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Attn: Doc, and other watch lovers

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Well, early 20th century.
 
I'm slow on th' "uptick." 😉
 
This is one of my favorite Chronographs, the Seiko SN411 Flight Master. I recently swapped out the stock stainless bracelet for this NDC Parachute strap. It's made from surplus French military parachute strapping. It's very comfortable and nice and stretchy, unlike many NATO style straps.

Seiko SN411 w NDC.jpg
 
What size bezel on that, Basil?
 
Dang boss, with all the stuff on that watch it must do just about everything. Makes me dizzy looking at it. Can you actually tell time with it too?
 
Basil said:
I recently swapped out the stock stainless bracelet for this NDC Parachute strap. It's made from surplus French military parachute strapping. It's very comfortable and nice and stretchy, unlike many NATO style straps.
Click to expand...
Good choice on the strap. I have one for my Timex. The only way I can get the right fit on my wrist.
 
Bayless said:
Dang boss, with all the stuff on that watch it must do just about everything. Makes me dizzy looking at it. Can you actually tell time with it too?
Click to expand...
If you stare at it long enough LOL! It's a Flight calculator from which you can calculate speed, distance, time, fuel consumption, etc. Similar functions as a Breitling Navitimer but without the $6,000 price tag.
 
Basil said:
If you stare at it long enough LOL! It's a Flight calculator from which you can calculate speed, distance, time, fuel consumption, etc. Similar functions as a Breitling Navitimer but without the $6,000 price tag.
Click to expand...
I noticed that it has compass directions on the outer bezel... is there a compass in the watch? If not, how are the N,S,E,W settings used?
 
Gliderman8 said:
s there a compass in the watch? If not, how are the N,S,E,W settings used?
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The compass indices on the bezel are used to provide a rough indication of direction. This description is for the Northern Hemisphere: At night of course you would simply point the N in the general direction of the North Star and the other indices will point towards the respective directions (this assumes you can see the North Star). In the day time it's a little different. First you need to set the time to standard time (if you are in Day Light Savings time, you would reset the watch for standard [non-DLS] time.) Then, holding the watch level you point the hour hand in the direction of the sun (keeping the watch level - not pointing UP at the sun). Then, rotate the bezel such that "S" or south is pointed halfway between the hour hand and the 12 o'clock position on the watch. While in this orientation, the indices will point in the respective directions so you can tell which was is East, West, North East, etc.
 
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Basil said:
The compass indices on the bezel are used to provide a rough indication of direction. This description is for the Northern Hemisphere: At night of course you would simply point the N in the general direction of the North Star and the other indices will point towards the respective directions (this assumes you can see the North Star). In the day time it's a little different. First you need to set the time to standard time (if you are in Day Light Savings time, you would reset the watch for standard [non-DLS] time.) Then, holding the watch level you point the hour hand in the direction of the sun (keeping the watch level - not pointing UP at the sun). Then, rotate the bezel such that "S" or south is pointed halfway between the hour hand and the 12 o'clock position on the watch. While in this orientation, the indices will point in the respective directions so you can tell which was is East, West, North East, etc.
Click to expand...
Oy.... It might be easier to get a bearing from the sun (assuming you can see it).
Thank you for the detailed instructions.
 
Gliderman8 said:
Oy.... It might be easier to get a bearing from the sun (assuming you can see it).
Thank you for the detailed instructions.
Click to expand...
It might be easier but that's actually a pretty accurate way to find north.
 
HA! I still check to see where the moss is growing on tree trunks...
 
I remember having a watch with that compass ring. Never did understand what it was good for. Don't have that anymore but thanks for the info anyway.
 
We were given the watch method in the USAF jungle survival course, as a just-in-case if no compass was available. What good it would be in triple-canopy jungle is kinda iffy though.
 
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