What’s the best watch to wear on safari?

[Kevin Peacocke]

I do not wear any watch at all when I am out, and I have a foolproof method for telling the time.

What I do is take my trousers down, and then lie on my back, close my eyes, and think of England. Dulce et decorum est pro patria somniare. That usually does the trick, and in short order I have my own sundial.

I was demonstrating this method the last time that I was in the Limpopo. My PH was impressed, but confessed that he was a bit too fat to do it himself, and that his own protuberance (fun fact: it is technically known as the 'gnomon') would be lost in the flab. The tracker was most impressed by the method but confessed that his own member was insufficient compared to mine.

Obviously you should check that you are not lying on an ants' nest when you do this.

Anyway, as I say, this is an easy way of telling the time and bound to impress the locals. I recommend it to all the (male) contributors to this forum.

The only country that could do that for me would be Marilyn Monroe. Timeless beauty?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I do not wear any watch at all when I am out, and I have a foolproof method for telling the time.

What I do is take my trousers down, and then lie on my back, close my eyes, and think of England. Dulce et decorum est pro patria somniare. That usually does the trick, and in short order I have my own sundial.

I was demonstrating this method the last time that I was in the Limpopo. My PH was impressed, but confessed that he was a bit too fat to do it himself, and that his own protuberance (fun fact: it is technically known as the 'gnomon') would be lost in the flab. The tracker was most impressed by the method but confessed that his own member was insufficient compared to mine.

Obviously you should check that you are not lying on an ants' nest when you do this.

Anyway, as I say, this is an easy way of telling the time and bound to impress the locals. I recommend it to all the (male) contributors to this forum.

By the time Viagra kicks in the sun could be behind a cloud ... or over the horizon.

I'm not sure why a Catholic priest would get so excited about the thought of England. Didn't they formerly burn guys like you over there?

 

[Houston Bill]

Some people enjoy and appreciate finer things in life, from custom hats to bespoke clothing to bespoke guns to fine watches and pens etc. etc.. In regard to losing things, well that's what insurance is for and if something is of quality it will not wear out. Like @Red Leg I do have a Rolex (Sea Dweller in my case) that I had purchased in 1978. Wore it for decades, and still wear it on occasion.

Personally, I took care of my grandkids by providing for a solid Ivy League education and installing a work ethic for my kids. Whether I die with millions in my estate or broke, it will not make any difference to their quality of life. Whatever inheritance they eventually (hopefully not for 30 years or so ) get would be a topping on the cake, not much more.



Well, I think from a multitude of posts you have made, most understand that.

@Tanks, your Sea Dweller is older than mine, I got mine in 1986 I think.

 

[Bapu]

I saw this watch today in a shop and nearly walked out with it...
View attachment 505051
43mm stainless case and contrasting leather deployment clasp
Illuminated numbers and hands with sapphire anti-reflective glass
Automatic movement with clear case back
The onion crown stands alone on the edge
So simple and yet so complex...

I wish it didn't look so good on my wrist.
Never should have went into that store.

That’s a beautiful looking watch. Just grab it ! How was it priced?

 

[akrifleman]

My vote is Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Tactical (contains applied ballistics app)

Will it help in Africa? Help what? When hunting I'm on "Island Time". But, having environmental sensors, training helpers, GPS, ballistics chart, toughness, solar power, etc You could do worse training and shooting.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

My vote is Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Tactical (contains applied ballistics app)

Will it help in Africa? Help what? When hunting I'm on "Island Time". But, having environmental sensors, training helpers, GPS, ballistics chart, toughness, solar power, etc You could do worse training and shooting.

I'm not sure I ever look at my watch when in Africa. But now that I think about it, a Rolex might look nice with my frayed green Wrangler pants and Columbia camo fleece jacket with holes in the shoulder. Others at the lodge campfire would surely notice. It will be impossible to not notice. That's what's important right?

 

[VertigoBE]

I'm not sure I ever look at my watch when in Africa. But now that I think about it, a Rolex might look nice with my frayed green Wrangler pants and Columbia camo fleece jacket with holes in the shoulder. Others at the lodge campfire would surely notice. It will be impossible to not notice. That's what's important right?

Yes, because people who like fine watches, rifles and accessories could not conceivably want to surround themselves with them, just for their own appreciation. They only acquire them in order to get noticed....

