Pilot Watches · Page 13

Sunday Morning Showdown: Zenith Pilot Automatic Vs. IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX

Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown here on Fratello. Please get yourself ready because today’s confrontation promises to be a good one. In 2022, IWC introduced a new version of its Pilot’s Watch - the Mark XX. Then, last year, Zenith took it one step further with a complete revision of its Pilot line. That’s […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Zenith Pilot Automatic Vs. IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX to read the full article.

Hands-on – The Powerful Yet Surprisingly Lightweight IWC Big Pilot AMG G 63 Ceramic Matrix

Last year, IWC unveiled a pair of Big Pilot watches inspired by the iconic Mercedes G-Class, particularly the powerful AMG G 63 version, a completely excessive and irrational EUR 200k machine boasting 585 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, all of that in a 2-meter high body that was […]

Just A Minute With the Laco Din Pilot and GMT

“Just a Minute” is a short-form video series designed to present all the facts about our favorite products in under 60 seconds. These are easy to consume and provide quick but thorough rundowns on everything you need to know. We continue to receive great feedback about this format, so we intend on creating more videos just for you. As always, we encourage you to join our rewards program to earn points and save with every purchase. The Windup Watch Shop team is also available to schedule a consultation with you and answer any questions you have. Finally, use code WWSFIRST on your first purchase from the Windup Watch Shop to enjoy 10% off select items. Today’s double feature hails from the DIN Hamburg line from Laco. Based in Pforzheim, Germany, Laco approaches its 100th anniversary by continuing to build purposeful tool watches for a variety of specialists. The DIN lineup is particularly interesting as its watches are built to the exacting standards of the Deutsche Industrie Norme, now known as the German Institute of Standardization. The two references featured today may share the same foundational case, but they are two very different watches indeed. The pilot watch is exactly what you’d expect from a company that cut its teeth on building pilot’s watches, while the GMT is a paragon of legibility in the skies. Check out the video below for more, and shop the full Laco collection in the Windup Watch Shop here! “Just a Minute” is a short-form video series de...

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41, a Mercedes F1 collab, is the brand’s first proper racing chronograph

We get our hands on this motorsports-oriented chronograph ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship kicking off this weekend.The post The IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41, a Mercedes F1 collab, is the brand’s first proper racing chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing: More Power To The Patina: Bell & Ross Welcomes Another Bronze-Clad Diver Into The Fold

This black and green BR-03 dive watch is unafraid to show its age.

Introducing – The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Gets a Black & Green Make-Over

Talking about Bell & Ross means talking about square watches. The two go hand in hand, like a fine wine and a good piece of cheese. The brand became known for its circle-in-a-square design since the first BR 01 in 2005, and even today, Bell & Ross finds ways to keep it fresh and interesting. […]

Introducing – Hanhart Resuscitates its White Pilot Chrono with the 417 ES Moby Dick

Hanhart, the German brand that started life in Switzerland as a manufacturer of stopwatches before relocating to Germany in 1902, gained renown as a producer of Flieger (pilot’s) chronographs. In the mid-1950s, Hanhart built the 417, the first pilot’s chronograph for the German Armed Forces, with an emphasis on robustness, reliability, and readability. In circulation […]

Breitling Top Time Watch Guide

When you think of James Bond watches, the first models that likely come to mind would probably be from Omega, or Rolex, or - depending on which Bond era you prefer - maybe even Seiko. But one of the most memorable wristwatch scenes in Bond’s cinematic history has a Breitling as its star.   In 1965’s Thunderball, the fourth movie in the popular series starring Ian Fleming’s Agent 007, star Sean Connery spends most of his screen time wearing the same watch that he wore in his previous three outings as Bond: a Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538, now known by many collectors as the quintessential “James Bond Rolex.” However, in one key scene, Bond swaps out the Submariner for another watch: a heavily modified Breitling Top Time Ref. 2002, a steel-cased, black-dialed chronograph with two white subdials, applied baton hour markers, and a tachymeter scale surrounding the dial. (The actual watch is pictured above, sans strap, photo via Christie's.) In the movie’s fictional universe, the watch - one of many gadget-packed timepieces assigned to Bond by MI-6 weapons supplier Q throughout the film series - is also equipped with a built-in Geiger counter; Bond uses it to track a cache of stolen nuclear warheads hidden deep underwater by his adversaries from the criminal organization SPECTRE.  The watch was the only Breitling ever worn by any James Bond actor on screen - though, interestingly enough, another Breitling, a Navitimer 806, also appeared briefly in Thunderbal...

