ith the Airmaster Pilot, Titoni showcases its skill in transforming tradition into innovation. The watch beautifully combines heritage and contemporary design, as Olivier Schluep, Co-CEO and great-grandson of the founder, notes: “Our aim was to reimagine the classic pilot watch by integrating advanced precision manufacturing and the benefits of high-tech materials.”

Weighing just 86 grams, the 43 mm Airmaster Pilot is impressively lightweight – thanks to Titoni’s use of grade 5 titanium. The company takes great pride in the exceptional feel of the case: the use of advanced machining techniques has allowed for a surface finish so refined that the typical coarse texture of titanium is replaced with a delicate matte finish and highly polished areas.

A quick look at the dial of the COSC-certified chronometer highlights the core purpose of a pilot’s watch: instant, easy readability, even with just a brief glance. Titoni achieves this with a dual-layered dial coated in Super-LumiNova, three-dimensional indices and numerals that offer contrast on either a silver-white or black background. The double anti-reflective sapphire crystal reduces glare, while its flat design ensures clear readability from side angles and during movement.

Tony Jost, project manager for the Airmaster Pilot, explains: “Our goal was to retain the advantages of titanium – its lightness, strength, and skin-friendliness – while achieving a velvety texture through intensive, modern finishing techniques.” This commitment to quality is also reflected in the case back of the Airmaster Pilot, which features a deeply embossed image of a 1940s pilot alongside a stylised propeller.

A soft iron cage protects the Sellita SW200-1 chronometer movement from magnetic disturbances up to 500 gauss – a practical feature not just for pilots, as the soft iron casing reduces sensitivity to everyday magnetic fields. This greatly reduces the necessity for frequent demagnetisation. The Airmaster Pilot’s movement is completely assembled and tested at Titoni’s headquarters in Grenchen before it leaves the workshop.

Price: $1,990

www.titoni.ch