watches

rchamble

rchamble

Pre-Flight
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rschamblee
I am in need of a new wrist watch. I have worn a casio calculator watch for the past 10 years and it has served me well. Any suggestions on a new watch.
 
I've hade this one for quite a few years:
http://www.casio.com/products/Timepiece/G-Shock/GW500A-1V/

Solar rechargeable battery, sets itself every night, and automatically shifts for DST/CST. Has a pretty cool automatic backlight - just angle your wrist and it'll turn on for 3 seconds if the ambient light is low enough.

Can't remember what I paid, but it was way less than the suggested retail price.
 
Depends on what you're looking for. I have a Fossil mechanical watch that shows part of the mechanism working. I think it looks cool, and is an appropriate size and weight. I love the way it looks and feels, but it doesn't offer any cool features other than look.

The Breitling Emergency Mission is the watch they market to the pilot, complete with a built-in 121.5 MHz ELT. At the low, low price of $5,000, it might be more than you want to spend. But I still want one, even if it is a gimmic.
 
Matthew said:
I've hade this one for quite a few years:
http://www.casio.com/products/Timepiece/G-Shock/GW500A-1V/

Solar rechargeable battery, sets itself every night, and automatically shifts for DST/CST. Has a pretty cool automatic backlight - just angle your wrist and it'll turn on for 3 seconds if the ambient light is low enough.

Can't remember what I paid, but it was way less than the suggested retail price.
Click to expand...

I've also got a Casio solar/atomic. Unfortunately, my battery no longer holds a charge for very long. It's better in the summer, but in the dead of winter, I have to let it sit in direct sunlight all weekend to charge up the battery enough to make it Monday to Friday. The battery was fine for two years or so.
 
I have a used Rolex Submariner, in stainless, that has had factory service. Includes all the packaging and documentation. I would be willing to sell it as I don't wear it much at all since I got my sapphire blue and gold Submariner.
 
Matthew said:
I've hade this one for quite a few years:
http://www.casio.com/products/Timepiece/G-Shock/GW500A-1V/

Solar rechargeable battery, sets itself every night, and automatically shifts for DST/CST. Has a pretty cool automatic backlight - just angle your wrist and it'll turn on for 3 seconds if the ambient light is low enough.

Can't remember what I paid, but it was way less than the suggested retail price.
Click to expand...
I have a similar watch - "dressier" in stainless. Keeps great time, and resists everything I've thrown at it.

I may buy myself a Breitling when I earn my ATP, but will probably keep the Casio or it's replacement for the everyday watch.
 
This is what I have:
http://www.torgoen.com/model.php?pid=88

Nice, non-gaudy pilot watch with a partial E6B.

Big thing I like about the Torgoen is that while most E6B pilot watches try to cram everything on the watch and end up with numbers so small that it becomes more of a decoration, the Torgoen watch only has the basic functions like time/speed/distance and as a result, you CAN actually read the markings and USE the thing in flight.

I think it ran around $250-300
 
rchamble said:
I am in need of a new wrist watch. I have worn a casio calculator watch for the past 10 years and it has served me well. Any suggestions on a new watch.
Click to expand...

I've been using the same type of casio calculator for a lot longer than 10 years. It isn't fancy but I just really like having the calculator readily available. Tried a fancier casio calculator/data base but didn't like it. Havn't seen any reason to change. Still using the basic calculator. I've never had one quit but buy a new one now and then when the old one gets too scratched up and ugly or the band breaks and I don't want to bother replacing it.
 
My first wife bought me a Breitling. It is jewelry, not a time piece. The only thing it did was have a stopwatch function, which was useful in the cockpit.

Time went on, and that watch began to keep time poorly. Time for an overhaul! OMG! Very expensive at the Breitling dealers. I did that once.

Then the divorce.

Second wife can't stand the Breitling, as it came from the first. "I'll buy you a new watch, what do you want?" I told her a much cheaper watch plus a few hundred gallons of 100LL would be wonderful. Wonderful!

No Sale. So I ended up with a Hanhardt Admiral watch. A replica of a 1930's Luftwaffe watch. This time I got the manual wind one. Self-winding function is, in the watch business, called a "complication", and my Breitling self winder wasn't working correctly.

The Hanhardt is working flawlessly. Um, tell not my wife!!! but under the hood, both watches use the same swiss movement.

-Skip
 

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Ted DuPuis said:
...
The Breitling Emergency Mission is the watch they market to the pilot, complete with a built-in 121.5 MHz ELT. At the low, low price of $5,000, it might be more than you want to spend. But I still want one, even if it is a gimmic.
Click to expand...

it's shock resistant but doesn't have a shock sensor so it didn't serve Steve Fossett too well.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The Breitling Emergency Mission is the watch they market to the pilot, complete with a built-in 121.5 MHz ELT. At the low, low price of $5,000, it might be more than you want to spend. But I still want one, even if it is a gimmic.
Click to expand...

Especially considering it's a very low-powered transmitter and the satellite monitoring of 121.5 is dead, dead, dead at this point.

They need to upgrade the watch to 406 MHz. ;)
 
mikea said:
it's shock resistant but doesn't have a shock sensor so it didn't serve Steve Fossett too well.
Click to expand...

