The Swiss Army ST 5000 is one of the most sophisticated and unique digital compass watches I’ve seen. First of all, there’s a small LCD above the 6 o’clock position which displays the user’s numeric heading (I have a Casio ProTrek with a digital compass that displays your heading, but my Tissot T-Touch does not). It will also display magnetic north in addition to the wearer’s bearing, and allow you to lock that bearing into memory in order to keep you on track. There is a 5-point LED system which will indicate any necessary course corrections, and since it uses LEDs (light-emitting diodes) rather than LCDs, you can use the system to navigate in the dark. The watch has a rotating inner bezel which is divided up into 360 degrees in 15 degree increments, and there’s even a built in spirit level (a little bubble encased in liquid) to help you keep the watch level in order to optimize precision.
Features of the Victorinox Swiss Army ST 5000 Digital Compass Watch
- Swiss quartz movement.
- Water resistant to 50 meters (166 feet).
- Luminous hands and numbers.
- Digital compass, heading memory, actual heading, and heading correction.
- Rotating inner bezel.
- 42mm titanium case.
- Shatter-resistant mineral crystal.
- Black rubber strap.
Check out the ST 5000 press release (PDF) for more information.
