Delve into the key features of a pilot’s watch and learn why Breitling is a leader in manufacturing them.
The synonymous links between time and aviation are undeniable, particularly if you look back on the past 100 years. Pilot watches have been an essential part of the cockpit and a symbol of mankind’s relentless spirit of adventure. In fact, so intertwined are the concepts of air travel and the passage of time that some brands are known solely for their innovations in this field of expertise. Take, for example, Swiss watchmaker, Breitling. The manufacturer is a master of the chronograph, having patented the first independent chronograph pusher back in 1915. It was the 1930s, however, when Breitling began producing chronographs for aircraft. Its analogue cockpit clocks for the Royal Air Force were a success, continuing throughout the aviation boom during and following the Second World War. In fact, one of its most popular style of luxury watch combined the pioneering chronograph with the slide rule bezel but wasn’t intended as an aviation watch at all. Its name was the Chronomat. But that story is for another time.
What is a Pilot Watch
So, what is a pilot watch exactly? To underpin the key qualities of a pilot watch, we can use the iconic Navitimer as an example – a watch that Breitling borrowed from the original Chronomat design and implemented into a fully fledged pilot watch. But, in short, a pilot watch is a type of wrist-worn instrument used by pilots that assists them while navigating the skies. Real advancements in the pilot watch realm began emerging during the early 1900s when regular pocket watches were proving impractical for pilots who had to remove their hands from the cockpit controls to monitor time. Wrist-worn pilot watches were the answer. They were legible, robust and reliable. Oh, and they looked cool, too.
The Key Characteristics of the Pilot Watch
Most pilot watches share the same values. Legibility is key so every pilot watch should have hands and hour markers that are clearly spaced and generously treated with luminous material. Most benefit from the bright glow of Super-LumiNova today, while much older models feature radioactive materials and tritium. Pilot watches should also have large dials and crowns – one, for referencing the time clearly, and two for accessing the hands to adjust the time if needed. Pilots wearing thick gloves needed to be able to access and manipulate the crown, thus a lot of aviation watches were fitted with onion-shaped crowns.
Some pilot watches also feature a rotating bezel and a GMT complication for tracking time zones. Others feature a chronograph. But have you ever wondered what the slide rule bezel is used for on watches like the Breitling Navitimer? Although not every pilot watch features one, they prove particularly handy for carrying out LL sorts of air-bound calculations. These include multiplication, division and conversions for things like fuel consumption and distance travelled. The bezel can be rotated in both directions to assist with converted logarithmic values. Here’s a great example of one in this Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph.
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronogrpah UB0127
The inner rotating bezel of the Breitling Navitimer watch is, by far, one of its most distinctive features. But it is not defined solely by that feature alone. When Breitling began collaborating with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), it was tasked with creating an aviation tool packed with functionality. Modern-day examples like this Navitimer reference UB0127 perfectly capture the charm and character of this technically sophisticated watch. The model features an 18ct rose gold bezel against a stainless steel case measuring a diameter of 46mm. The slide rule bezel and its intricate markings frame a chronograph dial with sub-counters filled in with a silver hue. Alongside a 12-hour counter, a 30-minute totaliser and a small running seconds sub-dial are luminous-coated hour markers and hands in a rose gold colour, as well as a date window at 4:30. Retaining its authentic and classic character, this Breitling Navitimer is fitted to an alligator leather band with contrast stitching and a deployment clasp.
Want to explore more pilot’s watches? Give our sales team at Charles Martin Watch Company a call today on 01889 560002 and arrange a visit to our store, or email us at https://charlesmartinwatchcompany.com/pages/contact-us
