The 51 Best Pilot Watches - Affordable and Luxury Aviation Watches

The Wrist Enthusiast team has been doing a lot of traveling this Summer, and it got us thinking about some of our favorite Pilot Watches - a favorite segment for us. Pilot’s watches can be very utilitarian, or they can be incredibly complicated (We’ve even seen some on the wrists of Astronauts in space!). The problem is, there are just so many to choose from that it’s hard to break down every single one of them. So we put together a list of 30 of our favorites from every end of the Pilot Watch space, at every price point.

IWC Big Pilot IW501001

What would a list of the Best Pilot Watches be without the IWC Big Pilot? Arguably the most universally recognized Pilot watch on the market, IWC specializes in hyper-legible Pilot watches, and their oversized Big Pilot is pretty much their staple (some would say “flagship”) watch. The Big Pilot (ref. IW501001) is a beast - measuring in at 46.2mm in Diameter with the always recognizable oversized onion crown making it wear even larger. The Big Pilot is designed around legibility at high rates of speed in the air, so the white indices against the black dial doesn’t get any more legible, and the fact that it’s basically a dinner plate on your wrist makes the Big Pilot the absolute authority on legible Pilot Watches. You can pick up the IWC Big Pilot IW501001 for $13,200 USD.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation 38mm

For those looking for a more moderately sized Pilot watch with some vintage charm, we’ve included the Hamilton Khaki Aviation 38mm. The watch features a thicker, but smaller case - measuring in at 38mm in Stainless Steel. The dial is sandblasted and filled with “Fauxtina” indices with a Cathedral handset (a staple of pilot watches of old). Some enthusiasts have a problem with the Fauxtina, but we feel that it works with this model. It comes on a simple brown leather strap and a modest price tag of $995 USD.

Breitling AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 P-51 Mustang

The Breitling P-51 Mustang Pilot watch is the first watch on our list with a GMT function included. This allows the Pilot’s to track two different times zones in the air - a Home time, and a Local time. As you can see on the dial, and is the case with most GMT watches, you can see the orange-tipped hand designed to track te second time zone.

The watch also features that vintage-inspired “Fauxtina” but again, we find it works with this model. The watch was inspired by a 1930’s model Breitling made in the aesthetic of a cockpit clock. Additionally, the watch features Breitling’s In-House COSC certified B04 movement with a 70-hour power reserve. An additional cool factor is this watch was also a feature in the recent Bullet Train film. So if it’s good enough for Brad Pitt, why not add it to the list? You can pick this watch up up for $10,100 USD.

Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter

One of the more non-traditional Pilot watches on this list is the Bell & Ross BR 02-94 Multimeter. The colorful dial serves 3 functions, being that each ring represents a Tachymeter, a Pulsometer, and a Asthometer making it very utilitarian in nature. The 42mm case is made in Black Ceramic, and while it’s only 42mm, it wears larger because of it’s square case shape - a signature of Bell & Ross. The watch is limited to 5000 pieces and comes with a modest price tag of $5,800 USD.

Zenith PILOT Type 20 Extra Special Chronograph Bronze

The first bronze watch we decided for the list is the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Chronograph. The Type 20 keeps up with more traditional Pilot watches, in that it’s oversized, features a huge onion crown, contrasting indices, and Cathedral hands with the exception that it’s housed in a cool bronze case. This will allow the case to patina overtime and create a really cool texture and aesthetic, while maintaining a solid and traditional pilot watch feel. The watch features the brand’s in-house El Primero chronograph movement and comes on a Nubock leather strap. Price for the Type 20 Extra Special Chronograph Bronze is $7,900 USD.

Zenith Pilot

The Zenith Pilot is a display of pilot’s watch done right. The 40mm stainless steel case hits the spot perfectly, balancing legibility and wearability. The sharp and distinct numerals could not be clearer, especially with their powerful lume filled inlays. The Zenith Pilot comes with several different straps out of the box, giving you the opportunity to adapt the wearing experience to the situation-something that often goes overlooked. However, the star of the show is really the El Primero movement that drives the watch. This super high-performance calibre offers superior accuracy and precision like no other on the market. If this insane Pilot’s watch has caught your attention, you can purchase it at retail for $7,500 USD.