A Closer Look: Bell & Ross BR 03 Cyber Ceramic

Hands-On: the Bell & Ross BR-X5 Green Lum & BR 03 Cyber Ceramic

Make no mistake, I’m grateful to be able to write about watches. Doing so opens a lot of doors and brings about some great opportunities. Many fantastic new watches are delivered to my door, and often weeks will pass without needing to pick something to wear from my own watch box. However, there are times when a new watch is in such demand, or produced in such limited numbers, that a loan is not easy to come by. The BR-X5 Green Lum is one such watch. Spending some time with it would mean leaving the warmth and comfort of my own home and venturing up to London’s Bell & Ross boutique. It’s a ‘hardship’ I’m willing to take, and an opportunity I’m still thankful for. So, accompanied by ‘wrist model’ and Bell & Ross fan Jeremy, I trekked up to the Big Smoke to go hands-on with this bright and bold addition to the BR-X5 line, and also had some surprise wrist time with the brand new BR 03 Cyber Ceramic. First up is the Green Lum ($13,300). When the BR-X5 line was launched in late 2022, it represented a serious advancement in the Bell & Ross brand identity. For as long as I can remember, the square watch has been Bell & Ross’s calling card. Think square: think Bell & Ross. The successful BR05 model family saw the brand pushing into the integrated-bracelet sports watch arena, rounding off a few square edges while still maintaining a familiar dial layout. Outside of those product lines Bell & Ross has also regularly added to and updated its ‘Concept’ range, w...

Introducing – The Graphic New Bell & Ross BR-03 Cyber Ceramic

The latest creation from Bell & Ross, the BR-03 Cyber Ceramic, immediately draws parallels with the Cyber Skull models due to its striking resemblance. At first glance, one might even mistake it for another skull and bones-themed timepiece. However, the brand steers us away from such associations, emphasizing the BR-03 Cyber Ceramic is the brand’s […]

New and Reviewed: Bell & Ross BR 03 Cyber Ceramic

Bell & Ross releases a new addition to their BR 03 collection, this time featuring what they call the Cyber design in ceramic. Here is our review.

Zenith Introduces Pilot Pair in Blue

A year after revamping Pilot collection with fresh-faced aesthetics, Zenith releases a pair of boutique editions – the Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback. Both feature blue dials with a linear horizontal pattern inspired by stamped aluminium body panels of vintage aircraft. Initial thoughts Zenith is best known for El Primero of 1969, a high-frequency chronograph calibre now in its second generation, which is the movement found in both new Pilot models, although the former is not a chronograph. Both, however, share the same design that defines the current Pilot line-up. Unveiled last year, the Pilot has a friendlier, more modern face than most aviator’s watches that tend to be military-inspired. It has all of the hallmarks of a pilot’s watch, including large Arabic numerals and legibility, but manages to look distinct from all the other pilot’s watches on the market. Although blue is hardly a novel colour, the new patterned dials adds to the contemporary look, being even less military-esque than last year’s models in conventional black. The Pilot Automatic retails for US$7,500, while the Pilot Big Date Flyback retails for US$11,500. The time-and-date automatic is relatively pricey for a simple watch, although the high-beat, in-house movement helps justify the price somewhat. On the other hand, the chronograph is competitive against similar watches from rival brands, particularly since the calibre inside is the latest generation of the El Primero. Moreov...

