Style
Pilot / Aviator
Maximum legibility for the cockpit.
- Best for
- Fans of bold, legible dials and aviation history.
Origin
Early aviation navigation and the German 'Flieger' B-Uhr observation watches of the 1940s.
Hallmarks
The features that put a watch in this family.
- Large, high-contrast dial with bold Arabic numerals
- Triangle-and-two-dots marker at 12 o'clock (Flieger style)
- Oversized 'onion' crown, operable with gloves
- Often a long strap to fit over a flight jacket
Iconic examples
- IWC Big Pilot
- Breitling Navitimer
- Laco / Stowa Flieger
- Zenith Pilot
Keep reading
- Style
Field Watch
Rugged, legible, and unpretentious.
- Style
Chronograph / Racing
Stopwatch dials born from the track.
- Style
GMT / Traveler
Designed to live across time zones.
- Style
Integrated-Bracelet Sports Watch
Steel, luxury-priced, with a bracelet built into the case.
- Style
Skeleton
The movement itself is the dial.
- Style
Digital
A screen, a resin case, and more functions than hands allow.