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Pilot Watches · Page 31

861 articles · Page 31 of 36
Hands-On: Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 SJX Watches
Jan 8, 2020

Hands-On: Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946

Longines’ determination to churn out affordable vintage remakes is going strong, despite having just unveiled the Heritage Classic Sector Dial and then the Heritage Military 1938 late last year. Previewed last year but only just officially launched, the Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 sticks to the same formula – reproduce a desirable Longines wristwatch and price it modestly – but is unusual in being the first vintage-inspired chronograph since the Avigation BigEye of 2018. More unusually, it’s a good-looking remake of an odd-looking vintage watch, purportedly from 1946, in the Longines Museum that combines elements not usually found together. Whatever the case maybe with the historical inspiration, the design of the remake has been sleekly refined. Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 Like other remakes, the 1946 won’t win any prizes for imagination, but it’s a good-looking remake that gets the details right. The basis for the remake is a watch from 1946 in the company’s museum, which was most probably powered by the famed cal. 13ZN flyback chronograph movement (which was succeeded by the equally famous cal. 30CH in 1947). Introduced in 1936, the cal. 13ZN represented the cutting edge of chronograph technology at the time, being the first serially produced chronograph movement to incorporate a flyback function. Catered for sportsmen and aviators, the flyback function allowed the wearer to reset the chronograph without having to stop it first. As a rather...
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Breitling Introduces the Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Edition SJX Watches
Dec 12, 2019

Breitling Introduces the Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Edition

The entry-level model in Breitling’s Navitimer line, the Navitimer 41 is a three-hander with date – plus the Navitimer’s trademark circular slide rule bezel. Already available in a variety of guises, it’s now available in a small, 36-piece run for Breitling’s Southeast Asian boutiques, with a blue dial and red gold bezel. The Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition has a 41mm steel case, but dressed up with the rotating bezel in 18k red gold. As with all current Navitimers, the bezel has a “beads of rice” rim, a detail taken from the first generation Navitimer of the 1950s that was later replaced by a more functional knurled edge. To match the bezel, the hands and hour markers are plated in red gold, while the dial is a deep metallic blue. Though not available on the Navitimer prior to this, the combination is a familiar, having been used by numerous brands in recent years, especially with blue dials being fashionable now. And the movement inside the Breitling 17, which is a rebadged ETA 2824, a robust, no-frills movement, here with a COSC chronometer certification. The SE Asia edition is limited to 36 pieces, and not 50 as engraved on the case back of the prototype above Key facts and price Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition Diameter: 41mm Height: 10mm Material: Steel with 18k red gold bezel Water resistance: 30m Movement: Breitling 17 (ETA 2824) Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date Winding: Automatic Freque...
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IWC Introduces the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Dec 10, 2019

IWC Introduces the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

To mark British racing driver Lewis Hamilton’s sixth Formula 1 World Championship, IWC has unveiled the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition. One of the most striking executions of the Big Pilot to date, the watch departs from the subdued, technical colours that characterise the line – which was inspired by German airforce navigators’ watches of the Second World War – and instead opts for a Bordeaux dial and pink gold accents. Measuring 46.5mm wide and 15.9mm high, the case is made of matte black ceramic, which accentuates its burgundy dial while downplaying its massive dimensions – though the watch is hard to miss on the wrist. The richly coloured dial is combined with a pink-gold crown and case back, while the hands are gold-plated and filled with cream-coloured Super-Luminova. All the indications are also printed in a golden hue, along with a black four-digit year disc and moons, matching the case. Visible through the case back is the in-house, automatic cal. 52615, which sports a solid pink-gold rotor. It features the brand’s trademark Pellaton winding system, a 7-day power reserve courtesy of twin barrels and most crucially, the landmark perpetual calendar module invented by IWC’s longtime technical guru Kurt Klaus. The perpetual calendar tracks the day, day of the week, date, month, four-digit year, with both northern and southern hemispheres moon phases displayed concurrently. All indications advance in a coordinated sequ...
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Up Close: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395 SJX Watches
Dec 9, 2019

Up Close: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395

In terms of press, Breguet’s most significant watch of the year is a relatively simple one, the Type 20 for Only Watch, which sold for 210,000 Swiss francs at the charity auction, or just over four times the high estimate. But the most significant watch in terms of haute horlogerie is the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395. The ref. 5395 a large, thin, and ornate watch that’s actually a variant of the large, thin, and simple ref. 5367 introduced two years ago. More elaborate than the typical Breguet, the ref. 5395 is beautifully executed, down to the smallest elements, like the blued-gold hobnail hour markers or mirror-polished countersinks. But most importantly, the movement within is finished exceedingly well – by hand – to a level that’s a cut above the average Breguet complication. Most of that is obvious in the photos below. Graceful proportions At 41mm and just 7.7mm high – thinner than the 8.1mm Royal Oak “Jumbo” – the ref. 5395 sits elegant and flat on the wrist.  Compared to larger, and usually more complicated, Breguet watches, this feels like what a classical Breguet should be. Because of its diameter, however, it can look like a dinner plate on smaller wrists. And the ref. 5395 doesn’t work on hairy wrists either, because the skeletonisation leaves a wide gap in between the bridges. That’s because the skeletonisation of the cal. 581SQ inside is extreme; according to Breguet some 50% of the movement’s mass was removed. And th...
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Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure Review WatchAdvice
Dec 6, 2019

Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure Review

Zenith introduced the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure as part of the unveiling for their 2019 Baselworld line up. The Chronograph was released alongside the Type 20 Extra Special Adventure which is the three-hand layout of the Pilot model.  Zenith does have a vibrant history with pilot models, which stretches back to the early 19th century. The Zenith Type 20 Montre d’Aéronef released around 1939 is a timepiece that closely resembles the current Pilot Type 20 editions. The iconic cathedral hands with the Gothic-font Arabic numerals and the large knurled bezel have all been carried over from the original Type 20 Montre d’Aéronef model. The pilot models only lasted up until 1960, where Zenith stopped production of their aviation watches bar one or two models so that the brand could more solely focus on racing chronographs.  In 2010 however, the brand came back to its aviation pedigree and once again started the manufacturing of pilots watches, which was when the modern Pilot Type 20 collection was born. It’s great to see a design of a watch remain unchanged for almost eight decades and shows how true to their history Zenith are.  Zenith has given the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure a more 21st century modern and urban look. Typically when thinking urban colours or colours of nature, one is drawn to the likes of green and brown. Zenith has utilized these colours extensively throughout the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure. The 45mm casing has been produce...
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A week with IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire (Reference IW326802) WatchAdvice
Nov 26, 2019

A week with IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire (Reference IW326802)

Released earlier this year at SIHH 2019, IWC’s latest collection of Spitfire pilots watches all feature for the first – time in-house manufactured calibres. With seven new references ranging from simple time-only functions, all the way to perpetual calendars, 2019 marked a significant year for the brand. Today, we’re taking a look at the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire, in bronze. Just a glance at the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire, and there’s no mistaking this bronze watches heritage, which draws inspiration from the original IWC Mark 11- a definitive Pilot’s watch, with legitimate military provenance. First Impressions If you’re on the hunt for a unique take on the iconic Pilot’s watch and want an in-house movement with impressive power-reserve, look no further. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire is a robust and well-proportioned take on the quintessential military classic. The Case The sandblasted bronze case serves up an interesting texture, and attractive take on bronze. The case is warm with a golden sheen, especially under sunlight, where it becomes quick playful with the light. As you might expect, the bronze case is designed to patina over time, and develop a distinctive look reflecting the owner’s wear pattern. The press piece provided was well worn, having already developed its own unique patina. And being bronze, after just a few weeks of wear, you’ll begin to notice the uniqueness and individuality present itself. The ...
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What Sealed The Deal – Chris’ IWC 3706 Fliegerchronograph Time+Tide
Nov 19, 2019

What Sealed The Deal – Chris’ IWC 3706 Fliegerchronograph

The only thing thrown around more often than the word iconic by watch media is watch media cleverly saying how often the word iconic is being thrown around. But despite committing both sins in one paragraph, Sunday confession would be a comfortable one if you were talking about IWC pilot’s watches as iconic. With designs … ContinuedThe post What Sealed The Deal – Chris’ IWC 3706 Fliegerchronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR03-92 Full Lum SJX Watches
Nov 15, 2019

Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR03-92 Full Lum

From the ultra-graphic BR-X to the newly launched, all-steel BR-05 collection, Bell & Ross’ capacity for reinterpreting its signature square-cased, aviation-inspired watches has proven rather remarkable. But its latest watch is a return to its roots, and perhaps the most extreme iteration of its foundational BR-03 model. The BR03-92 Full Lum is the visual negative of the BR 03-92 Nightlum launched a year ago. While the Nightlum had a black dial with luminous numerals and markers, the Full Lum has an entirely luminous dial with its indices printed in black – and a luminous strap to boot. Stealth dial and strap The watch features what appears to be the standard, unapologetically industrial BR 03 dial with oversized Arabic numerals at the quarters and large baton markers. However, the entire dial as well as the bottom sections of the hands are painted with Super-Luminova. Notably, even the date disc, visible through an aperture between four and five o’clock, is coated with “lume”. And not only is the dial fully luminous, it also uses the brightest Super-Luminova, specifically C3. It is the purest form of Super-Luminova with a pale-yellow appearance during the day, while emitting an intense and long-lived green glow in the dark. As a concession to daytime aesthetics, a majority of watches utilise white lume, which is fully white in daylight and emits a blue glow in the dark. This is simply because white offers a more attractive contrast against black or blue dials. ...
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Hands-On: Sinn 356 Pilot Chronograph “The Hour Glass” SJX Watches
Oct 31, 2019

