10 of the best pilot’s watches
Editor’s note: Aviation-themed watches are one of the real fan-favourite genres, especially in Australia. And while there’s a lot of big brands capitalising on their high-flying heritage, there’s also some surprises in the mix. Here are our picks of 10 of the best pilot’s watches. First things first, just what is a pilot’s watch? While I think most of us could instantly recognise one, there isn’t an exact formula like there is when it comes to dive watches — and there’s a lot more to it than simply being a watch a pilot would wear. Ultimately (since you asked), a pilot’s watch is one that is instantly readable at a glance, whether in simple time-only form, or more complicated with functions that a pilot might find useful. And while we can’t all be Maverick or Iceman (no one wants to be Goose), we can still live out the fantasy and feel the need for speed with these … Breguet Type XXI 3817 Andrew developed a serious watch crush on the Breguet Type XXI back at Baselworld 2016 and honestly, I can see why. Those creamy old-world Arabic numerals, the iconic fluted middle caseband, and a view to the first-rate flyback dual-time movement…
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Throughout our recent discussions on what it is that defines value, we’ve explored some different ways of approaching that question. Ultimately, it’s down to the wearer to decide the return on their investment, but which watches do we think are pretty darn likely to get a thumbs up from our readers across the board? So here are five top buys, broken up into different price points, with a brief explanation of why these watches made it onto the list. Please feel free to tell us where we went wrong in the comments section, and let us know which watches you’d put on this list instead. Up to $500 – the Hamilton Khaki Field Under 500 AUD is a tough price point to find a decent automatic watch, so I’ve shelved that pursuit in favour of a tough-as-nails beater in a classic, wearable 38mm case. The Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz Reference H68201063 is a great addition to any collection from an established American brand now owned and operated by the Swiss-based Swatch Group. Up to $1000 – the Junghans Max Bill Around the 1000 AUD mark we start to see some pretty solid entries for microbrand divers, and entry-level group brands. But…
Congratulations. You’ve decided to join one of the premier families in the watchmaking universe. That first decision to buy Rolex is seen by many as a rite of passage all watch lovers should experience at some point during their collecting career, and it’s one we support wholeheartedly. Since the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking began in the mid 1980s, Rolex has been ever-present, but it was not until the last decade of uncertainty reared its ugly head did Rolex really separate itself from the pack. I have said many times, and will continue to say, that Rolex is no longer a watch brand; it is a phenomenon. No marque has been able to weather the storm that has battered rivals to their knees these past few years. And so choosing to buy into this horological heavyweight at this time, is about as smart a decision as you can make. But there are some things to bear in mind … Premium price Rolex is a desirable brand for the quality of the watches themselves, but also for the glory of the name. A crown-toting wrist is the envy of all, and because of that, Rolex watches do come with a premium price tag. That’s…
Editor’s note: Aaaah, the ’90s. That era of Hypercolour and fleece that seems, somehow, to be en vogue once more. It’s also an era that embodies a strange juxtaposition in watchmaking. On the one hand, it’s seen as a time that style forgot, while simultaneously playing host to some very significant horological innovations … Sitting between the now nostalgia-laden ’80s and the innovation explosion of the 2000s, the 1990s is seen as something of a watchmaking wasteland; a bold (and brash) period that’s currently out of fashion, but not far enough away to be viewed through the rose-tinted glasses of history. But were the ’90s really a write-off? Here are nine groundbreaking ’90s watches that redeem watchmaking’s forgotten decade. 1991 – Audemars Piguet Star Wheel What is it? Watchmakers are, by and large, bound by tradition and stick to tried and true methods, like telling the time with hands. In 1991, Audemars Piguet proposed something new, using a series of spinning sapphire discs, all mounted on rotating star-shaped wheels. An oddity, but a technically impressive one. Why is it important? Audemars Piguet were well and truly ahead of the trend on this one. Now we’re used to brands like Urwerk messing…
Watches are fantastic birthday presents. They couldn’t really be any more fitting: A gift that tracks the passing of time to commemorate the time past. There is a poetic symmetry to it, and it’s no surprise that a huge amount of watches – especially those deemed ‘fashion’ watches – are purchased as gifts year on year. With that in mind, we’ve decided to put together a list of great milestone watches to buy someone as they reach special milestones in their life. Milestone 1 – the 21st Birthday watch You’re just starting out. Maybe your parents want to get you something to say well done for passing your degree, or maybe they’re just so overjoyed that you won’t be coming back to the nest, and they’re happy to splash a bit of cash on a new timepiece to ensure you don’t get fired for being late. As an up-and-coming kid eager to be taken seriously, this is a choice with deep ramifications … For a young man in this situation, I would advise keeping it simple. Something that is stylistically robust, and not too off the beaten track makes sense. An Omega Aqua Terra 150m 41mm ought to do the trick.…
