Tested: 16 Best Pilot Watches for Any Budget

You can't just 'buy a watch.' First, you need to consider factors like budget, whether you want a mechanical or quartz watch, and the style you need.

When it comes to the latter, there's plenty to choose from. From the ever-popular dive watches to trendy sports watches with integrated bracelets and sophisticated dress watches - there's no shortage of watch styles. One of the most timeless is the pilot watch. The best pilot watches have a certain cool factor that's hard to beat while offering some utility for real aviators.

Unlike dive watches, which generally have the same basic formula - unidirectional bezel, high-visibility hands and indices, lots of lume, screw-down crown, water resistance of at least 200m, etc. - pilot watches are not a monolithic category. Although the most traditional watches can certainly be called 'pilot,' there is such a wide variety of styles under the aviation watch umbrella that almost anything can qualify as a pilot watch. Below, we explain what makes a watch a pilot watch, so check that out and then read on to see our list of the best pilot watches worth buying.

Overview of the Best Pilot Watches

The History of Aviation Chronology: Origins and Evolution of Pilot Watches

Pilot watches appeared over a century ago and have evolved alongside the airplanes for which they were designed. Their debut was in 1905. Admittedly, the first pilot watches were created by Cartier for the pilot and friend of its founder Louis Cartier, Santos Dumont. The Cartier Santos watch was designed specifically for Dumont and made according to his technical specifications, which required that the watch be easy to read at a glance. Although pilot watches underwent significant changes over the next decade, this principle of easy readability at a glance remained central to the design of almost all subsequent pilot watches.

With the development of aviation, the popularity of pilot watches grew, as these timepieces became an essential attribute for pilots, allowing them to calculate flight speed, calibrate aircraft functions, and compensate for wind direction. Over time, features such as standard chronograph and flyback chronograph complications, slide rule bezels, GMT complications, and other additions emerged, providing pilots with some vital functions. Like field watches, the evolution of pilot watches was largely driven by military and combat applications, which also led to significant military influence, high durability, the use of sturdy and typically non-corrosive steel straps and bands, and the presence of a 24-hour time scale on many modern pilot watches.

Into the Sky

What is a Pilot Watch?

At the most basic and traditional level, a pilot watch should have several characteristics. They should have a very large and easily readable dial with clear hands and indices, allowing quick reading while maneuvering an airplane. The hands and indices should also be luminescent, making them readable during night flights. The crown should be large enough to be easily operated with gloves on. Beyond these basic characteristics, there are many variations on what constitutes a pilot watch, but there are three main categories that most fall under.

• Flieger: The most classic, iconic, and recognizable pilot watch design is also the simplest. Flieger watches were invented for German pilots during World War II (better not to dwell on that connection), and legibility was paramount. They have large matte black dials, sword-shaped hands, and one of two dial layouts. The 'A' dial looks like a traditional dial with Arabic numerals marking the hours 1-11 and a triangle pointing to 12 o'clock. The 'B' model uses the same triangle at the 'twelve' position but features two chronometric tracks on the dial. The outer track, marked with Arabic numerals every five minutes, records minutes and aligns with the end of the minute hand. The inner track, marked with Arabic numerals every hour, tracks hours and aligns with the end of the hour hand. Finally, a large conical 'onion' style crown and leather strap complete the Flieger formula. Initially, only five companies produced such watches - IWC, Stowa, Laco, A. Lange & Söhne, and Wempe - but since then, many others have produced Flieger or Flieger-inspired watches.
• Pilot Chronograph/Flight Computer: More modern chronographs and flight computers offer additional complications beyond timekeeping that can assist a pilot in flight. These complications can range from basic countdown bezels and chronographs to more complex features like slide rule bezels. The latter is a common feature in this type of watch, as it combines inner fixed and outer rotating bezels, which can be used in tandem to calculate flight speed, distance, fuel consumption, climb or descent rates, and flight time. Modern aircraft, of course, do all these things for the pilot, but extra utility on the wrist never hurts.
• GMT: Nowadays, GMT watches are considered more travel watches than pilot watches, but this watch type was invented specifically for aviators. In the 1950s, international air travel was becoming more common. Pan-Am - the leading airline of the time - approached watchmakers with a request to create a watch that would allow their international pilots to track two time zones simultaneously. Of the two brands that first responded to the call, Glycine and Rolex, it was the latter's design that became the industry standard. The original Rolex GMT Master, debuting in 1954, combined a 24-hour bezel with a fourth hand that made one full revolution around the dial every 24 hours - two features still present in most GMT watches today.