Hands-On: Sinn 356 Pilot Chronograph “The Hour Glass”

Continuing with its series of limited editions to mark its 40th anniversary, retailer The Hour Glass has just announced a special variant of the Sinn 356 Pilot Chronograph. A no-frills aviator’s watch, the 100-piece edition is the retailer’s most affordable commemorative model to date, priced at 3,850 Singapore dollars, or about US$2,800. In keeping with the series’ recurring theme of dial colours inspired by vintage watches – ranging from salmon on a Nomos to champagne on a Ulysse Nardin, the dial of the Sinn has a variegated, aged finish. Ideal dimensions The Sinn 356 is a simpler version of the Sinn 256 made for the Japanese market – itself the smaller version of the Sinn 156 conceived as a military chronograph for the German military. It’s a no-nonsense fliegerchronograph, or aviator’s chronograph, with just the essentials – a fixed bezel, large hour numerals, and syringe hands. It does also have the somewhat pointless date and day, but a consequence of the fact that the original 356 used the Valjoux 7750. It has the calendar as a standard feature, and was the de facto movement for most chronographs at the time. The stock 356 Dial aside, the commemorative edition is identical to the standard model. The stainless-steel case measures 38.5mm, making it one of the smallest pilot’s chronographs on the market. However, it is still considerably thick, a little bit too thick at 15.5mm, due to the height of the movement inside. As a result it sits high on th...
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Hands-On: Breguet Type 20 for Only Watch 2019 SJX Watches
Oct 29, 2019

Hands-On: Breguet Type 20 for Only Watch 2019

Breguet’s contribution to the most recent Only Watch auction in 2017 was a unique, enlarged version of its inventive in-line perpetual calendar that had the calendar indications arranged in a column vertically across the dial. Though clever and unusual, the watch was probably too esoteric and classical for current tastes, and it sold for 110,000 Swiss francs, just 10% above the high estimate, reputedly to a discerning collector in Australia. This year’s upcoming Only Watch, however, includes a very different Breguet that should sell for a multiple of its estimate. The Type 20 for Only Watch 2019 is essentially a spot-on replica of the two-register aviator’s chronograph Breguet supplied to the French military from the mid 1950s – exactly the type of watch that is desirable now. Specifically, it’s a remake of the first generation Type 20, which was marked “5101/54” on the case back, denoting the order number, “5101”, and the year of 1954. More specifically, it’s based on the Type 20 made for the French air force, distinguished by equal-sized sub-dials; watches for the naval air arm had oversized minute counters. Named after the French military specification for pilot’s chronographs, itself derived from the Second World War German air force chronograph design, the original Type 20s were produced by a variety of watchmakers, including Vixa, Dodane, and Auricoste. Breguet examples, however, are the most valuable. Note that “Type XX” refers to the same...
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A quick flyover of IWC’s Pilot’s collection feat. the Classic, Le Petit Prince, Spitfire and Top Gun lines Time+Tide
Oct 22, 2019

A quick flyover of IWC’s Pilot’s collection feat. the Classic, Le Petit Prince, Spitfire and Top Gun lines

A little while ago, Andrew ran a series of overview videos on the various members of the IWC Pilot’s family. And, to be honest, it’s a story well worth telling, as the Pilot’s watch is one of the most recognisable and iconic wristwatch designs of the last 100 years. And while IWC don’t have a … ContinuedThe post A quick flyover of IWC’s Pilot’s collection feat. the Classic, Le Petit Prince, Spitfire and Top Gun lines appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The IWC Mark XVIII Gifted to Employees on the 150th Anniversary SJX Watches
Oct 17, 2019

The IWC Mark XVIII Gifted to Employees on the 150th Anniversary

When IWC celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, it unveiled a large line-up of commemorative watches, including the clever and well-priced Tribute to Pallweber digital jump hour (and also opened an expansive new factory). But there was one more anniversary that has been pretty much a company secret until now: the Mark XVIII gifted to staff members at IWC headquarters in Schaffhausen. Over lunch yesterday, I spotted the Mark XVIII on the wrist of IWC museum curator David Seyffer. Given Dr Seyffer’s position – and access to some of the rarest and most desirable IWC watches – I was surprised that he was wearing the entry-level Pilot’s Watch. But when Dr Seyffer handed the watch over, he explained, with an evident amount of pride, this was no ordinary Mark XVIII. On the front, the watch has a 40mm steel case and metallic, dark blue dial that’s similar to a standard watch in the IWC Pilot’s Watch line-up. But on the back, it features the IWC 150th anniversary emblem, and just below that, the name of the employee who received the watch. According to Dr Seyffer, it was chief executive Chris Grainger-Herr’s idea to gift each employee at IWC headquarters a watch as a token of appreciation for their contribution to IWC’s 150 years of success. Male employees were given a Mark XVIII on a black Santoni leather strap, while female staff members were given a Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 on a steel bracelet. The total number produced is unknown, but IWC has about 700...
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IWC Introduces the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph “80 Years Flight to New York” SJX Watches
Oct 15, 2019

