Aviation- and marine-inspired timepieces

Elegant-yet-tough timepieces inspired by the open sky and the deep blue sea. Technical complications and design flourishes among others ensure that these watches can handle the toughest environment, whether you’re diving in the Great Barrier Reef, flying over Tokyo or sailing in Sydney.

Longines Avigation Big Eye

The name given to this design – a contraction of “aviation” and “navigation” – refers to a navigation system invented during the 1920s. In fact, this timepiece’s design is based on a model produced for the British Army during the 1950s. The 41mm timepiece’s updated design has the brand’s 688-caliber movement and is designed for active use.

FOR THE SKY LORDS

These watches were crafted for people who spend a lot of time airborne – whether they’re pilots, military or frequent flyers.

Bell & Ross Racing Bird

These pair of watches is modeled after a racing craft designed by the brand’s in-house design team. The Racing Bird Chronograph ( left) is a 41mm vintageinspired, two-register chronograph while the BRV1-92 features a 38.5mm stainless steel case with self-winding automatic movement. Available in limited editions of 999 pieces, both have white dials while the numerals, bezel, chronograph are blue, echoing design elements of the plane. Both though have a fun and funky look that’s appealing.

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Expect big things from a watch with a name that’s inspired by one of the most famous authors and aviators of all time. This watch is an extraordinary blend of engineering and dare we say it, artistry. Subdials balance out the dial, while a selfwinding movement powers the features. This timepiece has an incredible sevenday power reserve, perpetual calendar and moonphase. The art part of it? Check out the exquisite detailing in the 18-karat red gold rotor and Côtes de Genève finish. The leather strap by Santoni adds a nice finishing touch to the whole watch.

Zenith Pilot Watch

Stylish and functional, this timepiece boasts a Swiss automatic movement, a black dial and luminescent silver-tone hands, easy to read numeral hour markets and a small seconds subdial. It looks pretty elegant too, with its leather strap with cream contrast stitching and a stainless steel case.

FOR THE AQUA MEN

Whether you’re a serious diver or just like being in the water, these watches are for you.

Bremont Waterman

Limited to just 300 pieces, this is a beautiful technical diving watch that has been tested in the most extreme ocean environments by world-renowned free-diver, adventurer, surfer and ocean environmentalist, Mark Healey ( left) who is a Bremont ambassador. The mechanical chronometer incorporates a GMT hand and features deep-blue applied indexes on the dial. The open sapphire backed 500m water resistant case, helium release valve, antishock vibration mount and scratch resistant sapphire uni-directional bezel make it a watch that can be tested to extremes. Part of the proceeds of the sales of the Bremont Waterman will go towards charity and increasing awareness of the issues facing our oceans.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph

While this watch house is known for its connection to motor sports, this collection takes its inspiration from the 1968 Memovox Polaris, a diver’s watch that in turn takes its inspiration from the Memovox Deep Sea, released in 1959. The modern iteration modernises the 60s version with a range of timepieces: a three-handed automatic, a chronograph, a chronograph world time and two models that echo their vintage ancestors – The Polaris Date and the Polaris Memovox.

Blancpain Ocean Commitment III

for the third time in four years, Blancpain released 250 limited edition diving watches. The brand is committed to donate €1,000 for the sale of each watch, which means that €250,000, will go towards supporting the brand’s Ocean Commitment programme, among other existing conservation efforts. Such a commitment to our marine life is fitting for the brand that arguably invented the modern diving watch in the 1950s with the Fifty Fathoms. The Ocean Commitment III has a 40.3mm steel case with a matte sunburst blue dial and painted markers, which have a yellowish hue. Also blue is the rotating sapphire bezel. This timepiece has a sapphire caseback with the caliber 1151, self-winding movement with four days of power reserve. The watch comes in a sailcloth textile strap or a nylon strap.

Breguet Marine Chronographe 5527

This 42.3mm timepiece with a central chronograph hand, distinguished by a subtle maritime detail is completed by two subdials at 3 o’clock for the minutes and at 6 o’clock for the hours. The small seconds is indicated at 9 o’clock. This watch has several iterations: A white gold case with a blue dial in gold, with the wave-motif engine-turned pattern; rose gold with a silvered gold dial; and titanium. There is also a choice between a leather and rubber strap.