Damn, never really thought about that potentially being an issue. The only induction unit we have is a single burner portable/ countertop unit that only gets used once every year or so, but I will definitely remember to be careful if I am helping someone in their kitchen and they have an induction cooktop.
I use it to time the 30secs of stirring for my Saturday night martini. There's a big clock with a second hand in the kitchen, but she's the fun in that...
does anybody besides me just start the chronograph running just to watch it run, stop it, and see it fly back?
I use it for all sorts of random things. But most frequently I use it to time clothes in the dryer. I have a lot of things I like to throw in for just 10-20 minutes and find that having my watch timing it results in me forgetting about it far less than other methods. I could set my iPhone alarm but I hate the sound of that thing LOL And I’m not a fan of the way the actual time dry on my dryer works, before anyone bothers saying it.
I use it to time intervals between cars and lap times when I’m at the race track. Seems to me most other uses demean the Speedmaster.
Cooking for me in the main. Also use it to sometimes discretely time how slow some service has been in restaurants (you know that feeling when you suddenly come around and realise you’ve been waiting ages for an order). Finally I have tried to use the 9300 second time zone function, but usually ruin it when I forget and either stop restart the chrono to time cooking or slow service. Doh.
Well, at least I used to keep the chrono hand moving all the time when it was on my wrist with a full awareness that it could do harm technically to see the full shape of omega logo, clearly.
Espresso. A "perfect" shot should have an 8-10 second infusion and "pull" for 25 seconds. Timing how fast the water runs through the puck is the easiest way to tell if the grind level of your coffee is right.
Damned, that is good knowledge! I was aware of the "pull" time + the importance of pressure, not the infusion time part. (anyway, not enough space in the kitchen for a proper espresso machine. I use capules instead, but not the ones - nor the machines - sold by Georges)
I have a Cimbali lever machine that I (really, honestly, I promise) will get around to refurbishing at one point. The footprint's barely larger than a pod machine but it stands almost three feet high. A feast of polished brass and anodised aluminium.
I time my commute to work. Many different routes possible depending on traffic. As you can see, it took me 38m26.5s to get to work on May 2nd (bank holiday where I live). Possibly my best time.