying, but seeing as how you've only flown a C-152, I doubt you will be flying to Europe and I don't think you would need a watch like the one I'm looking for.

Come back when you've done some time in a Learjet 20 series--handflying all the approaches and takeoffs.

 

[Shiny Side Up]

I have nothing but good things to say about the Torgoen GMT watches. Mines taken an absolute beating, still looks great, and I get a lot of compliments on it from non flying people.

 

[cheyflyer]

I was thinking of getting one of these myself. In case the links dont work properly they are the Torgoen Zulu Watch from Sportys.com. Regular 12 hour time for one zone, and 24 hour time for the other (GMT).

$170 for the leather band, $199 for the metal band.



http://sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=10205

http://sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=10206


Merry Christmas,

cf

 

[I.P. Freley]

My husband wants a watch with Zulu time on it. I assume this is GMT? He is going to start a new job flying all over the world, and I wanted to get him a good (not too expensive) watch that will do the job for him. Does anyone have any suggestions fo a decent "starter" watch? Thanks.

How much are you looking to spend for this "starter" watch? All the watches mentioned so far are good candidates... The Torgoen, especially, is very nice if you prefer an analog watch and don't want to break the bank. Personally I'd take one of Torgoen's watches for under $200 over the Navihawk watches (over $200) because I don't like digitals.

I also prefer to not wear quartz watches, so here's another, pricier option:

http://www.westcoastime.com/m6gmtstylolw.html

Well-made, an honest-to-God Swiss ETA self-winding mechanical movement (an unmodified, off-the rack version of the movement found in all sorts of $2000 name-brand watches), a nearly scratch-proof sapphire crystal, and pretty accurate for a mechanical watch (+/- 5secs a day at worst, in my experience). I've had one of these (actually a nearly-identical model) for about three years and it's a great piece for the price (noone thinks that it's a Rolex, but that's a good thing if you're flying overseas). If you go this route, make sure you get the version with the sapphire crystal, it's worth the extra $$$ for someone who works in a very small office with lots of stuff to bash the crystal against. You'd practically need a belt sander to gouge that thing!

 

[dseagrav]

dseagrav: I noticed in reading posts on this message board that someone always feels the need to make a snide comment in an attempt to make the poster feel inferior--or to make themselves feel superior to everyone else. I don't know what Zulu time is, I just want to make my pilot husband happy. I don't know much about flying, but seeing as how you've only flown a C-152, I doubt you will be flying to Europe and I don't think you would need a watch like the one I'm looking for.

Come back when you've done some time in a Learjet 20 series--handflying all the approaches and takeoffs.

It's not my intention to make you feel inferior or myself feel superior. I was making a joke. I did it for the lulz. Just because you don't think it's funny doesn't mean I did it to offend you. Funny is in the eye of the beholder. If I wanted to offend you or call you an idiot, I'd do so directly. Besides that, if words on the internet (or words in general) make you feel inferior to someone else, you're taking things too seriously.

Edit: Besides that, if I took myself so seriously as to think I could put someone down, I wouldn't call myself a dork and a nuisance and wouldn't infer that I can't navigate in my profile to the left.

 

[moonlight]

My wife bought me a Chase-Durer Falcon Command...what a piece of crap. It went back to the manufacturer 3 times the first year for problems. The timer hands (both second and minute) won't stay zeroed out, constantly having to be adjusted. To repair it means a whole new movement, to the tune of another $150.00. Now the set screw won't stay recessed and the bezel won't turn. What a waste of money. I want my Timex back

 

[Princedietrich]

I've got a 60 dollar Dakota. Stainless steel, stopwatch, lap counter, LED, glow in the dark face. Since it's got the analog hands and a digital clock, I have one set to local and one set to GMT. Not bad for a mall kiosk cheapie.

 

[epic!]

I've got a 60 dollar Dakota. Stainless steel, stopwatch, lap counter, LED, glow in the dark face. Since it's got the analog hands and a digital clock, I have one set to local and one set to GMT. Not bad for a mall kiosk cheapie.

do you have a link for one of these?

 

[GVFlyer]

My husband wants a watch with Zulu time on it. I assume this is GMT? He is going to start a new job flying all over the world, and I wanted to get him a good (not too expensive) watch that will do the job for him. Does anyone have any suggestions fo a decent "starter" watch? Thanks.

I alternate between the "Pepsi" Rolex GMT Master, the Omega Seamaster GMT and a vintage Omega FlightMaster. The Omegas are much more durable than the Rolex. The Rolex is more like jewelry. All are heavy; the Omegas more so than the Rolex.

One of the other pilots wears a Breitling Windrider Chronomat Evolution. It's pretty tasteful in steel and gold.

One guy has a gold and steel Rolex GMT Master. It looks great, but too much $$$ I think.

One of our other pilots has a Titanium Breitling Professional Co Pilot. It's electronic and very light.

Some of the other pilots seem to like the Tag Heuers, but I don't know their product line well enought to make a recommendation.

Good luck!



GV

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

I have an Omega. It's average at keeping accurate time (actually probably below average considering what it cost.

I mostly use my Breitling B-1, it only lost 15-sec over the past year. A cheaper alternative to the B-1 is the Breitling Professional (under a $1000). If it's an option, try buying it in Deleware...no tax.

I purchased both my more expensive watches from AR Morris. Good people, good prices...be prepared to negotiate some. They are used to pilots buying watches from them from all over the country.



[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A R Morris Jewelers[/FONT] 802 Market Street
Wilmington DE 19801

http://www.armorrisjewelers.com/

 

[Rxflyer]

Try a Citizen Navitach, if you can find one. You can set the digital display in the center for any of a bunch of places, including Zulu. Has an alarm, etc. I think I got mine on sale at the local jeweler for about $165.

 

[NuGuy]

Heyas,

[Obligatory Troll Post Warning]

I wear my Spongbob Squarepants watch I got free in a box of cereal. I get some funny looks sometimes, but the price was right and the chicks dig it...

Woman: Awww, your child gave you a watch and you're wearing it, how nice!

Me: Um...yea, actually, it's was my sister's kid, yea, that's it...

Woman: Your sister? Want to get a cup of coffee?

Me: Sure.

Happened more than once...

Nu

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Hey I like Sponge Bob as much as the next guy, but I have my standards.

Woman: What kind of car do you drive?

NuGuy: A mini-van

Woman: A mini-van?

NuGuy: Yea, I pick-up orphans on my days off and drive them to school.

All the rest of us: barfing

 

[NuGuy]

Hey I like Sponge Bob as much as the next guy, but I have my standards.

Woman: What kind of car do you drive?

NuGuy: A mini-van

Woman: A mini-van?

NuGuy: Yea, I pick-up orphans on my days off and drive them to school.

All the rest of us: barfing

Hehe,

Barf all you want....

Rest of you: Barfing, alone, surfing the 'net on a Saturday night.

Me: Out with da ladies that fell for the watch gag...but I'll remember the mini-van line...that's a good one.

Next up: my dog rental service next to the park.

Nu