Aviation watches, what a passion!!

[Sternjaeger II]

From the dawn of aviation men needed watches and chronographs to keep an accurate track of timing for navigation and operative reasons, and were often issued specific watches for the job.

Aviation has inspired watchmakers for the last 100 years, and some of them are simply stunning! I personally have two pieces that are very dear to me and are milestones in the world of aviation and space exploration, the legendary
Hanhart Chronograph

http://www.yorktime.com/sku/245/images/hanhart2.jpg

http://forum.chronomag.cz/uploads/post-18856-083542900%201318886938.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/mhar61.jpg

and the legendary Omega Speedmaster Professional, AKA the Moonwatch
(the one and only watch worn on the Apollo Moon landing missions)

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/omegasemperfi/SP_012.highres.jpg

http://smithersmpls.com/graphics/omega/1.jpg

http://watchtalkworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=omegalandresource&action=print&thread=10962

Now next on my wishlist is a watch that has no particular history, but is inspired to the looks of WW2 aircraft instruments, the Bell & Ross Heritage automatic watch

http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/i/0/xlarge/br-374.jpg

do you guys have any aviation related timepieces? (I also have a Luftwaffe cockpit clock, but that can't really be worn as a watch, although I'm thinking about turning it into a desk clock!)

[CWMV]

tagged, Love watches.

[effte]

Gotta have the circular slide rule or I'm not taking it flying! Can't see how anything can be called a "pilot's watch" without one.

Additional timezone kept at UTC (GMT, more or less) regardless of what you do with the primary set time is also a must have. Additional time zones easily available is a nice bonus.

While I love mechanical watches, I'll use quartz for everyday use. I love exact timekeeping without constant setting more.

Currently, the Citizen Skyhawk series meet my requirements the best. However, the quality isn't impressive and the customer service (at least my side of the pond) is nothing short of horrible... so great while they work, but don't expect anything on the warranty.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRL4egkVtCc-Nkfpb1ZAFvEcJe1w8Ex04eTvCI9LhTI9IT-uNMY

Love to see beautiful watches, and get recommendations on other watches for actual use.

[Sternjaeger II]

Love to see beautiful watches, and get recommendations on other watches for actual use.

Omega released the Speedmaster Professional X-33 in 1998, which is of incredible quality (titanium case, high precision 9 jewels quartz movement), but nowhere near the looks and legendary fame of the normal Moonwatch.

http://www.justmywatches.com/private/watches/omega/x33_1.jpg

http://ialreadyhaveawatch.com/watch-articles/omega/omega-speedmaster-professional-x-33/x-33-overview/

[jcenzano]

This is me holding my watch in Alaska.

Mind the difference between Z and local time. We europeans are not used to a -8 hour difference with the Z time!!
By the way it is 10:48 PM!!!

The clock is a very limited edition (around 40 units) that Breitling made for my unit.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m551/jcenzano/foros/RFA_dia6-_142.jpg

[pupo162]

watches is a thing that i dont like to wear. i always lost them as a kid, felt uncorfoable with them, and nowadays a good watch seems to be abusevely overpriced for what they do.

Yet, i recon this are some great works of art and some of them are beutifull and mechanichal beasts. such a complex apparatus in such a small casing.

the day i feel ive acomplished in life, i will buy an aviators watch, and put it on display.

[Sternjaeger II]

This is me holding my watch in Alaska.

Mind the difference between Z and local time. We europeans are not used to a -8 hour difference with the Z time!!
By the way it is 10:48 PM!!!

The clock is a very limited edition (around 40 units) that Breitling made for my unit.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m551/jcenzano/foros/RFA_dia6-_142.jpg

I'm usually not a huge fan of modern Breitlings, but that one is a true nice piece and surely a rare one, nice stuff! :)

[Sternjaeger II]

watches is a thing that i dont like to wear. i always lost them as a kid, felt uncorfoable with them, and nowadays a good watch seems to be abusevely overpriced for what they do.

Yet, i recon this are some great works of art and some of them are beutifull and mechanichal beasts. such a complex apparatus in such a small casing.

the day i feel ive acomplished in life, i will buy an aviators watch, and put it on display.

you should try pocket watches: they're coming back in fashion and are very hard to lose, since they're strapped to you with a chain! :)

[Psychopoak]

As I was about to turn 25, and really passionate about Aviation world, I wanted a watch looking like it was fallen off a aircraft and turn into a watch. look what I've got :

http://www.torgoen.com/product_pics/T16101_main.jpg

The only thing making me showing off is the fact that it's not a really well known brand. I'm happy to see those interrogation marks in the eyes of people when I say the name of the brand.

[Sternjaeger II]

As I was about to turn 25, and really passionate about Aviation world, I wanted a watch looking like it was fallen off a aircraft and turn into a watch. look what I've got :

http://www.torgoen.com/product_pics/T16101_main.jpg

The only thing making me showing off is the fact that it's not a really well known brand. I'm happy to see those interrogation marks in the eyes of people when I say the name of the brand.

it's a nice piece! Sometimes it's about the character more than the brand, the Hanhart itself is a watch for connoisseurs, but it draws attention nonetheless for its thick case and general clean but good looks :-)

[Psychopoak]

yep, totally agree with you. I was more looking for a original look than for a brand. As breitling was not affordable for my purse at this moment, I looked for something else. But I have to confess the Hanhart is quite a beauty... I will look for this watch in the future

[Herbs107]

I just love my Citizen Blue Angles Navihawk. It does lots of stuff and tells the time as well.

[Sternjaeger II]

I just love my Citizen Blue Angles Navihawk. It does lots of stuff and tells the time as well.

nice piece as well :-)

Another sexy beast was the B-Uhr (short for Beobachtungsuhr), which was a navigation watch given to navigators and sometimes Stuka pilots.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DJtl--zW1Pc/TL5n2TQYxcI/AAAAAAAAFE8/SN90WSVmWfI/s1600/B-Uhr+-+1.jpg

the watch had a long strap to be worn over the jacket and was of generous size to be better seen in darkness (it's a staggering 55mm in diameter, using a pocket watch mechanism) and it wasn't actually assigned to personnel, but there were a number for each squadron that were assigned for the mission and given back at the end of the mission to be stored and synchronised with the base clock (which was also synchronise with Berlin).


More on the B-Uhr here
http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/buhr-evolution

[raaaid]

http://www.wristwatchreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/worldwatch-ii.jpg

love it still a luxury i wont buy

this is what i got, does the same for lss money:

http://www.csfgraphics.com/blog_stuff/may2007/casio_pathfinder_watch.jpg