DavidSW
Watches inspired by the Armed Forces
May
This Memorial Day, we’re honoring those who have served, and remembering those who have died in service to the United States. Over the years, military personnel have required tools of the highest grade including timekeeping instruments. In fact, it’s not uncommon for armed forces from around the world to work with top-tier brands to supply these technical marvels, and these days,the professional, utilitarian aesthetic of these pieces has also inspired an entire style of designs that are sold to the general public.
Today we’re covering some timepieces that have a military history, and a professional build – all available now at DavidSW.*
IWC IW3891 Pilot Watch Chronograph Top Gun
IWC has been creating fine timepieces since 1868 and created its first Pilot watch in the mid-1930s. With legibility and resistance to temperature shifts and magnetism in mind, the company continued to manufacture flight-grade watches with great success. Over the years, several iterations have been released to fit the needs of modern consumers and the original design elements have endured.
Inspired by the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, where only the chosen elite are given the opportunity to train, IWC released their first “Top Gun” Pilot’s watch in 2007. This watch sits at 45mm and is crafted from a proprietary material from IWC called Ceratanium. The fusion of tough, scratch resistant ceramic and lightweight, durable titanium makes for an incredibly durable case that won’t weigh you down. A black dial and bright white Arabic numerals complete the look.
Tudor 2542G247NU Pelagos FXD GMT
Founded in 1926, Tudor originally served as a sister brand to Rolex, producing high-end watches that were more affordable. Over the years, the company has grown into its own unique luxury watch brand with a robust history of its own. Since the 1950s, the manufacturer has worked with the French Navy to create military-grade timekeeping instruments. Today, that instrument is the Pelagos FXD. The collection was announced in 2021, and since then, there have been multiple releases.
Working with French Naval Aviation, the Pelagos FXD GMT was announced in October 2024. The watch can keep track of three different time zones including “Zulu Time,” or Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). Fixed strap bars, a titanium case, high legibility, and NATO straps are all features designed to stand up to the elements.
Panerai PAM 292 Radiomir Black Seal Ceramica
Panerai has military roots dating back to 1860. The company worked exclusively with the Italian Navy creating high-precision timekeeping tools. The Radiomir was built in 1936 using radium to create a highly luminescent dial. With legibility in mind, the dials were 47mm and in the cushion-style case design we still see today. In 1993, the company began selling to the general public and have kept a large part of their original military DNA.
The PAM 292 Radiomir Black Seal is a 44mm full black ceramic watch with a black dial on a black leather strap. The watch likes a theme. Large Arabic numerals break up the dial and provide more than enough legibility. True to its Naval history, the watch has 300 meters of water resistance with a screw down crown. A hand-wound movement provides 56 hours of power.
Breitling V13317 Avenger Chronograph Night Mission 45mm with Khaki Dial
Breitling was founded in 1884 and began working with the British military in 1939. During this time, the company’s primary focus became high-precision aviation instruments for pilots including chronographs, bezel scales, and high-power reserve calibers for long-distance fights. The brand has grown over the years, but the history and the craftsmanship remain integral parts of the philosophy and design behind the watches.
The Breitling Avenger collection is robust, durable, and performance driven, designed with pilots in mind. The Night Mission treatment includes a black DLC-coated titanium case that is incredibly light and durable. A true go-anywhere-do-anything watch, the case is water resistant up to 300 meters, has a unidirectional rotating bezel, chronograph function, and date window.
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch “Sapphire Sandwich” with 3861 Movement
Omega has been working with NASA since 1962, and while they aren’t an official part of the armed forces, they work closely with the U.S. Military. They’ve sent many military personnel to space over the years with high precision space-worthy timekeeping instruments in tow. In 1965, the Omega Speedmaster became officially certified for all manned space missions, and thus the Moonwatch was born.
Worn as a trusted backup to digital devices, the watch stood up to the severe conditions of space. Today the Speedmaster Moonwatch is one of the most popular sports models on the market due to its legacy and craftsmanship. The current generation of Moonwatch still carries a striking resemblance to the original with a black dial and white indices. Available with an open or closed caseback, the watch carries an updated 3861 movement with a 50-hour power reserve.
If you enjoy a military look or are simply looking for a more rugged timepiece to call your next “daily,” you can find it at DavidSW. Call, come in, or go online at DavidSW.com.
*Timepieces mentioned in this article available in stock at DavidSW as of this blog’s publication date: May 22nd,, 2025.