This year, the collection welcomes new executions in downsized 39mm cases. From lug to lug, the dual-time newcomers measure 21mm and are 13.50mm in height. They are available with a matte black, sandblasted anthracite, or sunray blue dial with a date window centered at the 6 o’clock position. The flagship of the collection sports an 18K yellow gold bezel and a chocolate brown ceramic insert with a gilt GMT track. 

An exclusive Longines caliber with a silicon balance-spring is at the heart of the Longines Spirit Zulu Time. The brand has also updated two components which, like the silicon balance-spring, are made of anti-magnetic material. This allows for an anti-magnetic resistance certification according to the ISO764 standard, with resistance to fields of 600 to 800 gauss ensured. The self-winding movement, which ticks behind a closed and engraved case back, has a power reserve of 72 hours and is chronometer-certified by the COSC.

Pricing for the Longines Zulu Time 39mm starts at $3,050 for the stainless-steel variants with a leather or fabric strap and at $4,200 for the two-tone executions. The metal bracelet iterations cost $100 more.

To learn more, visit Longines, here.

Though the MB Viper is built to withstand intense environments, Bremont still ensures that the 43.5mm model is lightweight, using titanium and anodized aluminum for its case. The titanium surface is treated with matte black DLC and contrasted with an orange anodized aluminum top bezel. Securing Bremont’s Trip-Tick® case construction are four black screws in the corners of the orange layer. The tactile matte black lugs, which taper towards the screw down crown, have pocket-like inserts cut into them to further reduce weight. Completing the overall aesthetic, the MB Viper comes with two canvas straps, one in orange and the other in black.

Situated between the bold contrasting black and orange case is a stark white dial. It has a seconds track on its periphery with each hour marked by a green emission Super-LumiNova® marker. Just inside the ring are numerals that count the minutes in increments of five with dark-colored Arabic numerals that contrast the light dial for optimal legibility. Ticking across the dial, the hands are decorated with a chevron pattern that is a subdued nod to the signature ejection pull handles seen on fighter ejection seats. The minute hand uses a yellow coloring for its pattern, while the seconds hand takes shape in a bold, solid red hue.

The MB Viper is notably the first model in Bremont’s Martin-Baker collection to house an ENG300 movement. The self-winding caliber ENG352 operates with a silicon escape wheel and a free sprung hair spring. As a result of its vigorous pre-production testing, the mechanism is protected by an anti-shock component that allows it to maintain precise timekeeping through any turmoil. Visible through an exhibition caseback, its rhodium plated bridges are gold plated, while the remainder of the mechanism is decorated with fine graining and engraving. Ticking at a frequency of 25,200bph, the movement is capable of 65 hours of reserved power. 

The Bremont MB Viper is limited to 300 examples with pricing marked at $5,995. 

To learn more, visit Bremont here. 

The latest addition to the pilot’s watch family that was last updated in 2022 with blue, green, and black dials, the Mark XX comes in a 40-mm stainless steel case that has been re-engineered and given a revised side profile and improved lug geometry. The polished bezel is also very slim and subtle so that the dial can fully unfold its visibility. As is typical for the collection, the case is water resistant to 100 meters and equipped with a front glass, which is specially secured to remain in place even in the event of a sudden pressure drop when airborne. With all these features, the Mark XX stays true to its DNA as a tried-and-tested pilot’s watch that exudes a subtly instrumental-style elegance.

The Mark XX is powered by the self-winding IWC-manufactured 32111 movement. This work house caliber features an antimagnetic silicon escapement and a double pawl winding system, building up a five-day power reserve. It ticks behind a closed case back.

The Mark XX is a truthful successor to the legendary Mark 11 that IWC developed for the British Royal Air Force in 1948. Its 89 caliber was housed in a soft-iron inner case to protect it from magnetic fields. Another essential requirement was perfect legibility. Therefore, the watch featured a high-contrast dial with luminescence, which made it easy to read the time whenever visibility was limited. This functional design in the style of an easy-to-read cockpit instrument has remained a signature trait of IWC Pilot’s Watches ever since. During the following decades, it was continuously upgraded and refined. Even as interference-free radio beacons made astronomical navigation obsolete, the Mark 11 been a critical “backup instrument” for pilots in various Commonwealth countries well into the 1980s.

The Pilot’ s Watch Mark XX is marked at $5,250 for the execution on a black leather strap. Attached to a 5-link metal bracelet, it retails for $6,150.

To learn more, visit IWC, here.

IWC reduced the size of its iconic Big Pilot’s Watch by 3 mm, cleaned up the dial and installed a new in-house movement. Does this innovative model make the grade? We took it apart to find out.

