24 hour watch
Encyclopedia
A 24-hour watch is a type of watch
with an hour hand
that completes a revolution every 24 hours. This type of watch is especially useful for airplane pilots
, astronauts, members of the military
, or anyone who uses a 24-hour clock
.
The face may be arranged in either of two ways: with the 12 at the top (as on standard watch and clock faces) and the 24 at the traditional 6 o'clock position, or else rotated 180° with the 24 at the traditional 12 o'clock position and the 12 at the traditional 6 o'clock position (as pictured).
A 24-hour watch with multiple hour hands
or a rotating bezel is particularly useful for displaying the time in multiple time zones. Rolex
was asked to create what is considered to be the original version of this watch by Pan American Airlines in the 1950s, and as a result they made the Rolex GMT Master II
.
A 24 hour watch with a compass card dial can be used to determine direction when set to local noon and used in conjunction with the sun. (See: Direction Finding Watch
).
Many (but not all) current digital
watch
es can be set to show the time in 24-hour format.
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
with an hour hand
Clock face
A clock face is the part of an analog clock that displays the time through the use of a fixed numbered dial or dials and moving hands. In its most basic form, recognized universally throughout the world, the dial is numbered 1–12 indicating the hours in a 12-hour cycle, and a short hour hand...
that completes a revolution every 24 hours. This type of watch is especially useful for airplane pilots
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, astronauts, members of the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, or anyone who uses a 24-hour clock
24-hour clock
The 24-hour clock is a convention of time keeping in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours, indicated by the hours passed since midnight, from 0 to 23. This system is the most commonly used time notation in the world today...
.
The face may be arranged in either of two ways: with the 12 at the top (as on standard watch and clock faces) and the 24 at the traditional 6 o'clock position, or else rotated 180° with the 24 at the traditional 12 o'clock position and the 12 at the traditional 6 o'clock position (as pictured).
A 24-hour watch with multiple hour hands
Clock face
A clock face is the part of an analog clock that displays the time through the use of a fixed numbered dial or dials and moving hands. In its most basic form, recognized universally throughout the world, the dial is numbered 1–12 indicating the hours in a 12-hour cycle, and a short hour hand...
or a rotating bezel is particularly useful for displaying the time in multiple time zones. Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
was asked to create what is considered to be the original version of this watch by Pan American Airlines in the 1950s, and as a result they made the Rolex GMT Master II
Rolex GMT Master II
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date GMT Master is part of the Rolex Professional Watch Collection. Designed in collaboration with Pan Am Airways for use by their pilots and navigators, it was launched in 1954.-History:...
.
A 24 hour watch with a compass card dial can be used to determine direction when set to local noon and used in conjunction with the sun. (See: Direction Finding Watch
Direction Finding Watch
The photo to the right shows a specialized 24-hour watch optimized for finding directions using the sun. With the watch set to indicate local time, the hour hand is pointed directly at the sun...
).
Many (but not all) current digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
watch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
es can be set to show the time in 24-hour format.
Notable 24-hour watch brands
- BreitlingBreitlingBreitling is a luxury brand of Swiss watches produced by Breitling SA, a private company headquartered in Grenchen, Canton of Solothurn . The company exclusively offered Certified Chronometers in all models since 2000...
(Swiss) - GalletGallet & Co.Gallet is a historical Swiss manufacturer of high-end timepieces for professional use.Gallet is the world’s oldest watch and clock making house with history dating back to Humbertus Gallet, a clock maker who became a citizen of Geneva in 1466...
(Swiss) - Glycine watchGlycine WatchGlycine is a Swiss wristwatch manufacturer. Glycine became a noteworthy watch maker in the early 1950s for the introduction of their Airman model, a 24 hour watch favored by both military and commercial pilots. The Airman was worn by many U.S. Air Force pilots during the Vietnam War. Glycine still...
(Swiss) - Oris (Swiss)
- RaketaRaketaRaketa watches have been manufactured since 1962 by the Petrodvorets Watch Factory in Saint Petersburg. The Petrodvorets Watch Factory is Russia's oldest factory, it was founded by Peter the Great in 1721 as the Peterhof Lapidary Works to make hardstone carvings...
(USSR / Russian) - RolexRolexRolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
(Swiss) - PoljotPoljotPoljot , is a brand of Soviet/Russian wristwatches, produced since 1964 by the First Moscow Watch Factory . The flagship brand of the USSR's watch industry, Poljot produced numerous historical watches used in many important space missions, including the world's first space watch worn by Yuri Gagarin...
(Russian)