What time is it? Watches and horology

I guess there is a fair amount of vibration sat on a Daimler Benz V12 in a 109.

That said, if you are pulling 5 G's in a Fighting Falcon it is also hard to read your tachymeter.

But the Navitimer has been around since the early 1950s, not exactly a 'modern' design.

Any aviation history buffs here to tell us when E6Bs went out of service?

I can't imagine there are many regular distance markers at 30,000 feet or so ;)

How long is the Harry S Truman? :oP

Just because they are 20 years apart that they cant both be pilot watches dude...
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Oh I'm not saying anything about the age, was just responding to you callng the slide rule pilot watch modern. It was made when pilots were still using pieces of paper as flight computers.

My peeve is that there are two types of watch defined by very different characteristics, yet given the same name. I was curious to know if there were individual names for those two types.

Still required for a PPL afaik; if we're talking airline service and the like probably 50s/60s sometime?

@%~} : Seiko made RAF/RN issue quartz chronos, and still make similar civvy models. Citizen also have a range of pilot's watches - think they have the Red Arrows license?

My grail pilot watch would be an IWC Mk XI (or possibly a Mk XIV - at any rate one with proper MOD hands rather than B-Uhr-styled sword hands), but they're silly money these days. Still kick myself that I didn't get an ex-SAAF issue watch when I had the chance.

I went for a Timefactors Speedbird III instead, which is a properly brilliant replica - I got one of the early watches with the sterile dial.

Definitely still required for FAA exams, not sure about other countries.

Thanks for the response, figured it'd be sometime around early 60s but not able to find any definite info on it.

Citizen do a bunch of Red Arrows/Blue Angels watches, the styling on them is pretty horrible IMO.

Yeah, not a huge fan of the Red Arrows watches myself, but there's one or two that aren't too busy.

The first automated Atlantic crossing is made in the late 1940s sometime, but that's with an experimental autopilot on a USAF transport. Not sure when Loran is fully operational for civil airlines, but I think it's about the same time; by the time the jets are in service I think it and other radio navaids are pretty common. Inertial systems come in by the late 60s/early 70s AFAIK.

Pilot seems to mean "black face but not tactical" to a lot of watchmakers.

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Sick of trying to buy watches on eBay - Anyone wanting to sell on a Seiko auto diver, although other model types considered? Need something a less fancy that I can wear to work, on the bike, etc

Two carboot finds from today. Less than £5 for the pair.

The lady is well upset that I spotted the Michel Herbelin while she was messing with a Seiko. She spent all day telling me that it's too small for a man's wrist, that it must be worn by a girl. Once she resigns herself, I'll give it to her with a new strap and battery.

I fell in love with this ridiculously small, busted up mechanical watch by 'Modelia'. Swiss, 17 Jewels, Incabloc, something like 20mm casing and 10mm strap. Kept time all day no problem, will see how much time it's lost by the morning.

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I'd love to spruce up that Modelia. Sadly I just don't have the time to set aside to do this kind of thing at the moment. Servicing watches is something that can't really be rushed.

Both are beautiful... Good finds. I love a watch that looks like it has a history. (Obv with a real patina, not one given by the company to fill the hipster gap)

@ChainBreaker @Stonehedge thanks, yea I'm very happy with the finds.

I borrowed the tool and opened the back on the Modelia. It (no surprise) failed the pressure test, has a super thin thread and no gasket. Bad pic through a loupe, shaky coffee hands are no fun with tiny watches.

Forgot to take a photo of the back, but it was impossible to read the engraved names, because of the circular polishing to the metal.

Next to no idea about the brand, or history, but the patina certainly looks like it was caused by water damage or damp ingress through the crown.

Local watchmaker quoted £130 for a new face and transfers (and unlikely they have the Modelia name). Shame that the original details would flake off if it was touched, be nice to keep the original stuff but clean a little between the numerals.

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@rodabod You got any tips for the above?

That Modelia dial?

You can sometimes soak the dial in citric acid or even lemon juice to loosen the yellowed lacquer and then gently brush it with a cotton bud stick. The decals (if they are decals) can sometimes be wiped off..... Sometimes they will be painted and will not remove easily.

You'd obviously have to be happy to remove and re-fit the hands which is an acquired skill. Easy to do badly.

Thanks for the tip regarding citric stuff. It's been so long since I did more than a simple job and really didn't enjoy the last time I fitted hands to a customer's watch.

Decals was verbatim from the watchmaker. The numbers are raised (light hits the edge), so I think originally this had a brilliance in a kinda copper colour. Hoping it's old enough to be painted and can be cleaned some time.

Still interested to know the maker/era of the movement. Not sure where to begin on that though.

So my IWC watch strap broke today, the 2nd free loop just fell off. Luckily @31trum is making me a much more solid strap for everyday use but pretty miffed tbh

Is new? Shirley under warranty? 😬

Straps are usually regarded as replaceable accessories subject to wear so are usually outside of warranty. There are exceptions though, not sure of iwc stance.

Yeah if I'd had it a while I could accept wear and tear but it's 3 weeks old!

has it ever got wet or been exposed to extreme moisture?

No. I mean I run hot but I wouldn't describe myself as extremely moist...