INTRODUCING: The Archimede Pilot 42 GMT – proven quality at a price that’s hard to beat

Felix Scholz

German based Archimede is one of those small brands that quietly go about their business, sticking to their niche and making some excellent watches with minimal fuss. And while their catalogue offers a full suite of products, from dress to diver, it’s pilots that they’re best known for. And while Archimede’s design has evolved a little over the years, fundamentally it holds very true to the WWII-era aviator’s watches.

The latest addition to the collection is a GMT, housed in a reasonably sized 42mm steel case that’s quite slim at 9.2mm thick. The second timezone is displayed via a red sword-shaped hand that refers to an inner 24-hour scale — a nice implementation that echoes the ‘Type B’ style of pilot’s dial. Powering this GMT is an ETA 2893-2, which is quite a solid offering at this price point, especially when you factor in the high quality of the case (side note: Ickler, the company behind Archimede is primarily a case manufacturer) and sapphire crystal. As you’d expect with a pilot’s watch, the dial is neat and clean with a well-finished date window at six and an admirably restrained amount of dial text.

While the Archimede Pilot 42 GMT doesn’t break new ground in terms of materials or design, it’s a solid, reliable watch with a well-executed, useful complication at a price – based on today’s exchange rates the watch on leather comes in at $1300 ex VAT – that’s hard to beat.

Archimede Pilot 42 GMT pricing

Archimede Pilot 42 GMT on leather, 1080 Euro (inc. taxes), on steel bracelet 1200 Euro (inc. taxes)