Pilot Watches
  1. AskMen MiddleEast
  2. Fashion
Pilot Watches - Apparel Reviews

Pilot Watches

Watch Snob: What Is A Sophisticated & Affordable Timepiece?

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp
Turns out the Snob isn't all about Patek Philippe. 
The Watch Snob is in.

Classic IWC Big Pilot 

I'm currently in my senior year of college and soon I'll be heading off to do my master's degree in History and International Affairs at a prestigious university. Currently, I'm wearing a custom-made pilot watch that I assembled myself. It uses an ETA 6497 movement and is housed in a polished 44 mm x 10 mm stainless-steel case with brown leather straps. I have always been drawn to WWII style B-Uhr pilot watches for their simplicity, functionality and history. Unfortunately, unless I'm talking to a person who knows a thing or two about watches, my brand-sterile watch gets no attention. Therefore, I need help finding a watch that is sophisticated enough for my academic background in history and (unfortunately) recognizable enough for the less sophisticated minds in the international relations department. I'm not from money but I am willing to invest in a proper watch.

You seem like a sensible man, and I commend you for assembling your own timepiece. Time learning the workings of a watch is time well spent. Years ago, I spent a summer in a hamlet outside of Besancon, learning at the knee of a watchmaker who taught me the basics of movement disassembly and reassembly. It was a formative experience that, to this day, I consider as valuable as my days in university.

Now, on to your question: If you have a bent for pilot’s watches but want pedigree, you can do little better than an IWC Big Pilot. Though I have written before about the brand’s uneven portfolio, the Big Pilot is a solid choice, with a fantastic manufacture movement and styling that should suit your age and interest.

Question from a Watch Knob

I am seriously considering buying a limited-edition Jaeger LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater in a platinum case. The only real concern I have is when you buy a high-end timepiece it should last you a lifetime without any maintenance or at least very little. I’ve discovered, according to the manuals, a complete mechanism overhaul is required every three to four years. Now, I grew up with the saying "If it isn't broke, don't fix it." Isn't there still a high chance of ruining the actual timepiece when it is frequently taken apart and put back together -- especially when there is nothing wrong with it? My feeling is, if I am going to dish out $100,000 or so for a watch, why should I be concerned about maintenance checks every three to four years? My father has a Rolex from the '70s, and it has never needed a maintenance check and runs beautifully and accurately to this day.

Why does the purchase of a highly complex masterpiece of micro-engineering, like a minute repeater, entitle you to a lifetime without having to do maintenance? Please pass along your $100,000 to someone who will properly appreciate the fine tolerances, materials and craftsmanship that go into these watches.

First of all, no one is going to come and find you if you don’t show up at your dealer for maintenance after four years. Push it to five, or, if you’re feeling daring, six years if you feel like it. The truth is, these watches could run for a decade without any change in their timekeeping. But a lifetime? Go buy a quartz watch if you’re too cheap and negligent to handle maintenance. Oh, wait, that would require battery changes about which I’m sure you would take issue.

The problem is, the longer a watch movement goes without lubrication and adjustment, the more likely it is to need a serious and costly repair in the future, since increased friction wears parts out completely. The more complicated the movement, the finer the tolerances and the more numerous the components are that require attention. Your father’s Rolex no doubt contains a movement that makes up for a lack of refinement with simplicity and robustness. That’s what Rolex has always done well but also what has made its watches so boring.

My rule of thumb is that more complicated watches should be serviced more often. If you wear a watch regularly, it should be serviced near the intervals recommended by the manufacturer. Not that I think you will pay attention to this advice, mind you. Hopefully it’s helpful to other readers who actually care about their timepieces.