2,625 articles · 372 videos found · page 88 of 100
Monochrome
While the Superman, a skindiver piece, is by far the most emblematic model of French watchmaking brand Yema, three other names might ring a bell to some enthusiasts. All designed as professional instruments in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the Flygraf (pilot’s watch), Rallygraf (driver’s watch) and Yachtingraf (regatta watch) are now deeply rooted […]
Worn & Wound
Every once in a while, you come across someone who can only be described as “The Real Deal” and we’re excited to tell you that Steve Davidson is just that. Steve is an Alaskan bush pilot and backcountry guide who spends his days flying around Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. He’s an avid outdoor enthusiast who grew up surfing and skiing and now takes adventurers, two at a time, deep into the Alaskan wilderness for wildlife spotting and backcountry skiing. Steve knows a thing or two about having the right kind of gear and he relies daily on his 36mm VAER S3 Calendar Field watch. For this final edition of Tool/Kit in 2023, Steve takes us through what it’s like to rely on a watch as a mission critical piece of gear for his life of flying in the bush. The post Tool/Kit: Bush Flying in Alaska with Steve Davidson and the Vaer S3 Calendar Field appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
Abingdon Mullin is both a pilot and the founder of The Abingdon Co. watch company. I had the great fortune to meet Abingdon at this year’s Wind-Up Watch Fair in New York City, and to say that Abingdon is one of the most exciting people I’ve ever met in watches would be an understatement. There seems to be no adventure she shies away from, and no obstacle too large to overcome. After our conversation at Wind-Up we agreed to reconnect when Abingdon returned to Las Vegas, where her company has its headquarters, and have a conversation about watches and taking to the skies. What Else: To understand how Abingdon got into watches, you must first know the story of Abingdon the pilot. So, I’ve switched format this time around, to give you a taste of the “What Else” first. When I asked Abingdon why she became a pilot she went wide-eyed and said, “I did it for the free food,” as if I should have known that that’s why anyone should do anything. Abingdon went on to explain that she didn’t come from a family of incredible means, and when she attended high school in Burbank, CA she’d always hit up the career center for the free lunch they offered along with the presentations they held for students. “There was this one particular Wednesday where I went in, and in walk these two pilots from Burbank Airport, and they said two things that really stuck with me: you don’t have to join the military to become a pilot, and the second thing they said was that you don...
SJX Watches
With roots in 1950s French military-issue chronographs, the modern-day Type XX Chronographe was originally released in the mid-1990s and is now’s trademark pilot’s chronograph – and also the brand’s entry-level complication. Originally utilising Lemania-based movement in prior generations, the Type XX was entirely revamped, inside and out, with the unveiling of the Type XX Chronograph 2057 and 2067 earlier this year. While the aesthetics have been revised, the most notable upgrade in the new-generation Type XX is a brand-new movement, the cal. 728. The cal. 728 is a high-frequency movement running at 36,000 beats per hour that employs a novel patent-pending flying mechanism as well as an inventive reset system. The release of a completely new, in-house chronograph movement is uncommon, especially one with novel innovations that went under the radar. In fact, the cal. 728 is arguably one of the most sophisticated and advanced modern-day chronograph movements, putting it alongside the Audemars Piguet cal. 4401/4409 and Rolex cal. 4131. As a result, the cal. 728 deserves a closer look. Controlled return The cal. 728 is actually two related movements: the cal. 728 is an automatic, flyback-chronograph movement with three registers for elapsed seconds, minutes, and hours that is inside the three-counter Type XX ref. 2067, while the cal. 7281 is a two-counter version of the calibre found in the military-inspired Type XX ref. 2057. The most novel component of the cal. 728 ...
Monochrome
Hanhart is famous for its Flieger chronographs, historic pilot watches with a red pusher to prevent pilots from accidentally zeroing the stop time. However, Hanhart is also renowned for its stopwatches. In fact, Johann Hanhart started life in Switzerland in 1882 as a manufacturer of stopwatches before relocating to Germany in 1902, where his son, […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
After years of tiptoeing around it and covering releases from Oris, I have to say that the recently announced Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser may be the watch that conquers me. Back when Oris announced the original Pro Pilot X, I found the design compelling but at the same time, a little too industrial-looking for me. I say that even as someone who is affectionately drawn to aviation themes, which Oris does very well. But now, Oris just had to add frickin’ lasers to the equation, pulling me closer to the ProPilot X.
Hodinkee
A new laser treatment introduces a kaleidoscope of colors to the Pro Pilot X.
Time+Tide
Citizen gives a masterclass in retrofuturistic pilot's watch design.The post Take to sci-fi skies with the new Citizen Promaster Skyhawk collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Hodinkee Insurance launches a pilot program for jewelry insurance.
