do pilots really wear chronograph watches?

[vash]

i want one. let me rephrase that..i want a bada$$ one.

got me thinking. a chronograph really is just a glorified stopwatch, right? what's the deal with pilots? i get they need a HUGE watch. checking what time it is while a boguy is..(i messed that up)

i get it; they need to see the big face at a glance. what is up with the rest of the watch? besides letting hot chicks know you're a pilot..what is up with the watch?

[BE911SC]

I am closing in on 20,000 hours total flight time. I wear a 1995 Seiko, gold with dark green face, date window in the bottom of the face. I think it was $300 new.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by vash

besides letting hot chicks know you're a pilot..what is up with the watch?

You want to impress a girl? Take her for a nice evening flight (Cessna 152 is just fine) in smooth air, let her try out the controls, no "Iron Eagle" stuff, and she'll talk about that flight for the rest of her life and never forget you. She won't even know if you wear a watch.

[flipper35]

In the old(er) days a stopwatch was handy for a lot of things. I think the bigger face is worn for the same reason as Raybans.

[recycled sixtie]

The old expression for a pilot and his watch: big watch, small c_ck and no money. G

[island911]

And then there are those who seek function.

[rattlsnak]

thats mine..

[Baz]

[GH85Carrera]

We were at the airport cafe eating lunch as watched a guy land and bounce and make a crappy landing. The pilot I was eating with said I bet that guy has a HUGE watch. Sure enough the dude parks right out front and comes in for lunch. He had a huge watch.

I have my dad's Bulova Accutron Astronaut out for repair. I doubt I will wear it very often but I wanted it working.



Mine has a stainless steel band.

[june82000]

I'm in the Navy and have been in half a dozen squadrons in my career. Every so often there is a 'Breitling Buy'. I'm sure they're good watches, but let's face it - it's Man Jewelry.

[island911]

My Breitling It's titanium and has a sapphire lens with anti-reflective on both sides; making it very rugged and readable. It is a high utility, minimal fuss device.


so...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by june82000

I'm in the Navy and have been in half a dozen squadrons in my career. Every so often there is a 'Breitling Buy'. I'm sure they're good watches, but let's face it - it's Man Jewelry.

When we were in Vegas my wife and I played a little game... we would walk into a designer store and look at purses... then walk out, take a few steps... and burst out laughing "$6000 DOLLARS FOR A PURSE!!!!"
I did the same thing in the watch stores...

Mind you, if I did have the money... I would probably drop a couple grand on a watch... and drive a 991... and have a house on the beach... blah, blah, blah...

[yazhound]

I fly regularly as part of my job. Most important measurables are done via the on board electronics. Those included with all important navigation are fuel use, speed etc..

Prior to the emergence of these "electronic tools" a chronograph with a slide-rule was often used to make all important calculations taking into account all these factors. An indispensible tool, with the slide rule much more than simply a watch or a stop watch.

My father flew hueys for two years in Vietnam, earning numerous Air Medals, Bronze Stars, and eventually a Distinguished Flying Cross. He wore a Breitling Navitimer because it offered the ability to make the necessary calculations, especially with the slide-rule. He went through several leather bands that gave up the ghost because of sweat and humidity. Later attached to the USAF 33rd TFW he flew F4s and was first Army guy to have his name on F15.

Still has the watch, since back to new via Breitling. A true classic, and much much more than a mere stop watch.

[450knotOffice]

I've been a pilot for most of my 50 years of life, yet have worn a simple waterproof digital TIMEX "Ironman Triathalon" cheapie since the middle or late 90's (it's been so long, I'm fuzzy on when I actually bought it). I've also scuba dived with it countless times, down to 120'. It's a tough old watch, and I love it.

When I want a touch of class, I wear my 1988 vintage Movado Museum. It's understated, small, and slim. My type of watch.

I am NOT a big-dial-face-watch sort of pilot. Never have been.

[Tilikum Turbo]

Yes, it was a big deal back in the day, but just an flight engineers have been replaced by automation and technology, the chronograph has been superseded.

I had(as in past tense) most likely the most "bad-ass" chronograph of all time: early 70's Rolex Cosmograph in stainless steel with black in-laid bezel. Left it in a public bathroom after washing my hands...5 minutes later...gone! Talk about stupid?!

Got it as a gift from Dad when I was 21...cost when he got it...$1500.

That SAME series watch today is 35-45 THOUSAND dollars(and its a used watch)...even with a million bucks in pocket, I couldn't see paying that for it.

Now as an engineer, I wear a $30 Timex. I could afford something more, but nothing would even come close to what I had, so for me, reaching for that is pointless.

[fingpilot]

Scott;

I'm like you. Retired out of the big iron with 26k+ hours and 37 years accident, incident and violation free.

Timex Expedition on a Velcro band. Am on my third one since 1980-something.

Am also a subscriber to the big watch = small equipment theory. Ask any F/A for verification.

[Seahawk]

When I was flying for the Navy, always a plastic Timex of some sort...shipboard life, preflight of an SH-60 are hard on watches.

When I made O-6, I bought a Omega Seamaster from AAFES for much less than you would think.

I always wanted a nice watch, so I bought one.

[scottmandue]

I had a Tag crono I sold and regret doing so.

Had a very cool Citizen slide rule watch, very hard to read so I sold it.

I have a Festina crono that I will keep only because it is not a popular brand so doubt I could get much for it.

Just got new square black Citizen crono.

However for a stopwatch my digital Casio is so much more practical...

[p911dad]

I've been retired from flying quite a while now but before all the GPS equipment was available, I used to use the round slide rule type of pilot's computers like this one for flight planning and en route work. Big, quick and easy to read. All I ever had for a watch was a Timex. I could never figure out how to use the fancy chronographs and still keep my head up and looking for other traffic.

[Nate2046]

Originally Posted by vash

i want one. let me rephrase that..i want a bada$$ one.

got me thinking. a chronograph really is just a glorified stopwatch, right? what's the deal with pilots? i get they need a HUGE watch. checking what time it is while a boguy is..(i messed that up)

i get it; they need to see the big face at a glance. what is up with the rest of the watch? besides letting hot chicks know you're a pilot..what is up with the watch?

I suppose back in the day pilots wore chronographs for the purpose of time/speed/distance calculations. The 'slide rule' most are referring to is the e6b type watches but I rarely see those on those fellow crew these days. I've always been partial to divers because I like the simpler design and clearly legible dial. Recently upgraded to a 24hour watch because I can set the bezel to local time zones without screwing with the mechanism.
In reality, no real purpose for 'pilot' watches, just man jewelry as others have mentioned.