Just thought to share this idea... if you want, you can pull the dial/movement out and carefully remove and reset the 24hr sub dial hand to show GMT. Will work until Daylight saving time starts or ends, unless you’re in AZ. I’m not a big fan of a watch that tells me whether its AM or PM because I usually don’t awaken in a closet. It would be nice if it could be set independently. Nice looking watches with Seiko movements and affordable compared to much of the flight brands. Thanks for adding more eye candy to your site.
I don’t know much about watches I just dived into it and I just discovered a passion for it. Most of the youtubers are doing wrist checks but I find it soo goofy to wear one on each wrist. Just my opinion. This gentleman seems to do it all the time.
That AVI-8 HAWKER HUNTER RETROGRADE is unbelievably awesome. It looks like it was taken right out of the cockpit instrument panel. I think that one maybe my next purchase.
Beautiful! A particularly nice touch on the Hawker Hurricane dial is that the sub dial at 9 o'clock uses the same colour scheme as the Type A.1 and Type A.2 fuselage roundels used by the RAF between 1937 and 1942 if my memory serves me right...
Had a curtis tomahawk, the quality wasn't great. When i got it the time was slowing substantially. Changed the battery but remains the same... Eventually after some months in the drawer and almost giving up. Had a final look and noticed that the seconds hand is touching the glass. The friction is slowing it down. Actually learnt how to open the case back from your video :) and fix it myself. Now its running fine again.
I really like the flyboy Chrono. It has a very attractive dial. I particularly like the design of the hands. The cathedral-style on the hour. hand, and the syringe motif of the minute hand, are particularly to my taste - and thankfully, the minute hand reaches the chapter ring. I don't know why so many manufacturers put short hands on their watches.
I'll tell you why. Because people will complain it doesn't register on the hash marks perfectly. So they make it a bit short so you can't tell. It's actually a pretty good idea!
The Flyboy with black dial is mint! Wish Marc had shown it. Long Island also has that in stock. Mecha quartz is a fantastic affordable option for chronographs.
Good review Mark, but no mention as to whether it has hacking or manual winding. My guess is that it does not hack. If so, can it be back hacked ? I love the Lafayette version with the cathedral hands.
I use my chronographs at the gym to time rest periods between sets and interval exercises. These are good looking theme watches, too bad the first two have the goofy central seconds chronograph feature; that tiny chrono dial is really difficult to use for any real timing.
commandZee , yes, it’s a strange choice for Seiko to do that. I recently purchased an aviator style watch with that movement, and found the experience disappointing. After taking the watch apart, I put it back together again and passed it on. The movement looks as good as any Seiko Quartz and I think is in the $35 to $40 range as a retail movement. Perhaps for someone who just likes the look but isn’t into the chrono functions, it would be fine. It is nice to watch the big second hand move. Maybe a day, month, date sub dial setup would look good instead.
Ok.The Hawker Hurricane was powered by the infamous RR Merlin.The P51 began life with an Allison lump but was only to become the sexiest and best fighter of ww2 after replacing the Allison with the Packard Merlin under licence. If only those watches sounded like a 27 litre V12 ? Ps .Higher end quartz seems to be gaining support again? I support that at my ripe older age? Cheers,GG
The Flyboy model looks great and mecha-quartz is cool. Looking forward to seeing the other colorways on the Mustang automatic. Edited to add: The Flyboy with the cream-colored dial is already out of stock -- wow! Get 'em while they're hot, I guess.
00:00 is military time at midnight. Another part of the puzzle is, why isn't military numbering used on the dial if they're using a 0 at the top of the dial? Maybe because it just looks cool. Sort of like the tachymeter scale on the first watch...it's just there for looks. The incongruency is irksome.
Style is the name of the game. My customer's always look for a purpose to everything, but sometimes companies do things for style. It might irk you, and I get it, but. . . :)
Long Island Watch Thanks Mark. You’re right, not all decisions have profound meanings behind them. I enjoy your videos a lot. One advice from my side would be to use a different color background. Your face tan and the color of the wall are very similar and make the image look dull.
