Military Watches

FEATURE

Flying Ace: Tracing the History of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch

IWC's Big Pilot’s Watch became an instant classic when it was re-released in 2002. But its history stretches much further back in time. In this feature from the WatchTime archives, we explore the Big Pilot and its many evolutions over the decades.

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Jan 15, 2023 by Jens Koch

TIMEPIECE TIMELINE

The Evolution of the Men’s Wristwatch: A Decade-by-Decade Guide

World War I coincided with the breakthrough of the wristwatch. New and trailblazing designs followed in each subsequent decade. From the WatchTime archives, here are our highlights, from the beginning of the 20th Century to the present day.

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Jan 14, 2023 by Ruediger Bucher

FEATURE

Field Ready: The Complicated Story of the Simple Field Watch

How the field watch journeyed from saving lives in the hellish trenches of World War I to decorating the wrists of fashionably rugged-looking civilians a century later is a rather befuddling tale. In this feature from the WatchTime archives, correspondent Allen Farmelo takes us through it.

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Oct 22, 2022 by Allen Farmelo

Luminox Channels the Navy SEALs in the “Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast” Edition

Modern technological and design advancements have made the utility of timepieces increasingly expansive and dynamic. Since its founding in 1989, Luminox has leaned into one of the niche segments of the watch market geared purely for utility, focusing on creating watches used for military service. Notably, the brand has had a longstanding partnership with the...

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Oct 6, 2022 by Caleb Anderson

Navigating Through the Years: Hands-On with the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Chronograph

For its 175th anniversary last year, Ulysse Nardin introduced an impressive fleet of Marine Torpilleur limited editions. In this latest visit to our esteemed archives, WatchTime sets sail with the Marine Tourpilleur Chronograph, which also has the added complication of an annual calendar onboard. The French term torpilleur stands for a small boat designed to...

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Sep 17, 2022 by Roger Ruegger

Re-Enlistment: Hands-On with the Vintage Military-Inspired Bulova “MIL-SHIPS-W-2181”

Named after the United States Navy’s Bureau of Ships “water-tightness specifications of MIL-SHIPS-W-2181,” American watch brand Bulova brings back two variants of its U.S. Navy prototype dive watch from the 1950s, which take a closer look at today in our latest visit to the WatchTime archives. The latest addition to Bulova’s “Archive Series” is a...

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Sep 10, 2022 by Roger Ruegger

Doxa Releases a Standard-Issue Doxa Army in Steel

At this year’s Geneva Watch Days, Doxa unveiled a standard-issue version of the history-laden military tool watch, the Doxa Army. The design was originally released in the spring of 2022 as a limited edition, but following its success is now being placed into serial production. The 42.5mm case is milled from a 316L stainless steel...

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Sep 1, 2022 by Sabine Zwettler

Military History: Testing the Sinn Model 158

With Model 158, Sinn has revived a little-known facet of its history: the Bundeswehr Chronograph. Presented in a refreshed, limited edition, how well does this retro chronograph perform? Sinn is known for making watches for police and military forces. The EZM 1, for example, was the first mission timer Sinn designed in 1997 for special...

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Jul 9, 2022 by Jens Koch

Bigger, Badder and Bolder: Squale Master “Marina Militare” Limited Edition

For those who have wondered how the brand’s traditional Von Büren 1521 case would look like on steroids, wonder no more: Squale has just launched its latest in the Master Marina Militare, a limited edition of 300 pieces which uses an enhanced stainless steel case with 1,200-meter water resistance and a diameter of 42mm. By...

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Jun 23, 2022 by WatchTime

Bell & Ross Goes Green with the BR 05 Skeleton

With the launch in 2019 of the BR 05 collection, Bell & Ross was once more able to capture the trends of time in a single creation. While it stayed true to its DNA, the integrated bracelet and distinct square case with its curved corners added a new flavor. One that is for sure appreciated...

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May 24, 2022 by Martin Green

Up, Up, And Away: Hamilton Flies High With New Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical Chronograph

Reviving its prowess on the field of aviation watches and celebrating authentic vintage design, Hamilton launches the Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical Chronograph. The faithful 40mm stainless steel model brings back the form and function of the chronographs the tradition brand with American roots produced for the British Royal Air Force pilots in the 1970s. Its...

