Aviation Watch Recommendations

[7ECA]

Citizen Eco-Drive watches are quite nice as well, being solar powered no battery replacement is necessary. They've got a variety of designs, including the dreaded big-ass pilot watches, and many come with "radio controlled" time setting - so no need to worry about setting them.

[aprak]

As a watch enthusiast, I would suggest a classic flieger watch. If budget is no concern a Stowa flieger is top of the line, although they can get expensive(over 1000$). It's got some history too, as Stowa was one of the main watch suppliers for the german airforce in WW2. Laco is another option for fliegers, and they've got lower cost options too if the Stowa price tag is too much.

[Ruger Princess]

As a watch enthusiast, I would suggest a classic flieger watch. If budget is no concern a Stowa flieger is top of the line, although they can get expensive(over 1000$). It's got some history too, as Stowa was one of the main watch suppliers for the german airforce in WW2. Laco is another option for fliegers, and they've got lower cost options too if the Stowa price tag is too much.

Lol. The Garmin MARQ Aviator is 3200 US. So... but also IWC Schaffhausen (which is beyond me honestly) can easily go for 25k. Let's not even get into Patek Phillipe - 55k.

There was one I saw last year for over 100k. Serious. Like def out of my price range. For now. Haha. Kid wants to be an astronaut with a Buggatti so, I just have to wait for pity.

[Ruger Princess]

Omg I forgot Breitling. Literally synonymous with pilot.

[DanWEC]

What kind of flying do you do?
As much as I like a nice watch, up to this point in my career, I have to admit I haven't experienced much need for a specifically labeled "Aviation watch", unless you want the style or cache, and there's nothing wrong with that, everyone has their own style. I personally find the nicest watches to be of a classic aviator style- I'm not a digital-watch guy.

I have a few classic Seiko's and various Victorinox/SA's, a Daytona, and usually daily wear a Speedmaster or Garmin Epix Pro, as I'm grudgingly trying out this health/sport watch thing.

The only thing I've ever found actually useful is a UTC hand/function, and, very surprisingly, the white or red flashlight on the Garmin. Everything else you find on Aviation watches is a little gimmicky and redundant. (Absolutely love all the golf functions on the Epix though! )

Auto-timezone is also nice as on the Citizens, as sometimes cell phones won't auto-update without first registering on a network.

For GA I suppose the backup nav in the Garmin aviation watches could be a good safety cushion.

[Ruger Princess]

What kind of flying do you do?
As much as I like a nice watch, up to this point in my career, I have to admit I haven't experienced much need for a specifically labeled "Aviation watch", unless you want the style or cache, and there's nothing wrong with that, everyone has their own style!
I have a few classic Seiko's and various Victorinox/SA's, a Daytona, and usually daily wear a Speedmaster or Garmin Epix Pro.

The only thing I've ever found actually useful is a UTC hand/function, and, very surprisingly, the white or red flashlight on the Garmin. Everything else you find on Aviation watches is a little gimmicky and redundant. (Absolutely love all the golf functions on the Epix though! )

Auto-timezone is also nice as on the Citizens, as sometimes cell phones won't auto-update without first registering on a network.

For GA I suppose the backup nav in the Garmin aviation watches could be a good safety cushion.

Lol. Nothing to afford the aforementioned watches except the 3 I've owned. Although I wouldn't mind the Mach 3 - but it's big and clunky (almost went for it) and no phone option. But def better made than my D2 Air. And yes Golf apps are Great! 40k courses! I hit a mean ball but am super new! Took a bit to x- over to the...less rugged side haha. Chiefs and Ti Cats

I just like pretty things and if I can afford them, I buy them.

But I'm also a big believer that you get what you pay for and I like technology so, for me, it's trying to find the perfect balance.

And it's not about need. It's about toys

[‘Bob’]

Watches are one of those things that you don’t get what you pay for.

Literally none of the sky’s the limit fancy watches will keep and display time better than the GPS synchronized clock that’s already on your phone or on your panel or one of the cheapest alibaba smart watches you can buy. They won’t even keep time as well as a $10 Walmart quartz watch.

You are purchasing an emotion. When Swiss watchmakers saw their livelihoods threatened by the Quartz Crisis they had to change the game to one of craftsmanship and exclusivity rather than reliability and accuracy.

