There is a lot going on at Breitling. Georges Kern took over as CEO in September 2017, after 80% of the company had been purchased by London-based private equity group CVC Capital Partners. But Georges Kern didn’t arrive just as CEO: he also invested in the company, and so he is primarily an entrepreneur. His…
This selection comprises watches inspired by aviation, but without the Type A and Type B B-Uhr watches that are so numerous that they have categories for themselves, and likewise the early pilot’s watch genre that is also well-populated. This top ten list is in ascending price order. 1. Torsten Nagengast Timeline i16 Aviator Basic pilot’s…
The Avenger Hurricane Military by Breitling is truly super-tough in its looks, and its gigantic 50 mm case requires a bodybuilt wrist to wear it. I’m always a bit suspicious about unfit people wearing camouflage trousers, who make me think “Hey, come on, who are you kidding?” with the same sort of annoyance that I…
Hamilton created the Khaki Air Race watch to celebrate their sponsorship of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, for which they are official timer from this year, 2017. It doesn’t have any of the traditional pilot’s watch features, but the visual design has a lot in common with Panerai, for example the Radiomir 1940…
The H2 Aviator by HYT doesn’t look anything like a pilot’s watch, or even an aviation watch. It looks very much like an H2. Which is only natural. But it’s an indication of the remarkable interest that brands are showing in aviation watches, with beautiful pieces by Patek Philippe (their first ever foray into aviation)…
Several watch brands are presenting models with a distinct resemblance to the earliest style of pilot’s watch, with large, chunky Art Deco numerals with generous luminescent paint, and a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. Other classical characteristics are a large case size, and a large crown, so that pilots could operate it while wearing…