How to find directions using your watch as a compass
If you have a compass, you can know the direction exactly, but not many people carry a compass with them all the time. Also, smartphone apps with a compass function may not be usable in an emergency due to running out of battery. In such a case, Citizen Watch, a Japanese precision and electronic equipment manufacturer, has released a method for grasping the approximate direction with an analog watch.
Compass | Citizen Watch Official Site [CITIZEN]
Below is a description of the compass function by Citizen. When the hour hand points toward the sun, the area between the hour hand and 12 o'clock on the dial is south. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that this is only an approximate direction, as deviations may occur depending on the latitude and season.
If you can't get an idea just by looking at the diagram, you can see how to use it by watching the video below.
How to Use Your Watch as a Compass-YouTube
First hold the watch horizontally, then point the hour hand toward the sun. In this video, the sun is at the top of the screen.
The halfway point between the hour hand and 12 o'clock is south, and the opposite is north. Therefore, at exactly 12 o'clock the hour hand points south.
Since Japan is in the northern hemisphere, you may not have many chances to use it, but this technique can be used in the southern hemisphere with a few changes. In the southern hemisphere, the 12 o'clock letter faces the sun instead of the hour hand.
At this time, the direction between 12 o'clock on the dial and the hour hand is north.
The reason why the angle must be halved is that the earth rotates once a day, while the clock rotates twice a day.
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