The Best Pilot’s Watches For Every Kind Of High Flyer
Are pilot’s watches necessary today? No. Are they cool? Why yes, indeed. Something of an evolution of field watches, the best pilot’s watches arose due to the idiosyncratic needs of recreational, military, and commercial pilots. In particular, the pilot’s watch as we know it today draws heavily upon the timepieces created during WWII, and can be recognised by their generous case sizes, legible dial designs, and oversized crowns.
While actual pilots no longer rely on pilot’s watches to time and navigate their flights, the style of watch retains its utilitarian appeal. The pilot’s watch category is a diverse one, meaning there’s a timepiece for every kind of flyer — regardless of whether you’re sipping champagne in first class or taking control in the cockpit.
From vintage-inspired Fliegers and Dirty Dozen homages to contemporary chronographs and GMTs, these are the best pilot’s watches to strap on.
1. IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX
Since the release of its first Special Pilot’s Watch (now dubbed the Mark IX), IWC has had a storied history in the sky. However, its first dedicated pilot’s watch (previous releases were made for the British Army), the IWC Mark XI, was released in 1948 and set the tone for the Schaffhausen manufacture’s Mark series. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX represents the latest incarnation of the line, blending traditional and modern aesthetics to create an eminently wearable daily driver. A 40mm stainless steel case houses a matte black dial which houses oversized luminescent-coated Arabic numerals and has the historical orientation triangle at 12 o’clock.
Price: $8400AUD Model: Pilot’s Watch Mark XX Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 10ATM Case Size: 40mm
In 1954, along with several other watchmakers, Breguet submitted a prototype for the timepiece that would later be known as the Type 20 (or XX); a pilot’s watch equipped with a flyback chronograph that enabled pilots to time consecutive events without having to reset the hands, ensuring maximum ease of function in the sky. The Breguet Type XX collection pays homage to the Swiss-French manufacture’s history in the sky, with this civilian version featuring a tricompax layout with a 15-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, and running seconds at 9 o’clock. Its creamy luminescent Arabic numerals, engraved bezel (complete with the orientation triangle at 12 o’clock), and elegant sword-shaped hands contribute to a timepiece that’s equal parts refined and rugged.
Price: $28,200AUD Model: Type XX Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 10ATM Case Size: 42mm
Shortly after its release in 1952, the Breitling Navitimer became the official timepiece for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Its defining feature was its bidirectional slide-rule bezel which allows pilots to make crucial calculations on the fly. While the Swiss manufacture has released several iterations of the timepiece since, the Breitling Navitimer B01 Stays true to its utilitarian origins, retaining the slide-rule bezel and featuring a chronograph function.
Price: $12,490AUD Model: Navitimer B01 Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 3ATM Case Size: 41mm
The Blancpain Air Command is a fresh take on a 1950s watch designed for the United States Air Force. Fitted with a flyback chronograph complication, the Blancpain Air Command offers an elevated take on the practical timepiece, with its sun-brushed blue dial and satin-brushed titanium case paired with a period-correct ratcheted bidirectional bezel with a tachymeter scale making for an aesthetically pleasing (not to mention durable) package.
Price: $30,100AUD Model: Air Command Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 3ATM Case Size: 42.5mm
For an authentic take on the Beobachtungs-Uhren (or Flieger) watches worn by the German air force, the Dekla Type B is an unbeatable value proposition. Flieger watches were made to the specifications of the Reich Ministry of Aviation; Type B watches were designed with a standard minute track, but featured the hours on an inner ring and the minutes on the outer ring, making for a watch that was easy to read at a glance. The Dekla Type B retains this, but amends the 55mm case size to an infinitely more wearable 40mm, making for a comfortable fit that doesn’t dominate the wrist. The Dekla Type B is able to be customised, with the ability to choose between dial colours and select an automatic or hand-wound movement.
Price: €630 (approx. $1020AUD) Model: Type B Movement: automatic or manual winding Water Resistance: 3ATM Case Size: 40mm
Uniting German engineering and precision with vintage aesthetics, Archimede creates solid Flieger-style pilot watches in both Type A and Type B styles. However, the bronze take on the Type A is a standout, lending a unique tone to the traditionally utilitarian timepiece.
Price: €1080 (approx. $1750AUD) Model: Pilot A Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 10ATM Case Size: 42mm
While the true pilot’s watches of yesteryear take on positively gargantuan proportions, the Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical makes an impact at just 33mm. A contemporary reinterpretation of a vintage military watch produced for the British Royal Air Force in 1973, it features a textured black dial and legible Arabic numerals, and is powered by a hand-wound movement.
Price: $1450AUD Model: Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical Movement: manual winding Water Resistance: 10ATM Case Size: 33mm
British microbrand Farer applies its quintessentially colourful approach to the pilot’s watch. The Farer Bradfield sees the sector dial arranged with legibility in mind; with hours on the outside and minutes on an inner ring. A healthy coating of lume on the inner minute ring and Arabic numerals allow the timepiece to be legible under all lighting conditions, while the pops of yellow and blue make for a welcome departure from the typically sober dials found on pilot’s watches.
