Looking at our stats, I see that demand for recommendations regarding diving watches is a seasonal thing with most visitors coming in summer and then gradually declining till Christmas only to start growing again in early January. “Pilots” are different animals: I have an impression that people are always interested in “aviators” regardless of the time of season. So, for your reading pleasure, a choice of fifteen timekeepers from under $200 to more than $10,000 as priced by online retailers that I find worthy of being considered while shopping for your new (or maybe your very first!) pilot’s watch this year.
Hamilton
Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic (ref. H82305931)
With this gorgeous Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic (ref. H82305931,) Hamilton not simply expands its line of diving companions. It finally offers a model that is not just “different” from the rest of the crowd, but -unlike their last year’s Navy Frogman- can actually be worn by a casual person without attracting weird glances from persons who “just don’t get it.”
Hamilton Broadway Day Date Automatic (refs. H43515735 & H43515135)
The 2017 Broadway Day Date Automatic (refs. H43515735 & H43515135), Hamilton’s recent attempt at grabbing their share of the growing “affordable dress watch” market, offers a nice blend of the interesting exterior, good build quality, and one of the best “long-play” mass-produced automatic movements that you can get in the sub-$1k price range. Unexpectedly elegant and amazingly refined, right now this may be one of the best choices for the money.
Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Chronograph Limited Edition
The Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Chronograph family (the one, which is listed on their website as a member of a larger Khaki Aviation family of military-themed watches) was recently updated with a limited edition collection (including a version with black dial, pictured, ref. H77766331.) Being ahem limited to ahem just 1999 pieces, it will never become a true rarity (well, maybe in fifty years or so), but I must admit that this little guy still looks nice. Featuring all the usual stuff, like a true chronograph movement and their famous drift angle calculator, the new watch differs from the rest of the pack with its new color combinations and a slightly reworked dial.
Hamilton Jazzmaster Face2face Automatic Doppelganger (ref. H32856705)
For the Baselworld 2013 event, the Swiss watchmaker Hamilton has prepared a model that, while being extremely simple, has a good chance of standing out from the huge crowd of second-tier brands. Taking the idea of a two-faced watch a trifle further than before, the Hamilton Jazzmaster Face2face (ref. H32856705) displays time, while allowing you to admire one of its two self-winding movements.
Hamilton Jazzmaster Auto Chrono (Ref. H32596551)
Hamilton has recently updated its Jazzmaster family with a new automatic chronograph that sports a fairly fresh Caliber H21 automatic movement that we have already seen inside the Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol model that was presented back in February 2012. Based on the time-proven ETA Valjoux 7750 blank caliber, the movement features an upgraded energy storage module with the maximum power reserve extended over 60 hours.
Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Automatic Chronograph
Look who has just got a sibling! The military-styled Khaki Pilot (ref. H64715885) that was first revealed back in early 2010 has just received a younger brother. Called Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Chronograph (ref. H646666735), the new automatic “aviator” from the legendary brand nicely fits a bullet-proof ETA Valjoux 7753 movement into the same mid-sized body of a (sort of) tactical timekeeper.
Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol Automatic
The new Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Patrol (refs. H76556331, H76556131, and H76566751) looks like an evolution of the stealthy Khaki X-Mach Pilot that was presented almost exactly three years ago in February, 2009. The difference between the two? Well, preserving all the controls and being powered by virtually the same movement, the new version now lets you convert nautical miles into statute miles and back. And the watch has also become smaller.
Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer Wrist Watch/Desk Clock
With a substantial, even intimidating, stainless steel body that measures more than 46 millimeters in diameter, the new hand-wound Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer (ref. H78190) deck watch can easily serve both as a big wrist watch and as a small desk clock.
Hamilton Khaki Flight Timer
The American-based watchmaker has finally introduced a full-fledged flight computer that you can wear on your own wrist. Designed for real pilots, the quartz-powered multifunction Hamilton Khaki Flight Timer (ref. H64554431) was created together with Air Zematt, the Swiss helicopter transport and rescue service.