GMT markers on bezel lit up!

[wilsonpepper]

There was a thread recently where a member asked a simple question - how come Rolex does not illuminate the 24 hour bezel.

Many others fried the guy, one comment included "Why would you need that", another said the poor gent should "memorize where all the 24 hour bezel markers are located".

Attached is a picture from the Ball Watch website. What I see is a useable watch for night operations, and I also wish Rolex lit up the bezel on the GMT.

But what would I know, I have only been flying heavy jets across vast expanse of ocean(s) for 35 years !

Ready, Fire, Aim

[southtexas]

Rolex is not about utility. Why potentially sacrifice good looks for functionality?


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[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Rolex is not about utility. Why potentially sacrifice good looks for functionality?


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I thought these Rolex models were 'tool' watches?

[007timer]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Rolex is not about utility. Why potentially sacrifice good looks for functionality?


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A GMT watch is a utility watch. Plus, the luminous bezel would look great.


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[ChipotleBanana]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Rolex is not about utility. Why potentially sacrifice good looks for functionality?


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Hello? Rolex is the best example of modern luxury on top of an incredibly utilitarian watch.

[southtexas]

Originally Posted by ChipotleBanana

Hello? Rolex is the best example of modern luxury on top of an incredibly utilitarian watch.

Hi! You’re right, except in this particular case I guess.


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[Tridor]

I'd love to see a Rolex GMT light up that way.

[BigBoy17]

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

There was a thread recently where a member asked a simple question - how come Rolex does not illuminate the 24 hour bezel.

Many others fried the guy, one comment included "Why would you need that", another said the poor gent should "memorize where all the 24 hour bezel markers are located".

Attached is a picture from the Ball Watch website. What I see is a useable watch for night operations, and I also wish Rolex lit up the bezel on the GMT.

But what would I know, I have only been flying heavy jets across vast expanse of ocean(s) for 35 years !

Ready, Fire, Aim

What equipment were you on?

[wilsonpepper]

Originally Posted by BigBoy17

What equipment were you on?

Currently 787

Previous = 777, DC-10-30, 747SP

[BigBoy17]

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

Currently 787

Previous = 777, DC-10-30, 747SP

[enjoythemusic]

Nice Ball timepiece.

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

Currently 787

Previous = 777, DC-10-30, 747SP

Impressive! Hope Boeing has the courage to re-engineer the 737 Max engine mounts and landing gear for better weight/balance.

[STEELINOX]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Nice Ball timepiece.



Impressive! Hope Boeing has the courage to re-engineer the 737 Max engine mounts and landing gear for better weight/balance.

They are using an old platform - the 737 - and added better [today] power systems.

It should be the other way around - build the plane around the engine platform.

Again, they're squeezing the very last bit out of a tried and proven airframe that was not designed for the engine platform of today...

[georgekart]

Originally Posted by STEELINOX

They are using an old platform - the 737 - and added better [today] power systems.

It should be the other way around - build the plane around the engine platform.

Again, they're squeezing the very last bit out of a tried and proven airframe that was not designed for the engine platform of today...

If I had to make a guess, this will be Boeing's next move. A plane that has a larger range, new engines and is using modern technologies. They already have a joint venture with Embraer so I think lower end 737s (-700, MAX 7) will be replaced by Embraer sooner or later (much like A318 is replaced by A220 and A319neo might be replaced by stretched version in near future.) Then larger variations will be replaced by new 797 which in smaller variations will be comparable to 737's larger variations and 797's larger variations will be comparable to what 757 was. That way they will have 3 current generation planes in their whole range covering essentially the whole market. (797,787,777X in order of increasing size)

[lightingball2]

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

Currently 787

Previous = 777, DC-10-30, 747SP

I have to ask, how is the 787.......I hear the dream liner is amazing....I can only imagine if I was piloting that as well....big difference from the 777?

[wilsonpepper]

Originally Posted by lightingball2

I have to ask, how is the 787.......I hear the dream liner is amazing....I can only imagine if I was piloting that as well....big difference from the 777?