The size of a watch can be viewed as relative. Aside from diameter and height, wrist size also varies considerably from person to person. Then add the consideration of social conventions and cultural differences, which are subject to change over time. For example, in the 1940s, some men’s watches measured only 31 mm in diameter. The smaller and thinner the watch, the more elegant it was. The large pilots’ watches built by IWC and other brands like A. Lange & Söhne beginning in 1940, which measured 55 mm across, must have looked as monstrously large as the clocks worn on a chain around the neck of Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav in the 1980s. At that time, pilots’ watches weren’t intended to be a fashion statement, but simply a reflection of size following the functional requirements for military pilots and air reconnaissance officers. As with the IWC Portugieser, only a pocketwatch movement could achieve the necessary precision, which required a sufficiently large case to house it. The size and the offset central seconds hand ensured optimum legibility.

Since the 1990s, the trend for larger wristwatches has surged. When IWC reissued the Big Pilot’s Watch in 2002, the 46-mm diameter seemed large but definitely wearable for the daring. IWC has kept the watch’s size but offered a number of subtle revisions to the dial design. For the past few years, watch enthusiasts have been turning toward smaller watches again. And in 2021, IWC responded with the Big Pilot’s Watch 43, our test watch, a smaller version of the original.

Is this new model large enough to continue the icon’s story? This brings us back to the notion of relative size. This watch has had a date indication since 2002, which was considered essential at the time, as well as a power-reserve indicator. IWC was justifiably proud of the watch’s 7-day power reserve, even if this display is not necessarily essential for an automatic watch. With the new model, IWC has dispensed with both indications, and the uncluttered dial gives the watch a larger feel. Watch enthusiasts have recently come to prefer omitting the date in favor of a cleaner design. After all, you can always find the date on your smartphone, laptop or tablet. It’s no longer indispensable. And the power-reserve display has become superfluous, with the new in-house movement that stores energy up to 60 hours. The dial design is much more like its predecessor from 1940 in its symmetry and simplicity, especially in the version with the matte black dial. The stately conical turnip-style crown adds to the overall impression of size, which was not reduced true to scale, but like the numerals and hands was designed to create a harmonious image. And that was truly successful.

Our test watch looks more elegant with the blue dial with sunburst finish and the matching blue leather strap, almost like an air force officer in dress uniform. But we like both versions almost equally.

After determining that the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 is a worthy variant of the original, we opted to disassemble the watch completely and, like aircraft maintenance, subject every part to a visual inspection.

First, our local master watchmaker removed the threaded caseback. Even through the crystal caseback, the beautiful 82100 caliber reveals much of its technology with its skeletonized rotor and automatic bridge. The oscillating weight is a small work of art with relief engraving, sunburst finish, polished edges, and gold “Probus Scafusia” medallion, which promises tried and true products from Schaffhausen. Once removed, you can see the circular Côtes de Genève finish on the bridges, the perlage on the mainplate, the gold highlighted engraving, and the polished edges. Even the barrel has a machined sunburst finish.

A specialty of the IWC brand is the dualpawl winding mechanism developed by former head designer Albert Pellaton. It is composed of low-wear pawls and wheel made of black ceramic as well as the brushed finish Pellaton rocker and large ruby runners. The ensemble works this way: an eccentric disk beneath the rotor moves the rocker via two ruby runners; the two pawls then turn the wheel to wind the barrel. The movement can achieve a maximum power reserve of 60 hours. This is sufficient for the best possible scenario: taking your watch off on Friday evening and putting it back on Monday morning without it stopping.

The movement is regulated elegantly by adjusting four screws with square heads on the balance wheel, thus allowing the hairspring to breathe freely. An Incabloc shock absorber provides the springy support of the balance wheel. Disassembling the remaining bridges reveals that the components are decorated only where they are visible. Undersides and components that cannot be seen when the watch is fully assembled are undecorated. Even some minor scratches from assembly were apparent, but we took into account that our test watch was a pre-production model.

Another special feature became visible after further disassembly. The third wheel is seated in a ceramic block within the mainplate rather than a round jewel. This unusual design is said to function just as well. Overall, the large movement is structured to be service-friendly. There are a limited number of screw sizes, and the modules and bridges simplify assembly and servicing. All components have generous dimensions.

From a functional standpoint, the movement is convincing. IWC has concentrated its efforts on the visible portion, but does more than some other manufacturers. The rotor and bridges are designed to provide a satisfying view of the mechanism, and what you can see is clean and decorated with a variety of finishes. That makes it easy to overlook the lack of finishes on inaccessible places.