Like I said, it's a gimmic. But that doesn't change the fact that I want one. :)

denverpilot said:
Especially considering it's a very low-powered transmitter and the satellite monitoring of 121.5 is dead, dead, dead at this point.
Click to expand...

Satellite monitoring, sure. But almost all commercial jets (maybe all) and many pilots still monitor 121.5 because it's a good idea for a number of reasons. I've reported an ELT on more than one occasion, and in some cases been asked by ATC to help pinpoint one that a jet heard.

They need to upgrade the watch to 406 MHz. ;)
Click to expand...

I made that suggestion. It would certainly improve the gimmic.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Like I said, it's a gimmic. But that doesn't change the fact that I want one. :)
Click to expand...

Heh heh. Tell ya what...

Send me $5000, and I'll send you a really nice watch and a PLB that'll work better. I'll even throw in a special "pilot vest" to wear that will hold the PLB. ;)
 
The week end janitor at corporate headquarters wears a ten dollar wally world special with a plastic band because that is what he can afford...
The engineering department intern wears a forty dollar watch because (wait for it) that is what he can afford...
The senior file clerk wears a two hundred fifty dollar Casio that he brags about...
The department manager wears a seven hundred dollar Bulova that he shows off...
The CFO of the corporation wears a five thousand dollar Breitling...
The CEO wears a twelve thousand dollar Rolex...
And the chairman of the board (makes more money than god) wears a ten dollar wally world special and brags about how much money he saved...

Buy the twenty dollar Timex with a calculator and brag about how much you saved...

denny-o
 
Anyone remember that watch company video commercial which was done film noir style, where I think Keifer Sutherland was the Hotel Concierge and the two airline pilots "were not worthy" of the watch (and the woman, who was flying the Dornier)? I thought I'd saved it, but, Nooooooo!
 
Steve Foley said:
I've also got a Casio solar/atomic. Unfortunately, my battery no longer holds a charge for very long. It's better in the summer, but in the dead of winter, I have to let it sit in direct sunlight all weekend to charge up the battery enough to make it Monday to Friday. The battery was fine for two years or so.
Click to expand...
I too have a Casio solar/atomic G-Shock that I got when I was in need of a dive watch. I've had it down to 90' with no problems. During the winter I have experienced the problem with the battery, especially since I tend to wear shirts that cover the face during the winter. I find that just leaving it on the windowsill when I'm not wearing it suffices to keep it charged. I got it at Costco for around $40. These days, to be frank, I tend to use the cell phone or iPad for the time and don't even wear the watch. I have taken to carrying it only when I'm teaching or lecturing, so I can keep track of the time without having to hit a button.
 
Matthew said:
I've hade this one for quite a few years:
http://www.casio.com/products/Timepiece/G-Shock/GW500A-1V/

Solar rechargeable battery, sets itself every night, and automatically shifts for DST/CST. Has a pretty cool automatic backlight - just angle your wrist and it'll turn on for 3 seconds if the ambient light is low enough.

Can't remember what I paid, but it was way less than the suggested retail price.
Click to expand...
I have a slightly different version of the same watch and it's performed flawlessly for several years.
 
slap-life-1.jpg


:rofl: Sorry, I had to do it. Gotta keep up my reputation here. ;)

In case you're wondering - That'd be the Griffin Slap case for the iPod Nano. :D
 
I prefer a mechanical watch without any fancy stop watch functions that is easy to read and reliable. Batteries die, and I hate digital displays on just about anything except my tachometer in the Tiger.

There are reasonable price Swiss, mechanical watches out there that are water and shock resistant. Brands like Marathon, Fortis and Sinn come to mind.
 
OK - so, no batteries, and no moving parts:
 

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I just bought a watch this morning. Made in the USA, and older than me. Older than any of you, now that I think about it.
 
Elgin, Benrus, Hamilton, Waltham? Give it up! Love vintage watches!
 
Anthony said:
I prefer a mechanical watch without any fancy stop watch functions that is easy to read and reliable. Batteries die, and I hate digital displays on just about anything except my tachometer in the Tiger.

There are reasonable price Swiss, mechanical watches out there that are water and shock resistant. Brands like Marathon, Fortis and Sinn come to mind.
Click to expand...

I have a mechanical automatic Sinn EZM3 that I purchased a year ago, and have been wearing constantly. It is virtually indestructible and still looks brand new. The only negative is that in a few years I'll have to send it back to Germany for servicing, and that takes a few months.
 
bluee said:
I have a mechanical automatic Sinn EZM3 that I purchased a year ago, and have been wearing constantly. It is virtually indestructible and still looks brand new. The only negative is that in a few years I'll have to send it back to Germany for servicing, and that takes a few months.
Click to expand...


You don't have to send a Sinn back to Germany. They have an offiial U.S. repair station, RGM in Lancaster, PA.

http://www.watchbuys.com/store/pc/viewContent.asp?idpage=57


I am lusting after a U1, but would rather put it towards 100LL at this point.
 
Anthony said:
Elgin, Benrus, Hamilton, Waltham? Give it up! Love vintage watches!
Click to expand...

This one is a 1927 12 size 17 jewel Illinois open faced pocket watch, made in Springfield. Doesn't look like a named movement.

During the worst of the recession I started buying gold watches. I figured I couldn't do any worse than I did with my regular investments. I've got all that you mentioned except Benrus, which I never heard of until just now. Mine are all pocket watches, I don't even wear a wrist watch. I've also got a Bulova, a couple Gruens (still don't have one of the pentagonal ones, but some day...), and finally a Tiffany.

My favorite is still the gold watch given to Luigi by the Sons of Italy in 1933.

I bought a nice 21 jewel 14 karat Elgin that was the retirement gift of a local politician, with a gold chain and a 14 karat knife with the identical inscription. First time I wore it, the chain broke, the watch stopped running and the bow broke off.
 
I think you have a good strategy on the gold watches. I doubt you will ever lose money on them, plus I am sure they are aesthetically beautiful. I've never been into pocket watches, but have a Gruen Curvex and a few Hamiltons and Waltham wrist watches. All were bought many years ago for a few bucks, before vintage watches were popular. They run great.

Right now I am wearing a Russian Vostok cheapy automatic (self winding). I think it cost me $25 a few years ago. It also keeps great time.
 
Dr. O said:
The week end janitor at corporate headquarters wears a ten dollar wally world special with a plastic band because that is what he can afford...
The engineering department intern wears a forty dollar watch because (wait for it) that is what he can afford...
The senior file clerk wears a two hundred fifty dollar Casio that he brags about...
The department manager wears a seven hundred dollar Bulova that he shows off...
The CFO of the corporation wears a five thousand dollar Breitling...
The CEO wears a twelve thousand dollar Rolex...
And the chairman of the board (makes more money than god) wears a ten dollar wally world special and brags about how much money he saved...

Buy the twenty dollar Timex with a calculator and brag about how much you saved...

denny-o
Click to expand...

I guess that depends. I have two watches: a citizen work watch (analog, nothing special) and a slightly nicer one for "business or dress" occasions. I know I spent less than 250$ total, together. They're accurate enough. That's what I need a watch to do, look decent and tell time. Just like buying a plane for the mission, buy a watch for the purpose.
 
Anthony said:
I think you have a good strategy on the gold watches. I doubt you will ever lose money on them, plus I am sure they are aesthetically beautiful. I've never been into pocket watches, but have a Gruen Curvex and a few Hamiltons and Waltham wrist watches. All were bought many years ago for a few bucks, before vintage watches were popular. They run great.

Right now I am wearing a Russian Vostok cheapy automatic (self winding). I think it cost me $25 a few years ago. It also keeps great time.
Click to expand...

I probably spent more than you. Yes, they are really beautiful, definitely where art meets technology. They hearken back to a time when quality goods were manufactured right here in the USA.

I particularly like the Gruens because Gruen started the Columbus Watch company, which made pocket watches in my home town. I have one, and am always on the hunt for more. They cost dearly, though.

Most of mine would make good wrist watches, as they're all 12 size, which is the smallest routinely worn by men. I like them because they fit into the watch pocket of jeans.

In case anyone is interested, the little pocket in the right hand front pocket of your jeans is there to hold a pocket watch. It is a remnant of a time when men carried them routinely.
 
bluee said:
I didn't notice there is a repair place here, thanks.

The U1 is too big for me. The EZM3 is about the largest I can pull off.
Click to expand...


The EZM series are fantastic watches. I have a Sinn 103 St Sa, that I used to use for flying. I realized I didn't really need the stopwatch function, so now I wear a Marathon GSAR mostly, which is a bullet proof, dive watch, that has tritium inserts so it glows brightly and is great for night flying. It is simple an easy to read. I bought it used for a fraction of its value.
 
Keep your watch simple, black or white face, contrasting hands, easy to read numbers. I don't know where the idea of all these so called "pilot" watches came from, but the offerings for such contraptions are ridicules. You do not have the time, and in all probability the eyesight, to use a watch based E-6B when your piloting an airplane. You also do not have the time to be pushing assorted control buttons, turning dials and whatever other stupid controls might be involved to gather any meaningful information while your flying.

You need a watch that you can glance at and know what the time is. I've got a Rolex submariner, that I purchased brand new, with a black dial that sits in a drawer because it keeps such unreliable time. What I wear is an $85.00 black dialed watch with white hands that is sun powered. It keeps perfect time. Great for performing pilot duties.

John
 
John Baker said:
I don't know where the idea of all these so called "pilot" watches came from, but the offerings for such contraptions are ridicules. You do not have the time, and in all probability the eyesight, to use a watch based E-6B when your piloting an airplane. You also do not have the time to be pushing assorted control buttons, turning dials and whatever other stupid controls might be involved to gather any meaningful information while your flying.
Click to expand...
As far as 95% of the E6B pilot watches out there, I would agree with you, however, I'll refer back to my earlier post about the Torgoen - it is actually functional/usable/readible (well, at least for my 38 year old eyeballs) in flight, because they didn't try to cram the entire E6B on it.

I've got no problem with a simple watch, but a useful pilot watch can be found.
 
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