Reply With QuoteNever checked any of my watches against the/any 'datum' on a regular basis. I prefer 5-10 mins fast for the same reason.
I got a beautiful Oris Carlos Coste chrono from Paul (jonah885) this week and I've been as pleased as punch with it. I've been on a course all week which has had a reasonable amount of homework, so I haven't had time to lavish all the attention on it that I'd like to have done, but the timekeeping seemed "fine".
We were doing some interview practice this morning and a noticed that the watch if the guy next to me was reading 5 minutes or so ahead of my Coste. Initially I found it odd, as I'd set the watch at the start of the session with reference to my phone, but thought there would be an explanation for it. It did, however, spark a doubt in my head, so I tried to read the watch of the guy opposite. Again, I noticed that his watch was 5 minutes or so ahead of mine.
Well, that was it. My paranoia went into overdrive. It can't have lost 5 minutes in such a short time, could it? What shall I say to Paul? I wonder if he'd agree to pay for a service or whether I'd have to send the watch back to him.... All the things I really didn't need to be thinking about!
At the end of the session I checked my watch against my phone and found it was correct. When I mentioned it to the other guys, who were both in the Army, they both admitted to setting their watches 5 minutes fast so that they are never late. I was incredulous, but on talking to others in the room, it appeared that half of the attendees (all of them Army) did the same. I think this is taking the "5 minutes early is on time" mantra a little too far.
Surely once you know in your mind that your watch is 5 minutes fast, you just compensate naturally? I know it would bug the life out of me! And if you can't organise your life without reference to the actual time, surely you shouldn't be let loose with weapons...
Anyone else do something similar?
Never checked any of my watches against the/any 'datum' on a regular basis. I prefer 5-10 mins fast for the same reason.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I like my watch to tell the time :)
If i want to be early i leave earlier
Simples!
While in the Army (FDF) we had to reference the national time signal meticulously, being artillery. The infantry did too, as it does not help your health if you are out of sync with indirect fire. Never heard or witnessed intentional offset.
In the army it's accepted good practice to be five minutes early. But for the reasons outlined by our artillery friend above, only an idiot sets their watch five minutes fast.
The only time you need concern yourself with in the Army starts with MAAAAARK....
Cheers
Jeff Dight
Must be a Navy thing.
i set my watch to the correct time, i cant speak for all soldiers though.
5 minutes early is only important for parades, having the right time for sitrep/casevac/fire control orders etc need to be exact. I just thought it was an old army saying used on the parade square for soldiers running late. But saying that, I have known a few that had set watches with an offset, but there are idiots that will always be late whatever time they have in their watch
Which Coste did you get CH? The Cenote or the older (but simply fabulous IMHO) Nemo?
I do the same and luckily all my watches run fast. Always taught to be 5 minutes early.
I got the Nemo and I have to agree, it is simply fabulous.Originally Posted by chester
As for Army time, I get absolutely that teeth arms need the right time or there could be serious consequences. The fact that all of the people were from support arms maybe explains it all.
Jon Richardson, the comedian, admits that he sets all his clocks and watches to be fast, but by different amounts so that he never compensates for the "error".
Unless your in the Guards, then it's 7 minutes.
An old colleague (and friend) takes this to the extreme and has his watch (AP Royal Oak Offshore Ginza if you are interested) set 15 minutes fast. He isn't military which is good because he never fails to be an hour late for anything!
Ha ha, that sounds like him alright!
My (besainted) mother insists that the clock in her car be set FOUR minutes fast precisely. Think my father has given up trying to argue against it.
In the training world (Initial Entry Training, ie basic training) the cadre set their watches to the Dining Facility clock.
The reason is because that's where the bottleneck is. Each platoon has an assigned 30 minute block to get 40 recruits in, fed, and out. Each facility handles a training battalion, or twelve platoons, but can seat only 4 platoons at a time. Your platoon shows up late, you start a chain-reaction that has people standing around with trays of food in their hands…
Everything else is "hurry-up and wait."
I used to set the time forward on my alarm clock, in order to increase the time I could lie in bed before getting up for my paper round. But, as OP says, I soon got used to "adjusting" the time in my mind - and so the benefit was gone. I was simply losing sleeping time.
Never as an adult though.
My watches are always set five minutes fast. If I want the actual time, I can get out my phone :)
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