And how did our test watch run on the timing machine? Values for the individual positions are somewhat scattered but the average daily deviation was very small at -0.3 seconds.

Positive results are also reported from the operational side. It is simple to handle. The large, grooved crown is easy to unscrew and pull to set the time. No date indication means there is only one position for the crown. In combination with the stop-seconds mechanism, this greatly simplifies the setting procedure.

One problem with the 46-mm Big Pilot’s Watch, which continues to be available, is that the large turnip-style crown can press uncomfortably into the back of your hand. This is less of a problem with the new 43-mm version. Here the crown only touches the back of your hand with extreme wrist movements. This isn’t a problem for daily wear, but it’s a good idea to take the watch off before doing your morning pushups.

The simple folding clasp has a long inner bar that may press uncomfortably against your wrist. Thanks to the quick-change system, the stiff new strap can be easily attached the other way around, including the clasp. Although opening requires some force, its lug attachment is secure and provides the option of attaching the new stainless-steel bracelet or a variety of other leather or rubber straps.

The Big Pilot’s Watch has a price to match its size. At $8,400, this updated version costs much less than the 46-mm classic model, which is priced at $12,900. This latest version dispenses with the date, the power-reserve display and the 7-day movement, but this is reflected in the attractive price, the more comfortable size and the uncluttered design. Other manufacturers, such as Rolex and Omega, offer comparable models that are less expensive, as is the IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 with a similar movement, which is priced at $7,250. But the higher price shouldn’t deter anyone who finds this watch appealing. So: maintenance complete — this watch is cleared for takeoff!

To learn more about IWC, click here, and to subscribe to the WatchTime print magazine, click here.    

According to the archives, things began in the early 1950s when the company, already a specialist in products dedicated to the aviation industry, learned that the French Air Force was looking to equip its pilots with a chronograph wristwatch […] It was the Air Ministry that named the future product “Type XX”.

Breguet

Type XX Chronographe Ref. 2067

The Ref. 2067ST/92/3WU is a direct descendant of the civilian Type XX from the 1950s and 1960s, notably a model made in 1957 and bearing the individual number 2988. The 15-minute counter is located at 3 o’clock, the 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock and the permanent second hand is located at 9 o’clock. Just as in the military-inspired version further below, the counter at 3 o’clock is sized slightly bigger.

The Arabic numerals, the hands and the triangle on the bezel are coated with ivory-colored lume, the comparatively large date window is located between 4 and 5 o’clock. The 42-mm steel case is fitted with a fluted bi-directional graduated bezel.

Breguet’s Military Heritage: Type 20 Ref. 2057

The new Type 20 Chronographe 2057 (Ref. 2057ST/92/3WU), on the other hand, is heavily inspired by Breguet’s 1100 that was delivered to the French Air Force between 1955 and 1959, whose name appeared as ‘Type 20’ in Arabic numerals (unlike all the others, including those of the Aéronautique Navale, whose name was written ‘Type XX’ in Roman numerals). The black dial has been modernized, the Arabic numerals and the triangle on the bezel are luminescent and feature a mint green shade, as do all the hands. The 30-minute counter located at 3 o’clock is larger than the 60-second counter at 9 o’clock, and a date window has also been added between 4 and 5 o’clock. The 42-mm steel case is fitted with a non-engraved fluted bi-directional bezel and a pear-shaped crown.

A New Engine: Calibre 728

After four years of development, the brand has also been able to equip both new watches with a new self-winding hi-beat movement, the Calibre 728 (350 parts) for the civilian version, and Calibre 7281 for the military version (339 parts), both with flyback function and an impressive power reserve of 60 hours. The movement incorporates all the elements of a modern chronograph such as a column wheel, vertical clutch, 5 Hz frequency as well as an innovative zero-resetting activation system (and is, according to Breguet, ‘protected by several patents’). The balance-spring, the escape-wheel and the pallet-lever horns are made of silicon. In addition to being resistant to corrosion and wear, silicon is insensitive to the influence of magnetic fields and improves the accuracy of the timepiece. In addition to the sunburst pattern, snailing, bevelling, circular-graining and other visible decorations on the components, Breguet has treated the column wheel to a black DLC treatment, the blackened oscillating weight is shaped like an aircraft wing and engraved with the Breguet logo. Retail price is $18,000/€19,100.

To see both watches in action, follow this link for a short video. To learn more about the new Type XX, follow this link.

We will continue to update this article in the coming hours with hands-on photos, once we get the chance to shoot the watches during the launch event in Paris. Also, stay tuned for WatchTime’s September issue: we are currently working on a deep dive into the Type XX’s past, and an in-depth introduction to the latest two models shown here.