Why I Bought It: Kudoke Flieger Concept (KFC) – Reprise

Bhanu Chopra picked up his unique piece Kudoke Flieger Concept from Stefan and Ev Kudoke over lunch at their favorite steakhouse in Dresden, Germany. Here he describes how and why he fell in love with this unique one-off timepiece and what makes Kudoke's watches so special in general.

Hands-on – Some Thoughts about the IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe

Approaching a hands-on article about a watch can take various angles, and one exciting perspective is to envision how a newcomer to the watch scene might react to a timepiece and what questions might arise during their exploration of the product. Let’s explore this approach as we delve into the mighty IWC Big Pilot’s Watch […]

Hands-on – The Bell & Ross BR 03 Gyrocompass Puts a Flight Instrument on your Wrist

Last year marked an important milestone for Bell & Ross when the brand updated its iconic BR 03 collection after well over fifteen years of loyal service. The brand’s instrument-inspired collection is renowned for its extremely legible (in most cases) and recognizable design ethos based on a square case and a circular dial with a […]

The Best Watches Under $2,000 for 2026

One of the most popular topics of discussion for watch enthusiasts in online forums and social media is how to get the most bang for your buck at a given price point. Today, we’ll be focusing on exactly that, taking a look at some of the most impressive value propositions at or around $2,000. And while price points like $500 and $1,000 each have their standouts in terms of what you’re getting for your money, it is right around two grand that we start to experience some of the more luxurious elements of watchmaking when it comes to case and bracelet finishing, movements, and specifications. We’ll be taking a look at brands like Longines, Oris, Tudor, Sinn, Nomos, and many others that are producing excellent watches packing a lot of enthusiast appeal within the confines of this price range. Before we get into the watches, here are some ground rules: In order to keep the list organized, we’ll arrange it by category, focusing on some of the most popular broad segments of the watch industry including everyday, Flieger, dress, dive, GMT, and chronograph watches. We also won’t be terribly strict about coming in under $2,000, but rather concentrate on watches that are priced around $2,000 as factors like currency exchange rates, local taxes, and whether or not you’re buying pre-owned have a profound effect on final pricing. We’ll make an effort not to include more than four watches from any single brand and will also limit the inclusion of micro-brands, not that ...

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Woodland adds tasteful colour to the brand’s most underrated complication

This stylish, technical and robust world timer is a breath of fresh air.The post The IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Woodland adds tasteful colour to the brand’s most underrated complication appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert is the first time this colour has debuted in this size

Meet the new IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert – the first-ever 41mm Mojave watch from IWC.The post The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert is the first time this colour has debuted in this size appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Complete Guide to Type 20 Pilot’s Watch Chronographs – Reprise

Type 20 is a specification by the French Ministry of Defense for the standard-equipment pilot's watch chronographs. Unlike German pilot's watch specifications, those for the French Type 20 are not clearly documented but are rather based on common characteristics shared by various manufacturers. Bhanu Chopra explains what makes these watches so sought after and goes through the main models and characteristics.

First Look – The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph now in Discerning Black & Gold

Just a couple of weeks ago, we brought you news on the new Airain Type 21 and the updates for the Type 20. Now it’s time to focus on sister-brand Lebois & Co for a new and admittedly very handsome edition of the Heritage Chronograph. Both brands are owned and managed by Dutchman Tom van […]

IWC pick the biggest AMG for the Big Pilot’s Watch Armor Gold

The meanest AMG goes perfectly with the biggest Pilot's Watch.The post IWC pick the biggest AMG for the Big Pilot’s Watch Armor Gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look – Airain Takes Flight with the New Type 21 & Updates its Type 20 Collection

Dutch entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick has made a conscientious effort to restore revival-brand Airain’s name and image through carefully curated re-editions of historic watches. Not only has the Type 20 captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts and collectors, but the Sous-Marine is set to do the same. Both collections are inspired by past designs […]

Review: The New IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe

Hands on review of the new IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe.