What are Flieger Watches?
Flieger watches trace their origins to a type of timekeeper developed in the 1930s for German military aviators called the B-Uhr, short for Beobachtungs-Uhren, which translates to “observation watches.” BUhr watches, the first of which were property of the German government rather than the Luftwaffe pilots who wore them, adhered to strict specifications. Their cases were enormous for a wrist-borne watch at the time, at 55mm in diameter, and they accordingly housed movements that were originally made for pocket watches .
The typical flieger appeared in two different types of dials:
Type A (Baumuster A) from 1940 to January 1941
The Type A was classic dial with numerals 1 to 11, and instead of a 12, a triangle with two dots.
Type B (Baumuster B) starting in January 1941
Type B dial had big minute numerals from 5 to 55 on the chapter ring, and a small sub-chapter ring with hour numerals.
Typical Character : Triangle at 12’o clock
It was important for the twelve o’clock indicator to be marked with a triangle with two dots, so that it can be differentiated from other numbers with a quick glance. The other reason was for pilots to quickly determine the upward orientation.
Some Famous Flieger Watches In The Market
Laco Pilot’s Watch Basic Augsburg
Price: $410, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 11.55mm, Lug Width: 18mm, Lug to Lug: 46.5mm, Water Resistance: 50m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Laco 21 (Miyota 821 base)
Bulova A-15 Pilot
Price: $695, Case Size: 42mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Miyota 82S6
Stowa (Walter Storz) – Stowa Flieger Classic 40
Price: 1,250 euros, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 10.2mm, Lug to Lug: 48.6mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 50m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Sellita Caliber SW 200STOWA factory was destroyed by the British bombardment on Pforzheim.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43
Price: $8,650, Case Size: 43mm, Case Height: 13.6mm, Lug to Lug: 52mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: IWC Automatic Caliber 82100
They are all very traditional and high quality flieger watch ,while their price is not so “ close” to many of us . What if I don’t have enough budget while I do want to enjoy such design ?
Maybe Militado 37mm Sapphire Crystal Retro Flieger Pilot Watch ML10 is the best choice .
Watch Specification:
Model: Militado ML10
Movement: Japan VH31 Sweeping Second Movement
Case material : 316L sandblasted coating
Glass: Sapphire Crystal High Clear AR Coating
Dial Color: Matte Black
Luminous: Super BGW9 Light, Dial, Hands and Markers
Crown: Screw Down Crown
Case Back: Screw-down Case Back, Brushed Process （ the caseback is sandblast as well , we will update photos soon ）
Strap/Band:18mm
Water Resistant: 10Bar=100 meters
Watch Dimension
Case： 36.9mm in diameter
Lug to Lug 43.9mm
Thickness 10 mm(including glass)
What makes it outstanding ?
- Vintage Style : The case lug heritage the original design of flieger , so it is a totally flat lug . The case style is sandblast , make it looks more vintage than polished case .
- Reliable Japan VH31 movement : For many customers who likes mechanical movement and high precision , Japan VH31 is an ideal choice , sweeping hands move + quartz precision , you can’t expect more ;
- Luminous : Use Super BGW9 luminous , more brighter and long lasting ;
- Smaller Case Size : As we all known, the original flieger is designer for pilot , especially during war , so it needs to be worn outside of their flight suit , so the size is remarkably huge . Nowadays, people buy such kind of watch is more likely for daily use , so a reasonable size is required . Most modern flieger covers the size from 39mm-42mm , however , small wrist also love this design . As a result , Militado decide to make a smaller fieger , a 37mm flieger .
- What else you can expect for a watch under $50 . Well , Militado always aim to offer the higher value watch than customers can image . For this $50 watch , it is even equipped with Sapphire Crystal High Clear AR Coating, so you can wear it without any pressure , scratch resistance is always best for a GADA watch .
In a word , if you are looking for a affordable flieger , Militado won’t let you down .
