AVI-8 have been a name for themselves with bold, stylish designs in watches offered at accessible price points. They’ve added some incredible watches to their stable this year, and for Windup, we’re taking a closer look at two of them. You won’t believe the level of detail found in these watches, which work to push the pilot watch theme to new heights.

AV-4074-XV741 BLUE NYLON LIMITED EDITION
AVI-8 are known for producing value-packed watches heavily inspired by aviation, and the Hawker Harrier XV741 Blue Nylon Automatic Limited Edition is certainly no exception. The watch shares similarities with the ?Blue Nylon? Retrograde Chronograph released last year but now features an automatic movement and even more details inspired by the Hawker Siddeley Harrier aircraft. The Blue Nylon Automatic LE commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Trans-Atlantic Air Race which was held in 1969; the race itself marking the 50th anniversary of the very first Trans-Atlantic flight by Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown. The winners of the 1969 Air Race would be the fastest to travel between London and New York, and the RAF took the opportunity to participate with the Hawker Harrier and show off its revolutionary vertical/short take-off and landing (VSTOL) ability. Squadron Leader Tom Lecky-Thompson flew the Hawker Harrier XV741 from London to New York in a time of 6 hours and 11 minutes as part of operation ?Blue Nylon?.

The partly skeletonised dial of ...