The same thing happened with vinyl. The same thing will happen with cars that have internal combustion engines. You will pay more for an inferior product and somehow be happier for it.

[Ruger Princess]

Watches are one of those things that you don’t get what you pay for.

Literally none of the sky’s the limit fancy watches will keep and display time better than the GPS synchronized clock that’s already on your phone or on your panel or one of the cheapest alibaba smart watches you can buy. They won’t even keep time as well as a $10 Walmart quartz watch.

You are purchasing an emotion. When Swiss watchmakers saw their livelihoods threatened by the Quartz Crisis they had to change the game to one of craftsmanship and exclusivity rather than reliability and accuracy.

The same thing happened with vinyl. The same thing will happen with cars that have internal combustion engines. You will pay more for an inferior product and somehow be happier for it.

Agree to disagree.

I have 1 watch - have had 3 aviation and a billion cheap guys. And while my first was Blue Angels when I first got into flying, it did offer me every time zone including UTC (I had 3 visible at once), automatic update via solar/ had a water depth of 50-100 m (I think. It was awhile ago), and offered a nice accessory.

Fast forward to the Navihawk, had way more info an E6B/fuel calculator (non digital) plus all the aforementioned items in my Blue Angels (didn't have Snowbirds option).

Now with the D2 Air X10 - there is no one who will convince me it's not better than the others other than the charging. But as a back-up to everything else, a nice pretty look, and crazy amount of other software and apps avail from anything to fitness, golf, travelling (even has direct to function - no moving map though, that was the trade off from the Mach 3 and phone), plus any ETI from any other planet can easily find me - it's my type of watch. A fun, pretty toy that I have my call sign on and gives me so much ridiculous information at any one time, that it's a dream for me. I like info haha.

I've had 10 dollar watches and analog and etc etc.

It's personal preference. But you can't say you don't get what you pay for. My particular case - Garmin is worth Every.single.penny.

[DanWEC]

Watches are one of those things that you don’t get what you pay for.

Literally none of the sky’s the limit fancy watches will keep and display time better than the GPS synchronized clock that’s already on your phone or on your panel or one of the cheapest alibaba smart watches you can buy. They won’t even keep time as well as a $10 Walmart quartz watch.

You are purchasing an emotion. When Swiss watchmakers saw their livelihoods threatened by the Quartz Crisis they had to change the game to one of craftsmanship and exclusivity rather than reliability and accuracy.

The same thing happened with vinyl. The same thing will happen with cars that have internal combustion engines. You will pay more for an inferior product and somehow be happier for it.

Jees man, I'd hate to hear what you do for fun!

[‘Bob’]

Watches are one of those things that you don’t get what you pay for.

Literally none of the sky’s the limit fancy watches will keep and display time better than the GPS synchronized clock that’s already on your phone or on your panel or one of the cheapest alibaba smart watches you can buy. They won’t even keep time as well as a $10 Walmart quartz watch.

You are purchasing an emotion. When Swiss watchmakers saw their livelihoods threatened by the Quartz Crisis they had to change the game to one of craftsmanship and exclusivity rather than reliability and accuracy.

The same thing happened with vinyl. The same thing will happen with cars that have internal combustion engines. You will pay more for an inferior product and somehow be happier for it.

Jees man, I'd hate to hear what you do for fun!

Lots of things that cost a lot of money.

But I’m not under the delusion that the more money I spend doing those things makes it better other than at an emotional level.

Do you guys really want to spend more money for emotional purchases for work?

[Ruger Princess]

Watches are one of those things that you don’t get what you pay for.

Literally none of the sky’s the limit fancy watches will keep and display time better than the GPS synchronized clock that’s already on your phone or on your panel or one of the cheapest alibaba smart watches you can buy. They won’t even keep time as well as a $10 Walmart quartz watch.

You are purchasing an emotion. When Swiss watchmakers saw their livelihoods threatened by the Quartz Crisis they had to change the game to one of craftsmanship and exclusivity rather than reliability and accuracy.

The same thing happened with vinyl. The same thing will happen with cars that have internal combustion engines. You will pay more for an inferior product and somehow be happier for it.