Let me start this by saying I am a huge fan and you are one of the people who got me into the hobby of watches, I have nothing but respect for you. However, these watches don't seem like they offer anything, it feels like it's just overpriced junk, let me explain: -*The Flyboy* feels really "put together", the poorly applied white lume kinda ruins the aesthetic, and it says "Quartz" on the back even though it's the VK64, I've literally seen Chinese watches that advertise it better, as "Cal. VK67 " for example. I wouldn't spend over a hundred on it. -*The Retrograde's* dial looks really cheap, the material LOOKS questionable, but even if I give it the benefit of the doubt there is nothing that justifies that price tag, it looks like a bunch of plastic on a dial housed by an oversized Alloy case (even though it's probably 316L, it just looks flimsy) -*The Hawker*: there is nothing particularly bad about this one, it looks okay, I'll give them credit for the design but everything about it screams mediocre for $168, it's just not a good value proposition nor a fashion statement. Let me conclude by saying I hope you sell as many as you can, because I wish you and your company well, you are integral to the budget watch community & I hope to see better in the future :)
I owned one of these watches (i believe it was the Hawker Hurricane). The seconds hand was mis-aligned on the original watch and it was replaced with 2 others both with the same issue. The hands (when they ticked into place) weren't aligned with the indices. Unless their new watches are good, they're all trash and i'd recommend everyone avoid them.
I have a quest to offer watches that cover a wide swath of the industry. That includes taking in watches that I know aren't popular with the "underground". There is no denying that these don't look great, and that's what drew me to them.
Please allow me to add the following to the conversation. Last year, I saw one of these Avi-8 watches on one of my students' wrist. It was a Type-B dial (I was wearing my Laco Augsburg 42 'German' pilot watch). I asked him if he knew anything about the design, function or history of these types of watches. He didn't. We then had a nice chat about fliegers and watches in general. Perhaps one day he'll tell people that his very first flieger was from Avi-8 or perhaps he won't. To him the watch was an instrument to measure time, nothing more. If John Mayer had walked into the room with one his Big Pilot watches, he might have added to the conversation or not. To each his own, sir.
Great video! I thought the coulered stitching might have been evocative of the german imperial flag from WW1, the styling of the mecha quartz reminds me of the early german chronographs
G'day Marc, and thanks for showing off these AVI-8 models. Interesting designs, however, one thing that really bugs me, is that when screws are displaced on dials, the alignment of the head slots is paramount. There is no consistency on the Hawker Hunter Retrograde dial. The minute subdial has its screw slots circumferential yet the hour subdial has the screw slots all horizontal. The remaining screws are a jumble of alignments. I looked at the examples on AVI-8s site and some of the variants of the Hunter has the screws on the minute subdial as you showed, yet others were horizontal for that dial. It's little attention to details that are important to get right if these brands want to distinguish themselves from their competition.
It’s my opinion the ALL pilot watches should have at least 10atm water resistance. I have a Zelos Skyraider with 5atm, WTF? If a pilot ditches in the ocean, wouldn’t he at least still want his watch to keep working ?
The watches look great. Love the unique dial style. So much so I bought a Hawker. HOWEVER, the actual quality is terrible. Hands fell off after a few months and the company would not honor their warranty. A 5 year warranty is easy to offer if you don’t honor it. I would never buy another from this brand.
Thank you for not reviewing watches you don't have. I hate watching a video on a product, looking for it, and then finding out I'm not able to purchase it.
Love the AV-8 brand. I own an older Hawker Hurricane AV-4013. Beautiful and substantial watch. Glad to see you are carrying the brand.
Thank you.
I’ve had the hawker hurricane for 4 years now, love wearing it.
Awesome, thank you!
Just thought to share this idea... if you want, you can pull the dial/movement out and carefully remove and reset the 24hr sub dial hand to show GMT. Will work until Daylight saving time starts or ends, unless you’re in AZ. I’m not a big fan of a watch that tells me whether its AM or PM because I usually don’t awaken in a closet. It would be nice if it could be set independently. Nice looking watches with Seiko movements and affordable compared to much of the flight brands. Thanks for adding more eye candy to your site.
That's a heck of a mod :)
The first watch with yellow/blue was beautiful and unique. Nice work in sharing these timepieces
Thank you.
I don’t know much about watches I just dived into it and I just discovered a passion for it. Most of the youtubers are doing wrist checks but I find it soo goofy to wear one on each wrist. Just my opinion. This gentleman seems to do it all the time.
Like the new pieces Marc. That retrograde is a looker. Thank you. 👍
Thank you.
That AVI-8 HAWKER HUNTER RETROGRADE is unbelievably awesome. It looks like it was taken right out of the cockpit instrument panel. I think that one maybe my next purchase.
Thank you.
Beautiful! A particularly nice touch on the Hawker Hurricane dial is that the sub dial at 9 o'clock uses the same colour scheme as the Type A.1 and Type A.2 fuselage roundels used by the RAF between 1937 and 1942 if my memory serves me right...