IWC Introduces the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph “80 Years Flight to New York”

IWC’s latest limited edition is a surprisingly small run – 80 pieces to mark the 80th anniversary of the flight of the giant Latécoère 521 flying boat Lieutenant de Vaisseau Paris from New York to Lac de Biscarrosse in Southwestern France. Starting on Bastille Day, July 14, in 1939, the flight was the first nonstop crossing of the North Atlantic by flying boat. A passenger on the 28-hour, 27-minute journey was French aviator Antoine de Saint Exupéry. And it happens that one of IWC’s most popular sub-collections of pilot’s watches watches is Le Petit Prince, named after the famous novel by de Saint Exupéry. So the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph Edition “80 Years Flight to New York” is an offshoot of the Le Petit Prince collection, with a few tweaks. It retains the vaguely retro flavour, with Gothic-esque numerals and lozenge hands, but instead of the standard blue dial of Le Petit Prince, the anniversary watch has a brown metallic dial, matched with brown ceramic bezel. The edition is based on the Timezoner Chronograph, usually available only in the standard black and white livery of IWC’s basic Pilot’s Watches. It’s an unusual watch that combines both a flyback chronograph and IWC’s proprietary “timezoner” mechanism. Originally developed by the defunct watch brand Vogard, the timezoner mechanism has a rotating world time bezel linked to the second time zone, so turning the bezel moves the 24-hour hand in one-hour ste...
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Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton SJX Watches
Oct 10, 2019

Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05 Skeleton

Demand for the luxury sports watches that were born in the 1970s – all with integrated bracelets and designed by Gerald Genta – is now red hot. That has fuelled the development of such watches from every corner the industry, from Chopard to Urban Jurgensen to Bell & Ross (B&R). While many of these watches have sparked criticism for their derivative design, B&R’s entry into the genre comes with a distinct price advantage. The BR 05 is probably the most reasonably priced watch in this design category, starting at under US$5000. No doubt it owes a great debt to Genta’s designs, but it would be futile to compare it with the alternatives given the price gulf. But the standard BR 05 is a pretty conventional watch – well done for the price but not something that jumps out at you. The BR 05 Skeleton, on the other hand, is striking, with a look and feel that is distinct – priced at about 20% more than the base model. Well dressed Like all watches in its category, the BR 05 is largely all about the case and bracelet. The BR 05 Skeleton is identical to the base model on the outside, with a rounded-square case and a bezel with visible screws at its corners. While it is appears to be a mishmash of Genta’s classics, it bears a strong enough resemblance to the brand’s signature BR 01 and BR 03 cases – which were inspired by aircraft instrument panels – that it can pass as a rather natural evolution. But in contrast to the BR 01 and BR 03, the BR 05 ha...
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Patek Philippe Introduces the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 7234A in Steel (With Price) SJX Watches
Sep 27, 2019

Patek Philippe Introduces the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 7234A in Steel (With Price)

Announced just yesterday, the Patek Philippe  Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Singapore 2019 ref. 7234A-001 created especially for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition is the first variation of the watch in stainless steel. It is limited to 400 pieces and will only be available in Southeast Asia. The Pilot Calatrava Travel Time was first introduced in 2014 as the ref. 5524G in a 42mm white-gold case. Later in 2018, the brand unveiled a 37.5mm version, the ref. 7234R in rose gold. While the case material is the main point of difference in the Singapore edition, its bluish grey dial is distinctive and unusual, and more so in the context of such vintage aviator-inspired dials which are typically in a darker colour for greater legibility. The dial colour is meant to evoke the seascapes of Southeast Asian nations, including the port city of Singapore. Its embossed blue calfskin strap, a first for Patek Philippe, is also unique to the watch. It is otherwise mechanically identical to the standard model. Powering it is the 294-part self-winding 324 S C FUS which features a dual time zone mechanism indicating local and home time as well as a day and night indicator for both local and home time, displayed in apertures on the dial. Visible through the sapphire case back, the movement offers a 45-hour power reserve and operates at a frequency of 4Hz. As are all of Patek Philippe’s current movements, it is equipped with both a proprietary Gyromax balance and a silicon Spiromax hairsprin...
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Comments 1

  1. Anonymous
    The Navitimer slide rule thing always seemed impractical but I get the appeal.

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