Watch

[Oxman]

So does anyone have a suggestion for a good bang for your buck pilot watch? It has to be subdued as I will wear it with a military uniform.

Try this one. I have it and it's great..

https://www.casio.com/products/Watches/EDIFICE/EF527BK-1AV/

Here's the collection..
https://www.casio.com/products/Watc...ductSort=2A343DCD_4F87_4171_AB34_4A7109FDE547

 

[EIR]

I have an assortment of cheap watches, this being my favorite:

 

[knot4u]

Hey now, so women can't be pilots and like watches too? You and my jeweler, man.

Jeweler, when I asked him to remove 5 links: "Uh, you are aware that this is a man's dream watch?"
Me: "It's my dream watch."
Jeweler: "..."
(I promise I'm not offended and, I certainly misinterpreted your statement, knot4u. I just want to take this opportunity to leap into this forum and push some Citizen propoganda here )

The Skyhawk is, in my opinion, the perfect watch. I love being able to flip between time zones; always have UTC available; the chronograph, timer, and two separate alarms are super useful; the atomic updating function just gives me the warm fuzzies; and yes, I do use the (which admittedly comes across as visually gimmicky) E6B bezel pretty often, not because I have no better way to plan flights but because it's a tremendously capable calculator conveniently buckled to your wrist so you don't have to go fishing for your smartphone or a piece of paper when you need to do some quick calculations. Also, it isn't hard to find the watch very significantly discounted.

I never mentioned women. My primary flight instructor had an obvious affection for female helicopter pilots, if said female was flying an LEO helicopter my lesson was effectively over until the whoopty copter was off frequency, something about chicks and guns.

 

[OneNineHundy]

Breitling Aerospace. 1991 model. Love this watch. Only wear it for flying. Super light and get alot of nice comments. I keep the analog on home time and the digital on UTC.

 

[GypsyPilot]

Those are affordable!? I dont like paying more than $50.

Some people (ok, most) like to buy cheap junk a few times over. I like to buy something nice once or twice.

 

[ASpilot2be]

Some people (ok, most) like to buy cheap junk a few times over. I like to buy something nice once or twice.

True. I like to spend my money elsewhere.

 

[GypsyPilot]

True. I like to spend my money elsewhere.

Sweet. I wouldn't think somebody like that would be browsing a watch thread though?

 

[ASpilot2be]

Sweet. I wouldn't think somebody like that would be browsing a watch thread though?

Eh. I think the watches are beautiful, but I just wouldnt purchase one.

 

[GypsyPilot]

Eh. I think the watches are beautiful, but I just wouldnt purchase one.

I used to think the same. Things change! But it can be an expensive habit, and I'm done until I get a big raise!

 

[ASpilot2be]

I used to think the same. Things change! But it can be an expensive habit, and I'm done until I get a big raise!

I can see how it would be expensive. I am saving for a kayak so I can get out this summer.

 

[TwoTwoLeft]

There's just something about watches, knives and guns....

 

[WacoFan]

View attachment 30795
If you require more info from your wrist than this simple piece provides you're doing it wrong, or you just want people to comment about the heavy thing on your wrist. I have a "big" watch, I wear it every once in a while, because I want someone to comment about the heavy thing on my wrist. The cheap watch pictured above has been my everyday watch for the last 18 yrs.

Do they make a version where the 12 is on top and 6 on the bottom or is this an aerobatic watch?

 

[ryan1234]

@Hacker15e this was our last order... watches should be here soon. I know, Airwolf vs Aerospace....

 

[Cal Goat]

These are my 2 watches. I've had the Seiko since 2008. I really like the digital background where I can keep UTC and have the analog hands showing local.

The Skyhawk was a birthday present last year. The UTC face is microscopic, but I do like the solar power and atomic clock update.

I fully acknowledge that E6B bezels are nerdy and pointless, but I like the presentation of being a functional instrument instead of a piece of art.

