Pilot watches make up a significant part of watchmaking history, with many timepieces crafted over the centuries specifically for the aviation industry or those who appreciate uniqueness and style. Due to the novelty of aviation watches, the market is flooded with various designs. Therefore, I decided to review 5 automatic pilot watches that stand out to me for their style, quality, and craftsmanship, while still being affordable.
Hamilton H64611535 Khaki King Pilot
A quartz movement may not be the purist's choice, but it ensures precise timekeeping, allowing you to focus on other details. These watches combine sleek polished touches with a matte stainless steel case finish. The crown is tightly sealed and features the Hamilton logo. Thanks to the anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the glass is almost invisible, and the screw-down case back provides 200 meters of water resistance. The black dial features large Arabic minute numerals on the outer ring and smaller hour numerals on the inner ring.
The skeletonized sword-shaped hands in stainless steel have significant lume, though the arrow hand, in my opinion, is too long. There is a large indicator hand at the 12 o'clock position. The calf leather strap creases easily, making it appear slightly less appealing, and the striped look of the large minute numerals also appears a bit cheap. The 42 mm size makes the watch comfortable for daily wear and will appeal to a wide audience.
AVI-8 Flyboy
The creators of AVI-8 watches made their intentions clear from the start with the name of their watches. Their wordplay with 'aviator' aims to turn it into something you actively pursue, aviation (this word is not yet in the dictionary).
Flyboy pays tribute to the legendary pilot Tuk, embodying the resilience of Flyboys and similar traits inherent in AVI-8 pilot enthusiasts. The grainy texture of the dial contrasts with the embossed SuperLumiNova-coated indices. The iconic Arabic index 0 is at the 12 o'clock position, while indices 8 and 9 are left out to make room for the 24-hour sub-dial. Another sub-dial features a minute hand with a red arrow, slightly reminiscent of an airplane. The watch hands are skeletonized and intentionally large for quick time reading. An anti-reflective glass sits atop the dial in a matte stainless steel case. The case has a standard diameter of 42 mm, but its thickness is 16 mm, possibly requiring specific outfits for wear.
An old-style crown is at the 2 o'clock position, ensuring excellent wrist mobility, and the Miyota 8247 movement will keep time effortlessly. You can see it through the exhibition case back. The brown calf leather strap looks and feels luxurious, and I expect it to become more comfortable the more you wear it. A piece like this priced under $500 was a surprise for me, and the fact that it is not Swiss-made is almost unbelievable.
Bulova Accu Swiss 63B188
The Accu watches have a classic appearance with some luxurious features, making the low price a bit surprising. The watch is equipped with a reliable Swiss automatic movement with a second hand. Polished attributes on the stainless steel case give a luxurious look, and the heavy nature of this model makes it feel quite solid. At 42 mm, this model's weight is better balanced for prolonged use, so it won't become too heavy for daily wear. The screw-down case back has no interesting designs, except for the usual watch descriptions, including a disclaimer for 99 feet water resistance.
I would refrain from using these watches during water activities and prefer to reserve them for evening or everyday wear. The dark gray dial lacks additional inscriptions or decorations that might distract from the minimalist, luxurious appearance. Small Arabic numerals for minutes are on the chapter ring, and slightly ahead are 1/1000 markers. Long thin polished rods are used for hour markers, and a tiny date window is at the 3 o'clock position. The crocodile leather strap matches the model's style, though something more original would be refreshing. The screw-down crown, in my opinion, looks too serrated and could be a bit smaller, but it doesn't significantly detract from the overall look.
GPW GMT
If GPW were a person, these would be the watches most likely to engage in crossfit in this lineup. The watch case is made from Grade 2 titanium and sandblasted, giving it a stone-hard appearance while reducing the likelihood of attracting attention through reflection during operation. Some German members of the KRK (response unit) were involved in creating these watches, which should help you understand the meaning of some of the features included in these watches. The bezel is made from the same titanium material, featuring large luminous Arabic numerals that are easy to read. There is crown guard protection so the screw-down crown doesn't catch on anything it shouldn't.
Everything about this dial is simple. It is black with a combination of dots and stripes for indices and the GPW logo at the 6 o'clock position. A small date window is at the 3 o'clock position, and the second time zone function is at the 12 o'clock position. The sapphire crystal has enhanced scratch resistance and can withstand daily use without obstructing the view of the dial. The rubber strap with black accents might be a bit uncomfortable, as you might imagine.
These watches are incredibly light, perfect for regular active use, and if you want them even lighter and more comfortable, you can put a black or dark green NATO strap on them. I like the GPW for their weight and 42.5 mm case size, but I think this model will appeal to very specific watch enthusiasts. Plongeur hands are more commonly found on divers, but these watches are multipurpose and intended for broad use. These watches use a Swiss quartz battery, making them an excellent buy at this price.
Laco Type A 861688
I can imagine the Wright brothers wearing something similar to the Laco Type A when they first took flight. This model is as vintage as it gets, and its lack of frills and refinements makes it pleasant to look at. The dial is black, and the only text on it is the Laco brand at the 12 o'clock position. This truly makes the dial more spacious and draws attention away from the fact that the Arabic numerals are quite large. At the 12 o'clock position, there's an arrow with two small dots next to it, and all markers have strong lume. I like that there are only second markers between the hours, as I am often confused by the addition of second markers when there is no real reason for them. Sapphire glass is installed on both the front and back of the case.
The case has a nice round shape and a matte finish to avoid small scratches and maintain the product's appearance for a long time. I like that Laco chose an old-style unsigned crown to make it resemble an original German pilot watch from WWII more closely.
The leather strap with two rivets on each side is another vintage detail that gives these watches a legendary look. The watch is very comfortable to wear, the leather strap adjusts quickly, but I would avoid getting it wet due to low durability and the risk of damaging the strap. The Miyota automatic movement is not outstanding, but the fact that you can get a reliable vintage automatic movement at this price is a feat in itself.
Final Thoughts
The aviation industry has deeply penetrated the watch industry, making the competition very fierce. If you can create something unique or create a high-end vintage look, you will already be a step ahead of the rest. Keeping costs low and quality high in this process makes the task even more challenging, and this is why the items presented above catch my attention. AVI-8 regularly innovates, and this pilot with a grainy texture is my special favorite, setting it apart from the rest.