Much better acoustics, humidity, lower cabin altitude = equals less stress on the body (body clock too) !

[Wes911]

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

Currently 787

Previous = 777, DC-10-30, 747SP

Well I haven't been at it as long as you but in 24 years of flying commercial jets I have never once looked at my watch in a nighttime cockpit and had any issue reading it. I am not arguing it would be cool to have the illuminated bezel or flaming you for posting about it.
Serious question though, do you legitimately feel it is needed? I sure do not need it, but again not saying it wouldn't be cool to have.

[wilsonpepper]

Originally Posted by Wes911

Well I haven't been at it as long as you but in 24 years of flying commercial jets I have never once looked at my watch in a nighttime cockpit and had any issue reading it. I am not arguing it would be cool to have the illuminated bezel or flaming you for posting about it.
Serious question though, do you legitimately feel it is needed? I sure do not need it, but again not saying it wouldn't be cool to have.

Since we all fly on UTC, the GMT watch is great to have. Yes I think there is a legitimate need for a lumen type of bezel. Especially when you are on a break in the bunk, in the dark. Whether the ring is set to UTC or just timing your sleep, it would be nice to "not have to turn on the light" to read your timer, or check the UTC time. All our break times are UTC, and you cannot see that time on a Rolex GMT, in the dark.

I don't think that it is required to be as bright as the Ball watch, but I do believe that it would add needed functionality.

[daOnlyBG]

I am for the return of a luminescent GMT bezel. I see no convincing argument against it.

[Onikage]

I'm all for it too. Anything called 'Pussy Galore' can't be a bad thing.

[MSchu]

wouldn't they need to change to a sapphire bezel if they wanted a lume 24h scale?

[e dantes]

Originally Posted by MSchu

wouldn't they need to change to a sapphire bezel if they wanted a lume 24h scale?

I have a diver with a ceramic bezel and lumed bezel markers. The lume is bright and is clearly visible whenever I wake up. That watch has been well used with no issues.

I would love for Rolex to return to a lumed bezel on their GMTs.

[THC]

Seems reasonable to me

[MTdweller]

When night flying, I use my G-shock. That is my tool watch. I just wear Rolex watches the rest of the time because I love ‘em.

[mistercoach32]

I agree and I've been saying it for a while myself. I used to spend 185-195 nights/year in hotels around the world because of work so I used the GMT often. With family at home, I'd always charge the lume before going to bed so I'd be able to see the time at my current location as well as home if I woke up in the middle of the night. With rarely being in the same city for longer than 3 days and being a heavy sleeper, it would often take me a few minutes before remembering what city/country I was in so it's a complication I relied on. It was a pain in the ass waking up in the middle of the night and figuring out what the time was back home with only seeing the pip.....especially if I was using it for 3 timezones and the bezel was turned so the pip wasn't in the 12 o'clock position.

[Jona]

I have a Ball watch and I love it. Note that the glow of the dial is not as bright as shown on their website. If you REALLY want a bright dial, get an Isobrite. Yeah, quartz but a nice watch, sapphire crystal. Brighter than Ball.

[Noah860]

If you had that bezel lit up on your Rolex you could fly a kite right into a ball dealership! I don’t need a glowing bezel on my gmt.

[kieselguhr]

I don’t see any reason why not. The Tudor Pelagos utilizes a ceramic bezel insert and has lumed minute markers.

If anything Rolex should incorporate this into their Explorer II line. While they are at it, include a fully lumed dial.

[Rado63]

Yes, you do lose the function in the dark when you can't see the 24 hour bezel. As an observation, The Ball watch with so much lume, is almost too difficult to read, because the GMT hand is hardly perceptible from the home time. I suggest a different color lume or shape for that GMT hand. Otherwise the Ball watch seems like a nice solution for use in low light. Thanks for sharing.

[Fatso]

Without a luminescent bezel the lume on the 24-hr hand seems kind of pointless.


This is how a GMT-Master should look like.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Fatso

Without a luminescent bezel the lume on the 24-hr hand seems kind of pointless.

This is how a GMT-Master should look like.

Except it needs a much bigger 24-hr arrow.


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