Bell & Ross BR01 mens pilots watches. For an example of something with an aeronautical air that's a little more up-to-the-minute, Bell & Ross has Amsdon's ringing endorsement: “For a pilot's watch based on the instruments used in a cockpit, the BR01 is the perfect choice.”

Bell & Ross BR01 mens pilots watches example. At 46mm though, it's for those with jumbo forearms.

The subsequent BR03 series is more wearable at 42mm, while various limited editions have riffed cleverly on its distinctive geometry and theme. Highlights include the Altimeter and Radar, which replaces the conventional hands with three discs marked with coloured lines.

Bell & Ross BR01 mens pilots watches. Bell & Ross ended its co-branded collaboration with Sinn in 2002 when it started producing its own cases in Switzerland, but it continued taking inspiration from aircraft – in the shape of the square brackets used to mount the instruments.

In 2005, it introduced the BR01, essentially a cockpit clock on a quarter scale.

Bell & Ross BR01 mens pilots watches. Founded in 1992, the French marque is a Jean-come-lately that nevertheless acquired instant credibility on account of its accuracy and association with German watch brand Sinn, which has a background in plane dashboards.

Aimed squarely at wearers in extreme environments, Bell & Ross quickly forged alliances with NATO and the French Air Force and bomb squad.

Breitling Navitimer mens pilots watches example. The Navitimer, an evolution of the 1942 Chronomat with its slide-rule bezel, landed in 1952, and is still relied upon to this day by contemporary flyboys and Becks alike.

Never mind ‘pilot's' – it's one of the most iconic watches of all time.

Breitling Navitimer mens pilots watches. Indeed, it was Gaston Breitling, founder of the eponymous marque, who invented the first wrist-worn chronograph in 1915, followed over the next two decades by push-pieces to start, stop and reset.

(Previously this was done through the crown.)

Breitling Navitimer mens pilots watches. On the other side are more intricate aviator watches, with (relative) mod cons such as chronographs and a slide-rule bezel that turn the mechanical timepieces into mini-computers.

“These were used to make calculations regarding fuel use, rate of climb and descent etc.,” says Amsdon. “Popularised by Breitling, this look is more technical.” Hence why they've got more numbers than Rachel Riley on a speed-dating night.

Breitling Navitimer mens pilots watches. From the 1950s onwards, things started to get a little more complicated.

“Pilot's watches inspired by [timepieces dating to] WWI and WWII are big, clear and simple,” says Amsdon. “The look is dictated by the functionality of being able to clearly tell the time in the darkness of a midnight bombing raid.”

IWC mens pilots watches. The clincher: an official ‘Top Gun' variant of IWC's Big Pilot's is also worn by aspiring Mavericks at the fighter pilot school in real life.

And it's welcome to be our wingman anytime.

IWC mens pilots watches. Indeed, IWC has done more than most marques to turn classic pilot's watches from military memorabilia into aspirational purchase, by continually re-launching and refining its fleet.