Aera P-1 Pilot

Aera have been reimagining classic watch designs and functions to bring them straight into the 21st Century. This P-1 Pilot is absolutely no exception. Technically very capable, it is powered by the Sellita SW-200 movement, which is at the forefront of reliability and accuracy. Retaining the large dimensions of pilot’s watches, the case has clean lines that scream modernity in a superbly legible pie-pan dial. The simple and effective, yet unique dial really distinguishes the Aera P-1 from the rest of the competition in this price range. It can be acquired for $1,400 USD.

Atmoss SR-01 Everyday Pilot Watch

Born out of a desire for a more affordable tool pilot watch for flights on aircrafts without advanced electronics, Found Warrick Bettany created a 3-hand watch with a slide rule bezel. The Slide Rule, without getting too deep into the engineering, allows pilots to do some basic functions like addition, subtraction, and measuring units of speed and distance based on the graduating elements in the bezel. It was most famously in the Breitling Navitimer, one of the most famous pilot watches ever made, though in a price point unachievable for a lot of enthusiasts. So if the Slide Rule bezel is something you desire, but the Navitimer is out of your price range, consider the Atmoss SR-01 Everyday Pilot for $347 USD.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage

One of the more affordable models on our list is the Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage. The vintage inspired Pilot watch reaches deep into the brands history of Pilot watches in the 70’s. The watch itself isn’t very large, measuring in at 42mm, but the way the Tonneau style case shape, it wears a little larger. The GMT movement allows for the wearer to track two different time zones simultaniously via a small disc and arrow at the center of the dial. With a stainless steel mesh bracelet, the watch gives off all the traditional pilot watch vibes without breaking the bank. You can purchase the Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage for $1,695 USD.

Sinn 144 St Sa Chronograph

German watchmaker Sinn has a rich history with Aviation watches dating all the back to the 60's. The brand is well known for it’s clocks and timekeeping instruments designed entirely around aircraft. The 144 ST SA Chronograph is one of their more modern offerings. The bead blasted stainless steel case measures in at 41mm, making it extremely versatile. We’ve included the 144 ST SA Chronograph because it’s absolutely a major contender in the luxury pilot watch space while being a fraction of the price. It’s a lot of Pilot watch for the money at $1,899 USD.

Sinn 356 SA Flieger

Based out of Frankfurt Am Main, Sinn are renowned for their pure and functional pilot’s watches. On paper all of their pieces are insanely capable and boast impressive technical specification. And the 356 SA Flieger Chronograph obviously does all of that. Every component and function have been optimized to be the most useful and useable, even down to the smallest details on the dial. This obstinate obsession with utility creates a unique aesthetic that fans of the brand revere. Undeniably, the Sinn 356 SA Flieger is a pilot’s watch through and through. It can be found at retail for $2,100 USD.

Laco Pilot Watch Original Paderborn Erbstück

Laco is a super unique brand that actually specializes in Pilot watches and vintage inspiration. The cool thing about the Paderborn Erbstück is that it’s inspired by a 55mm watch from 40’s. However, Laco has a special aging process that they use to Patina each component individually. So instead of having “Fauxtina” the brand has actually achieved real Patina on a modern watch with modern movements without jeopardizing the integrity of the watch. This model actually have 3 different levels of aging you can choose from - Slight, Standard, or Strong aging. Because of this process, each owner is ensured their own unique version of the watch. We found that pretty cool, and felt it deserved a spot on your list. You can pick up the Laco Pilot Watch Original Paderborn Erbstück for $2,350 USD.

Breitling Emergency

The Breitling Emergency is a pilot watch in the truest sense of the word. Yes Breitling is steeped in over almost 100 years of aviation heritage. But that’s not what makes the Breitling Emergency so great. The Emergency is the world’s first wristwatch equipped with a dual-frequency distress beacon. That means, if you get lost or eject from your plane, you can send out a distress beacon with your location via your Breitling and await rescue. According to Breitling (back in 2015), no false alarms have ever been recorded coming from a Breitling Emergency, and around 20 people have been rescued due to use of the Breitling Emergency’s distress beacon. The Breitling Emergency is not a cheap watch. It retails for $15,725 USD.