Time+Tide
We can all pretty much agree that pilot’s watches are awesome, whether or not it’s a historical legend or something more contemporary. There’s something about their utilitarian approach which is inspires our day-to-day lives, letting our imaginations soar whenever we check the time. That said, most pilot’s watch owners don’t actually fly planes. But, if … ContinuedThe post How to use a slide rule bezel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Breitling is keeping their foot on the gas in redesigning their core collection of aviation watches, and this time they’ve updated their modern pilot range, the Avenger collection. As opposed to Breitling’s other collections, such as the Navitimer and the AVI, the Avenger is relatively new with just over 20 years under its belt. As such, the design feels anchored in a very different aesthetic, which has now been updated to slightly more modern sensibilities while still being a familiar sight overall. The new Avenger collection welcomes a chronograph, a GMT, and time and date watches, each with a variety of options totaling 11 new references altogether. The Aveneger has always been an aviation watch aimed at the more extreme end of things, proudly boasting the winged B logo on its dial and an unorthodox design to suit the needs of the jet pilots it was intended for. The latest generations looks to smooth out a few of the rough edges, and create a design some may consider more palatable to a wider audience. In the process, the Avenger doesn’t quite have the same impact it once had, but will it be more approachable as a result? The new collection ditches the winged B logo, opting for the large scripted B instead, leaving the Professional collection as the last holdout for the classic rendition. The distinctive bezel with heavy block section added to the cardinal positions remains, though in a slightly less aggressive manner than we’ve seen it in the past. This may b...
SJX Watches
Breitling has redesigned the Avenger collection of big and bold pilot’s watches. First introduced in 2001 – the original is perhaps best known for being worn by Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond – the Avenger is now (very) slightly scaled down, kitted out with cleaner dials and better case detailing, and an in-house movement for the chronograph. Made up of the B01 Chronograph 44, GMT 44 and Automatic 42, the new Avenger collection still retains its signature size and style – the watches remain oversized, rugged, and functional, with chunky rotating bezels and 300 m of water resistance. Initial thoughts Breitling is known for is oversized pilot’s watches and the Avenger is exactly that. More substantial and modern than the old-school Navitimer, the Avenger is an unapologetically big, bold “tool” watch. The facelift has streamlined the design slightly, giving it a cleaner and more contemporary look, while retaining the key elements of the Avenger, including the all-matte brushed case and rotating bezel with rider tab. While there are technically three models in the family, the key one has always been the chronograph, and that is emphasised here with the Avenger chronograph with in-house Calibre B01. This is now the only chronograph in the line-up, while previously the collection included both ETA-powered and in-house versions. The Breitling B01 features a vertical clutch and column wheel Although the chronograph is the priciest in the collection, it is defi...
Worn & Wound
One could argue that the core of a modern watch company is a competent sports watch. If that were true, it would be no surprise that LA-based Nodus Watches has really found its stride by building a strong catalog of durable, interesting models under $1,000. The so-called Sector Series encompasses – among others – Dive, GMT, and Pilot’s watches. The foundation of this line is simply called the Sector Sport, and today Nodus is adding a limited Sector Sport in steel and bronze. Based on the platonic ideal of a “sports watch” as it was defined in the mid-century, the Sector philosophy is grounded in two defining tenets: 1) an adaptable midcase amenable to varying finishes and future add-ons and 2) a sector dial demarcated by differences in texture and finishing. Specs-wise it means a 38mm x 12.5mm x 47mm case with 20mm lugs, accompanied by an H-link bracelet that tapers from 20 to 18mm. The bracelet also includes the proprietary Nodus NodeX clasp for on-the-fly adjustments. Inside is the Seiko NH38. While Nodus has historically iterated on the Sport with bold colors like Glacial and Marigold, it is taking a new approach with this bronze and steel reference. The anthracite dial is composed of two brass plates. One is the inner sector where the hour hand neatly terminates; the outer sector is home to gilt PVD-coated hour markers. The hands have the same gilt treatment and, paired with the dial, make for a warm and subdued aesthetic. The most noteworthy update here is t...
Hodinkee
Big, bold, and brown. This new release has a lot to love if you're looking for a pilot's chronograph.
Time+Tide
Funky lugs and a German naval pilot tie-in bring a breath of fresh air to this large-and-in-charge chronograph.The post The Hanhart Primus Fly Navy brings back articulating lugs and imposing dimensions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Something I think about quite a bit in this hobby is the idea that the watches we wear are often just part of a costume that we’re presenting to the outside world. They exist as aspirational symbols of what we’d like our life to be. There’s a cosplay aspect to wearing certain watches that I’m never quite able to shake, even watches I love. I wear, on most days, either a pilot’s watch or a diver, and I don’t fly a plane and I don’t even really like to swim. I wear these watches because I genuinely enjoy them as watches, but I’d be lying if a small part of me didn’t feel like a pretender, a guy asking himself who he thinks he’s kidding with this super tactical pilot’s instrument strapped to his wrist. I’ve never felt that feeling more acutely than in my time with the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Automatic in rose gold. This watch, let’s just say, is not in my normal wheelhouse. While I appreciate it aesthetically (in fact, I find it quite beautiful) it’s not the kind of thing I’d choose to wear. But more than that, this watch is part of a micro-genre of watches that is very specific, one that I’m fascinated by, but am personally so far removed from, I am legitimately probably closer to the pilot walking into the US Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program than I am the dude who this watch was made for. The Tonda PF Sport Auto is part of a class of watches I think of as “leisure sport,” with a heavy emphasis on the leisure. Th...
