Rotating bezels

[Cock Womble]

Excuse the thick question, but what is the point of a rotating bezel?

[PaulHogan]

Could be for a number of reasons...

Some (bi-directional) act like a slide rule for making calculations. Aimed at the fly boy market

Some (uni-directional) are used by divers to time the length of a dive. These are uni-directional so if the bezel is inadvertantly moved or knocked the only effect is to shorten the length of the dive.

Some have no function at all other than cosmetic wk.

[Ikemi]

Cock Womble said:

Excuse the thick question, but what is the point of a rotating bezel?

For something to play with when you're bored in meetings

[spdpug98]

Ikemi said:

Cock Womble said:

Excuse the thick question, but what is the point of a rotating bezel?

For something to play with when you're bored in meetings

[KP328]

I use the bezel to time my boiled eggs, not what it was designed for but it works for me.

[CommanderJameson]

Ikemi said:

Cock Womble said:

Excuse the thick question, but what is the point of a rotating bezel?

For something to play with when you're bored in meetings

To give people like me hives when they're not at 12 o'clock, it seems.

[Cock Womble]

PaulHogan said:

Some (uni-directional) are used by divers to time the length of a dive. These are uni-directional so if the bezel is inadvertantly moved or knocked the only effect is to shorten the length of the dive.

How does that work then?

[CommanderJameson]

Cock Womble said:

PaulHogan said:

Some (uni-directional) are used by divers to time the length of a dive. These are uni-directional so if the bezel is inadvertantly moved or knocked the only effect is to shorten the length of the dive.

How does that work then?

The bezel on my diving watches only turns anti-clockwise; so if I line the pip up with the minute hand, then there's a maximum of 15 minutes (before the graduations run out). I look at my watch, and there's 15 minutes left.

I do some diving stuff*, and I knock the bezel; because it only moves in one direction, I can't inadvertently extend my dive (which would be the result of moving the bezel clockwise), thus putting me at risk of running out of air/the bends/being eaten by the Kraken/etc.

*I've never so much as worn a scuba tank; I just like the styling and practicality of diving watches

[Barreti]

My Tissot T-Touch has a rotating bezel with N-E-S-W embossed in it. This is because it has a compass feature where the hands become compass hands but automatically revert to analogue watch after a time (can't remember what TBH)
So the bezel allows you to set the compass

and of course drive some people up the wall because it is lined up 'all wonky' after I last used it

[andy_s]

Count up bezel for counting minutes elapsed.
Count down bezels for counting minutes to go.
12 Hour bezels for either hour counting or 2nd time zone.
24 hour bezels for a 24 hour hand for a second time zone (fixed or rotating).
Slide rule bezel for calculating.

Divers are uni-directional only (to comply with the ISO) but some are 'push down and turn as an added safety measure)

the bezel on the Hamilton Base Jump starts/stops/resets the chrono.

[BigAlinEmbra]

CommanderJameson said:

Ikemi said:

Cock Womble said:

Excuse the thick question, but what is the point of a rotating bezel?

For something to play with when you're bored in meetings

To give people like me hives when they're not at 12 o'clock, it seems.

I was just about to say their primary purpose is for identifying those with OCD. Set the arrow at about 7.20 and watch em twitch.

[sneijder]

Timing pizzas.