Stepping into a luxury jewellers, pockets full of the hard-earned cash you’re planning to drop on your first proper timepiece, can be a daunting prospect. In fact, assuming you haven’t just stumbled into a vast fortune and you’re buying a luxury watch simply because you assume it’s the done thing, there is no doubt your first foray into watch appreciation will be something of an emotional rollercoaster. Aside from the pretty much blanket discomfort most people feel when spending large amounts of money on anything, feelings such as doubt, fear, and (truthfully) guilt at making what seems like such an extravagant purchase are quite specific to purchases of this luxury nature. And that’s because luxury is, by its nature, unnecessary. Nobody likes paying a huge electricity bill, but you don’t feel guilty about it. I’m sure we’d all like to eat for free, but you don’t fear grocery shopping on the off chance you might pick up a bad egg, or accidentally let some fruit go rotten. And as appealing as naturism may be for some, I doubt you’ve ever doubted buying pants. Our money should always go to the necessities of life first, but for many, the desire to…
This is something we get asked a lot. And not just by newcomers to the industry. To some minds, it instantly sticks out like a sore thumb that the Swiss products are regarded as sacrosanct and that the wares of all other nations should fall in line behind the masters. But to others, it just seems like the natural order of things. So engrained it is in their minds that they never feel the need to question it. Swiss means quality. Simple. How could the truth possibly be any more complicated than that? Well, surprise, surprise, it is. The short answer to the question, ‘Why are Swiss watches considered the best?’ is, quite ironically, ‘Timing’. If you never dig beneath the surface of our industry, you could be forgiven for thinking the Swiss invented watchmaking, and all of the major advancements that still underpin our understanding of timekeeping were down to them. It might surprise you to learn that the very first chronometer made was actually the brainchild of an Englishman named John Harrison. In Harrison’s time (the late 1700s), accurate timekeeping was essential for navigating at sea. Unfortunately, the choppy conditions and ever-changing atmospheric conditions played havoc with even…
Editor’s note: Typically watch snobs (us included) love to shun quartz-powered watches, but when it’s as clever (but not smart in the smartwatch sense) as this Longines Conquest V.H.P. GMT review shows, it’s hard not to love. The story in a second: A rare case of quartz having legit enthusiast appeal, albeit in a clever, and very novel, fashion. Say “it’s quartz” and countless watch nerds cringe; however, there have been some exceptions to the rule over the years. Of course, Grand Seiko Spring Drive calibres get a pass on account of the brand’s epic design and finishing, as well as the fact that they run a quartz oscillator in the place of the balance wheel, but everything else is done mechanically (to state things as simply as we can). And then there’s the F.P. Journe Elegante 48, which is a completely different animal. Longines has also been toiling away in the battery-powered department, and their V.H.P. calibres, which were refreshed in 2017, carry with them some impressive specifications. Accurate to +/-5 seconds per year, Longines integrated a special functionality to these calibres that allows for internal correction for magnetism or shock via a “gear position sensor” that effectively can…
Editor’s note: In the watch world we like to talk about trends. But the trends we’re talking about are pretty macro — after all, we’re talking a five-year production cycle, not five weeks. Fast fashion, watches are not. Having said that, one of the more prevalent trends is colour. Big, bold watches that stand out on the wrist. Hublot’s Big Bang Red Magic is one of the brightest stars (literally and figuratively) of recent times … “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” I’m fairly sure Arthur C. Clarke didn’t have Hublot — or even watches — in mind when he made the now famous futurist statement. But it’s certainly something that rings true for Hublot’s latest ceramic marvel. Because while most watch fans are familiar with the use of ceramic in horology these days, there’s still an aura of power and mystique around this oh-so-red watch. We’ve seen polished ceramic before, and we’ve seen red ceramic before (though none-so-vivid as this), and we’ve certainly seen Big Bangs before. But the combination of all three is a little overwhelming and, for me at least, awe-inspiring. Hublot, for all they seem to delight in their role of watch brand provocateur,…
It’s black. It’s inspired by Bobber bikes from the ’50s. And it could be yours. Our competition to win a Royal Enfield Stealth Black Time+Tide Special Edition Motorcycle is open. Entrants can also win one of hundreds of premium ballistic nylon Time+Tide NATO straps instantly. Enter to win a Royal Enfield Stealth Black Time+Tide Special Edition Motorcycle here To read more about the competition, see this post. Please note, this competition is for Australian entrants only. However, to celebrate the moment, we’re making our previously print-only Buying Guide available for free; you can read it here. A quick summary of the Terms and Conditions: Competition starts 9:00 AM AEST 29/04/2019. Ends 11:59 PM AEST 20/05/2019. Open to Australian residents 18+ (if entrant under 18, consent must be provided by a parent or guardian) who fulfill the entry/eligibility requirements. Prize is a Royal Enfield x Time+Tide ‘Stealth Black’ Special Edition Motorcycle valued at $9,990 (inc GST). Excludes on-road costs and registration. Major Prize draw 2:30 PM 21/05/2019 at Peazie, 2/27 St Edmonds Road Prahran VIC 3181. Winners notified via Email within 2 days and published at Time+Tide watches website 27/05/2019. Promoter is Time and Tide Watches Pty Ltd. ABN 18 367 821 559. 22 Cremorne Street…