When it comes to the best Pilot watches for men, irrespective of whether you can fly an aeroplane, this category of watches has always been a popular category for watch lovers and enthusiasts. Pilots watches are liked universally with their vintage aesthetics, highly legible dials, and additional antimagnetic or shock-resistant features. Today we bring you the five best Pilots watches for men you need to check out:

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire Edition

There is no better watch brand than IWC Schaffhausen when it comes to Pilot watches. The Swiss watch brand has had a long history of creating functional timepieces for the British Military and the Royal Air Force. Many timepieces like the Spitfire Pilot’s watch collection reflects this chapter of the brand’s history. After the release of the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 in April 2021, IWC Schaffhausen adds two Spitfire models to the collection—one in a matte grey titanium case with a black dial and another in a warmer bronze case with a military green dial.

Rugged field watches inspire these new timepieces that pilots wore on their wrists when the iconic Spitfire graced the skies. Characterized by high-precision movements (82100 calibre movement), extreme ruggedness with case structure made from robust materials (Grade 5 titanium and bronze case), functional designs with highly legible dials (black and military green dial colours) and purpose-built technical feature, the new Spitfire models are one of the best pilots watch in the market right now.

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Breitling Super AVI Collection

Inspired by the original 1953 “Co-Pilot” Ref. 765 AVI aviator’s watch and four legendary planes: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito comes Breitling’s newest range of pilot watches—the Super AVI collection. Inspired by the vintage aesthetic of the four planes, the five new models of the collection marks nearly a century of aviation timepieces from a brand that has shared some of the field’s finest moments.

The five unique versions honour the four powerful and memorable aircraft. The Super AVI P-51 Mustang pays tribute to the best all-around fighter plane in two distinct versions: stainless steel and 18K red gold. The Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair comes in a blue dial set with a black leather strap and tone-on-tone chronograph counters. The military green dial of the Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk with contrasting chronograph counters and red accents plays on the plane’s signature shark-mouth nose art. Lastly, the Super AVI Mosquito is inspired by the versatile aircraft known as “Wooden Wonder”. The watch features a combination of polished and satin-brushed black ceramic bezel set with a black dial with red and orange elements.

All watches are powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04 movement that clocks in a power reserve of 70 hours.

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Longines Spirit Titanium

Strong, sleek and technologically superior, the Longines Spirit Titanium marks the Titanium age for the Longines Spirit collection. Set in a lighter and more hard-wearing Grade 5 Titanium case, the Longines Spirit timepiece offers a new aesthetic and contemporary look with its slightly darker and more matt case structure set with a satin-polished finish. The Spirit collection is dedicated to the world of aviation and hence features a distinctive sandblasted anthracite dial with a black satin flange. Offering the highest level of legibility with subdued hints of mellow gold features, the dial is home to an aeronautical symmetry that is impressive at first glance.

The Longines Spirit Titanium is powered by an automatic COSC-certified movement that offers exception precision and maximum reliability. It is further equipped with an interchangeable titanium bracelet and NATA type nylon strap.

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Rolex Air-King

Symbolising the brand’s homage to aviation, the Rolex Air-King promises state-of-the-art technology, contemporary design codes and historical connection that makes it the perfect pilots watch. The Air-King also symbolises the relationship between Rolex and aviation during the 1930s.

Keeping this historical connection in mind, the new watch is a celebration of the aeronautical heritage of the original Oyster. It features a 40mm case in Oystersteel set with a distinctive black dial with large numerals marking the hours and prominent minutes scale. Inspired by the original model in the 1950s, the 2021 edition hosts the Air-King name on the dial in the same lettering and the green and yellow Rolex logo. Like all Rolex watches, the Air-King is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification. It is ensured via the Perpetual Calibre 3131—an automatic mechanical movement that offers a power reserve of 48 hours. The Rolex Air-King is available in a three-piece link Oyster bracelet in Oystersteel.

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Zenith Pilot TYPE 20

When the Zenith team came across the blueprint of its historical building, it reminded them of the blueprints of the earliest Aeronefs—the earliest aircrafts conceived by the pioneer of flight. It is most notably known as the Type XI aircraft Louis Blériot flew across the English Channel. Zenith highlights its role in this journey of the earliest aviators with the Pilot Type 20 Blueprint launch.

Inspired by legendary Zenith aviation watches, the Pilot Type 20 Blueprint comes in a 45mm stainless steel case set with a double-layered blue and sapphire dial. The watch hosts a dial inspired by a blueprint, as the name suggests. It has been created in two parts—a matte blue base with all the technical plans and notes used by the dial-maker and a sapphire crystal and sapphire crystal layer with the usual markers and logo. Each aspect of the dial, its hands and markers to the topography of the numerals, has been meticulously shaped and designed to give it a stunning and profound visual effect. The oversized steel case with satin-brushed surfaces and signature large “crown” are some typical pilot watch features in the watch. Powered by the Elite 679 manufacture automatic movement with a power reserve of 50 hours, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Blueprint is limited to 250 pieces.

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