In line with what @Hacker15e has posted, I also had (still have it somewhere in a box) a $100 Casio Solar-Waveceptor very similar to this:

Fantastic watch, but the atomic clock update was finicky and the backlight eventually stopped working all together. In my mind, it was the pinnacle of functionality, durability and value. The irrational part of my brain prefers a more dressy watch, though.

I've had a Casio Edifice for a couple of years. It still looks like new despite being banged around a lot. Under $100.

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-EF527D-1AV-Edifice-Stainless-Multi-Function/dp/B003URUM6W/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1427663021&sr=1-1&keywords=casio edifice pilot

I stumbled across this watch recently. And even though I have 2 functional watches that I rotate, I really want to get one of these. I think it's because I was so Casio-loyal growing up and I like the classic E6B look. For $100, why not?

 

[PositionAndHold]

I've got this Luminox Recon. It comes with a compass that I removed as it was a little much. It has a sapphire crystal and a GMT hand. What ever you do, get a watch with a sapphire crystal. They are virtually scratch proof. There's nothing more annoying than looking down at your watch and seeing this huge scratch. It was around four hundred and is my daily beater. For my nice watch, I traded an iPad and another watch for this Tag Heuer dual time analog/digital. It has the same movement as some of the Breitlings of similar style. One of these days I'll get a Rolex GMT Master that some else mentioned earlier. I love the look of that watch.

 

[ian]

As a watch nerd, with a penchant for automatic GMT pieces, I going to capitalise on the subtle way the OP didn't mention his budget.

Flying internationally, I find a GMT watch a great tool. I have the main watch set to my home base time, the 24hr GMT is set (obviously) to UTC, and the bezel is twisted forward or back to display my current local time.

These are my two GMTs, though n ot my pictures...

Rolex GMT Master 2C
Understated, thin, great adjustable bracelet, retains value, needs no intro...
View attachment 30845



Newer product, Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT.
Bigger at 43.5mm, exquisitely finished, tough as boots, anti reflective coating on both sides of the crystal, and a more advanced, innovative Omega in-house movement, viewable though the crystal case back.

However, it's quite tall, so depending on proportions, it may not be too subtle for your purposes.
View attachment 30846

Both similarly priced...

However, on a far smaller budget, I wear a Seiko Monster for banging around South East Asia on my travels... I can highly recommend that for bang for buck..

Also worth looking at the IWC Spitfire Chrono, or possibly an IWC MK XII, as some lovely non-GMT auto watches.

Essentially, though, I wouldn't pay more than a couple of hundred bucks for a Quartz watch, nor would I go over 1500 without the movement being made in-house, as opposed to mass produced units comr ETA... Which rules out Bremont, which are $50 movements in nice cases.

Sinn, who I would recomend, would fit into the sub-1500 bracket, however. Bulletproof, great value aviation watches.

The gmt2c is my daily wear when not flying....i love it

 

[Beep]

I have a Zeppelin lz127. Have had it for years. It's not a collectors item or anything. Every few years I replace the band and have replaced the crystal once. It's simple, easy to read, and I love the GMT hand.
I'm not a watch geek, just felt left out of the conversation! Lol

I should be getting mine on Monday, thanks for posting this and costing me money!

 

[Papoo]

The gmt2c is my daily wear when not flying....i love it

She's a beautiful thing, indeed. Enjoy it for many years to come.

I (currently) prefer the Omega PO GMT as a GMT watch, but the Rolex is, by design, just a piece of perfection. I'm thinking about trading it in for something non-GMT, as it may get more wrist time that way.

Perhaps the Sea-Dweller 4000

 

[swisspilot]

Sorry for the lame picture, took this one a while back when hired at FSA

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

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.

I'll second, third, forth, and fifth this watch. I'm on my second one (accidentally donated one to a NYC housekeeper after I hulk smashed the shower control, also by accident) and it is just absolutely perfect. Looks sharp enough, always the correct time, and so on and so forth.