Selection and Testing Process

Laco Augsburg 42

Best Flieger: As one of the five original Flieger watch manufacturers, the German watch company Laco knows this style well. Moreover, this budget brand produces the most affordable genuine Flieger watches. Furthermore, these watches offer incredible value by exceeding in quality of finish and overall shine.

This A-Type model comes in a more wearable 39mm case, allowing users to experience the genuine and classic pilot watch style without feeling like they're strapped to a frisbee. And don't worry if you have smaller wrists, the company also offers a more compact 39mm case version.

• Case Size: 42mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 50m

Marathon 41mm Steel Navigator W/ Date

Best Ultra-Rugged Watch: Watch companies often throw around the term 'mil-spec,' but Marathon is one of the few brands that can genuinely back up their claims. The Navigator model, a staple since 1986, is an ultra-rugged pilot watch built to strict military specifications at the request of Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio.

The watch needed to withstand high altitudes and abrupt pressure changes while remaining easy to read, and the Navigator, with its shock-resistant 316L stainless steel case, high-torque quartz HeavyDrive-PreciDrive movement, and tritium gas illumination, more than met those demands.

• Case Size: 41mm
• Movement: Quartz
• Water Resistance: 100m

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Mechanical

Best Case: The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Mechanical, with its classic NATO strap, is a modern reissue of the military watches Hamilton produced for the British Royal Air Force in 1973. At the heart of the watch is Hamilton's proprietary H-50 hand-wound movement, boasting a generous 80-hour power reserve housed in a compact 36mm tonneau-style case.

Completing the package is the unmistakably vintage-style dial with simple, ultra-light dial, surrounded by a classic set of sword-style hands. These 36mm mechanical watches also feature water resistance up to 100 meters.

• Case Size: 36mm
• Movement: Mechanical
• Water Resistance: 100m

Stowa Flieger Klassic 40

Best Modern Reissue: Another of the five original Flieger manufacturers, Stowa sits slightly higher on the price ladder than Laco but still manages to remain below elite watch costs. Naturally, with Stowa's price increase over Laco comes an increase in quality, as seen in their classic B-Type Flieger. These watches boast numerous luxurious details, such as blued steel hands with thermal treatment, high-end finishing of the Swiss Sellita movement, and matte steel cases with hand-finished detailing. When it comes to ultra-authentic, classically styled pilot watches sold at accessible prices, this Stowa reference is truly hard to beat.

• Case Size: 40mm or 43mm
• Movement: Automatic or Manual
• Water Resistance: 200m

Christopher Ward C65 Cranwell Series 2

Best Classic RAF Watch: Christopher Ward didn't exist in the mid-20th century when Swiss brands were producing legendary military watches, as the British brand didn't come into existence until 2005. But today, they produce some of the best mid-century military-inspired watches, as evidenced by these pilot watches created in collaboration with the Royal Air Force.

Named after the RAF college, these watches feature a minimalist military-style dial with Old Radium Super-LumiNova lume and a COSC-certified chronometer movement. With their versatile appearance, these watches are perfect for everyday life.

• Case Size: 38mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 150m

Sinn 104 A St Sa

Best German Watch: Although pilot watches have been among the most popular men's watches for several decades now, they still pale in comparison to the ubiquitous dive watches. To address this imbalance, Sinn released a pilot watch that both looks and acts very much like a dive watch - and it has become a legend in its own right.

The 104 pilot watches with high readability can be used as versatile everyday sports watches thanks to their countdown rotating bezel (which looks like a dive bezel), attractive dial design, and 200m water resistance.

• Case Size: 41mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 200m

Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Ceramic

Best Square Watch: Although the brand has only been around since the 1990s, Bell & Ross has firmly established itself as one of the leading producers of pilot watches. And their 'Flight Instruments' line is one of the key reasons why. B&R's flagship watches with large square cases and very clear dials look like they came straight from the cockpit to your wrist.

The BR 03-92 model, especially in the version with a sterile dial and matte black ceramic case, is the purest embodiment of this modern icon. The model is complemented by black rubber and black textile straps with PVD-coated black hardware.

• Case Size: 42mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 100m

Oris Big Crown ProPilot Altimeter

Best Modern Pilot Watch: It's hard to find a brand that does a better job of producing entry-level luxury watches than Oris. And while this brand's dive watches attract a lot of attention (and rightly so), its pilot watches hold their own. These watches, designed with a modern look, feature a lightweight yet durable 47mm case made from a special composite carbon fiber.

The Oris Big Crown Propilot watches are already among the best modern pilot models, but the Altimeter version takes them to a whole new level. The bezel of the watch houses a functioning altimeter, marking the first time an automatic watch has achieved such a feat.

