Watch

skypilot6 said:
15 posts and no Citizen Skyhawk recommendations?

Had mine for 7 year now, starting to look at little rough, but it has been the BEST watch Ive ever owned, (havent had a Breitling yet, Tag Heuer is next on my list.) Atomic Time keeping it perfect to the second, E6B bezel, multiple alarms ect ect ect. So many features it makes your head spin, Changing time Zones is a breeze. A watch made for the average aviator. If you shop around you can find it well below retail.
Click to expand...
I'll second the citizen watches.
 
FE street cred with this setup. Truth.
image.jpg


image.jpg
 
When I was in my 20's, I considered a goofy pilot watch. Now at age 47 I could never read one of those impossibly small E6-B bezels. Subdials on a chronograph watch? Not a chance. I've never seen a single aviator use an E-6 bezel. The only other function I ever really wanted and didn't have is a 24 hour hand for Zulu time.

So, eventually you will hit 40 and not be able to read the watch without glasses. A simple analog watch? I can still read it easily and pretend I'm still young!
 
Hawks said:
But, I gotta look cool, when I am timing APU and engine starts. Thanks Eng, your snazzy watch made that bleed air manifold check look good!
Click to expand...

I used the panel wind-up clock for timing, madar for Z time, IFR Supp to find local conversion, and my watch stayed on home time. I had several watches, nothing fancy or too expensive. Buy one during your overseas travels. It'll mean more to you later.
 
ozone said:
Clearly, you are all wrong, the OP needs the watch supported by the biggest/finest/coolest aviation group in the world. This watch is made by and for pilot-oriented folks and the price is targeted right at the average pilot budget: http://www.aopa.org/Landing-Pages/breitling-aopa-navitimer
Click to expand...

Sarcasm regarding the price noted, but in all reality the NaviTimer is a fantastic watch.

Does it provide any utility over/beyond what most sub-$100 quartz watches provide these days? Nope, not at all. If you are going to own a Breitling as a watch, it isn't because you have some professional need for precise timekeeping and that is the best instrument for the job...
 
Just for fun, a little watch porn, a sample of some of my aviation watches....

Here's my current daily wear, the Casio G-Shock MTG900, in the T-38C. Solar-charged, daily time-hack via radio, and close to indestructible.
466b7142.jpg


This is my former daily wearer, the Omega X-33. This thing is also tough as nails, and put up with all kinds of abuse in F-15E and T-38 cockpits. Probably my favorite utility watch overall as an aviator.
IMG_0666x.jpg

IMG_0692x.jpg

DSC_0513.jpg


Here's a Breitling Airwolf custom, from an order made for my squadron over at RAF Lakenheath back circa '07. This one is more of a safe queen, but I'll make it a daily wearer at some point, I'm sure. Can't speak for the durability of this one, but I can say that it has kept AMAZING time over the last 7-8 years just sitting in my safe.

DSC_9188.jpg

DSC_9190.jpg


Finally, this is my USAF-issue Casio G-Shock DW5600E. I wore the snot out of this thing during pilot training and the year or so afterward, and when I replaced it with the Omega X-33, it became my swimming/biking/running watch. All that athletic activity pulverized the rubber of the case and strap, so this is a pic of it after replacing those parts. Here's also a shot of it with a velcro band I replaced the original broken rubber strap with for a while. All the internals are still perfect, though.
DSC_1371.jpg

IMG_1559.jpg
 
My wife bought me a Breitling Emergency watch for my birthday, I love it, but I don't think it qualifies as cheap. That being said, its a great watch.
 
image.jpg
I think Orient makes the absolute best bang for your buck if you like mechanical watches. They are essentially a Japanese Rolex... Extremely accurate, reliable, and stylish. I also think many of them look good outside the cockpit, which can't be said about most "aviation" watches (or the cheapo $40 watch either, of course).

My favorite is the Orient Star GMT. It is mechanical/self winding, includes a power reserve, has a hacking function, GMT hand, date function, sapphire crystal face (basically scratch proof, even from me!), and is extremely accurate. It also has a hand winding function if you feel like winding it up (kind of cool to see the power reserve go up as you wind). If you shop around, you can find a new one for about $500.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top