Who makes Spitfire watches?
The vintage aesthetic has made a big comeback in the watch world. From Longines and Seiko to Tissot and Timex, many of the big brands have released heritage ranges that bring the past back to life.
For us military aviation enthusiasts, we’ve never had it so good. Thanks to their timeless design and unrivalled functionality, heritage pilot watches are perfect for both everyday wear and more formal occasions.
So if you’re looking for a classic watch based on the flight instruments of a Spitfire, Hurricane or Lancaster, here are our recommendations.
AFFORDABLE
Sidewinder Spitfire: £195
Of course we’re going to start here. The Sidewinder Spitfire is packed with luxury features such as a Swiss Ronda movement, Italian full-grain leather strap and a sapphire crystal – all for under £200. This watch, from British brand Sidewinder, looks and feels like it should cost a whole lot more. And it’s a very faithful take on the Smith & Sons cockpit clock that featured in the Spitfire and other RAF warplanes. It even comes with a cockpit clock presentation box.
AVI-8: From around £200
Although not based directly on the Spitfire cockpit clock, AVI-8 offers a range of affordable homage watches that capture the spirit of the planes, people and history of military aviation. There are a few Spitfire models in the collection, with the Type 300 Automatic in gunmetal grey being one of our favourites, retailing for around £400.
Baltany: From £140
As an entry-level watch brand, Baltany offers a great range of retro timepieces with impressive specifications. They’re based in China, and often ship directly from the factory, which is how they can offer so much bang for buck. Although they don’t make a Spitfire watch, their bronze Dirty Dozen field watch captures the World War II aesthetic really well. And if it gives more people an entry into watch collecting, we’re all for it.
MID-RANGE
Christopher Ward C65 Sandhurst Series 2: £945
If you like your watches on the smaller side, the Sandhurst’s 38mm case is true to the field watches of the World War II era. Based on the Smiths W10 dial with a railtrack chapter ring, the watch has a similar aesthetic to one of our all-time favourites – the C8 ‘Al Deere’ TM-B. Based on the MKIII Spitfire clock, only 100 were ever produced, retailing for £2,995.
Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer: £1,190
Again, it’s not marketed as a Spitfire watch per se, but there’s no mistaking its inspiration. With its highly legible numerals, distinctive railtrack chapter ring and cathedral hands, it harks back to the military watches of the 1940s – and bears more than a passing resemblance to the Spitfire’s iconic cockpit clock.
Montblanc 1858 from £1,500
This one’s a thing of beauty. At Sidewinder, we’re big advocates of the ‘less is more’ school of design, and the Montblanc 1858 is a case in point. We’d opt for the classic black dial with the orange numerals, as this is the closest to the Spitfire look. And the black strap option really completes its imposing design.
LUXURY
Longines Avigation Pilot Majetek: £3,550
Longines has been hitting it out of the park with its recent heritage releases – and the Pilot Majetek is no exception. Its retro case design may not been to everyone’s taste, but we think it echoes the vintage look well – providing the perfect frame for that classic dial, featuring a subdial reminiscent of the Spitfire’s MKIII cockpit clock.
IWC Spitfire from £4,600
It would seem odd to recommend a nylon strap on a watch that retails for almost £5,000, but the Nato look complements this classic no-nonsense watch perfectly. As the name suggests, its design was inspired by the cockpits of Spitfire planes – and the black dial really does take you back to another time. Like many classic homage watches, its strength lies in its minimalism. Everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Zero West £2,750
We’re big fans of this British watch brand’s creations – especially the S1 Spitfire (1936), which somehow manages to look both rugged and elegant. Its design inspiration is evidently Spitfire-based – with even the distinctive crown modelled on the joystick gun from the aircraft. We’d choose the S1 over the S2 simply because we love the stealthy look of that black PVD case.