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May 11, 2022 by Sabine Zwettler

Boots on the Ground: Doxa Revives the Doxa Army in a Limited Edition

In partnership with Watches of Switzerland, Swiss watchmaker Doxa is reissuing a rare gem from its history. More than 50 years after the premiere of the original Doxa Army in 1969, a limited edition of just 100 pieces is now being re-introduced. By the late 1960s, the Swiss brand, which is today headquartered in Biel,...

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Apr 27, 2022 by Sabine Zwettler

Mission Timing: Hamilton Releases New Khaki Field Titanium Automatic Variants

Hamilton’s legacy of providing tough, reliable timepieces to military forces during the 20th century lives on in the Khaki Field Titanium Automatic. Previously launched in two 42mm versions, the American-rooted Swiss brand adds a new 38mm case size that is geared to enthusiasts of smaller watches while also highlighting the design of the historic originals. Three distinct...

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Apr 22, 2022 by Sabine Zwettler

Tough, Tougher, Mission Timer: Sinn Spezialuhren Launches EZM 13.1

On duty for 25 years, literally around the clock: Sinn Spezialuhren looks back on 25 years of mission timekeeping in 2022. Originally developed for special units of the German Federal Police and Customs, these mission timekeepers have meanwhile been produced for many other professionals, such as emergency medical personnel, rescue workers, pilots, divers, and firefighters. ...

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Feb 21, 2022 by Sabine Zwettler

Tools From the Dashboard: Showcasing Bell & Ross’s Flight Instruments Collection

After it revolutionized pilots’-watch design with its dashboard-clock-inspired BR 01, one might have expected Bell & Ross to rest on the laurels of that flagship model but the watchmaker did anything but, turning to an array of other onboard aviation devices — from radar screens to altimeters to gyrocompasses, to produce the inventive and exclusive...

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Feb 4, 2022 by Mark Bernardo

WATCH REVIEW

Borrowed Time: Panerai Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech – 47MM

The Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech is at the technical vanguard of Panerai’s re-branded Submersible collection. We found this rugged timepiece, engineered for combat diving, makes a sharp statement on dry land as well.

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Jan 14, 2022 by Mark Bernardo

The History Channelers: Inside the Longines Heritage Collection

The vintage-look trend continues apace, and one watch brand has devoted an entire family within its portfolio to resurrecting timepieces from its long and creative history. In this feature from the WatchTime archives, we explore the origins, inspirations, and varied offerings of Longines’s ever-expanding Heritage Collection.

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Jan 12, 2022 by Mark Bernardo

Desert Commando: Hands-On with the Bremont MB Savanna Edition

Bremont makes watches that not only evoke military history but also are engineered for use in military-grade conditions. We recently went hands- on with perhaps the ultimate expression of that ethos, the titanium-cased MB Savanna Edition. “For a pilot,” British watchmaker Bremont reminds us, “weight means everything.” With this axiom as a guide, the London-based...

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Jan 7, 2022 by Mark Bernardo

Bremont’s Online-Exclusive Broadsword Jet is the Latest Recruit to its Armed Forces Collection

In 2019, Bremont launched its Armed Forces collection, a series of watches developed in partnership with Britain’s Ministry of Defence and inspired by the legendary “Dirty Dozen” timepieces worn by British Army officers in World War II. As the sole luxury watch company permitted to use the signs, symbols, and Heraldic Badges of the U.K.’s...

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Dec 3, 2021 by Mark Bernardo

Military Issue: IWC Introduces Spitfire Editions of the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 in Titanium and Bronze

Among the many new releases from IWC’s flagship Pilot’s Watch collection in 2021, the most significant has indisputably been the Big Pilot’s Watch 43, which brought a new, more wearable 43-mm size to the aptly named line of oversized aviator-style timepieces. This week, the manufacture unveils the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire, offering it in...

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Dec 2, 2021 by Mark Bernardo

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