• Case Size: 47mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 100m

IWC Mark XX

Best Dress Watch: Are there more quintessential pilot watches than these? IWC, one of the five original Flieger manufacturers, has turned this design into their iconic Big Pilot over the years. The simple name, which perfectly describes what these watches are - Big Pilot - is simply the best execution of the classic pilot watch archetype.

The 40mm case, large but not bulky, clean Type A Flieger dial with lots of luminescent lamps, and a polished knurled crown that's just pleasant to operate. If you like traditional watches, you can't get better than this model. With its elegant appearance, these pilot watches also make an excellent choice for office or more formal events.

• Case Size: 40mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 100m

Zenith Pilot Automatic

Best Ceramic Watch: The Zenith Pilot Automatic, equipped with one of Zenith's in-house high-frequency automatic El Primero 3620 movements, is a modern take on pilot watches. The 40mm black ceramic case features a ribbed dial with large luminescent Arabic numerals.

Water-resistant up to 100 meters, the watch also comes with CORDURA straps. The Zenith Pilot Type 20 chronograph is also an excellent option for a pilot watch, especially for those seeking a chronograph in a more classic, traditional military style.

• Case Size: 40mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 100m

Additional Selections

Subsequent selections worth considering

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Air Skyhawk

Fliegers are about style and history, but let's face it, they're not the most useful tools for modern pilots. Modern aviators often wear one of these babies on their wrists. The modern classic Citizen Skyhawk flight computer manages to pack a chronograph, perpetual calendar, dual time function, slide rule bezel, alarms, countdown timer, UTC indicator, and power reserve onto its busy dial. An atomic chronometer provides precise timing in 43 cities worldwide, and the Eco-Drive quartz movement is powered by light.

• Case Size: 45mm
• Movement: Solar Atomic Quartz with Perpetual Calendar, Chronograph, GMT, Timer, and Alarm
• Water Resistance: 200m

Farer Bradfield

Moving on to our next pick - a horological storm from Farer. The British microbrand, known for its use of color, certainly lives up to its reputation with this model, combining a white dial with accents of dark blue, sky blue, and cream yellow. The expansive dial and large conical onion crown make it clear that this is still a pilot watch, as does the impressive magnetic resistance certified to ISO 764, achieved thanks to the use of an internal soft iron Faraday cage.

• Case Size: 39.5mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 50m

Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7

As you've noticed in this list, brands love retro in their pilot watches. Most often, this pertains to reissues from World War II or the 1950s, but for the 191-year-old Longines, such 'modern' dates aren't sufficiently vintage. The Swiss brand delved deep into its archives to find this unique 1935 specimen. With an angular dial, oddly placed crown, and single-pusher chronograph movement, the Type A-7 Reissue offers a wealth of old-school charm in a package that looks unlike anything else on the market.

• Case Size: 41mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 30m

Bremont IronBird

Bremont takes a unique approach to producing pilot watches, investing a lot of research and development into how watches perform in the field. After all, this is the brand that subjects its iconic MBII watches to the same rigorous testing as Martin-Baker ejection seats. For the IronBird model, Bremont, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce (the aerospace company), created a watch from aerospace-grade titanium that will be worn on the wrists of the company's test pilots as they attempt to break the speed record for zero-emission aircraft on board the 'Spirit of Innovation' - a plane whose cockpit was jointly developed by Bremont.

• Case Size: 43mm
• Movement: Automatic GMT
• Water Resistance: 100m

Breitling Navitimer 01 Chronograph

The Navitimer isn't just Breitling's flagship watch; it's the most iconic pilot chronograph created by anyone. It was these watches that popularized the slide rule bezel, combining this mathematical function with a three-register chronograph layout to create the famous busy watch design. Nowadays, with Navitimer prices starting at ten thousand, they are more of a luxury item than a utilitarian tool watch, but they remain popular among aviators and will always be a legend in the field.

• Case Size: 46mm
• Movement: Automatic Chronograph
• Water Resistance: 30m

Rolex GMT-Master II

Is the GMT Master still a pilot's watch? These watches have certainly transcended their flight origins to become style icons here on Earth, but that doesn't mean their past should be discounted. Despite the flashy ceramic bezel and virtually unattainable status of the modern version, there's still plenty of jet age romance in the Rolex GMT - not to mention they're still useful for pilots thanks to the handy GMT complication. So, as we see it, this classic will always remain a pilot's watch, now and forever.

• Case Size: 40mm
• Movement: Automatic GMT
• Water Resistance: 100m