Oris ProPilot X

You can read our in-depth review of the Oris ProPilot X here, but the contemporary ProPilot collection started off strong with the ProPilot Skeleton in Titanium. It was well received and even made the list as one of our favorite Skeleton watches. The watch wasn’t for everyone, so the next evolution of the ProPilot is the slimmed-down, smaller ProPilot X. The watch comes in three colors, a Blue, a Slate Grey, and a Salmon-esque dial. The watch is quintessentially Oris, while still maintaining a solid profile for a modern Pilot watch. It’s also one of the more moderately sized Pilot Watches on the list, measuring in at 39mm in a Titanium case.

Oris ProPilot Altimeter

The Oris ProPilot Altimeter is perhaps the ultimate pilot’s companion. Sporting a fully functional mechanical altimeter, this behemoth of a watch is unique on the market. Aside from the obvious novelty of the altimeter, this ProPilot is incredibly interesting from a technical point of view. Oris have experimented with carbon fiber cases in the past, but here their ‘additive manufacturing and molding’ process has really come to fruition- in short, the case has been 3D printed. This means that they have almost halved the weight of the watch, which is absolutely insane given that it measures a huge 47mm in diameter. The Oris ProPilot Altimeter is available for purchase for $6,500 USD.

Farer Morgan Pilot

One of the more affordable pilot watches on our list is the Farer Morgan Pilot. The watch is 39mm so is designed for smaller wrists, but because of the way the domed crystal extends to the edge of the case, it’ll wear a little bit smaller. The Farer Morgan features a farday cage in the case to keep the level of anti-magnetism to 500 gauss. The watch is named after Morien Bedford Morgan or “The Father of the Concorde” because he was one of the chief architects in building the plane. The watch comes in Stainless Steel and features a really cool mesh bracelet - Making the watch superbly wearable. Price for the Farer Morgan Pilot is $905 USD, pretty affordable for a Swiss made watch with automatic movement.

Longines Heritage Avigation type a-7

The funky Longines Avigation Type A-7 is one of our favorite pilot watches on the list. The WWII-inspired Avigation A-7 is a 2020 revamp of a watch from 1935 that also shared it’s seeming penchant for pocket watch architecture. Longines has a long history of creating aviation instruments, including clocks, cockpit devices, and (obviously) watches. This watch in particular is easily identifiable by the idea behind it. The dial and crown have been rotated to allow pilots to be able to see it without turning their wrist. It’s always facing the wearer while their hands are on the controls. The regulator-style chronograph fits firmly into the brand’s heritage, while also firmly remaining a traditional pilot watch - earning a spot on our list. You can pick up the Longines Heritage Avigation Type A-7 for $3,900 USD.

Longines Spirit Zulu Time

The Longines have been associated with aviation for a significant chunk of their long history, equipping notable pioneers such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart with timepieces for their perilous exploits. It’s no wonder that their pilot’s watches today still carry that expertise and heritage. The Spirit Zulu Time is a fantastic piece. Sporting a chronometer certified movement, as well as a true GMT function, this watch really ticks all the boxes. Just to top it off, the finish and detailing complete the piece perfectly which puts the Spirit Zulu Time up there with the some of the most renowned pilot’s watches. It can be purchased from Longines for $3,150 USD..

Tockr D-Day C-47

The Tockr D-Day C-47 is a personal favorite of mine (Travis) because I was lucky enough to own and review it. The D-Day C-47 is unique in that the watch’s dial plate comes from a portion of the That’s All Brother plane in Texas. If the name of the plane That’s All Brother rings a bell, it should. On June 6, 1944, That’s All, Brother led the main airborne invasion of Normandy during World War II. It’s been pressed down into a thin sheet and utilized as the backdrop for Tockr’s Pilot configuration. This means that each watch has a unique dial. It comes in three styles - Clean, Worn, and Well-Worn - This allows the purchaser to pick the level of “damage” to his dial. Which is unique and a lot of fun, and earns the D-Day C-47 a spot on our list. You can pick up the Tockr D-Day C-37 for $1,600 USD.

