There are many places you can get your style inspiration from. Some guys look to the seasons to dictate their wardrobe while some get their go-to clothing almost exclusively in the form of gifts from their mom or girlfriend. One essential accent to any guy’s outfit? A watch. The best men’s watches come in many forms — some are sporty, others are meant for diving, and some of the most stylish options come designed for pilots — or, more often, for guys who just want to emulate their style.
They say, of course, time flies when you’re having fun, and there’s hardly a more stylish way to keep track of that flying time than a cool aeronautical inspired pilot watch. What differentiates a pilot’s watch from a regular ol’ armband that tells time? Pilot’s watches include a few other timers and watches on the inside of the face that can be used to track and time takeoff, landing or your HIIT rounds at the gym. They break down seconds in different intervals that may include 2, 10, or 15 seconds. There’s also usually a stopwatch feature on the border of the watch face that you can crank to start.
From simple, classic analog timepieces to sophisticated high-end, high precision chronographs, here are some of the best pilot watches you can order online today. Check out the latest as well as time-tested models from Citizen Watches, Seiko, Timex and more.
1. Timex Expedition
The Timex Expedition Chronograph is ready for adventure with its three subdials and 30 min chronograph function, 330-ft water resistance rating and light up indigo dial for ease of reading even in the dark. It’s got a classic Timex design that will make you feel like you’re reading the control panel of an actual aircraft.
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2. Citizen Nighthawk Dual Time Watch With Date
This citizen pilot watch, with its handsome 42 mm stainless steel bezel and pilot’s slide rule inner chapter ring, is a great example of the aero-inspired style in wristwatches. It’s also waterproof to 200 m, so you can leave it on for activities like waterskiing and jet skiing.
3. Seiko SNN241
This Seiko watch makes a dapper statement with its contrast-stitched leather band and stark, elegant white-on-brown display. A precise Japanese quartz mechanism handles the time keeping duties while two subdials contribute to the aviation-inspired look.
4. Bulova Lunar Pilot Watch
This Bulova watch takes the concept of aeronautical-inspired timekeeping pieces to new heights with its design patterned after the Bulvoa chronograph worn on the Apollo 15 mission. Made with a matte black dial and sapphire glass display, it pairs accurate time keeping with timeless style.
5. Casio Pilot Watch
Casio may be famous for its 1980s-vintage style calculator watches, but this pilot watch combines the brand’s love of multipurpose functionality with classic aviation inspired looks. It has a chronograph with 1/20 second increments, a slide-rotating inner bezel and perhaps gets the reward for cramming the most digits and lines into a small analog watch face.
6. Citizen Eco-Drive Avion
This sleek and classic pilot watch from Citizen is made up of a leather band and Japanese quartz face and includes luminous hands to make time-tracking easy. The eco-drive feature in this watch is also able to use light, artificial or natural, and convert it into energy to recharge the battery. So whether you’re sitting under your office fluorescents all day or enjoying your local park your watch will be powering itself. Cool, huh?
7. Bulova Men’s Moonwatch
This pilot watch from Bulova is the definition of elegance, with a black leather band and a sapphire glass exterior it’s built for style and function. The case has a silver-tone finish and the black dial highlights the time, date and other included metrics on the watch. Two interchangeable straps are included with the watch — a textured black leather and a black nylon with a nubuck leather, and the watch is water resistant up to 50 meters.
8. Stuhrling Men’s Original Leather Watch
This pilot watch has a unique face that includes the days of the week and the date of the month at a glance. The watch band is a comfortable leather with stainless steel rivets so changing the size is easy and dependable. The numbers, hands and markers are luminous so you can tell time in the dark, and it comes in two other band color options.
9. Tissot T-Race Cycling Watch
This watch from Tissot really pops off your wrist and is made for those who are “cycling passionate,” according to their website. It’s designed based on the layout of a racing bike, with pushers evocative of brakes and the yellow jersey-like color. The case is engraved with the Tour de France logo, paying homage to the infamous annual cycling event.
10. Mil-Tec Vintage Aviator Watch
This watch from Miltec adopts a retro design with enlarged numerals for extra legibility. It has a large crown and a simple design overall that accurately pays homage to watches worn by pilots during World War II. It has a luminescent clock that’s easy to read even in low light and housed in a stainless steel case with a scratch-resistant mineral glass.