Watches In the Cockpit (photos)

[Half Fast]

It's been a while since we've had a wristwatch thread, so let's do this one a little differently. Post up pictures of a watch you use for flying, taken in the cockpit of a plane you fly.

Any kind of watch: Rolex, Gshock, cheap throw-away, Breitling, Seiko, Garmin, whatever. Just so it's a watch you wear while flying and the pic is taken in the plane.

To start, here's the watch I use most often. It's an inexpensive Casio but it does what I need. I use the stopwatch function to time fuel tank changes and the rotating bezel to time flight legs. I like that I can see fuel burn, en route time, and time of day all at glance, without having to make button pushes.

Photo was taken over Lake Placid, FL, while flying VFR to Winter Haven.




Now it's your turn! Show off those Omegas and Navitimers and Timexes!

 

[RudyP]

This is the only one I can find. It’s a basic Apple Watch with the orange band…

 

[Half Fast]

This is the only one I can find. It’s a basic Apple Watch with the orange band…
View attachment 101428

That looks like a rather loud alarm you have there with it!

 

[nauga]

This is the only one I can find...

Which one's you?

In all seriousness and watches notwithstanding, that's a great pic.

Nauga,
who is right twice a day

 

[NJP_MAN]

 

[RudyP]

That looks like a rather loud alarm you have there with it!

He can be pretty loud but he has no idea what time it is...

 

[Timbeck2]

 

[rtk11]

I might be the only one to write this, but the LAST watch I'll wear in the cockpit is an Apple Watch.

I once was on the take off roll when my mom decided to call me (incessantly - 5 times in a row...which Asian moms tend to do), which required me to take my hand off the throttle to slap the damn thing to stop vibrating. It turned out I took off with about =80% power. Since then - NEVER AGAIN.

I fly with a Titanium/solar Citizen EcoDrive watch. Basic, but works great.

 

[exncsurfer]

I haven't worn a watch since flip phones came out. If you wear long sleeves you can still point to your wrist and tell people you've got a 'thing' to go to.

 

[DaleB]

I haven't worn a watch since flip phones came out. If you wear long sleeves you can still point to your wrist and tell people you've got a 'thing' to go to.

We've gone from pocket watches, to wrist watches (and occasionally wearing a pocket watch to look cool or retro), and back to pocket watches (and occasionally wearing a wrist watch to look cool or retro).

 

[EvilEagle]

I used to wear a Brietling Airwolf (Eagle Driver edition) in the cockpit and can only find this pic.


Then we got issued Garmin watches that will buzz if the cabin altitude gets too high so we all started wearing those.



Now I’m back to an old G shock most of the time. I don’t want my Brietling to get snatched off my wrist on a layover or beat up with back country flying. I must be getting old!

 

[jsstevens]

I might be the only one to write this, but the LAST watch I'll wear in the cockpit is an Apple Watch.

I once was on the take off roll when my mom decided to call me (incessantly - 5 times in a row...which Asian moms tend to do), which required me to take my hand off the throttle to slap the damn thing to stop vibrating. It turned out I took off with about =80% power. Since then - NEVER AGAIN.

I fly with a Titanium/solar Citizen EcoDrive watch. Basic, but works great.

I wear an Apple Watch. But both the iPhone and the watch go into airplane mode before engine start. Same reason (but without the Asian mom).

 

[Tools]

Sundial. It’s a Piet after all...

 

[Half Fast]

I used to wear a Brietling Airwolf (Eagle Driver edition) in the cockpit and can only find this pic.
View attachment 101439

Then we got issued Garmin watches that will buzz if the cabin altitude gets too high so we all started wearing those.

View attachment 101440

Now I’m back to an old G shock most of the time. I don’t want my Brietling to get snatched off my wrist on a layover or beat up with back country flying. I must be getting old!

I’ve used my Gshock quite a bit. They’re excellent watches. I’ve had mine for over 10 years and the only thing I have to do with it is wear it. Solar powered and self-setting.

The thing I don’t like about it, though, is having to do multiple button pushes to see different things. With my analog Casio, all I have to do is look at it.

 

[NJP_MAN]

Now I’m back to an old G shock most of the time. I don’t want my Brietling to get snatched off my wrist on a layover or beat up with back country flying. I must be getting old!

For a very small and reasonable fee you can insure your watch so you dont feel the need to worry about losing it. I have no problems taking watches valued well over $40,000 on trips. If I'm worried about getting roughed up at night or in a bad part of town, I'll just leave it on the counter at the hotel. The insurance gives a great peace of mind.

 

[EvilEagle]

For a very small and reasonable fee you can insure your watch so you dont feel the need to worry about losing it. I have no problems taking watches valued well over $40,000 on trips. If I'm worried about getting roughed up at night or in a bad part of town, I'll just leave it on the counter at the hotel. The insurance gives a great peace of mind.

My only problem is that I’m not sure Brietling will be making anymore of these. The F-15 is on its way out of service. I know they don’t make the Airwolf anymore but the last order I knew about you needed 25 watches to get the order filled. That’s a lot of $$ at $3k+ reach.
(Airline pilots are cheap anyway!)

 

[Half Fast]

The only "nice" watches I own have sentimental value: my 35 year anniversary at Lockheed, my Lockheed retirement gift, a birthday gift from my wife, a watch my mom gave my dad on their first anniversary, etc. Insurance can't cover that.

 

[NJP_MAN]

My only problem is that I’m not sure Brietling will be making anymore of these. The F-15 is on its way out of service. I know they don’t make the Airwolf anymore but the last order I knew about you needed 25 watches to get the order filled. That’s a lot of $$ at $3k+ reach.
(Airline pilots are cheap anyway!)

View attachment 10143

That's a cool example of the aerospace. I can see why you don't want to lose that one.