 

[akrifleman]

I'm not sure I ever look at my watch when in Africa. But now that I think about it, a Rolex might look nice with my frayed green Wrangler pants and Columbia camo fleece jacket with holes in the shoulder. Others at the lodge campfire would surely notice. It will be impossible to not notice. That's what's important right?

While I'm a fan of fine things, I'll take function first. I do appreciate when function and fine meet, such as a Heym or Westley-Richards (or Laphroig scotch), but for my own edification.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I'm not sure I ever look at my watch when in Africa. But now that I think about it, a Rolex might look nice with my frayed green Wrangler pants and Columbia camo fleece jacket with holes in the shoulder. Others at the lodge campfire would surely notice. It will be impossible to not notice. That's what's important right?

You seem to have some serious problems with the finer things and those that can afford them..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You seem to have some serious problems with the finer things and those that can afford them..

I don't "have serious problems with those that can afford the finer things." That would mean I have serious problems with myself ... which, as anyone can plainly see, I do not.

I think you have a serious problem with poor sense of humor. Just so you know, it's also one of the finer things in life. Perhaps the finest. And very cheap too.

 

[PARA45]

No watch for me, I'm on Africa time, I'm on my PH time that's all the time I need to know!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I don't "have serious problems with those that can afford the finer things." That would mean I have serious problems with myself ... which, as anyone can plainly see, I do not.

I think you have a serious problem with poor sense of humor. Just so you know, it's also one of the finer things in life. Perhaps the finest. And very cheap too.

You can say whatever you want but your posts tell a different story.

In other words, that may have been believable if it weren’t for so many of your posts that have been slanted in that direction.

 

[BeeMaa]

That’s a beautiful looking watch. Just grab it ! How was it priced?

The IWC Big Pilot's Watch 43mm is a beautiful piece and I believe it was priced around $7K. Truth is that my heart lies with Omega.

About 3 months after that post my wife found this while we were on vacation in the Caribbean. I had the strap changed to brown leather and added a deployment clasp. I made the right decision (for me) in waiting.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You can say whatever you want but your posts tell a different story.

In other words, that may have been believable if it weren’t for so many of your posts that have been slanted in that direction.

You high rollers are so self conscious about justifying extravagance. You don't need to be. But there is this perception that only high rollers go to Africa. Ain't necessarily so. I show a different side and you guys automatically assume I'm ridiculing extravagance. Wrong. When have I ever made any justification one way or the other? I prefer efficiency and sticking to essentials. It's the way my folks brought me up and as far as I'm concerned, they're the two best people who ever walked the face of this earth. It's natural I would want to be like them. But that's me. Some folks enjoy spending money. Fine. Some folks collect stamps and old dolls. I have always had a passion for hunting hard. Other hobbies, like spending money on stuff, just is not for me. I have no interest in more stuff. I have too much already. I leave my money invested where hopefully it's putting some young folks to work (but probably too much is wasted on CEOs' salaries and severence). That's just who I am. It's not who you are and I'm fine with that. But maybe you really arent?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

You high rollers are so self conscious about justifying extravagance. You don't need to be. But there is this perception that only high rollers go to Africa. Ain't necessarily so. I show a different side and you guys automatically assume I'm ridiculing extravagance. Wrong. When have I ever made any justification one way or the other? I prefer efficiency and sticking to essentials. It's the way my folks brought me up and as far as I'm concerned, they're the two best people who ever walked the face of this earth. It's natural I would want to be like them. But that's me. Some folks enjoy spending money. Fine. Some folks collect stamps and old dolls. I have always had a passion for hunting hard. Other hobbies, like spending money on stuff, just is not for me. I have no interest in more stuff. I have too much already. I leave my money invested where hopefully it's putting some young folks to work (but probably too much is wasted on CEOs' salaries and severence). That's just who I am. It's not who you are and I'm fine with that. But maybe you really arent?

I’m not a “high roller” and I’ve never claimed to be.. I’m a sub six figure salaried average Joe. There’s no assumption involved.. You have indeed been ridiculing the finer things and the people who can afford them. You keep throwing around the word “extravagance” but that is an incredibly subjective thing. I’m quite certain one can hunt just as hard with a Rigby Rising Bite as they can with a Mossberg Patriot.

