The best pilot watches
Pilot watches come in two families: the plain, high-contrast flieger with big numerals, and the instrument-laden chronograph with a slide rule for flight calculations. Both put legibility first.
Many pilot watches run large, a legacy of watches worn over flight jackets, so check the lug-to-lug on each.
Our picks
A solar 40 mm Navihawk with a slide-rule bezel for under $500.
- Lug-to-lug
- —
- Fit
- Lug-to-lug not yet measured
- Specs
- 40 mm case · solar · 200 m
A 37.8 mm Type 48-style flieger from a small maker known for faithful military designs.
- Lug-to-lug
- 48.5 mm
- Fit
- Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
- Specs
- 37.8 mm case · 12.8 mm thick · automatic · 100 m
Hamilton's aviation automatic with an 80-hour reserve. At 51 mm lug-to-lug it suits larger wrists.
- Lug-to-lug
- 51 mm
- Fit
- Fits 7"–8.5" wrists
- Specs
- 42 mm case · 12.1 mm thick · automatic, 80 h reserve · 100 m
Marathon's automatic navigator, built to military spec with tritium tube lume.
- Lug-to-lug
- 48 mm
- Fit
- Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
- Specs
- 41 mm case · 11.5 mm thick · automatic, 38 h reserve · 100 m
A 39 mm true GMT with a 72-hour reserve, for pilots and travellers.
- Lug-to-lug
- 47 mm
- Fit
- Fits 6.5"–7.75" wrists
- Specs
- 39 mm case · 13.5 mm thick · automatic, 72 h reserve · 100 m
- IWCPilot's Watch Mark XX$5,900
The classic IWC Mark dial, a 120-hour reserve and only 10.8 mm thick.
- Lug-to-lug
- 49.2 mm
- Fit
- Fits 7"–8.25" wrists
- Specs
- 40 mm case · 10.8 mm thick · automatic, 120 h reserve · 100 m
- RolexAir-King$8,150
Rolex's pilot watch: a 40 mm Oyster with a 48 mm lug-to-lug.
- Lug-to-lug
- 48 mm
- Fit
- Fits 6.75"–8" wrists
- Specs
- 40 mm case · 11.6 mm thick · automatic, 70 h reserve · 100 m
The Navitimer slide-rule chronograph in its smaller 41 mm size.
- Lug-to-lug
- 47 mm
- Fit
- Fits 6.5"–7.75" wrists
- Specs
- 41 mm case · 13.6 mm thick · automatic, 70 h reserve · 30 m
Everything else that qualifies
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Fits | Retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Henry 1963 Pilot GMT 'Pepsi' | 42.5 mm | 50 mm | 13.9 mm | 7"–8.25" | $390 |
| Citizen Nighthawk Chronograph Blackout | 42 mm | — | — | — | $575 |
| Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T Blue Angels | 45 mm | — | 14.5 mm | — | $795 |
| Citizen World Chronograph A-T | 43 mm | — | 12 mm | — | $795 |
| Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 38mm Bullseye | 38 mm | 45.5 mm | 12.2 mm | 6.5"–7.5" | $2,350 |
| Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 40mm | 40 mm | 47.5 mm | 12 mm | 6.75"–8" | $2,400 |
| Oris ProPilot Date 41mm | 41 mm | 49 mm | 11.7 mm | 6.75"–8.25" | $2,550 |
| Longines Spirit 40mm | 40 mm | 49.7 mm | 12.2 mm | 7"–8.25" | $2,550 |
| Longines Spirit Zulu Time 42mm | 42 mm | 49.2 mm | 13.9 mm | 7"–8.25" | $3,550 |
| Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 | 39 mm | 47 mm | 11.8 mm | 6.5"–7.75" | $4,800 |
| Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 44 | 44 mm | 53 mm | 12.1 mm | 7.25"–8.5" | $5,550 |
| Oris ProPilot Calibre 111 | 43 mm | 51 mm | 13.2 mm | 7"–8.5" | $7,400 |
| Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 | 43 mm | 49 mm | 13.7 mm | 6.75"–8.25" | $10,700 |
| Omega Speedmaster Pilot | 40.9 mm | 49.6 mm | 14.7 mm | 7"–8.25" | $10,700 |
| IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 | 41.1 mm | — | 14.6 mm | — | — |
| Sinn 356 PILOT Classic W | 38.5 mm | 45.3 mm | — | 6.5"–7.5" | — |
| Sinn 103 St Sa | 41 mm | 47 mm | 17 mm | 6.5"–7.75" | — |
| Sinn 104 St Sa I | 41 mm | 47 mm | 11.9 mm | 6.5"–7.75" | — |
| IWC Big Pilot's Watch 43 | 43 mm | 52.5 mm | 13.6 mm | 7.25"–8.5" | — |
How we picked
We considered every current watch in the almanac tagged as a pilot watch and picked across price levels and both styles. “Fits” is the range of wrist sizes where the watch grades as an ideal fit on our lug-to-lug model. Prices are US retail and change often.