In a world of speed and daring, where the limits of what’s possible are being pushed… there are those who dare to dream, and there are those who dare to ride. In 1947, legendary pilot Chuck Yeager climbed into the cockpit of the Bell X-1, a rocket-powered aircraft designed to break a barrier thought by many to be impossible-the speed of sound itself. And what is speed… but distance, over time. Fortunately, he had vision… a goal, and the courage to chase it. The post Breaking Barriers with the AVI-8 Bell X-1 Limited Edition appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Teddy Baldassarre
“Flieger” is the German word for “flier” - contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, it’s not the direct translation of “pilot” (that would actually be “pilot”) - and if you’re a traveler visiting Germany, it’s a helpful word to know, as it helps to understand other related terms: German airlines call their flights “flugs” and Germany calls its airports “flughafens.” Flieger is also the term that’s been widely adopted as shorthand for a specific style of pilot’s watch - one that traces its origins to World War II and which is still popular among an avid group of watch enthusiasts today. Flieger watches trace their origins to a type of timekeeper developed in the 1930s for German military aviators called the B-Uhr, short for Beobachtungs-Uhren, which translates to “observation watches.” B-Uhr watches, the first of which were property of the German government rather than the Luftwaffe pilots who wore them, adhered to strict specifications. Their cases were enormous for a wrist-borne watch at the time, at 55mm in diameter, and they accordingly housed movements that were originally made for pocket watches. These movements all incorporated the mission-critical hacking seconds function and were protected from magnetism by soft iron inner cages to ensure their functionality in an airplane cockpit. The dials were designed to be ultra-readable, with large white Arabic numerals on an expansive black background and flame-blued, luminou...
Hodinkee
This pilot's watch turned time-only is now available in 32mm and 36mm.
Worn & Wound
Doomsday preppers and the most hardcore of watch collectors are in for a real treat. German watch manufacturer Laco is doubling down on the success of its Atacama.2 by introducing the Atacama Quarz UTC. It’s a more affordable and focused watch with a new trick up its sleeve: GMT functionality. Primarily known for their excellent pilot watches, Laco has collaborated closely with German soldiers, firefighters, and other action-oriented professionals to hone their “Squad and Sport” timepieces. It only takes a glance to understand. You can learn a lot about this watch in its name. It’s still an Atacama, which means it shares the same PVD-coated treatment, date complication, rubber strap, unidirectional bezel, and matte dial as the Atacama.2. But now it’s powered by quartz, “Quarz” in German, and features an independent GMT – or UTC – hand. The new watch is 46mm in diameter, but the Ronda 515 GMT quartz movement inside has enabled Laco to slim the watch down to 10.5mm with a “contact area” of just 34mm. This is also in part due to the conical shape of the case, allowing the watch to feel much smaller and comfortable on the wrist than its maximum diameter may suggest. The use of black PVD-coating and generous amounts of lume on the hands, dial, and bezel result in a watch that is supremely legible to its wearer while remaining subdued to would-be onlookers (or enemies). The crown at twelve o-clock is integrated into and protected by the articulating lugs. D...
Hodinkee
Digging into the details, date window and all, to understand the design decisions and what the future might hold for the latest from an iconic line of pilot's watches.
Quill & Pad
The first time Bhanu Chopra strapped a borrowed BR 03-92 Black Matte Ceramic on his wrist, he thought that it was the perfect Bell & Ross watch for him, checking all the boxes for the characteristics he expected from an aviation-style instrument watch. He bought one and it has been part of his core pilot’s watch collection ever since. This is why.
Hodinkee
The brand dresses up their iconic pilot's chronograph with a cool grey dial for this US exclusive.
Hodinkee
With 10,000+ planes flying in, you'd expect a lot of pilot's watches. But you'd be surprised.