Tag Heuer Autavia

One of our favorite recent releases from Tag Heuer was their new Pilot line, the Autavia. The original heritage “Autavia” was a dashboard timer for planes and cars - which was a large part of the inspiration for the brand’s line of Pilot watches. The Autavia is one of those watches that Tag Heuer has launched and re-launched a number of times over the last few decades, but has finally settled on the Autavia Isograph - a 3-hand watch with no Chronograph as traditionally designed. What’s here is a fun, colorful Pilot Watch with a unique smoked dial and contrasting indices that can really be a jack of all trades - Pilot, Racing, or Dive. Price for the Tag Heuer Autavia is a fairly modest $3,350 USD.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time

Among the more expensive watches on the list is the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. The dual time watch, when released in 2015 mostly due to the triple crown and the fact that Patek Philippe seemed to have justified the watches creation. What we feel, is that Patek made a beautiful pilot watch that can be dressed up, or dressed down. The crowns allow for easy swap and setting of a local time and a home time. There are a number of different configurations and colors for the Pilot Travel Time and we love the brown dial in red gold the most. But there are a number of other more colorful and unique releases in both mens and women’s sizes. Price for the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is $49,950 USD.

Vaer A12 Dirty Dozen

If you are looking for an aviation and military inspired watch for under $1,000 USD look no further than Vaer. Vaer makes some very accurate military inspired timepieces for anywhere from $295 to $1,000. We decided to go with their top of the line Swiss Made offering for our list. At $949 USD the Vaer A12 Dirty Dozen is an understated homage to military design. And if you want to spend even less on a pilot watch from Vaer, you can go for their non Swiss mechanical pieces or quartz timepieces.

YEMA Flygraf Pilot M2

Another fantastic option for military inspired Pilot Watches under $1000, is the Yema Flygraf Pilot M2. The watch itself was developed in partnership with Sammy Mason, a professional aerobatic pilot. It takes inspiration from military style Pilot watches, but also a simple field watch. The stainless steel watch measures in at an extremely wearable 39mm and features a really cool vertical satin brushed dial with both a12 hour configuration and a 24 hour configuration. Price for the Yema Flygraf Pilot M2 is $749 USD.

Bremont MBI

The British brand Bremont might be a newcomer to the watch industry, founded just 20 years ago in 2002, but they have one of the most interesting pilot watches on our list. While the Bremont MB1 may look like standard fare when it comes to aviation watches, it isn’t. This watch is a bespoke watch reserved only for Martin-Baker ejectees, that is pilots who have ejected using a Martin-Baker ejection seat. The watch is distinguishable from Bremont’s other models by it red barrel so only those in the know will know… If you’re not a pilot who has ejected from his plane, you can pick up the Bremont MBII for between $4,995 USD and $5,595 USD (depending on model) or the MBIII for between $5,395 USD and $5,995 USD.

Seiko Flightmaster Chronograph SNA411

As much as the Seiko Flightmaster has gone through different iterations, we felt the SNA411 was an important model to include in our list. The Flight chronograph simply features an abundance of complications that prove useful to Pilot’s in any situation. While the dial can feel overwhelming, once understood, the watch comes to life. Obviously there’s a chronograph, a tachymeter, a compass, a directional rotation, and an alarm. Not to mention that the Flightmaster isn’t oversized, measuring in at a modest 42 mm with the dizzying array of feature-sets. The SNA411 is also easily accessible, you can find it on Amazon for around $400 USD.

Richard Mille RM 39-01 Tourbillon Aviation E6-B Flyback Chronograph

It may surprise some to see a Richard Mille make our list of the best pilot watches, but the RM 39-01 was actually designed as a flight instrument. The watch is actually a modern interpretation of an E6-B slide rule, a device that is essential for any experienced pilot. The somewhat crazy look watch has a caliber with a month indicator, flyback chronograph, minutes and countdown counters at 9 o’clock, hour counter at 6 o’clock, UTC function and variable-geometry rotor. Interestingly, the flyback chronograph was originally developed for pilots, so they could avoid wasting time (and therefore accuracy) by stopping, resetting and starting the chronograph while crossing a navigational point. You can find the Richard Mille RM 39-01 on the secondary market for around $165,000 USD.

