Worn & Wound
The History of and Differences Between a Type A and Type B Pilot Watch Dials
The post The History of and Differences Between a Type A and Type B Pilot Watch Dials appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Pilot Watches · Page 4
Worn & Wound
Fratello
Hands-On With The Bell & Ross BR-03 GMT Compass - A Smartly Executed Tool Watch With A Twist
Bell & Ross has always leaned into its aviation DNA, and few collections embody that identity more clearly than the BR-03 series. With its square case, four exposed screws, and cockpit-instrument aesthetic, it’s a design that’s instantly recognizable even across the room. The latest model, the BR-03 GMT Compass, keeps that familiar geometry but brings […] Visit Hands-On With The Bell & Ross BR-03 GMT Compass - A Smartly Executed Tool Watch With A Twist to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Hanhart Introduces the 417 ES Mocha Flyback Date
Brown is a divisive color; get it right, and it can make whatever it adorns seem luxurious, rich, and warm. Get it wrong or pair it with a color that doesn’t go well with earth tones, and you end up with something either dull or downright ugly. Fortunately, German watchmaker Hanhart has gone the right route when designing their 417 ES Mocha Flyback date, with a naming convention and brown and silver color pairing that conjures cafes on a rainy day. Made in collaboration with the Porsche Fahrer magazine, the Mocha Flyback is actually a handsomely-masked nod to motorsport, albeit with a coffee-centric aesthetic twist. The 42mm stainless steel case measures in at 49.75mm lug-to-lug, with a smooth stainless steel bezel, and a crown at the 3 o’clock position. Flanking the crown are two pushers-one matching steel at 2 o’clock, and one in a daring HyCeram red at 4. The red pusher is the sole deviation from the moody brown and silver design, and the first indication of the Mocha Flyback’s infatuation with speeding automobiles. It’s not just for optics, either; the bright red is a hallmark of flyback watches, intended to warn pilots (or race car drivers) before they accidentally reset the stop timer. The dial is a deep mocha brown, with two subdials inset at 3 and 9 o’clock for small seconds and 30-minute counter functionality; a date window sits at 6, replacing the numeral. Around the dial is a military-esque minute track, echoing the pilot watch origin of the model....
Time+Tide
Fortis’ fliegers for the 21st century, like this F-43 Triple GMT, are now in the Time+Tide Shop!
Designed in collaboration with the Swiss Air Force., Fortis' Flieger collection is super-legibile and tough: this GMT is a particular standout.The post Fortis’ fliegers for the 21st century, like this F-43 Triple GMT, are now in the Time+Tide Shop! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Lebois & Co Heritage Small Seconds Collection
A historical name of the watch industry (founded in 1934), Lebois & Co was revived in 2015 by Tom van Wijlick, a Dutch entrepreneur who’s also responsible for the comeback of Airain and its Type 20 and 21 pilot’s watches. Although still hesitant at the beginning, the brand truly found its stride with the 2022 release of the […]
Monochrome
First Look – The New Bell & Ross BR-03 GMT Compass
Bell & Ross has gotten a lot of mileage from its distinctive cockpit instrument-inspired watches with round dials in square cases and four exposed screws in the corners. Fusing these traits, the first BR-01 of 2005 with its whopping 46mm diameter squarely put the French brand on the horological radar. A year later, Bell & […]
Deployant
New & Reviewed: Bell & Ross BR-03 GMT Compass
Bell & Ross releases another new model, the BR-03 Compass, with indication for 3 timezones and a compass. Here is our hands-on review.
