Bear Grylls Watches As Survival Equipment

https://gearpatrol.com/2020/01/17/luminox-x-bear-grylls-watches/


Good morning all,

Per ...

I have a different opinion on watches loaded with features but can guess there are those who use the features.

Am placing this link on forum for comprehensiveness.

One matter not mentioned in link - and it's a good feature so I've been told - is that white on a black background is best for optical health.

 

Good morning Lonewolf,

I'm not familiar with Grills gear but did notice the cost of those watches in link I posted above.

Yes, extremely overpriced !

 

If you need rugged watch with many features than better go with G-Shock.

Personally I'm still sticking with Seiko Prospex Sea along with Swatch Irony. Although I'm looking forward for Victorinox INOX Pro Diver but still haven't got the money yet (just bought new laptop and still in serious need for a new phone)

 

Good morning Varuna,

For someone who had once mentioned being poor, you are in better financial shape than many American preppers/survivalists ! All the blessings to you !

If not retired and still working the remote oil field areas of Asia, and not needing a rugged watch, ...

Presuming it's paid for on corporate plastic (American slang for company credit card), I'd get a Breitling "Emergency" model wristwatch. It's the one with a transponder. Don't know if all countries allow it's use now; would have to check.

 

Nonsense! There is no way a brown skin third worlder such as I'am that live with under $5/day could even close to the highest living standard in the world of the Great USA. Just ask any reputable medias (both side of the spectrum), and western gov't report & statistic they will confurm my statement above.

"Rugged" is a broad concept. For me its Casio G-Shock. However in most case one rarely need such tough watch. Personally I believe these days a full featured rugged watch is a redundant in the face of a modern smartphone. TBH I'm confident to be able to navigate ocean crossing using only my phone GPS (albeit still need to have SOLAS compliance navigation requirement for redundancy)
My own requirement is just a watch that I could take to shallow depth (50 feet) and still clearly visible at that depth, while remain viable for day to day and still look decent while wearing business shirt or wearing suit. Having Seiko Prospex Sea that rated for 650 feet depth is just a bonus and I'm not trained & certified for such depth.

 

Good afternoon Varuna,

The governing term is "P 3" - Purchasing Power Parity. The "higher living standard ... in the USA" does not filter down to everyone here. As an example, your mentioned medical care treatment is not available to many Americans.

A full featured watch such as the Seiki Pro Sea has features a smart phone does not have.

After 50 years, I'm still wearing my same Rolex. Some years ago, my daughter treated me / my watch to a tune-up. The tune-up person (in a jewelry store) offered to buy it from her. He offered more $ than the cost of a Britling Emergency model with the transponder !

It all depends on one's requirements.

 

IMO Rolex is overrated (not to mention I couldn't afford one) I'm not saying Rolex is bad, it just how they branding
themselves. The brand is loosing their exclusiveness. If you need durable luxury watch than its better to go with at least Omega or go with Patek Philippe, or went all the way with any of the haute couture brands.

 

All I require from a watch is accuracy and pretty ordinary waterproofing to 30m. I can get that from a £10-15 Casio.

 

You can't go into seawater with only 30m waterproof rating. In fact such rating mean the watch have limit how long it can survive underwater (fresh water). And you won't get any accuracy from $15 Casio or any other brands (unless your definition of "accuracy" is a whole lot different than I'am).

 

Contrary to what you say any cheap quartz movement is far more accurate than an automatic movement such as you would find in a Rolex. The battery life of a basic Casio is in the region of 7 years, during the first 7 years the waterproofing is excellent and always exceeds specification...however after it has been opened to change the battery the waterproof rating is poorer...but then again that is the same for any watch whatever the brand.
Another reason for a cheap watch such as a Casio is to avoid being mugged for it while travelling as they're not worth stealing.

 

Good morning Varuna,

We have a major age bracket difference. Rolex started off as a premier "rugged" watch. I believe the "oyster shell" seal was one of their trademarks of excellence. Fifty years ago, Rolex was as "rugged" as they make 'em.