 

[DrBob]

I've traveled the world and my philosophy is don't bring anything you can't live without leaving there. I brought a Casio G-Shock recently to Tanzania. I ordered it on Amazon the week before I left. I thought about leaving it with my tracker, but he didn't seem to care to much about time so, I wore it back to the States. Now I'm going to wear it to Maine for the last week of hunting season. Good luck to the Rolex crowd!

View attachment 501119

The old question... if you are going to the moon, do you take one Rolex or two Timexes? Now days, I also go for the G-Shock solar. The tracker missed out on a great watch. When I hear that someone is driving the Alaska Highway (especially in the old days), take a hammer , crack your windshield and have a great trip with no cares. Lose a Casio... not a big deal.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I’m not a “high roller” and I’ve never claimed to be.. I’m a sub six figure salaried average Joe. There’s no assumption involved.. You have indeed been ridiculing the finer things and the people who can afford them. You keep throwing around the word “extravagance” but that is an incredibly subjective thing. I’m quite certain one can hunt just as hard with a Rigby Rising Bite as they can with a Mossberg Patriot.

Well, you'll have to show me a post where I have ridiculed anyone. I don't recall anything like that. Maybe I would consider buying a thousand dollar hat ridiculous ... for me. I bought a twenty dollar one at a grocery store that looks just as good ... or so the gals tell me. But to display it here somehow gets interpreted as ridiculing others who went the custom hat route? "Ridiculing" might be their interpretation, but it's not what I said. I'm just as proud of my hat as they are of theirs. Don't I have that right?

I don't go to Africa to put on a safari duds style show. I go to hunt hard. Somehow that is interpreted as ridiculing others who really look forward to buying a wardrobe to look the part of a safari white hunter. It's what is important to them, but not important to me. No mocking, no ridiculing. Just a different perspective. I'm sure I look plenty ridiculous to them hunting in Africa with worn out clothes, cheap hat, and shooting an old WWII rifle. I'm fine with that ... but that's interpreted as "ridiculing" and "arrogance?"

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Well, you'll have to show me a post where I have ridiculed anyone. I don't recall anything like that. Maybe I would consider buying a thousand dollar hat ridiculous ... for me. I bought a twenty dollar one at a grocery store that looks just as good ... or so the gals tell me. But to display it here somehow gets interpreted as ridiculing others who went the custom hat route? "Ridiculing" might be their interpretation, but it's not what I said. I'm just as proud of my hat as they are of theirs. Don't I have that right?

I don't go to Africa to put on a safari duds style show. I go to hunt hard. Somehow that is interpreted as ridiculing others who really look forward to buying a wardrobe to look the part of a safari white hunter. It's what is important to them, but not important to me. No mocking, no ridiculing. Just a different perspective. I'm sure I look plenty ridiculous to them hunting in Africa with worn out clothes, cheap hat, and shooting an old WWII rifle. I'm fine with that ... but that's interpreted as "ridiculing" and "arrogance?"

Don’t take this as a concession, because it’s not. I think I’ll bow out of this conversation before we further derail this thread. I won’t be responding anymore so don’t waste your time unless you want attention.

 

[sestoppelman]

I am sentimental about watches. When I was a kid about 8, so around 1961, I obsessed over getting a pocket watch for Christmas, just nuts.
Christmas day finally rolled around, the watch weighing heavily on my mind, stacked up presents like cordwood, not seeing anything that looked like it might harbor a pocket watch, panic began to set in, with tears not far behind, imminent.

I tore thru all the boxes, no watch, now about to faint, I looked up to my dad standing there in his bathrobe, coffee cup in hand, watching me, grinning.

He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out the pocket watch that nearly had me in tears for fear there wouldn't be one that year.

Since that day I have always been keen on watches and clocks and still have a neat Russian made pocket watch with nautical scenes on it. It keeps good time on the rare occasions I use it.

Of course the Xmas watch was soon broken, busted or lost, but I wont ever forget that day.
My dad died about 12 years ago, and this memory of him will always be with me.

 

[steve white]

The IWC Big Pilot's Watch 43mm is a beautiful piece and I believe it was priced around $7K. Truth is that my heart lies with Omega.

About 3 months after that post my wife found this while we were on vacation in the Caribbean. I had the strap changed to brown leather and added a deployment clasp. I made the right decision (for me) in waiting.
View attachment 542533

If it's good enough for James Bond (Daniel Craig version) then it's good enough for me...