Price: £780 (approx. $1460AUD) Model: Bradfield Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 5ATM Case Size: 39mm
The Longines Avigation BigEye derives its name from the large running seconds subdial at 3 o’clock. The pilot’s chronograph is inspired by the Swiss brand’s pioneering civil and military aviation navigation instruments from the first half of the 20th century, and features a large legible dial with oversized Arabic numerals and a tricompax subdial layout. The Longines Avigation BigEye is fitted with a column-wheel chronograph movement; these calibres require a higher level of finesse to execute and are often found in timepieces by the likes of Audemars Piguet and A. Lange & Söhne, making the timepiece a solid value proposition.
Price: $4900AUD Model: Avigation BigEye Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 3ATM Case Size: 41mm
Want a limited-edition Bremont MBI? Well, you’ll need to eject yourself from a plane first. Go on, we’ll wait. Fortunately, the Bremont MBII and MBIII lines are available for those of us who like to remain firmly seated; created in partnership with Martin-Baker, the leading British manufacturer of ejection seats for military aircraft, the timepieces undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re fit for purpose—in addition to shock, corrosion, and climate tests, this includes being strapped to the wrist of a mannequin in an actual ejection-seat trial—making them the ultimate hardwearing timepiece. The Bremont MBII applies contemporary styling to the dial, with smaller Arabic numerals which make for a more clean aesthetic. A striking orange knurled barrel design which adds a pop of colour to the predominantly monochromatic timepiece.
Price: $6800AUD Model: MBII Movement: automatic Water Resistance: 10ATM Case Size: 43mm
The history of the pilot’s watch predates commercial air travel by almost half a century. In fact, the first pilot’s watch was also the first wristwatch designed for a man; a square timepiece made by Louis Cartier for his friend, Brazilian aeronaut Alberto Santos-Dumont, in 1904. Santos-Dumont wore the timepiece every time he flew; his relative celebrity status throughout Europe meant his photographs were often published in newspapers, leading readers and onlookers to ask what was on his wrist (remember, this was an era when pocket watches were the standard timekeeping method).
Louis Cartier then collaborated with movement maker Edmond Jaeger to mass-produce what was thereafter known as the Cartier Santos, with the first commercial timepieces going on sale in 1911. Despite its positive reception at the time, the onset of WWII led to the military specifying round watches for its air force, which led to a decline in square and rectangular watches. That said, its timeless aesthetic means the Cartier Santos remains an icon in the Swiss manufacture’s lineup to this day.
Another early pilot’s watch was made by Zenith and was distinguished by its legible Arabic numerals, cathedral hands, fluted bezel, and almost comically large crown — designed for operation while wearing gloves. The Zenith timepiece was worn by pilot Louis Blériot during his history-making flight across the English Channel in July, 1909, and is the earliest example of a pilot’s watch as we know them today.
Pilot’s watches continued to evolve throughout both World War I and II. Despite wristwatches existing prior to the outbreak of WWI in 1914, it was still customary for men to carry pocket watches at the time. However, it did give rise to trench watches—pocket watches strapped to the wrist—which allowed soldiers to view the time without having to reach into their pockets.
The next known pilot’s watch was worn by Charles Lindbergh, who teamed up with Longines to design the Hour Angle watch after completing the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. The Longines Hour Angle was notable for its ability to calculate longitude during a flight. Following this, IWC released the first ‘Special Pilot’s Watch’ in 1936, which featured an antimagnetic movement and shatterproof front glass in addition to the classic oversized Arabic numerals on black dial we know associate pilot’s watches with. The timepiece also had an arrow marker on the rotating bezel to record takeoff times.
The Dirty Dozen | Image: Watches of Knightsbridge
Pilot’s watches continued to evolve throughout World War II, which led to the rise of three distinct pilot’s watch styles. The Dirty Dozen used by the British which were supplied by Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, and Vertex; the A-11 watches used by the Americans which were supplied by Bulova, Elgin, Hamilton, and Waltham; and Beobachtungs-Uhren (also known as B-Uhren or Flieger) watches used by the Germans which were supplied by A. Lange & Söhne, IWC, Laco, Stowa, and Wempe.
Following WWII, the pilot’s watch category continued to evolve. In 1941, Breitling released the Chronomat which was originally designed as a pilot’s watch for the Italian Air Force. The advent of the Jet Age in 1952 led to both the development of the first GMT pilot’s watch—the Glycine Airman—in 1953 as well as the conception of the Breitling Navitimer which was designed to simplify calculations in the air and featured a slide rule bezel. It was invented in 1952 by Willy Breitling and released to the public two years later. This was swiftly followed by the ever-popular Rolex GMT-Master in 1954.
What is a pilot’s watch?
With their origins in the military, commercial, and recreational aviation, their multifaceted history means there is no one definition of a pilot’s watch. From chronographs and GMTs to field watch-style timepieces, the pilot’s watch category is a varied and diverse one. Quite simply, a pilot’s watch is a watch designed for pilots.
That said, pilot’s watches are no longer exclusively used by pilots, with the term ‘pilot’s watch’ typically used to refer to the utilitarian characteristics of the purpose-built watches of bygone years. The term often connotes the highly legible military designs brought about by WWII, characterised by their large Arabic numerals, oversized crowns, black or dark dials, and luminescent coatings. Pilot’s watches often also feature large case sizes — the German Flieger watches routinely had diameters of up to 50mm! This was for both legibility and to allow them to be worn over gloves or jackets.
Enjoyed this article? Why not check out our Ultimate Guide To Watches here; covering everything from the types of watch movements to watch styles and complications.