Today, a Rolex is indeed expensive, but to an American, it's like getting an important piece of survival equipment or a BOP improvement; not something like an aircraft. An American cannot routinely afford 6 years of civil law studies. Here, this is ultra-expensive.

Actually, Patek Philippe, Rolex and the expensive Seiko watches sometimes not allowed to be worn on wrist if insured under some personal protection policies when overseas (as insurance company lists areas).

All this is really about instruments / tools required for the mission.

 

Just like I suspect, we have different definition of "accuracy"

For me anything that doesn't fit into COSG (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) Standard can't be consider as accurate regardless of their movement. And both my Seiko Prospex Sea and Swatch Irony Tachometer need to be adjusted every week, otherwise it will drifting beyond my tolerable level of 1 sec/day

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Rolex isn't good or not rugged. Its about how they branding their products (marketing hype). From technical perspective, Rolex is still as good as it used to be. However from brand standpoint, its no longer have the same clout of exclusiveness as it use to be.

And that is why I'm very perceptive regarding the accuracy of any instrument I have. I even calibrate all my phones barometer sensor around metrology station (in this case airport), and I use Suunto MC-2G to calibrate my phones compass. All those just to make sure every instruments I have are in working order, Trust me, you never knew when you might need them in working order (I've been in such situation more than once and they involved land & sea navigation)

 

Good morning Varuna,

Accuracy does have much value !

Am guessing your phone has a magnetic compass.

Some industries and companies, depending on what they're doing, use magnetic compasses, gyro compasses and celestial navigation instruments.

 

Just for the sake of accuracy;
Since the average quartz movement has a +/- of 15 seconds a month they massively exceed what you quote the required accuracy to be for a Swiss watch with a loss/gain half as much as a Swiss mechanical movement. Add to that the fact that any automatic watch needs regular servicing to remain within acceptable limits of accuracy.
I carry a Silva compass which also works just fine.

 

All smartphones released after 2008 typically have MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) magnetic field sensor along with,
accelerometer, and the usual GPS chipset While medium range and above smartphone also typically have gyroscope, and barometer, with multi constellation satellite navigation chip (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou)

Unfortunately most people just doesn't aware of it, let alone know how to use them. Beside how many people even in typical survival / prepper forum know how to read navigation chart or having access to updated map / chart other than their own backyard anyway.

 

Its about accumulation over time and also fostering habit (thus discipline). When you let something went "off" just because they are minuscule, over time they will accumulate into significant. Think of it like tiding up your own bunk every day, or keeping record of any day to day expense receipt for purpose other than for tax reporting.

 

Ever try synchronizing it with atomic clock? I only notice the discrepancy due for checking atomic clock routinely (my phone GPS & laptop). There are a lot at work within any watch (regardless of their movement) that affect their accuracy.

 

Well what more can you say....

 

Hells bells, my only time thing that matters to me has to do with what DAY it is. As long as a wristwatch stays within a few minutes it is a lot better than I need. I only reset my wristwatchs twice a year when the time changes and it is seldom off more than a couple of minutes then. One is a Cassio digital with all sorts of things like the moon phase, sunrise, and sunset, tides and such and the other watch is a Timex quartz analog-style dress wristwatch. I can not imagine why you would need a wristwatch to be accurate to the split second. If I were doing things where that kind of timekeeping is needed than I would want something better than a wristwatch. The purpose of a wristwatch is its portability and convenience, not lab-grade accuracy.

 

Good evening Varuna,

Have to admit that I was, until now, one of those not knowing that the phones now with multi-constellation nav chips.

A segment of the survival / prepper in the US know the basics on how to read a chart / map (but few can do land navigation). Access to updated maps ?! This is rare.

 

Good evening TexDanm,

You provide an important point.

Accurate instruments to remain so require "T.L.C." - Tender Loving Care.

The celestial instruments I have here are in special sturdy cases - or else the instruments are called "scrap".

The wrist, especially when on the go, is not the place for instruments requiring the most protection.