CitizeN Promaster Skyhawk A-T

Similar to the Flightmaster, the Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T has a lot of bells and whistles for the price-point. When it comes to the affordable modern pilot watch, Citizen and Seiko easily dominate the space. The Skyhawk uses Citizens’s signature “Eco-Drive” technology, a kind of Hybrid Quartz / Solar tech that keeps the watch accurate. The 46mm watch comes in a titanium case, making it not exorbitantly heavy despite it’s relatively large size. The watch features Radio-Controlled “Atomic Timekeeping”, a second time-zone subdial, a chronograph, and a power reserve indicator on the dial. You can find the Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T for around $600 USD.

Junghans Meister Pilot

Next on our list is the Junghans Meister Pilot “Chronoscope” watch. Junghans is often affiliated with more broad models like the Max Bill Collection, but many enthusiasts would be surprised to hear that the brand has Aviation roots dating back to the late-1800’s. The brand has been very technically innovative in the space. Junghans pilot watches are often recognized by their unique bezel shape aptly nicknamed “The Buzzsaw” due to its shape - designed to be very easy for a pilot to grab and hold onto during flight. Additionally, the watch utilizes Junghans in house J88 movement, which makes this a solid value proposition at just $2,465 USD.

Breguet Type XXI Chronograph

Breguet is one of the most storied watchmakers on the planet. Founded in Paris in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the luxury watchmaker has been making timepieces ever since. The brand introduced the original Type XX Chronograph in 1950, which first developed for French naval air army. The Type XXI is a modern interpretation on the original Type XX, but with a chronograph. The watch is adheres to Breguet’s identity with some embellishments, but also looks the part of a pilot watch. Even still, with the Pilot watch profile, the Type XXI maintains 100meters of water resistance - Quite a feat for a pilot watch. Whether it is the vintage hands and indices, the large number indices, or flyback chronograph, this watch is a true aviation watch. It is a great addition to our list in the higher price tier. You can pick up at Breguet Type XXI Chronograph Ref. 3817 for $13,900 USD at retail.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph “Le Petit Prince”

IWC is such an important brand when it comes to pilot watches, we had to include a second watch on our list. This time we chose an IWC with every possible bell and whistle, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph “Le Petit Prince”. This piece not only includes a chronograph, but a perpetual calendar that will be accurate to the date, including leap years, 2099. If that’s not enough, when you buy the watch IWC also includes a “21” to replace the “20” when the year changes to 2100. Rest assured your ancestors will be able to accurately tell the time for an additional 100 years. The IWC “Le Petit Prince” line (yes it’s named after the renowned children’s booked) is easily identified by its sunburst blue dial, which just adds to the beauty of the piece. The rose gold case also comes in at a more modest 43mm, slimmer than than the Big Pilot series. The IWC Perpetual Calendar Chronograph “Le Petit Prince” Ref. IW392202 retails for $39,400 USD.

Blancpain Air Command

Blancpain are renowned for their ultra-luxury tool watches that hold a certain prestige within the industry. The Fifty-Fathoms, their dive watch, was supplied to the US Navy in the 1950s and that was the beginning of the special relationship between Blancpain and the military. The Air-Command was conceived on the back of this relationship for the US Airforce. Today this formidable piece is highly sought-after, especially given its history. If this luxury chronograph and its history have caught your attention, it can be purchased for $20,100 USD.

Brellum Pilot Power Reserve Chronometer

Finally, we come to the Brellum Pilot Power Reserve Chronometer - a simple chronograph from a fan-favorite independent. The guys behind Brellum have a storied past with over 100 years of watchmaking in their family. The brand has been relatively knew in the luxury watch scene, but has easily been able to go toe-to-toe in quality with some of the heaviest hitters - specifically in the Pilot Watch space. The brand’s Chronometer is simply a beautiful watch that looks and feels way above it’s weight class at only a fraction of what you’d pay with a larger brand. You can pick up the Power Reserve Chronometer for around $3,100 USD.