Worn & Wound
A good friend of mine leans heavily toward the category of pilot watches. He’s not a pilot, but he likes the way pilot watches look, how legible they are, and the rich history that propelled them to occupy an important role in Swiss brands’ catalogs. I lean heavily towards the genre of dive watches, and although I’m not a professional diver, I do occasionally explore the world below the surface. I have been drawn to dive watches because of their inherent robustness and versatility, as well because I have a particular affinity for any large body of water. This means, in other words, that I mostly wear dive watches and that I’m always on the lookout for the next one to add to my collection. At the risk of bragging a little, I’ve gotten my hands on many Christopher Ward models in the past three years. But for some strange reason, I’ve never looked at a Trident in the metal. This is odd because it is the collection that the British brand is perhaps the most known for. And this might be due to the fact that, over the past few years, Christopher Ward has revamped the Trident collection multiple times, updating the designs, improving upon the case profile and dimensions, and continuously bettering the finish. Or, in Christopher Ward terms, giving us better bangs for our bucks. So today is a special day as I got to spend some time with the 38mm C60 Trident Pro 300. An Enthusiast Driven Design We watch enthusiasts are not only enthusiasts about horology but we som...
Hodinkee
SR-71 pilot Brian Shul talks about his new Ball Watch and what it was like to fly the world's fastest jet.
![[VIDEO] Christopher Ward Treads Familiar Ground With The Twelve](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2023/06/ChristopherWard_the-twelve_001.jpg)
Worn & Wound
‘Integrated bracelet sport watch’ is likely a term you’re getting sick of hearing. The genre has reached a saturation point, it would seem. However, some of the new watches that find themselves in this category are indeed quite compelling. Watches like the new IWC Ingenieur, the Zenith Defy Skyline, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, and most recently, a surprising entry from Christopher Ward called The Twelve, which we introduced to you when it was launched heading into our Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco. With this watch, Christopher Ward is staking a claim to the genre outside of its usual luxury connotations. Where the IWC, the Zenith, and the G-P (as well as many others) are priced around $10,000 or more, The Twelve hits the market in the much more palatable $1,000 range. The Twelve is well positioned to capitalize on the trend of the integrated bracelet sport watch in a way many others in this price range are not. They’ve built plenty of equity in the space, and have even brought some typically high-end collectors into their flock with the likes of the Bel-Canto. Where that watch embraced a level of originality, The Twelve is a direct interpretation of a well trodden design language, and Christopher Ward makes no bones about it being exactly that. In fact, whatever your thoughts on the watch itself, there’s something admirable about the recognition Christopher Ward is giving some of the all-time greats of the genre, while at the same time placing their own w...
Hodinkee
Breguet's iconic pilot chronograph is back.
Worn & Wound
When it comes to pilot chronographs, particularly military inspired pilot chronographs, the Type XX sits at the top of a very large pile of well loved and highly collectible watches. Most often associated with Breguet, the Type XX is analogous to the “Dirty Dozen” W.W.W. field watches produced by a number of manufacturers in the WWII years on a contract basis for the British Ministry of Defense. In the case of the Type XX, it was the French military who contracted watchmakers to create a high spec chronograph. The requirements were specific and rigid: black dials, chrono registers at 3:00 and 9:00, the capability to time events up to 30 minutes, a 38mm case, and a 12 hour bezel among them. Mathey-Tissot and Dodane were among the brands charged with manufacturing these watches along with Breguet. Over the years, the style of this simple pilot’s chronograph has influenced countless other brands and has been straight up copied by many, and along the way it became a staple of the modern Breguet lineup. That is, until the contemporary Type XX was discontinued a few years ago. Now, the Type XX is back in a fairly big way, in two different versions with two different names that I promise are not confusing at all. Announced yesterday, Breguet has unveiled an all new Type XX (the civilian version) and a Type 20 (the military version). References 2067 and 2057, respectively, both carry aesthetic elements from classic versions of the watch, but have some subtle (and also some...
SJX Watches
Following the launch of a revamped flagship perpetual calendar, Breguet now reboots its famous pilot’s chronograph with the Type XX Chronographe 2057 and 2067. Descended from the military-issue watches introduced in the 1950s, the new Type XX makes its debut with a pair of watches – one military inspired and the other civilian – that are identical on a fundamental level but distinctly different in look and feel. Significant enhancements have been introduced with the latest-generation Type XX, including more sophisticated case finishing, but most notable is the newly-developed flyback chronograph movement with an extended power reserve and high-frequency, 5 Hz escapement. (The new models are referred to as Type XX, as are vintage pilot’s chronographs sold to the civilian market. Vintage military-issue chronographs are known as Type 20, as is historical practice.) The ref. 2067 modelled on the civilian Type XX of the 1960s Initial thoughts After introducing the Type XX and Type XXI, Breguet has returned back to the Type XX model name with a new watch that retains many of the distinctive design elements that define the Type XX, while incorporating significant improvements to the design, details, and of course movement. At 42 mm, the new Type XX is a large watch, but sized correctly for a pilot’s chronograph. The lugs are also relatively short so the watch sits well on the wrist. And enthusiasts will appreciate the fact that the case size corresponds to the movement....
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