Countdown bezel watches

The countdown bezel is a type of bezel that allows you to easily measure the remaining time, in minutes, until a certain point of interest. It is the opposite of a dive bezel, which measures elapsed time or the amount of time that has already passed until a specific point of interest.

To use a countdown bezel align the current remaining time marker on the bezel with the current minute hand. For instance, if a meeting is bound to happen in 30 minutes you align the 30-minute mark of the bezel with the current position of the minute hand. As time passes the minute hand will indicate on the bezel how much time is left until point 0/60 when the action happens.

Countdown bezels come in both unidirectional and bidirectional variations depending on the watch. Unidirectional means that the bezel rotates in only one direction, probably a remnant of the dive bezel mechanism where it has a functional safety purpose.

One of the more prominent examples of watches with this type of bezel Tudor Pelagos FXD features a bidirectional mechanism allowing for adding or subtracting time as needed without needing to make a full circle to adjust the bezel upwards.