Rolex Air-King 126900

When the Rolex Air King was first introduced, watch enthusiasts were less than, well, enthused. It performed just “okay” for the Rolex brand, and was pretty quickly discontinued. Last year, the brand relaunched the model with some modern upgrades. The Air King was modified to include a few upgrades including consistent indices, a lengthier handset, and upgraded guts. What’s there now is a cleaner-looking and easier-to-digest Pilot watch from Rolex. If you can find one, the Air King will come with a price tag of $7,400 USD.

Porsche Design Chronograph 1

Porsche Design has been making watches since the subsidiary of the eponymous car company was founded in 1972. The Porsche Design Chronograph 1 was first designed the same year as Porsche Design’s founding and was rereleased in 2022, perhaps in anticipation of the release of Top Gun: Maverick. And why is that? Well Tom Cruise wore the original Porsche Design Chronograph 1 in the original Top Gun (1986) and wore the same exact watch in the 2022 follow-up Top Gun: Maverick. This aviation watch features both a chronograph and tachymeter and pays nice homage to the original model. The Porsche Design Chronograph 1 retails for $9,650 USD.

Breitling Navitimer

What list of best Pilot watches would be complete without the traditional Breitling Navitimer? The brand’s rich heritage with Aviation has brought the Navitimer to the forefront of Breitling’s catalog. The Navitimer comes in tons of sizes, colors, and materials now (Thanks George Kern!) and can easily fit into any watch rotation as the staple Pilot watch. The Breitling Navitimer’s range in price anywhere from $5,050 USD up to over $20,000 USD depending on the configuration and material.

Montblanc 1858 Chronograph

A sleeper, the Montblanc 1858 Heritage Chronograph is a vintage military watch inspired by the Minerva watches of the 20’s and 30’s. While the watch itself isn’t necessarily considered a “Pilot” watch, instead, they call it an “Explorers” watch, the boxy indices, chronograph registers, cathedral hands, and contrasting dial firmly root this watch in a seudo-pilot watch category. The watch is easily identifiable by the unique Compass bezel (which is also why they call this an Explorer Watch). Once again, the “Fauxtina” makes an appearance, but we believe it works really well for this watch and it’s vintage design. Price for the Monblanc 1858 Heritage Chronograph is $4,900 USD.

Vacheron Constantine Historiques Americaine 192

Vacheron Constantin has really been heralded amongst some of the finest watchmakers in the world. Though, are mostly known for their steel sport watch Overseas collection (they've even included it in what enthusiasts call the "Holy Trinity" of watch collection). We'd also argue that the Patrimony is legendary in the dress watch market.

A model that is often overlooked, is it's luxury Pilot Watch offerings - The Historiques. Easily identified by the unique tilt of the dial, the Historiques features a cool history dating back to the 20's. The brand made a number of runs for the American markets with cool Breguet-style indices, and of course, the tilted dial designed to allow Pilot's to view the time without needing to tilt their wrist away from the controls. The more modern take features a Solid Gold case and Cathedral handset that harkens back to older Pilot watches on the market - A large part of why we love it. You can pick up the Historiques Americaine 1921 at retail for $30,400 USD.

Orient Sports Pilot Ref. RA-AC0H03B10B

We are often recommending Orient Watches when it comes to affordable watches. In fact, we've both owned a number of different Orient models over our time collecting watches. One of the lesser known models that fit the Pilot watch world is the Orient Sports Pilot - a Simple, albeit high-quality automatic Pilot watch. It's easily accessible, and features the high contrast features you'd expect to see for a Pilot watch, a work-horse automatic movement, and an oversized stainless steel case. As an added bonus, the watch comes standard with 100 meters of water resistance. You can't beat the price at less than $200 USD, and we've even found it on Amazon Prime so you can get it quickly.

Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT Watch

We can already hear it, "Well technically, the Waterbury isn't a Pilot watch", and I would agree that technically it's not labeled as such - But it's certainly a watch designed for the Military and takes direct and indirect queues from the Pilot watches of World War II, while still offering a significant amount of function for Pilot's in a watch of this price-point. First, the Waterbury features unique indices configured like a Pilot watch, with a GMT function with high-contrasting handsets. In fact, the GMT function was designed for travelers on Air, Land, and Sea, but holds fast as a truly Aviation complication. The Pepsi configuration makes sense here, and one of our favorite features of the watch is its rose gold accented bezel and pushers. Even more convenient, the GMT can be operated via the pusher at 2 o' clock, making it incredibly easy to use. Overall it's a fantastic Pilot-inspired military watch for a reasonable price of only $190.66 USD on Amazon Prime.

Ratio Skysurfer

While you can read our more in-depth review of the Ratio Skysurfer here, we felt overall that the Ratio Skysurfer ticked a lot of great boxes and features a lot of bang for not so much buck. In fact, with what was included when purchasing a Skysurfer, we were pleasantly surprised at how much more Ratio offered over its competition.

For starters, the Ratio Skysurfer is simply a great watch for less than $200. The blue sunburst dial comes with a few configurations. It has high contrast and provides great legibility - a major requirement for a Pilot watch in general. The watch features an automatic movement, and not two, but three straps in the package allowing for a plethora of different looks for only $185 USD.

NOTE: Ratio has included a 10% discount code to use if you're looking to pick a Skysurfer up. Use WRISTSKY10 for 10% off at Ratio’s website.

Marathon Pilot Navigator

The Marathon Pilot Navigator was first introduced in 1986 at the request of Kelly Air Force Base and meets very specific Mil-spec requirements for the air force. What makes the Pilot Navigator so unique, is the material that the watch uses, and the specifications required to equip the watch for true military use. For starters, the material is called "Fibershell" and is sweat and shock resistant as well as super lightweight. The Pilot Navigator is capable of withstanding extreme pressure changes from fighter pilot maneuvers and is equipped with a sapphire crystal. While the watch utilizes a quartz movement (another requested specification), it's still one of the more formidable Pilot Watches on the market. You can pick up a Marathon Pilot Navigator for $450 USD.

Cartier Santos

There has been a number of discussions around what the first Pilot watch ever created was, but we'd make the argument that the Cartier Santos is the first truly purpose-built Pilot watch. Designed for famous Brazilian plane-maker Alberto Santos-Dumont (famous friends with Louis Cartier) to manage the elements at a higher elevation, the Cartier Santos was created to remove the added annoyance of having to take out a pocket watch mid-flight. And with planes back then really relying on a steady hand, Louis helped design a high-contrast watch that didn't require the wearer to take out their pocket watch. Even now, many other Pilot watches take influence from the Cartier Santos, and we find it to be a fascinating piece of historical Pilot watch lore. You can pick up a Cartier Santos for $6,800 USD.

Fortis F-43 Triple-GMT

Fortis has a pretty rich history in Aviation watches, The Fortis Flieger collection is quite popular in collectors circles, and we've found that the Fortis F-43 Triple GMT is probably our favorite of the collection. The F-43 Triple-GMT has a number of cool features, and one of our favorite bracelets. From a Pilot Watch perspective, it's superbly legible, high contrast, and minimal accents in Titanium, so it's also not very heavy. From a practical standpoint, the watch has a cool function called a "Triple GMT". This allows the wearer to track a main timezone, a second timezone, and with the twist of the bezel, a third timezone. So for wearers jumping multiple time zones quickly, it's a seriously powerful tool in a wristwatch. You can pick up a Fortis Flieger F-43 Triple GMT for $4,400 USD.

Stowa Flieger Classic 40

Stowa might not be a brand you often think about when it comes to Pilot watches, but they do actually have a solid footprint in that minimalistic Pilot watch segment. Stowa is mostly famous for it's lack of branding on the dial, and the Fliger Classic 40 is no exception to that either - Which makes it quite unique in the space.