Had a curtis tomahawk, the quality wasn't great. When i got it the time was slowing substantially. Changed the battery but remains the same... Eventually after some months in the drawer and almost giving up. Had a final look and noticed that the seconds hand is touching the glass. The friction is slowing it down. Actually learnt how to open the case back from your video :) and fix it myself. Now its running fine again.
First watch, you can't use that tach because running seconds isn't connected with pusher actions
Yup
love the P51 watch... so many cues taken form the Aircraft itself... even the strap! very cool! wish i could afford one!
Awesome! Look for the full review later.
I really like the flyboy Chrono. It has a very attractive dial. I particularly like the design of the hands. The cathedral-style on the hour. hand, and the syringe motif of the minute hand, are particularly to my taste - and thankfully, the minute hand reaches the chapter ring. I don't know why so many manufacturers put short hands on their watches.
I'll tell you why. Because people will complain it doesn't register on the hash marks perfectly. So they make it a bit short so you can't tell. It's actually a pretty good idea!
Mark, love your honesty and in depth detail.
Thank you
The Flyboy with black dial is mint! Wish Marc had shown it. Long Island also has that in stock. Mecha quartz is a fantastic affordable option for chronographs.
Thank you!!!!
Good review Mark, but no mention as to whether it has hacking or manual winding. My guess is that it does not hack. If so, can it be back hacked ? I love the Lafayette version with the cathedral hands.
Anyone know what those open hands are called and any other watches that have them?
Good question!!!!
Is it a Seiko/Hattori VD57 in the AV-4011-0B? That would be an acceptable piece.
Anybody know how to change the battery?
I use my chronographs at the gym to time rest periods between sets and interval exercises. These are good looking theme watches, too bad the first two have the goofy central seconds chronograph feature; that tiny chrono dial is really difficult to use for any real timing.
commandZee , yes, it’s a strange choice for Seiko to do that. I recently purchased an aviator style watch with that movement, and found the experience disappointing. After taking the watch apart, I put it back together again and passed it on. The movement looks as good as any Seiko Quartz and I think is in the $35 to $40 range as a retail movement. Perhaps for someone who just likes the look but isn’t into the chrono functions, it would be fine. It is nice to watch the big second hand move. Maybe a day, month, date sub dial setup would look good instead.
Indeed.
I have the white faced Hurricane and P-5! Mustang. Very nice watches for the money.
Ok.The Hawker Hurricane was powered by the infamous RR Merlin.The P51 began life with an Allison lump but was only to become the sexiest and best fighter of ww2 after replacing the Allison with the Packard Merlin under licence. If only those watches sounded like a 27 litre V12 ? Ps .Higher end quartz seems to be gaining support again? I support that at my ripe older age? Cheers,GG
Thanks Len!
Is there a reason the square case watch had different finishes on the pushers?
I would say just style, I really couldn't say why.
I like those a lot, been looking at them for a while
Thank you!
The Flyboy model looks great and mecha-quartz is cool. Looking forward to seeing the other colorways on the Mustang automatic.
Edited to add: The Flyboy with the cream-colored dial is already out of stock -- wow! Get 'em while they're hot, I guess.
Indeed; didn't last long.
Good solid looking retro style aviator watches.each has it's own USP.
Thank you.
any idea when you're going to get the hawker Hunter in blue/SS, back in stock? thnx
Soon!
Nice and original dials. Why the 0 instead of a 12 though?
I think because its mimic the altimeter on cockpit dashboard
Good thought. I was thinking it was for 0000 hours, but you’re right. Until the lume shot I didn’t notice only 1,2 4 are the only other numerals.
00:00 is military time at midnight. Another part of the puzzle is, why isn't military numbering used on the dial if they're using a 0 at the top of the dial? Maybe because it just looks cool. Sort of like the tachymeter scale on the first watch...it's just there for looks. The incongruency is irksome.
Style is the name of the game. My customer's always look for a purpose to everything, but sometimes companies do things for style. It might irk you, and I get it, but. . . :)
Long Island Watch Thanks Mark. You’re right, not all decisions have profound meanings behind them.
I enjoy your videos a lot. One advice from my side would be to use a different color background. Your face tan and the color of the wall are very similar and make the image look dull.
wow I like all of those, they have done a great job.
Thank you.
Let me start this by saying I am a huge fan and you are one of the people who got me into the hobby of watches, I have nothing but respect for you.
However, these watches don't seem like they offer anything, it feels like it's just overpriced junk, let me explain:
-*The Flyboy* feels really "put together", the poorly applied white lume kinda ruins the aesthetic, and it says "Quartz" on the back even though it's the VK64, I've literally seen Chinese watches that advertise it better, as "Cal. VK67 " for example. I wouldn't spend over a hundred on it.
