Three of the best new aviation watches, by Bremont, Breitling and Bell & Ross
One is a must for any serious collector, another is a simply beautiful vintage piece, and the third is a wonderful offering from a relative newcomer
I’ve got a lot of time for Jude Law. He’s never really quite made it to Clooney level, though, has he? Acting wise, Law has been a bit hit and miss, but one film that I thought was rather unfairly panned was Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, in which Law plays a square-jawed flying ace from another era.
I recently rewatched Sky Captain and it’s made me fall in love with pilot watches and the whole romance of flying, so, this week, in honour of Captain Dreamboat (that’s Law, in case you weren’t paying attention) and aviation we’ll take a look at three equally dreamy pilot watches.
Bremont has quickly established itself as a player in the watch industry and it has done so focusing on a few key areas, one of which is aviation. For 2016, Bremont has released the limited edition DH-88, named as a tribute to the plane that broke flight records in 1934. A wonderfully rendered chronometer, the DH-88 has been made in Bremont’s workshops in England – quite a feat in itself, as high-end watchmaking isn’t all that easy to do in Britain.
The 43mm case comes in stainless steel or rose gold and houses a modified chronometer and chronograph movement. The watch also features a second-time-zone hand, 100 metres of water resistance and an alligator leather strap. The steel version of the DH-88 is priced at £7,995 (HK$81,300) and the rose gold at £14,995.
Bremont is new to the aviation game, relatively speaking, but Breitling is the grandaddy of pilot-watch makers and perhaps the brand most closely associated with fly boys, and quite rightly so. The Navitimer, like the Submariner from Rolex and the Speedmaster from Omega, is simply an icon of watchmaking and a must for any serious collection.
The Navitimer 1884 limited edition is a lovely addition to the family and combines the 1952 aviation slide rule with a calendar. Yes, the dial is incredibly crowded, with indications, measurement numerals, three chronograph sub dials and more besides, but after you get used to all that it is actually an easy watch to read and the busy face lends the piece authenticity as well as charm. The steel case is sized at a large 46mm and comes with a variety of straps, including the steel bracelet, rubber and leather. Priced at HK$68,940 the Navitimer 1884 is limited to 1,884 pieces.
Finally, something nice from Bell & Ross. Known for square-faced timepieces, the watchmaker has released the rather lovely Vintage BR 126 Aeronavale, which has the more traditional round face. This is simply a beautiful watch, despite the whiff of Speedmaster about it. The deep blue of the dial, bezel and strap is the standout design feature here, but the watch itself is pretty nifty and has a solid chronograph function. It comes with two strap options: the calfskin version is priced at HK$32,700 and the alligator-leather version is HK$34,300.
