PILOT AND AVIATION WATCHES
One of the more popular and distinct watch types out there, pilot and aviation watches have a rich history with a broad selection of options. Below we feature both classically-styled pilot watches and their most modern counterparts. Come along as we share featured content on one of the most storied watch categories on the market while discovering just how far pilot watches have come over the years.
Scroll down to browse our curated collection of pilot watches.
PILOT WATCHES
GOOD TO KNOW: TYPE A & TYPE B DIALS
TYPE A
The Type A pilot dial features a dial layout with a standard minute track surrounding the outer edge of the dial. There are large, oversized hands which overlap the minute/seconds around the dial as well as the hour numerals. A triangle at twelve ensures that even in the worst conditions, the watch can be easily set.
TYPE B
The Type B dial layout has a perimeter that displays large minutes, in five minute increments. At the center of the dial, you'll see a smaller hour track going from 1-12. The hour hand has been shortened to reflect this while the thickest part of the minute hand has been moved to ensure only a small part of the hour track is covered.
PILOT WATCHES UNDER $1000
GOOD TO KNOW: CLASSIC VS MODERN
CLASSIC
The classicaly styled pilot watch has a very simple layout, as we saw with the Type A and Type B. Legibility is the primary goal, thus a monochrome color scheme tends to be the choice for brands looking to create a classically styled pilot watch. And if the brand really wants to stay true to the original design aesthetic, the dial will not include a brand logo (these were considered as an extra and possible distraction).
MODERN
The modern pilot watch still has the goal of legibility yet also strives to excel with multi-functionailty. These watches may have slide rule bezels for when quick calculations are needed. They can also include multiple timezones as the modern day pilot hops from city to city. Finally, these watches also experiment with different materials in an aim to increase overall comfort as well as durability.
MODERN PILOT WATCHES
GOOD TO KNOW: GMT'S & CHRONOGRAPHS
GMT
A GMT watch, sometimes referred to as a dual time watch, provides the wearer with an instant view of the time in two locations. This functionality is pivotal for pilots who travel in and out of multiple timezones. Originally, these watches would display a home time and GMT time, which is a time standard that all pilots could reference when trying to stay synced between multiple locations.
CHRONOGRAPH
A chronograph measures elapsed time and can do this in minute and sometime hour increments. This ability to measure elapsed time allowed pilots to complete essential tasks such as navigation by completeing speed and distance calculations, fuel consumption calculations and more.
GMT AND CHRONOGRAPH PILOT WATCHES
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
16 GREAT PILOT WATCHES UNDER $1K
We break down 16 of the best aviation-style watches you can buy today. Weather your looking for something feature-rich or classically-styled, we've got you covered.
