Horological Meandering

KC74
2043

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What about Pilot Watches?

Fascination with Pilot watches has been around since the early 1930s or even earlier.  There were watches made and produced by IWC called Special Watch for Pilots and succeeded by cult series such as the Big Pilot and Mark series, in particular the famous Mark XI.  The early Pilot waches may not be equipped with today's materials and technologically driven movements and parts and yet, they were accurate and reliable enough to be wrapped around pilots of yesteryears. 

The olden days Pilot watches may not need much complication, not even a date, and rather the stop-second feature for accurate time synchronization when the crown is pulled out for time adjustment.  Another complication if it can be called, is the anti-magnetic capabilities of the watch through a soft iron inner case to prevent parts or movement being magnetized due to exposure to electonics.  Do pilots need Chronograph function then? I dont think so.  Why? In view of the quick decisions needed and the essence of time in flying a speeding fighter jet or a bombardier or carrier or a large aeroplane where the pilots would need to focus and give full attention on everything in the cockpit. The Chronograph function to me would require certain amount of time to be read off the dial and pilots would also need to figure out the lapsed minutes and seconds, where they simply would not have time to do just that. 

A pilot watch would also require a sizeable crown to activate and make time adjustment, as a small crown would render the pilots having to take off their gloves while a larger crown would allow pilots to be able operate the crown with their gloves on.  Pilot watches are also synonymous with easy reading dials, and mostly, with black dials, uncluttered and clear hour markers mostly through numbers or partial depending on dial layout. 

IWC is one brand that has commanded respect and popularity in continuing that Flieger heritage.  Their first Pilot watch was introduced in 1936, that is around 75 years ago and is still continued to this day.  Along the way, complications were added on to their military and pilot inspired watches, complications such as chronograph, UTC or second time zone and even perpetual calendars in some of their limited editions. 

Another watch of mine from ORIS is somewhat pilot inspired, with a big crown, stop-second feature, hour markers through numbers placed within the inner circle while the minute tracks are laid outside the inner circle, using classic hour and minute hands, very black painted dial and with sexy domed Plexiglass.  One thing lacking is that, ORIS should have designed it with a soft iron for amagnetism and instead of exhibition caseback, produced it with a screwed-on caseback like all true pilot watches as not all movements deserved to be exhibited and Pilots do not have time to play with their watches and to admire the movements.  They simply do not have the time.  This ORIS i find appealing especially the case and dial design.  The pointer-date series was introduced in 1938 and re-introduced in 1984 until today.  The Pointer-Date was a popular hit in Japan.  I wondered if ORIS' High Mech Rotor was once inspired by the Japanese flag when the firm, both sharing the color Red.  

Pilot watches have history, courage, sacrifices, sensibility and practicality.  A man's watch to dream of flight, speed and herosim.

IWC Flieger Chronograph.  This watch feels heavy, at 42mm, quite large, and the chronograph-pushers give a nice solid "click" feel when activated.  Reliable modified Valjoux 7750 movement, and accurate although winding rotor is audible, atypical of the Valjoux movement.  Its double coated AR gives a tinge of blue when glanced at an angle to the reflection of light or sun.

A nice classic looking ORIS Pointer-Date nice dial layout underneath the Plexiglass.  Check out the crown, a different kind of "Big Crown". 

Trying to illuminate the markers.

Soft glow...

That of the ORIS appears much brighter. 

ORIS under the tropical sun..

A bit of history lesson..

My first stack picture!  Quite cool, i think... Domed plexiglass over concaved IWC sapphire.

I like this..

Gentle looking watch..

Pilots checking out their watches..

Hope to see many more pilot and military inspired watches in our collection.  Hope you enjoyed the short write-up and pics.

Keith