The watch has a solid design language for a pilot watch. It's a high-contrast dial with true-temperature heat-blued handsets - The only real color on the watch. The strap is a riveted calfskin leather that harkens back to Pilot watches of the 40's and 50's. Add in a well finished automatic movement, it's hard to argue with Stowa's value at $1,250 USD.

Benrus Air Chief Chronograph

There aren't very many Pilot Chronographs that we absolutely love, but the Benrus Air Chief packs a lot of style and grace into a largely military-inspired Pilot Watch. The dial is the real star of the show here, featuring a sandwich construction, the military indices are lume filled and recessed into the dial plate, allowing the high contrast legibility to really pop. The chronograph registers are well placed and easy to read, and while the watch utilizes a Quartz Ronda Split Time, it's reliable, easy to use, and provides excellent function for not a terrible price at only $695 USD.

Nodus Sector Pilot Automatic

We at Wrist Enthusiast have plenty of experience with Nodus watches. Their Diver's are difficult to match in the price point, and the amount of range they have in both colors and style feels unrivaled. Nodus has recently released a really unique and fun Pilot Watch called the Sector Pilot Automatic, and we simply love it. It get's its name from the alternating finishes from the bezel to the dial, as well as the crosshair center dial. The watch features a really good applied indice configuration that is lume filled and bright, as well as fauxtina indices in a "Quadrant" configuration to maximize legibility at night. The oversized angled crown makes the watch easy to set, and the day-date windows at the bottom of the dial are easy to pick out at a glance and non-intrusive. Overall, the Nodus Sector Pilot Automatic is a fantastic option for a modern pilot watch for only $500 USD.

Bulova Lunar Pilot

Finally, our last watch is the Bulova Lunar Pilot. Many consider this watch a solid alternative to the Speedmaster, but Bulova has a long history with this watch and space flight. Commander David Scott actually wore a Bulova Lunar Pilot on the moon (during Apollo 15), and thus rooted this watch deep into flight history. Once again, the ultra contrasting dial and elongated pushers give the watch a clean, but practical nature - something incredibly important for a Pilot. The watch has a quartz movement, but I feel the price certainly reflects that at only $580 USD.

Zepplin Chronograph Big Date

The Zeppelin Chronograph Big Date is on the more accessible end of the spectrum when it comes to pilot’s watches. Emulating the classic feel of the 1950s, this piece offers great value for money. The large and clear white dial makes it incredibly legible, an important aspect of a pilots chronograph. Equipped with both pulsometric and telemetric scales, the watch works well as a functional tool that works for any budget. This pilots chronograph can be purchased for $262 USD online.

Maurice De Mauriac Chrono Modern Titanium

The Maurice De Mauriac Chrono Modern Titanium is exactly what you would expect if someone said robust, utilitarian, and tactical. This super-lightweight piece will go almost unnoticed on your wrist due to the mid-sized 39mm titanium case. On the business end, however, it absolutely will not come quietly. The simple but very complete dial displays all the watch’s numerous functions- which the powerful green lume only makes more prominent. If this discreet yet imposing and capable pilot’s chronograph takes your fancy, it can be purchased for $5,351 USD.

Tissot Telemeter

The Tissot Telemeter is the epitome of the old school pilots watch for the 21st Century. Everything has been updated- the movement is more accurate and boasts a longer power-reserve, the case is bigger and more modern. The colorway on the dial is reminiscent of the golden era of flight and the variety of scales that adorn the dial show how versatile and utilitarian watches are in essence. Coming on a selection of different leather straps, the Tissot Telemeter has a look for everyone. It can be bought for $2,125 USD.

Hanhart 417ES “Steve McQueen”

Hanhart have over twelve decades of watchmaking experience and have been producing accurate and reliable timing devices for almost all of that time- renowned in athletics and automobile racing, they then made a name for themselves in aviation. The Hanhart 417 ES is a classic pilot’s watch through and through. Simplicity, functionality, and legibility are at the core of this German chronograph. Aside from the new movement and 42mm case, this piece is identical to the first versions that were produced in the 1940s during the war. This heritage laden piece is available for $2,100 USD.