Idiot Daytona Questions

[Fredd]

Can somebody please explain to me what the dials and buttons are for?

Also, why do some have the the 3 6 9 12 at the bottom not left?

[Alcan]

The long thin central hand is the chronograph or stopwatch seconds hand

Right subdial is chrono elapsed minutes totaliser

Left subdial is chrono elapsed hours totaliser

Mid lower subdial is regular watch seconds

Push the upper button to start/stop/start the chronograph timer

Push the lower button (with chrono stopped) to reset the chrono to zero or 12:00 position


Earlier Daytonas with the Zenith movement had the hours and seconds subdials reversed

[Rashid.bk]

The buttons operate the chronograph, the three small dials. They work just like a stopwatch. The dial you refer to counts hours and it is located at the bottom (6 o'clock) on Daytonas that have Zenith movements.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fredd]

Ah fantastic, it makes sense now. Thank you!

What would the numbers on the bezel be used for?

[ralfcom]

The bezel numbers indicate the speed of the object you are measuring in miles per hour. You start the stop watch, stop it when the object has traveled 1 mile. If it takes 48 seconds (roughly) to travel 1 mile, the object is doing 75 miles per hour (based on number on outer bezel).

Hope that helps.

[Fredd]

That helps a lot, thank you.

So I presume the bezel is fixed unlike a sub/gmt ?

[mistral]

Originally Posted by Fredd

That helps a lot, thank you.

So I presume the bezel is fixed unlike a sub/gmt ?

Yes

[landroverking]

Yes you are right.

[mfer]

Originally Posted by ralfcom

The bezel numbers indicate the speed of the object you are measuring in miles per hour. You start the stop watch, stop it when the object has traveled 1 mile. If it takes 48 seconds (roughly) to travel 1 mile, the object is doing 75 miles per hour (based on number on outer bezel).

Hope that helps.

It isn't just mph, but any unit per hour. If you go 1 kilometer in 15seconds you'd be doing 240kph.

[Bangel]

Originally Posted by mfer

It isn't just mph, but any unit per hour. If you go 1 kilometer in 15seconds you'd be doing 240kph.

Absolutely correct.

That's also why it says "units per hour" on the bezel.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by mfer

It isn't just mph, but any unit per hour. If you go 1 kilometer in 15seconds you'd be doing 240kph.

Yes, it works for any unit of speed. That's why the bezel says Units Per Hour

[NewDaytonaMan]

another example: if you start the stopwatch when a machine starts making a certain item, and that item is finished in 20 seconds, therefore that machine has the capacity to make 180 (from number on dial) of those items in 1 hour...

[codecow]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Yes, it works for any unit of speed. That's why the bezel says Units Per Hour

Not really even speed, let's say you're timing a manufacturing machine stamping out Twinkies. It literally means units per hour.

[zama]

The more interesting question does anyone really use this feature or is it really just for looks. As a potential Daytona buyer this feature sits a long way down the list on why I want to own the watch....

[77T]

Originally Posted by zama

The more interesting question does anyone really use this feature or is it really just for looks. As a potential Daytona buyer this feature sits a long way down the list on why I want to own the watch....

Not since data loggers and GPS - the old ways have gone the route of manual stopwatches.

[tfly212]

Originally Posted by zama

The more interesting question does anyone really use this feature or is it really just for looks. As a potential Daytona buyer this feature sits a long way down the list on why I want to own the watch....

There are many cheaper and more accurate ways to accomplish these features (probably can be said of most mechanical watch complications)...but to me the really cool part is that all of this is done with tiny gears, springs, etc. No CPU, no battery etc.

[Racerdj]

Only an idiot does not ask questions.

[codecow]

Originally Posted by zama

The more interesting question does anyone really use this feature or is it really just for looks. As a potential Daytona buyer this feature sits a long way down the list on why I want to own the watch....

Which one, the stop watch? I find that when I am wearing mine I find things to time with it. It's fun to hear the sound of the pushers

[Eulogy]

Originally Posted by zama

The more interesting question does anyone really use this feature or is it really just for looks. As a potential Daytona buyer this feature sits a long way down the list on why I want to own the watch....

But in my mind buying it for the looks makes even less sense. Not knowing the functions (which I didn't) lessened my desire to have one. I really didn't see the attraction.

Now that I know the functions, even if I wouldn't use them, makes me think about how neat it would be to have one.

Make sense?

[Alcan]

Here's another handy feature. Activate the stopwatch centre seconds hand, then stop it at the second which corresponds to the current date. Presto, a date feature!


Obviously has to be manually advanced once a day, though.

[BlueHeron]

Timing things is less useful for me that counting-down, such as with a parking meter. Although I will tell you I use my Sub all the time for monitoring how much time I've got left on the meter...

I am aware of some of the chime complications with other brands, but do they also count-down, or is it based only on time of day.