Teddy Baldassarre
Stowa Flieger Classic Review
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Best Flieger Watches - Buying Guide & History (IWC, Stowa, Laco &
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Monochrome
Introducing – The Airain Type 20 “70 Ans”, a Horizon-Blue Tribute to the French Flyback Chronograph
Born from the French Ministry of Defence’s Type 20 brief in the mid-1950s, the Type 20 Chronograph watches featured a black dial, a flyback (retour en vol) function, a rotating bezel, and pilot-proof robustness. Alongside fellow suppliers like Breguet, Mathey-Tissot, and Auricoste, Airain’s Type 20 quickly became one of the most recognisable field chronographs. A […]
Fratello
Introducing: The Airain Type 20 70 ANS - Celebrating The Model’s 70th Anniversary
Although Airain only returned to the global horological stage in 2020, its roots, famously, go much further back. So much so, actually, that the classic Type 20 turns 70 this year. Naturally, Airain could not let that pass without an appropriate celebration, so here we have the Airain Type 20 70 ANS. Let’s have a […] Visit Introducing: The Airain Type 20 70 ANS - Celebrating The Model’s 70th Anniversary to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Citizen Nighthawk Review: The Military Pilots' Watch
Citizen's fleet of Promaster Pilot watches offer an array of styles and complications for the aviation-watch enthusiast, and the Nighthawk models occupy a specific niche within the overall collection thanks to their bold, no-nonsense design drawn from military helicopter cockpits. Here is what you should know about the Citizen Nighthawk, and a showcase of the models that have most resonated with enthusiasts. The flight of the Nighthawk begins with the Promaster. In fact, Citizen’s Promaster collection - established in 1989 and built around the concept of rugged yet stylish, multifunctional timepieces aimed at sea, air, and land professionals - could be described as the massive aircraft carrier from which many Citizen pilots’ watches have been launched. From this now-emblematic collection emerged many of the famous Citizen tool watches we’re familiar with today, categorized under Promaster Marine (dive watches including the Eco-Drive and Mechanical Professional Divers as well as the high-tech Aqualand); Promaster Land (including the altimeter-equipped Altichron and ana-digi Combination Watch) and Promaster Sky, which includes GMTs like the Eco-Drive Geo-Trekker and the now-familiar “Hawk” watches with multiple aviation-centric functions, like the Skyhawk, Navihawk, and Nighthawk. What makes the Nighthawk models stand out from their high-flying peers? It is the most military in its aesthetic, with a dial design inspired by the instruments found in the cockpits ...
SJX Watches
Toto Wolff’s Race-Worn IWC Big Pilot XPL to Hammer for Charity
A highlight of IWC’s long-standing partnership with Laureus Sport for Good, the organisation’s annual charity auction returns for 2025 with something a little different. Rather than a simple blue-dialed edition of a standard model, IWC is instead offering an existing watch with special provenance. Hammering this Saturday, the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff was worn by the Mercedes-AMG team boss himself during the recent Singapore Grand Prix. As ever, all proceeds benefit the Laureus Foundation Switzerland. Bidding is currently live online, and will conclude on October 25th at the Laureus Charity Night in Zurich. Initial thoughts IWC has cultivated an enduring partnership with Laureus Sport for Good dating back to 2005. It’s a good cause that uses sports programmes to improve the lives of children in over 40 countries. For the annual charity auction, IWC typically produces a special model with a blue dial for the charity auction each year. Over time, most of the brand’s collections have been tapped for service, from the Da Vinci to the Portofino and the Portugieser. Naturally, the emblematic Pilot’s Watch has reported for duty over the years as well. For 2025, IWC has departed from its own norms and is offering a single unit of the existing 100-piece Toto Wolff edition of the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL. The twist is that it’s the actual watch worn over race weekend by team principal Toto Wolff himself, so the printed signature on t...
Fratello
The Rolex GMT-Master That Flew Around the World - Cliff Tait’s Extraordinary Journey
When pilot Cliff Tait took off in 1969 to fly solo around the world in a tiny aircraft, he carried with him a Rolex GMT-Master 1675 - a watch that became as vital as any flight instrument. This is the story of the man, the machine, and the timepiece that circled the globe together. On […] Visit The Rolex GMT-Master That Flew Around the World - Cliff Tait’s Extraordinary Journey to read the full article.
Fratello
Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Ceratanium Vs. Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black/Black”
Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. We’ve had a couple of battles between dressy watches in the previous weeks, so we thought it would be good to return to our more regular program of proper sports watches. This week, Omega launched its updated Dark Side of the Moon collection, which we couldn’t […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Ceratanium Vs. Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black/Black” to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Before You Buy The IWC Big Pilot 43 - Four Things To Know
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Breitling’s Iconic Navitimer In 41mm - Arguably The Best It’s Been In
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
A Luxury Pilot Watch That Sets The Standard In Many Ways - IWC Mark XX
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko's Entry-Level Pilot Watch - The Most Overlooked Current Seiko 5?
