Watches with an analogue display of hours and minutes can be used as a compass with the help of the sun. The prerequisite is that the position of the sun is clearly visible and that the watch displays the correct time.
If the watch has a ring with a graduation, it can be used to determine the bisector (centre).
- Remove the watch from your wrist and turn it so that the hour hand points towards the sun.
- Determine the bisector (centre) between the hour hand and 12:00. (Before 06:00 and after 18:00, halve the larger angle between the hour hand and 12:00). This corresponds to the south direction.
- Based on the south direction now determined, the other three cardinal points can be determined.
If the watch has a rotating ring with a compass division, it is easier to determine the other cardinal points as well as south. With such a watch, proceed as follows:
- Take the watch off your wrist and set the south direction on the rotating compass ring to the bisector (centre) between the hour hand and 12:00.
- Point the hour hand at the sun and read the cardinal points from the compass ring.