Our edit of luxury timepieces to suit high-flyers of all stripes.

In many ways, a pilot’s watch is the original wristwatch. There were watches attached to bracelets as far back as the 17th century, but the modern watch as we know it only really took off, if you will, with the advent of the age of flight in the early 20th century. Cartier’s watch for pioneer Mr Alberto Santos-Dumont was almost certainly the first, but most watch brands began affixing their timepieces to the wrist to meet the needs of the world’s military during WWI. The ability to check the time without taking one’s hands off the controls was vital, as was the need for synchronised, precise timing between planes. Thus the staple elements of a pilot’s watch have always been high-contrast legibility and luminous markings, sturdy cases and a certain degree of magnetic resistance (to shield them from magnetic fields elsewhere in the aeroplane). Those traits form the basis of a modern-day tool watch. While you can wear many of them 24/7 if you so wish, they lend themselves particularly well to the role of a weekend watch, matched better to casualwear than a business suit. Scroll down for our current favourites from MR PORTER’s enviable selection, and how to wear them.

_Find out more at MR PORTER’s Luxury Watch Guide _

You have a chance to pick up a cult favourite among watch fans here. Zenith has recently discontinued what it calls the Pilot Big Date, one of the most straightforward pilot’s watches in its collection. The oversized date windows weren’t something a WWII airman would have been expecting, but they fulfilled a useful function and confidently made a virtue of a design feature that so often comes across as an afterthought. Inside was a high-frequency El Primero chronograph movement, which, nearly 50 years after its introduction, is still one of the most respected calibres in the watch world.

The Pilot Extra Special Big Date measures 44mm and comes on a dark brown leather strap. It’s a watch you could realistically wear every day with anything from a chunky cardigan – we like this one from Kingsman, which is exclusive to MR PORTER – to a loosely structured blazer, such as this one from Boglioli.

IWC Schaffhausen’s pilot’s watch range spans quite a width, from extremely faithful heritage pieces to the slick, ceramic-cased Top Gun line. Sitting in the middle is the Big Pilot’s chronograph, which itself comes in an array of flavours. This blue-dialled model pays homage to a much-loved French children’s author and famous pilot, Mr Antoine de Saint-Exupery, best known for the novella Le Petit Prince. Whether you find that charming or irrelevant, it’s the only way to own the Big Pilot’s chronograph with a blue dial. As one of the larger models on MR PORTER, at 43mm, this watch benefits from a softer contrast. Clothes-wise, Thom Browne’s merino wool sweater is a good start, as is this chunky overshirt from Faherty.

Bell & Ross began life as a brand inspired by aviation, specifically, cockpit instrumentation, which made sense if you looked at any of its watches, as they were all big, black square cases with extremely legible dials. They remain immensely popular and still define the brand. So what’s this? A round watch? No high-contrast dial? The truth is, Bell & Ross has always been more diverse than the famous BR 01, and it’s about time more people knew its other models. The BR 126 takes a more relaxed, gentlemanly approach to evoking the spirit of the skies, with a warm, cream-coloured dial and soft, brown leather strap. The chronograph is still laid out for maximum clarity, and the hands are still the same “sword” shape you’ll find on vintage pilot’s watches.

The BR 126 is a really versatile weekend watch at 41mm. We’d suggest wearing it with a checked shirt. A light one, such as this one from our own brand Mr P. or or dark one, such as this one from John Elliott would work equally well.

The absolute definition of a no-nonsense brand, Oris makes watches that punch hard in terms of value and practicality. The Big Crown ProPilot is everything a pilot’s watch should be: clear, legible by day and night and hardwearing, with a day-date indicator at three o’clock. The red tip on the seconds hand is its only concession to embellishment. Powered by an automatic movement, it’s water-resistant to 100m and has Super-LumiNova pigment on the hands and hour markers.

As the largest watch in our selection, the ProPilot suits more casual, sporty styles, such as this jersey and quilted shell down jacket by Prada or a simple grey hoodie, such as this one from Brunello Cucinelli.

What could be closer to the world of professional aviation than a watch produced in collaboration with Martin-Baker, the firm responsible for supplying the world’s militaries with ejector seats? Bremont’s original MBI is only offered for sale to those men and women who have, well, been ejected from a plane, but the brand also makes versions for the rest of us, so that particular terror is no longer compulsory. Noticeable at a glance for the knurled aluminium caseband, finished in a light brown colour, the MBIII improves on the MBII with the addition of a GMT hand. Tested to withstand extreme shocks and vibration, high and low temperatures and salt fog corrosion, rarely has a watch been better equipped to handle anything you can throw at it.

What about the outfit, though? Here, you can’t go wrong with a leather jacket. We like this one from Sandro, but if that’s a bit full on, how about this casual suede bomber from Dunhill?

IWC Schaffhausen provided pilot’s watches to the RAF during WWII. They were simple time-only pieces that were famed for their legibility, magnetic resistance and robust build. That was the Mark X, which was issued to the military in 1944. Now, since the brand revived the Mark designation in 1993, we’re up to Mark XVIII. The basic ingredients haven’t changed much – when they’re this good, why should they? But these days you get an automatic calibre and, on this version, a titanium case that’s tougher, lighter and more scratch-resistant than steel.

The Mark XVIII is one of the most discreet pilot’s watches available. It measures 40mm across and is just 10.8mm high, so it should fit under a shirt cuff. The vintage styling of the watch means you don’t want to go overboard. Try a simple Oxford shirt, such as this one from Officine Generale, and green cable-knit sweater, such as this one from Ralph Lauren Purple Label.

Produced to mark the centenary of the world’s largest aeroplane manufacturer, the Bremont Boeing 100 has a slightly unusual brown colour scheme (inspired by the cockpit decor of early planes, supposedly chosen for its relaxing properties) and resurrects the company’s very first logo, a totem pole-inspired motif. It’s cased in aviation-grade titanium and equipped with a GMT function for keeping track of time in another zone, as well as a chronograph. The knurled edge to the bezel, oversized crown and pushers make it easy to use in all conditions, but the dial detail, slim bezel and retro typography give it an unusual edge of refinement.

The Bremont Boeing may not be as burly as some others, but it still speaks of confidence. Embrace the watch’s American roots by pairing it with this dark denim shirt from Salle Privée and a shearling jacket. We like this one from Folk.