Looking for a black pilot type watch

carrick76

I am thinking of buying a pilot watch. Really love the IWC top gun watch, particularly the black casing and strap

http://www.iwc.com/en/collection/pilots/IW388007/

Cost obviously the main issue. Trying to find something similar for a smaller budget ~€300-800.

I am liking this Hamilton titanium and thinking of pulling the trigger in Dublin airport for €700.

http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/collection/khaki/field/titanium-auto/h70575733

Just not sure about the face, I like it but the face of the IWC is just nicer.

Is there anything else out there that's more like the IWC?

Lex Luthor

The IWC is a different animal to the Hamilton

#1 like you say is price
#2 the IWC is a chronograph with an in house movement which pushes the price up significantly

Do you need to have a chronograph on the watch you are looking for? If so, it would make the price jump up

At the top end of your budget what immediately springs to mind is the Steinhart Nav B Chrono http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Nav-B-Chrono-II-Black-DLC,458.html

Also well within price are Archimede

Pilot 42H Automatic PVD

http://www.archimede-watches.com/watches/pilot/automatic-42h.html


Here's a Tourby but you are now over €1000
No date model looks great
http://www.tourbywatches.com/collection/pilot-automatic/

Or the fans favorite, Stowa
https://www.stowa.de/lshop,showdetail,14429244237684,en,1442924529-8763,flieger,fliegerohnelogo,5,Tshowrub--flieger,.htm
No PVD option here but probably one of the best bang for buck watches out there

Some of the watches above are 44mm, so they can wear big if you haven't got big wrists

I have a 6.75" wrist and anything above 42mm I wouldn't consider normally

Brief_Lives

In your budget, there is this option....
https://www.stowa.de/Ikarus,i10.htm


I have always liked these 2 models....
eventually one of them will come my way...

https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/756_S_UTC.htm

https://www.stowa.de/Flieger+handaufzug+6498+kleine+Sekunde,i12.htm

but new, they are above your budget.

Deep Thought

Don't forget Laco

https://shop.laco.de/de/Fliegerhuhr-A.html?x77939=pb31frllpe3bctlibf1tdv0b07

blue5000

Over budget I know, but it's nice to dream......

http://www.damasko.de/en/da36

yellow second hand does something for me. Perhaps keep an eye out for a used one.

Lex Luthor

Deep Thought wrote: »

Don't forget Laco

https://shop.laco.de/de/Fliegerhuhr-A.html?x77939=pb31frllpe3bctlibf1tdv0b07

good call on the Laco and with some heritage aswell in Flieger

some other options on the low end of budget

TICINO 44mm PVD Automatic Pilot Watch SUPERLUME with a SAPPHIRE Crystal
http://pilotwatchesplus.com/shop/ticino-44mm-pvd-automatic-pilot-watch-superlume-with-a-sapphire-crystal/

Torgoen
https://www.torgoen.com/watches/mens-collections.html#/page/1

carrick76

Lex Luthor wrote: »

The IWC is a different animal to the Hamilton

#1 like you say is price
#2 the IWC is a chronograph with an in house movement which pushes the price up significantly

Do you need to have a chronograph on the watch you are looking for? If so, it would make the price jump up

At the top end of your budget what immediately springs to mind is the Steinhart Nav B Chrono http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Nav-B-Chrono-II-Black-DLC,458.html

Also well within price are Archimede

Pilot 42H Automatic PVD

http://www.archimede-watches.com/watches/pilot/automatic-42h.html


Here's a Tourby but you are now over €1000
No date model looks great
http://www.tourbywatches.com/collection/pilot-automatic/

Or the fans favorite, Stowa
https://www.stowa.de/lshop,showdetail,14429244237684,en,1442924529-8763,flieger,fliegerohnelogo,5,Tshowrub--flieger,.htm
No PVD option here but probably one of the best bang for buck watches out there

Some of the watches above are 44mm, so they can wear big if you haven't got big wrists

I have a 6.75" wrist and anything above 42mm I wouldn't consider normally

Thanks for this.

Don't need the chronograph or in house movement. (Planning my big watch purchase in about 2 years time).

It was more the aesthetics of the black case and black fabric strap that I liked. Learned something new about PVD being what i'm looking for, so thanks for that too.

Archimede one looks great and a good price, 42mm would be my limit too as have skinny wrists.

carrick76

Deep Thought wrote: »

Don't forget Laco

https://shop.laco.de/de/Fliegerhuhr-A.html?x77939=pb31frllpe3bctlibf1tdv0b07

Wow....these are great.

Is it me or do these watches look better without the logo's?

mynameis905

carrick76 wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a pilot watch. Really love the IWC top gun watch, particularly the black casing and strap

http://www.iwc.com/en/collection/pilots/IW388007/

Cost obviously the main issue. Trying to find something similar for a smaller budget ~€300-800.

I am liking this Hamilton titanium and thinking of pulling the trigger in Dublin airport for €700.

http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/collection/khaki/field/titanium-auto/h70575733

Just not sure about the face, I like it but the face of the IWC is just nicer.

Is there anything else out there that's more like the IWC?

Apples and bowling balls really. The IWC is a pilots watch while the Hamilton is a military/field design. It's basically the Hamilton Khaki with a larger titanium case and black PVD coating. Love the look of it though and came very, very close to buying it a few months ago. €700 is a great price if you can get it for that but you'd want to be careful not to knock it off something as chipped PVD doesn't look great.

Another cheaper Flieger would be the Orient Flight which you can find online for about $160. Not a huge fan of the Orient logo on the dial myself but it's still a great option for not very much money.



If you'd stretch to a 44mm case the new Air Blue watches look great.

Deep Thought

carrick76 wrote: »

Wow....these are great.

Is it me or do these watches look better without the logo's?

I agree, no logo is cracking