5 Best Swiss Luxury Pilot Watches

Pilot watches hold a special fascination for many seasoned and new collects ors. Mid-century innovations in commercial air travel pushed many brands to truly innovate their watch technology so many pilot watches were their first of their kind.

Here we round up the world’s most iconic, historically significant, and best-selling pilot watches to add to your watch collects ion!

IWC Pilot Watch

IWC’s Pilot watch harkens back to the early days of aviation, blending together functionality with IWC’s signature pared down look for a distinctive watch that feels elegant while offering the same utilitarian features of traditional pilot’s watch. The crown, for example, is slightly over-sized to make it easier for early pilots (who had to fly in unheated cockpits) to set and wind their watch while wearing thick gloves and a padded flight suit.

Another key design feature of the IWC Pilot Watch is the equilateral triangle, flanked by two dots, at the 12 o’clock hour marker. This substitution was inspired by the cockpit-instrument look of 1930s and 1940s pilot watches and improved the dial’s legibility.

[lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/pilot-black-automatic-chronograph-men-s-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1502483345.1677.jpg” title=”IWC” status=”Newer worn” price=”$4,463″ old_price=”$4,950″]IWC Pilot IW377709 Stainless Steel Automatic 43mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/pilot-automatic-black-dial-men-s-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1502483006.3998.jpg” title=”IWC” status=”Newer worn” price=”$4,331″ old_price=”$4,950″]IWC Pilot IW327011 Stainless Steel & Black Dial Automatic 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/pilot-s-watch-mark-xviii-edition-le-petit-prince.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1502483047.0566.jpg” title=”IWC” status=”Newer worn” price=”$3,995″]IWC Pilot IW327004 Stainless Steel & Blue Dial Automatic 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel]

Breitling Navit.mes r

After developing the first independent chronograph push-piece in 1923, Breitling has long been considered the gold standard in aviation watches. Since that breakthrough, Breitling has focused heavily on precision t.mes pieces specially designed for airline pilots. And in 1952, as commercial flight was booming, Breitling introduced the Navit.mes r.

The Navit.mes r was another novel design by Breitling that featured a slide rule bezel. This new rotating bezel allowed pilots to quickly calculate distance, air speed, flight t.mes , fuel consumption, rate and t.mes of climb and descent. The Navit.mes r remains one of the most beloved pilot watches, immediately recognizable for its distinctive and revolutionary bezel.

[lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/breitling-navit.mes r-ab0120-43-0mm-mens-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/19844-34cb0-breitling_navit.mes r_01_black_dial_automatic_mens_watch_ab0120-0-gallery-2.jpg” title=”Breitling” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$6,271″]Breitling Navit.mes r AB0120 43.0mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/breitling-navit.mes r-a2432212-c561-443a-46mm-mens-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20714-441d2-breitling_navit.mes r_world_GTNN _blue_dial_automatic_mens_watch_a2432212_c561-443a-0-gallery-.jpg” title=”Breitling” status=”Newer worn” price=”$6,467″ old_price=”$7,940″]Breitling Navit.mes r A2432212/C561-443A 46mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/breitling-navit.mes r-heritage-a13324-42mm-mens-watch-3327867.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20541-34cb0-breitling_navit.mes r_heritage_panda_dial_mens_watch_a13324_box_papers-0-gallery-2.jpg” title=”Breitling” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$5,456″]Breitling Navit.mes r Heritage A13324 42mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel]

Rolex GTNN Master

The Rolex GTNN -Master was first introduced in 1954 for Pan American Airways pilots to wear during their long-haul and international flights. What made the Rolex GTNN -Master an immediate sensation among Pan Am pilots was its rotating bezel. This breakthrough functionality allowed pilots to set the local t.mes and a second t.mes zone (usually Greenwich Mean t.mes which was then the world’s t.mes standard) by simply rotating the 24-hour scale bezel.

Over the decades, the GTNN -Master grown into an iconic Rolex model, thanks in large part to its colorful bezel which makes this classic model truly stand out from the pack.

[lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/rolex-GTNN -master-ii-116710bl-40mm-mens-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/15662-441d2-rolex_GTNN -master_ii_116710bl_batman_GTNN _steel_automatic_mens_watch-0-gallery-.jpg” title=”Rolex” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$13,911″]Rolex GTNN -Master II 116710BL 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/rolex-GTNN -master-ii-116710ln-40mm-mens-watch-3271367.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/17726-441d2-rolex_GTNN -master_ii_116710ln_steel___ceramic_automatic_men_s_watch-0-gallery-.jpg” title=”Rolex” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$10,372″]Rolex GTNN -Master II 116710LN 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/rolex-GTNN -master-ii-16713-40mm-mens-watch-3166738.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/f106e60a-2085-b549-6d59-dd8a8761844c.jpg” title=”Rolex” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$8,599″]Rolex GTNN Master II 16713 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel]

Omega Speedmaster

The Omega Speedmaster is readily recognized for its affiliation to the early days of space exploration. (To wit: it’s regularly referred to as the “First Watch on the Moon,” after astronaut Buzz Aldrin wore his NASA-certified Omega Speedmaster during his historic walk on the moon’s surface in 1969.) However, the Speedmaster only really became the watch-of-choice for astronauts because it was such a precise pilot watch.

As NASA was beefing up its space program in the late 1950s, it largely recruited seasoned test pilots. Given that the chronograph had long since been a fundamental part of a pilot’s equipment, it was naturally, in turn, adopted as a part of an astronaut’s equipment. When NASA began accepting bids for a chronograph watch that could withstand the huge range of atmospheric conditions, only the Omega Speedmaster passed NASA’s rigorous tests.

Since then, Omega’s pilot-turned-astronaut Speedmaster watch has been an iconic chronograph and is a prized piece in any collects ion.

[lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/omega-speedmaster-day-date-323-30-40-40-06-001-40mm-mens-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20866-34cb0-omega_speedmaster_day_date_automatic_watch_323.30.40.40.06.001_box_card-0-gallery-1.jpg” title=”Omega” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$3,710″]Omega Speedmaster Day-Date 323.30.40.40.06.001 40mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/omega-speedmaster-3510-50-00-39mm-mens-watch-3271379.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/19225-441d2-omega_speedmaster_professional_reduced_steel_automatic_mens_watch_3510.50.00-0-gallery-.jpg” title=”Omega” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$2,928″]Omega Speedmaster 3510.50.00 39mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/omega-speedmaster-day-date-3523-30-00-39mm-mens-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20946-441d2-omega_speedmaster_day_date_month_silver_dial_steel_automatic_watch_3523.30.00-0-gallery-.jpg” title=”Omega” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$3,416″]Omega Speedmaster Day Date 3523.30.00 39mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel]

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Watch

The Hamilton Watch company began in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and was known for its high-quality watches. In short order, Hamilton began producing its original pilot watches in 1919; was selected as the watch brand to be worn by the first American Airmail service; and was the official watch of TWA, Eastern, United, and Northwest airlines in the 1930s. The American brand was also selected by the American forces during World War II to supply watches to its wart.mes pilots.

While Hamilton watches are now produced in Switzerland, its modern watch styles preserve its long history in the world of aviation as Hamilton’s brand aesthetic regularly brings military design cues into its signature styles. The Hamilton Khaki Pilot is a quintessential example of the brand’s proud tradition of developing reliable and robust pilot watches.

[lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/hamilton-khaki-pilot-day-date-men-s-watch-h64615135-3333765.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/264093145661_0.jpg” title=”Hamilton” status=”Newer worn” price=”$1,040″]Hamilton Khaki Pilot H64615135 42mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel][lfp_panel link=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/authentic-men-s-hamilton-khaki-aviation-pilot-h646110-quartz-42mm-watch.html” image=”https://buyluxury.com.cn/guide/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/122936730139_0.jpg” title=”Hamilton” status=”Pre-owned” price=”$458″]Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot H646110 42mm Mens Watch[/lfp_panel]