Jees man, I'd hate to hear what you do for fun!

Lots of things that cost a lot of money.

But I’m not under the delusion that the more money I spend doing those things makes it better other than at an emotional level.

Do you guys really want to spend more money for emotional purchases for work?

I literally have EVERY SINGLE AIRPORT/AERODROME in the WORLD on my wrist. Real time METAR/TAF, ALL NOTAMS, direct to function WITH MAP, HSI, ALT, PLUS!!! Info on every single solitary base in the CFS AND around the ENTIRE WORLD I have all the way down to the runway gradient, fuel price, availability, FBO info, etc etc etc all on my WRIST!!! Plus I can phone the hubby or kids if I'm still in the air.

You're crazy.

But mad respect to personal pref! Def not here to sell because I def don't care! Haha sucka

Ps already paid for. But def dreaming about a future Mach...

[Eric Janson]

Citizen Eco-Drive watches are quite nice as well, being solar powered no battery replacement is necessary. They've got a variety of designs, including the dreaded big-ass pilot watches, and many come with "radio controlled" time setting - so no need to worry about setting them.

+ 1 for the Citizen Eco Drive watches.

I have an Eco-Drive Skyhawk. I need something with all the time zones as I operate globally. Having GMT constantly displayed is also useful.

[Ruger Princess]

Citizen Eco-Drive watches are quite nice as well, being solar powered no battery replacement is necessary. They've got a variety of designs, including the dreaded big-ass pilot watches, and many come with "radio controlled" time setting - so no need to worry about setting them.

+ 1 for the Citizen Eco Drive watches.

I have an Eco-Drive Skyhawk. I need something with all the time zones as I operate globally. Having GMT constantly displayed is also useful.

Skyhawks are nice!

[Stinky]

I have an Apple watch and on the face I have Zulu Time in one corner which is handy. It's an app called Zulu Time.

I also have a Foreflight subscription so on the face of my watch I can see if the nearest airport is VFR, Marginal, IFR or low IFR by color. If I touch that I get the METAR of the nearest airport and favorite airports.

[Ruger Princess]

Apple is nice as is Foreflight. Used to have everything Apple - but they locked me in and wouldn't let me out so, now I'm Garmin everything. And I only had Foreflight on my tablet. Do you get everything on your watch besides above mentioned items? HSI, Drct-to +, ALT, Mag Compass, the map itself, etc. On my D2 AIR (which some poster said it was not electronic - super is though lol), I even get the freqs, rwy gradient, real time rwy pref, TRK/HDG, etc. not to mention all the airspace designations.

Just curious since I don't know which apple you use and I'm def not looking them all up. But interesting to see how they compare because they were def a nice product!

Here's my link for the D2 Air because no one asked. https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/p/869433

[Meatservo]

I like mechanical watches, for sentimental reasons. Notwithstanding sentiment however, they are accurate enough to be practical, and for some people they provide some pleasure.

In the early 20th century, a lot of brainpower was put into making a watch that was as accurate as a pocket watch but could be worn on the wrist. This was so people could check the time without digging in their pockets for a pocket watch. It was actually pilots who were demanding this innovation.

It amuses me that so many people have abandoned wristwatches in favour of their phones, which need to be dug out of your pocket when you want to check the time.

Next time I am in the market for a new mechanical watch, I will look for one with a “GMT” movement. As clever as I am, it still annoys me that I can’t quickly work out what time it is for the aircraft logbook. A GMT movement seems to me to be eminently practical for the watch-wearing pilot.

[Severalny]

The Apple Watch is great for apps and notifications but might not be as focused on aviation. Both could be fun, depending on what you’re looking for!

[Trendyke]

I do like the idea of the UTC hand for sure, especially when you’re hopping time zones, and the flashlight feature on the Garmin is surprisingly handy! I’ve been into watches for a while now, and I’m a big fan of the classic aviator style too. Lately, I’ve been looking at Replica Rolex GMT-Master watches—mainly because I love the functionality of the GMT feature but can’t quite justify the price of a real one. I guess you could say I’ve been playing around with a rolex gmt clone, and while it’s not the real deal, it gets the job done for traveling. What’s your go-to watch for a more practical day-to-day look?

[‘Bob’]

I recommend Casio or Timex