I finally got my pilots watch!

[Downing]

My Glashütte Original Senator Navigator watch arrived today.

I won't have time to take photos until this weekend, but here's a stock photo lifted from a GO press release:



The case is a honking 44mm, which suits my 8 inch wrist just fine. My initial impression is that even though it's overall lighter than my Sea-Dweller, it feels slightly heavier on my wrist since the weight's concentrated in the case rather than balanced by a SS bracelet.

I'm not a fan of brown straps in general, so I immediately replaced it with a black one. I believe the new strap compliments the black dial better and at the same time makes the watch a bit more formal so I can get away with wearing it with my suits at work.

I really, really like the clean layout of the dial. It's very easy to read, but the subsidiary hour dial makes for some interesting eye candy.

And the lume is simply outstanding. If you look closely at the above photograph, you can see that the even numbers on the minutes dial, i.e. the "10," the "20," the "30" etc, are slightly discolored compared to the other numbers. That's the lume. In the dark, those even numbered digits along with all sixty of the minute markers, the arrow at twelve o'clock, the hour dots and all three hands shine like a beacon. I can see this watch drawing complaints in a movie theater!

The Navigator doesn't have a hacking feature. Instead, you push the case button at the 8 o'clock position and the second hand jumps to zero. This will take a little getting used to but it's really quite simple to set the time. You simply pull the crown out and set the minute hand dead bang on the minute marker. Once that minute begins, you push the case button, the second hand then immediately jumps to zero and voilà! you're done.

This Navigator contains the GO Caliber 100 movement with 36 jewels, which I understand was developed only a few years ago. GO is one of the very few manufactories that exclusively uses its own in-house movements in every watch they make. The power reserve is 55 hours, give or take 5%.

The Navigator caseback is stainless steel, unlike most if not all other GO watches, which have sapphire crystal casebacks to show off GO's superbly finished movements.

There are rumors floating around that GO may make optional sapphire backs available to Navigator owners in the near future. I'm not sure if that means I'd have to give up the original caseback. My guess is GO would want to keep the originals to prevent "frankenwatches." If that's the case, I'll probably just keep the original as I'm pretty partial to it already. The watch's production number is etched on the back along with "Glashütte Original" in incursive writing plus "5 ATM" and "ST STEEL". As much as I'd like to be able to admire the movement through a crystal caseback, I wouldn't want to have to permanently part with the original steel back to do it.

On the other hand, if GO lets me keep the original, I'll definitely get a sapphire back.

All in all, I'm very jazzed about this watch. I've been wanting a pilots watch for some time. What's next? Hmmmm, how about a perpetual calendar?

Ahhh, life is good.

[roadcarver]

Congrats on the acquistion!

How come its called a pilot's watch? Any special functions/features?

[Downing]

Today's modern pilot watches come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, for example see Breitling. But this particular style of watch is based on the ones that were supplied by German watchmakers to the Luftwaffe during WWII.

These pilots needed big watches that were highly legible and that focused more on minutes than hours so they could be easily and quickly read and synchronized. The original watches were extremely large, 55mm, with long leather straps so they could fit over flight jackets. If you believe the hype, special emphasis was placed on accurate timekeeping given that they were used in military missions.

A fair number of watch makers make them today, most famously I guess Sinn (German) and IWC (Swiss). The latter makes a 47mm model which is appropriately named "The Big Pilot," along with quite a few other models.

Other than the dial layout and historical reference, there's nothing really all that special in terms of functions or features. I'm attracted to them because I appreciate the easy to read dial and historical reference, plus I wanted to complete my sea/land/air collection.

[Alcan]

Good looking watch, I like the big minute indexes!

I was wondering about the button @ 8:00 until I read your description, pretty cool.

[dman]

That is a beautiful watch in the metal, enjoy it!!

[Robb]

Thats beautiful Downing. Congrats!!!

[unclesallie]

great watch! i know what you mean about 'great lume'...just got a Ball Engineer and the 'lume' is fantastic...Ball uses Tritium gas and at night the watch lights up like a christmas tree.....congratulations, again, ENJOY.
best, dan

[Bama]

Downing, that's a great looking watch

[Perdu]

Great review. Congrats on the watch.

[oyster21]

beautiful piece. congrat Downing for the new aquisition.

[applebook]

I love GO as well. Their in-house movements are actually affordable in the SS, uncomplicated range. One of these days I will get a GO.