Do Navy Seals really wear a Rolex, if so why?

Could they get an Omega Seamaster if they asked? I think NASA still pays for the Speedmasters the astronauts use.

 

Its not specifically Rolex that runs fast, its many new mechanical watches tend to run a bit fast until they have broken in a bit. But any mechanical watch can be regulated if one finds the watch is running too fast for their liking. Most people just complain their watch is too fast or too slow without knowing it can be regulated. I had a Daytona that I wore as a daily wearer for almost 6 years...it was a few seconds fast for maybe its first 4 or 5 months and then it settled down and was dead on accurate for the next 5 years I wore it. I never owned a more accurate mechanical watch.

More commonly "non-watch" people complain after several years of use that their mechanical watch is running slow and they get annoyed that its not keeping good time. These are people that buy one good watch to last a life time and do not want to spend money for a cleaning and fresh oil. One quick example was a woman I knew that *****ed about her Rolex saying she spent a lot of money for it and why should she have to spend $500 to get it serviced it should just keep good time. Mind you her watch was more than 10 years old.

Best regards,
Dino

 

I believe the current Astronaut crews use NASA only Speedmaster X-33's-- a digital multitouch variation.

-dsd

 

The original Speedmaster is supposedly still popular and continues to be the only watch certified by NASA for EVA - extravehicular activity.
Interesting history of Omega in the space program here:
http://www.lesmala.net/jean-michel/speedmaster/nasastory.htm

 

Nothing could be further from the truth.

If one wanted a watch that will be accurate over the course of use that a military person would see, and would withstand a huge amount of punishment, a mechanical automatic watch is the last thing you want. You want a quartz watch all the way.

And.... that is why quartz watches are precisely what they use.

 

Some Marines wear Rolexs....
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The submarine regs were more concerned with radium painted hands & dials, as the resulting radon sets off the air particulate detectors

Besides, tritium has a crappy half life. My 1940's vintage Tudor is still bright as heck with its radium dial.

 

1940s is pre-Submariner, possibly pre-SEAL, and definitely well before my time. But thanks for the info regarding Radium. If its still glowing brightly after roughly 70 years...thats pretty impressive. The regular Luminova on current Rolex watches is not so bright after a few hours.

Best regards,
Dino

 

Seals didn't start until Kennedy administration although, of course, UDT started much earlier.

 

There are several watches using tritrium gas vials- Ball and the previously mentioned Luminox being 2 examples. Not quite the same as tritrium paint, but the same idea. Don't know if it is any more or less radioactive than the painted dials, though.

 

$6K is not that much money. Do any of you have wives who like shoes and purses?

 

Since it's really not much can you help a brother out and send me a check for $6k?

$6k is a lot of money to the 99% of people who live in the real world.

 

Yes, I do believe that almost anyone can afford a $6K watch. It may take someone a short or long while to save up but just about anyone can scratch together $6K (even if it takes them years). Of course, the harder it is to save up the cash, the less likely a person is to blow it on a single watch.

 

Save up and anyone can afford to buy anything.

 

I'm not sure if I agree with that. Some people could save for a lifetime and never afford a properly working private jet

Of course, you see my point. $6K is a number just about anyone can get to in a reasonable period of time.

 

If there is a person who loves jets and dreams of jets, there is no reason to tell that person they can't save enough to buy a jet. Where there is a will there is a way

 

Buying a jet is one thing. Being able to afford to maintain it and fly it is a whole 'nother ballgame...

 

Not true. Going through BUDs is not a SEAL, you must pass BUDs then take/opt/choose the SEAL path.

IF you are not in the US Navy branch, like say a Marine [in this case, NOT part of the Navy war or not], Air Force, or Army, you must detach from that branch, and join the US Navy.


Korea or whatever, are not SEALs. Rose is a rose, but only one group called SEALs and they are all US Navy.

regards, rik

 

It is all about choices and what you want more. I'm not into jets, but I would bet there are clubs that share in the cost of maintenance. Maybe 50 jet owners get together and hire a mechanic that services all the airplanes. Maybe there is a waiting list for service, but it also makes ownership affordable. Whatever the sacrifice, there is a way to live the dream. I doubt the person would care too much when they're in the air flying.

I'm surprised nobody has done this with Ferrari. A group of 100 Testarossa owners could hire a mechanic to service their cars. Figure paying the mechanic $75,000 per year or whatever the going rate is. That is $750 per year per owner. The club members would only have to pay for parts and save 100% of the labor cost. Maybe add another $100 per owner for renting a service shop, and another $50 per owner in operating costs. I bet it could be done for under $1000 per year. How much is the labor portion cost of a full service that needs to be done every 3 years?

 

Its a matter of convenience I'm sure. Sure you are paying much less but it is going to be a much much longer wait to have your car serviced, figure in paying a grand each year including some years where the only maintenance you need is some bolts turned and basic checkups and the outlook for a communal system doesn't look so bright. That system might work for some but I think for most it would make them uneasy..not that I know anything about maintaining an fcar.

 

It appears that Jeff and I share the definition of 'almost anyone'. I'd venture to guess that the vast majority of the inhabitants of Africa couldn't save $6000 for a watch. Probably the same for places like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. Maybe the 'almost anyone' you're thinking about lives in North America. Or Europe. Even so, I'd still venture a guess that more than half of those people can't afford a $6k watch. The people that lurk on a Ferrari board probably don't accurately represent humanity as a whole from an affluence perspective.

 

Please. A $6k watch (or just about any other material item this side of an automobile) is a lot of money to the vast majority of people in America. If you don't think so, you're waaaay off base. Period.

 

With ~50% of the country earning $50K or less it's a pretty fair bet that not many of them are buying $6K watches! I'd be willing to bet that a good percentage of the country doesn't even know that there are watches that cost that much.

 

I was in BUD's in 2004. What year were you there? Here is a link that talks about Navy SEAL's and they are not US NAVY. http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=53084

Also if you go though BUD's your on a career path to be a SEAL. There is no other path for US Navy members.

 

The costs to own and operate a jet are several orders of magnitude above a Ferrari. Even if you really, really want it, you might not be able to swing it no matter how hard you work.

Jets and yachts are the truly rarified air when it comes to expensive things.