Flieger watches, or pilot watches, have a storied history that dates back to the B-Uhr (Beobachtungsuhr) timepieces of the 1930s and 1940s, developed for German military pilots during World War II. Short for “observation watch,” the B-Uhr was a critical tool for navigation, built to meet strict specifications for precision, legibility, and reliability. The five original manufacturers of these military watches were: A. Lange & Söhne, IWC, Laco, Stowa, and Wempe. The term “Flieger,” which means “flyer” in German, reflects their intended purpose as essential cockpit instruments. These watches were large, clocking in at 55mm, with bold Arabic numerals, luminous markers, and oversized crowns that could be operated with gloves. Two distinct dial styles emerged: Flieger Type A, featuring simple numerals, and Flieger Type B, which added an outer minute scale for enhanced readability.
While Flieger watches were designed for aviation, their clean, functional design has stood the test of time; they are enjoyed by watch enthusiasts everywhere — no plane required. Let’s explore some of the top Flieger watches available, from heritage brands to modern interpretations.
Seiko SRPH31
Price: $295
Although original Flieger watches featured black dials, there are plenty of more colorful options among modern versions. For example, take the Seiko SRPH31 watch, which features a deep blue dial with bold Arabic numerals and luminous hands, ensuring excellent legibility. Staying true to the Flieger Type B dial style, the dial inside its 39.4mm steel case also includes larger minute markings around the periphery and a smaller hour scale towards the center. The matching blue nylon strap adds a cohesive and sporty touch.
The watch runs on Seiko’s reliable automatic Caliber 4R36, providing a 41-hour power reserve and a day-date complication. Priced at $275, the SRPH31 is an affordable entry into the world of Flieger-inspired watches, offering great value for its quality and design.
Laco Pilot Watches BASIC Aachen 42 Taupe California
Price: $540
As Laco was one of the original manufacturers of pilot watches during World War II, it comes as no surprise that the German watchmaker would continue to produce top flieger watches today. The Pilot Watches BASIC Aachen 42 Taupe California honors the brand’s legacy but with a modern twist. Its taupe color and California dial layout (Roman numerals on the upper half and Arabic numerals on the lower half) on the inner sundial add a contemporary touch to the traditional design. That said, the combination of the minute and hour graduations remains true to the maiden Type B dial design.
The Laco Aachen 42 Taupe California sports a generous 42mm steel case (11.75mm thick), runs on an automatic time-only movement, and is fitted with a taupe calf leather strap with rivets.
Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto H76305560
Price: $995
The Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto in with a mid-size case is a relatively newer addition to Hamilton’s broad aviation watch lineup, released in early 2024. The reference H76305560’s stand-out feature is its olive green dial, which in true Flieger watch tradition, is punctuated with white Arabic numerals, cathedral-style hands, and a combination of both hour and minute markers.
The stainless steel case measures 39mm in diameter and 11.6mm in thickness, offering a compact and wearable size while maintaining the robust feel of a vintage pilot watch. Powered by the H-10 automatic movement, the watch runs on 80 hours of power reserve and is water resistant to 100 meters. Complementing the green dial is the watch’s dark brown leather strap.
Stowa Flieger Classic 36
Price: €1,067
For those who appreciate the look of a vintage military pilot watch but not the hefty sizes it often comes in, there’s the Stowa Flieger Classic 36. Stowa is another one of the first five manufacturers and this particular model includes a Type A dial design, characterized by white Arabic numeral hour markers, a triangle flanked by two dots at 12 o’clock, and a black background. The blued steel hands (filled with lume, naturally) are a great touch too.
Inside the Stowa 36mm matte steel case is the hand-wound Sellita SW 210 movement with about 42 hours of power reserve. Finishing off the look of this vintage-inspired military pilot’s watch is an old-school brown aviation-style strap, studded with rivets.
Sinn 856 B-Uhr
Price: $2,280
We look to yet another one of the original manufacturers for a top flieger watch option in today’s market — Sinn. Specifically, the limited edition Sinn 856 B-Uhr, a tribute to the Flieger Type B navigation watches of the 1930s and 1940s, complete with a leather bund strap. While the entire bund with the band is the more head-turning way to wear it, the pad can be removed to simply the look with just the leather strap.
The Tegimented (Sinn’s hardening technique) steel case measures 40mm in diameter and benefits from Sinn’s Ar-Dehumidifying Technology to keep the moisture out and Magnetic Field Protection for protection up to 80,000 A/m. As expected, the dial is black, home to the larger minute track along the periphery and the smaller hour scale toward the center. Interestingly, Sinn opted for two lume shades — white for the hours and beige for the minutes. The Sinn 856 B-Uhr runs on the reliable SW300-1 automatic movement.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43
Price: $8,700
IWC was yet another of the original manufacturers of the wartime Flieger watches, delivering the Big Pilot’s Watch powered by the Caliber 52 T.S.C. pocket watch movement to the German Air Force in 1940. The Big Pilot’s Watch collection remains a mainstay in IWC’s catalog, available in a slew of variations.
One standout model is the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch ref. IW329301 with a large 43mm steel case, black dial, oversized winding crown, and classic brown leather strap with aviation-style rivets. The simple time-only dial is all about legibility, featuring the classic type A layout with Arabic numerals for the hours, accompanied by a triangle at 12 and large luminous hands at the center. Powering this modern IWC Flieger watch is the self-winding Caliber 82100 with 60 hours of power reserve.
That wraps up our round-up of the top Flieger watches, ranging from less than $300 to over $8,000. What pieces would you add to the list? Do you own one? Share your comments with us below.