 

[kgruber]

I've been collecting fine watches for a time. They ALL are in need of an overhaul............but I don't do that anymore.

I just wear them as jewelry. To overhaul them would cost a fortune. My phone has the time.

 

[Zeldman]

Oh wait, you said wrist watch.

I tell the time using the sun or stars.





Or my cell phone....

 

[Timbeck2]

I have no problems taking watches valued well over $40,000 on trips.

Your watch cost more than my airplane. I think one of us is in the wrong forum.

 

[DaleB]

I've been collecting fine watches for a time. They ALL are in need of an overhaul............but I don't do that anymore.

I just wear them as jewelry. To overhaul them would cost a fortune. My phone has the time.

I have the stainless Rolex Explorer my dad bought at the factory in '70 or '71. It still runs, but I'm sure is in need of cleaning and maintenance after at least 30 years of not having had it. Last time I looked around for someone to do it, I was quoted well over a grand, plus shipping both ways. That was some place in NY; Rolex says they won't touch it. I don't want it polished and prettied up, just mechanical maintenance and maybe a new crystal.

My wife gave me a nice Citizen Ecodrive Blue Angels for our anniversary one year... I like it, but don't wear it much. The thing is twice the size of the Rolex and feels like it weighs half a pound.

 

[NJP_MAN]

Your watch cost more than my airplane. I think one of us is in the wrong forum.

it didn't cost that much. That's what it's worth. Just like other luxury goods ( think airplanes) the prices are very high. A new Rolex Daytona costs a mere 13,000 a used one will set you back 35,000-42,000.

 

[jordane93]

My $30 TJmaxx special lol. Will post a picture in the cockpit if they actually call me in reserve. My wife said she’ll get me a breitling when I bid for captain.

 

[Daleandee]

For a very small and reasonable fee you can insure your watch so you dont feel the need to worry about losing it. I have no problems taking watches valued well over $40,000 on trips. If I'm worried about getting roughed up at night or in a bad part of town, I'll just leave it on the counter at the hotel. The insurance gives a great peace of mind.

No offense but if a poor fella like me had a 40K watch it would soon be an airplane in the hangar! ...

 

[NJP_MAN]

No offense but if a poor fella like me had a 40K watch it would soon be an airplane in the hangar! ...

I have access to a couple airplanes and I don't even fly those. I don't really get to fly for fun because I have so many other things that I do when I finally get a day off. Some people have nice cars the get to look at. When I'm gone for weeks at a time it's nice to be able to look at one of my watches in the hotel room and realize why I'm doing what I'm doing. Plus the appreciation on my $500 dollar investment into doge coin that turned into me buying a $38,000 that now sells second hand for $52,000 seems like a pretty awesome return on investment.

 

[eman1200]

I have access to a couple airplanes and I don't even fly those. I don't really get to fly for fun because I have so many other things that I do when I finally get a day off. Some people have nice cars the get to look at. When I'm gone for weeks at a time it's nice to be able to look at one of my watches in the hotel room and realize why I'm doing what I'm doing. Plus the appreciation on my $500 dollar investment into doge coin that turned into me buying a $38,000 that now sells second hand for $52,000 seems like a pretty awesome return on investment.

you shouldn't have to explain your good fortune. "rich man bad" is the go-to these days, and that sux because in about 173 years I'm planning on being rich. and I ain't gonna apologize to no one for it.

 

[NJP_MAN]

you shouldn't have to explain your good fortune. "rich man bad" is the go-to these days, and that sux because in about 173 years I'm planning on being rich. and I ain't gonna apologize to no one for it.

I'm just trying to live a little more lately. 2020 showed me that I need to enjoy some things in life. I'd love an airplane but it would have to be something like a tbm. That's a lot of plane to maintain and again, I would probably only fly it a few times a year because the last thing I want to do is come home from a busy 15-20 days of flying and get back in a plane.

 

[PaulS]

Citizen eco drive titanium. Great watch, very light, works well. Best part, it cost about $500.00 .

 

[Stan Cooper]

 

[Half Fast]

NICE! How long have you had it?

 

[Half Fast]

Citizen eco drive titanium. Great watch, very light, works well. Best part, it cost about $500.00 .

View attachment 101452

Great watch. I have the Blue Angels version. I’ll have to see about getting a picture of it.

 

[Edward Dearborn]

 

[Half Fast]

View attachment 101454

Great pic! What plane, and where were you flying?

 

[Aviatordoc]

I fly with the Garmin D2 in Ti.

 

[Stan Cooper]

NICE! How long have you had it?

Thanks! I've had it for eighteen months. I wore a 1979 ref. 1675 GMT-Master for decades before getting this one. The sapphire crystal and independently adjustable hour hand on this one won me over.

I don't like batteries in watches.

 

[Half Fast]

I fly with the Garmin D2 in Ti.

Let’s see it! Post a cockpit picture of it!

 

[PaulS]

Thanks! I've had it for eighteen months. I wore a 1979 ref. 1675 GMT-Master for decades before getting this one. The sapphire crystal and independently adjustable hour hand on this one won me over.

I don't like batteries in watches.

I hear you, the Eco drive has a solar cell that keeps it going. I don't wear a watch every day, and I'm not disciplined enough to put a watch on a winder.

My son has about 5 rolexs, I don't pay attention to the models, one has the gold case and band. He buys them broken, fixes them, gets them tested by an authorized Rolex shop, then sells them. He loves them, he loves urban areas too, I keep telling him not to be flashing them around or he'll get mugged. I think he listens to me, but he does love them.

 

[Jack Cabano]

 

[NJP_MAN]

That reference didn't come with a Oyster bracelet so looks like you sourced one aftermarket. The metal colors are a little different. Do you plan on getting an Oyster now they are available for the 126710s ?