AE. 18 | "Bezel Action"

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding affordable GMT complications in microbrand watches. On the mic is long-time Analog Explorer alumni  ⁠⁠Dan⁠⁠ ( @Timely_Moments ) from the ⁠⁠Zulu Time Podcast⁠⁠, and in this collaborative episode, we explore how the bezel surrounding GMT movements can enhance their functionality. We cover a brief history of the evolution of bezels and what they measure. And we put out our conjecture that perhaps we may see a revival of simpler bezel designs that allow for different timing options without the added expense and complexity of a mechanical 4-hand movement

Fixed Bezels

• Pulsmeter scale 30-220 (pulse rate) 

• Tachymetre - 60 to 400-600 (calculate speed and distance) 

• Telemetere  - number up to 19 with mile/km markings (measure the distance between a person and a remote event/object) 

• Decimal bezel (1- 100) (This bezel helps present time in percentages and decimals)

Turnable Bezels 

• Count up or Elapsed Time (Diver)

• Count Down (Mission Timer) 

• 24hr

• Worldtime (passive)

• 12hr

• “Double over” (count up and 12 hrs for example, but any two tracks of measuring. See No Deco)

  

• No Deco (decompression)- created by Doxa, showing two tracks on one steel bezel of a diver on the inside and recreational no decompression depth on the outside in a ‘double over’ design.  

• Segmented (Blok) 

• Compass (Seiko Alpinist) 

• Yacht - 0-10 

• Tide Bezel

• Aeronautic Computer/ Slide Rule - Breitling Navitimer  

• Lindbergh Bezel

Bezels in the wild

Requires complication combo

• Altimeter- example Oris Altimeter with meter scale (internal bezel) - https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/oris-propilot-altimeter-meters-79377758764-set

• Depth - (but still keeps diver’s count up bezel on outside)  https://quillandpad.com/2021/05/22/a-comprehensive-look-at-mechanical-depth-gauge-watches/ 

• Chronographs + (see above under Fixed Bezels)

History

A bezel that moves. 

Air-Era

• Rolex Zeropgraphe- 1930’s rotating bezel 

• 1938-1941 Hanhart, Tutima, Glashutte -  pilot chromosome with a turned bezel and a red mark at 12 for a “reference marker” 

• Glicine Airman : 24hr watch and double 12 watch 

• Soviet watches like the 3133 chronographs have a rotating inner 12 bezel 

Sea-Era 

• 1950’s Rolex Turn-o-Graph

• 1953 Submariner

Rolex Submariner was the “…first diver’s wristwatch to be waterproof to 100 meters) and have a rotating bezel.” - Rolex

• 1953 Blacpain fifty Fathoms 
  

• “Blancpain was the first company to make its timing bezel unidirectional, only ratcheting counter-clockwise. A unidirectional bezel is useful since, should it get bumped during the rough and tumble of diving, it will only subtract time from a diver’s bottom time and not put him in danger of overstaying his no-deco limit. Until Blancpain’s patent ran out on this feature, other brands had to make do with bezels that spun both ways. Today, unidirectional bezels are virtually universal.” - Revolution

• 1953 Zodiac Sea Wolf 

• 1970 Omega Ploprof, big orange button to unlock the bezel

• Yema, lock from the crown to hold the bezel in place 

In the late ’60’ - Compressor case = Internal Bezel 

• 1967 IWC Aquatimer 

• 1967 Doxa introduced the no-deco bezel 

• Mid 70’s Seiko : 600meter pro diver with a shroud that screwed into the case. Bezel cutouts for two finger access

• Soviet Boctok Amphibias

Travel Era

• 1937 Patek Philippe World Time watches - 515 HU 

• 1954 GMT master 6542

• Combinations of bezels inside and outside

Double independent  external bezel watch 

• 1960s

  • LeJour, Kaltron, Thomax, and Welsbro 

  • J.P. Pingouin Cruisemaster Tide-Indicator Watch

    

• 1970s

  • Sicura Watches - 1972

    

• Today

  • Elliot Brown Beachmaster https://elliotbrownwatches.com/en-us/collections/beachmaster