Victorinox, best known as the inventor of the iconic Swiss Army knife, has also produced a wide assortment of military-inspired timepieces since 1989. The latest update to its expansive catalogue launched this month, comprised of three new watches, two from the brand?s aviation-inspired Airboss Mechanical collection, the other a GMT-equipped model from its recently launched FieldForce series.

Airboss Mechanical

Focusing first on the Airboss, we discover two colorways in the established design, one in sandblasted steel and the other with a black PVD coating, both featuring the same highly legible black-and-white dial. The Airboss derives its name from the ?air bosses? on aircraft carriers, whose job is ?to safely orchestrate take-offs and landings,? and thus the its design is focused on functionality and ease of use, with aesthetic influences from various historical pilots’ watches.
In most aspects beyond their case finish, the two models are essentially the same. Each features a 100-meter water-resistant 42-mm case, with elongated lugs that seem to draw their foremost influence from the popular war-era “B-Uhren” design family of watches. Differentiating this case from those vintage types, however, is Victorinox’s use of a slide-rule scale on its outer bezel that works in tandem with the scale on the dial, as well as its relatively straightforward crown. The black-PVD model is fastened to the wrist via a matching five-link steel bracele...