-*The Retrograde's* dial looks really cheap, the material LOOKS questionable, but even if I give it the benefit of the doubt there is nothing that justifies that price tag, it looks like a bunch of plastic on a dial housed by an oversized Alloy case (even though it's probably 316L, it just looks flimsy)
-*The Hawker*: there is nothing particularly bad about this one, it looks okay, I'll give them credit for the design but everything about it screams mediocre for $168, it's just not a good value proposition nor a fashion statement.
Let me conclude by saying I hope you sell as many as you can, because I wish you and your company well, you are integral to the budget watch community & I hope to see better in the future :)
I owned one of these watches (i believe it was the Hawker Hurricane). The seconds hand was mis-aligned on the original watch and it was replaced with 2 others both with the same issue. The hands (when they ticked into place) weren't aligned with the indices.
Unless their new watches are good, they're all trash and i'd recommend everyone avoid them.
I have a quest to offer watches that cover a wide swath of the industry. That includes taking in watches that I know aren't popular with the "underground". There is no denying that these don't look great, and that's what drew me to them.
Please allow me to add the following to the conversation. Last year, I saw one of these Avi-8 watches on one of my students' wrist. It was a Type-B dial (I was wearing my Laco Augsburg 42 'German' pilot watch). I asked him if he knew anything about the design, function or history of these types of watches. He didn't. We then had a nice chat about fliegers and watches in general. Perhaps one day he'll tell people that his very first flieger was from Avi-8 or perhaps he won't. To him the watch was an instrument to measure time, nothing more. If John Mayer had walked into the room with one his Big Pilot watches, he might have added to the conversation or not. To each his own, sir.
I went to buy the AV-4052-07 but it's sold out. SO DISAPPOINTING. Striking watch, love it.
It will all be back.
Great video! I thought the coulered stitching might have been evocative of the german imperial flag from WW1, the styling of the mecha quartz reminds me of the early german chronographs
I can see that too, thanks!
Do you actually wear 2 watches?
Great video
Thank you.
Ironically, “The Watch Geek” just did a review. Maybe they haven’t been released in the US, but they have in Europe?
Not sure.
Like the retrograde Aviator! Appreciate the review!
Thanks!
Ahh, if only that big blue square watch were under 40mm. It looks awesome
Thanks!
I'd buy that Mustang.
Few months!
I wish they were a bit larger.
LOL, that's not a popular request!
I would love most watches if they weren’t all so *BIG* !
I get it!
I love 💖Pilot watches. I am edicted to them. I’ve got TW STEEL 👩✈️PILOT 45mm blue dial with matching blue strap. I can recommend.
Thank you.
The square one is the Hunter retrograde...
Yes, thank you.
NICE, But a bit "Bell&Ross" UNFORTUNATLY. Good entry watch & not to expensive..! 😎
G'day Marc, and thanks for showing off these AVI-8 models.
Interesting designs, however, one thing that really bugs me, is that when screws are displaced on dials, the alignment of the head slots is paramount. There is no consistency on the Hawker Hunter Retrograde dial. The minute subdial has its screw slots circumferential yet the hour subdial has the screw slots all horizontal. The remaining screws are a jumble of alignments. I looked at the examples on AVI-8s site and some of the variants of the Hunter has the screws on the minute subdial as you showed, yet others were horizontal for that dial.
It's little attention to details that are important to get right if these brands want to distinguish themselves from their competition.
Honestly, I don't think they care about that as their target market doesn't care either.
It’s my opinion the ALL pilot watches should have at least 10atm water resistance. I have a Zelos Skyraider with 5atm, WTF? If a pilot ditches in the ocean, wouldn’t he at least still want his watch to keep working ?
LOL. Kamikaze
Still Tuesday
Yup! But it wasn't filmed this Tuesday!
The seconds hand looks so flimsy.
A bit shaky, maybe.
😎😎😎😎😎
The watches look great. Love the unique dial style. So much so I bought a Hawker. HOWEVER, the actual quality is terrible. Hands fell off after a few months and the company would not honor their warranty. A 5 year warranty is easy to offer if you don’t honor it. I would never buy another from this brand.
Had a similar problem with the lugs, replaced them with lugs for a euro and fifty cent. I've never owned a watch over 20 euro that just fell apart.
You just had to pun.
I always like to have pun.
Thank you for not reviewing watches you don't have. I hate watching a video on a product, looking for it, and then finding out I'm not able to purchase it.
I didn't do too much better; most of these sold out.
:)
stopped watching when I saw it was quartz
Don't buy these watches! They are no good, made by bat-Eating apes