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Revolution
Bottom Time: Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver
Jason Heaton heads out to the Florida Keys to test Bell & Ross’s BR 03-92 Diver in its element, and gets completely swept away.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The New Full-Titanium Santos de Cartier, and a Black Luminous Steel LM Model
The name Santos at Cartier carries a lot of weight. One of Cartier’s oldest collections, named after Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who commissioned a watch from his friend Louis Cartier in 1904 to be worn while piloting his flying machines, it took on a slightly different vocation in recent years, becoming the brand’s vision of […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: The Cartier Santos in End-to-End Titanium
In a first, Cartier has just unveiled the Santos de Cartier LM in titanium. Its flagship sports watch now features a case and matching bracelet in matte, bead-blasted titanium – specifically grade 23 titanium – while retaining all of the other familiar Santos design elements, including the exposed screws and traditional silvered dial. The Santos in titanium is powered by the same industrial 1847 MC movement found in its steel counterpart, and costs about 20% more, but has a great deal more tactile appeal. The watch is large, lightweight, and low-key. Initial thoughts The Santos was originally conceived as a sports watch in 1904, albeit not of the sort known today. The original was an aviator’s watch, but a tiny and thin watch more comparable to a 21st century dress watch. That history, however, meant that Cartier has rolled out several sporty-ish versions of the Santos in the past. It’s surprising that it took Cartier this long to put together a Santos in titanium. The smooth, blasted case finish has a great deal of tactile appeal, and the muted, matte aesthetic is equally appealing. Some might see this as being way too similar to the steel model – the two are indistinguishable at a distance – but that is part of its appeal. Almost twins, titanium (left) with a bead-blasted finish, and steel with a brushed finish and polished bezel Though the material is different, the exterior finishing is almost identical to that of the steel model, except that the brushed fi...
Worn & Wound
Behind the DIN 8330 Standard for Pilot’s Watches
Standards and certifications in watchmaking were primarily developed for chronometry, as well as to reassure the buyer that their watch had been thoroughly tested to a certain level of accuracy. The standards we see most often in the technical specifications are COSC, METAS, and other company or regional chronometry certifications. In modern watchmaking, other key standards like the ISO 6425 dive watch standard, which was developed in the 1990s and followed by watch companies, also come into play. These standards were largely based on various military set standards for watches; however, since each military set their own requirements, there was not one universally followed standard. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published specific requirements and testing procedures for a watch to be officially designated a “Diver’s watch”. While there is no ISO standard for pilot’s watches, there are specific requirements set by militaries around the world. One of the most well-known standards is from the WWII German pilot’s watch known as the “Beobachtungsuhren” or “B-Uhren.” B-Uhren pilot’s watch standards are well documented and are still followed by many watch companies to this day. In March 2012, Sinn lead an initiative in collaboration with the Faculty of Aerospace Technology at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences to create TESTAF – Technical Standard for Pilot Watches. TESTAF was developed so that a pilot’s watch meets all mod...
Teddy Baldassarre
Longines Spirit 39mm Review: Smaller, Cleaner Pilot's Watches
The Longines Spirit Pilot watch collection was released back in 2020 and I recall going hands-on with the then-new pilot’s watches, which were a blend of contemporary with a dash of vintage styling. Since then, the brand has clearly listened to the response from enthusiasts who have been generally receptive to the collection, but with some consistent points of criticism. Namely, the five stars on the dial were divisive and even though it comes in 37,40, and 42mm case sizes, none felt like they hit that “Goldilocks” zone for a lot of people. Fortunately for those buyers, Longines just dropped two new watches that might be the best in the collection so far: the Longines Spirit 39mm three-hand and the new Flyback in a 39.5mm case. Longines Spirit 39mm Pilot's Watch First, let's look at the Spirit Pilot three-hand watch which comes in a stainless steel case measuring 39mm wide and 11.5mm thick with a lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm. While the gap between 39mm and 40mm doesn’t sound too dramatic, the latter has a lug-to-lug that measures just shy of 50mm which is simply too big for a lot of people. And 37mm is just too small for many of those same people. So, with that established, it’s not hard to see why this 39mm case size is so well received. The rest of the case is simple enough with alternating brushed and polished finishes, a sleek bezel, and a domed sapphire crystal with dual-sided AR coating. Finally, it also offers 100 meters of water resistance. Then there...
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