The new Junghans Meister Pilot models put a fresh twist on pilot’s watches
Dániel Dobai- Junghans adds three new versions to the Meister Pilot collection
- The new dial colours include sand and navy blue
- A rich history complements great value for money
Even if it seems like it, not every pilot’s watch has to look the same. The Junghans Meister Pilot is a novel take on a concept that’s in need of refreshment – the pilot’s watch. Forget about flat, unbroken dials with monochrome colours. Sure, a traditional pilot’s watch can be charming as well, however, if you look for something with a bit more makeup, the Meister Pilot is right up your alley. Although it might not seem obvious at first, considering its quirky features, the Junghans Meister Pilot has some serious history. The German brand itself has been manufacturing mechanical cockpit clocks since the early 20th century, but its first-ever wristwatch for pilots was made in 1955. Just like the Heuer Bundeswehr, it was made on behalf of the newly formed German armed forces. Vintage pieces are extremely rare and valuable now.
Known for their simple, understated watches, the Meister Pilot stands out from Junghans’ other collections, such as the minimalist Max Bill. But when you take a closer look, it becomes apparent that these watches carry the same DNA. Starting with the dial, all three new releases have the distinguishing Junghans-style sub-dials, which I haven’t seen on any other brand. These are not cut-outs or bevelled drop-downs, but domed bowls, which have quite a sharp edge and a satisfyingly smooth curve to them. They have a different tone than the rest of the dial and feature a finely grained texture. You won’t find any applied indices, as the sporty Arabic numerals are printed on the dial.
There is minimal script to distract you from the extremely legible markings. On top, you will find a cursive Junghans logo and the word “Chronoscope” on the bottom. The Meister Pilot Chronoscope Desert and Navy Blue feature a bi-compax chronograph display on their sand or blue dials, while the Meister Pilot Automatic has a date complication along with a small seconds sub-dial on its blue dial.
Undoubtedly, the most exciting part of these watches is their cases. All three share the same 43.3mm-wide case. Thickness varies a bit, as the Meister Pilot Chronoscope Desert and Navy Blue are 14.4mm thick, while the simpler Meister Pilot Automatic is thinner at 12.5mm. These are as big as a true pilot’s watch should be. Their thin, bevelled lugs help to keep the lug-to-lug distance under 50mm, which means it won’t overhang on most wrists. Sitting on top of these cases is a star-shaped, bi-directional turning bezel, hugging a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The 12 concave notches catch the eye first, with numerals on thicker parts and marks on thinner ones. These help to find a good grip on the bezel even with gloves on, while making the watches stand out.
In true tool watch fashion, each surface is brushed under the deep-black DLC coating in varying directions. The top of the bezel has circular brushing, while the inside of the notches is brushed horizontally. Similarly, the top of the lugs has a circular finish, while the bevels are at an angle.
Under the solid casebacks with aviation-themed decoration is either the calibre J880.4 for the chronographs or the calibre J880.1.6 for the time and date version, sharing the same 38 hours of power reserve. Both are based on ETA calibres, the chronographs sporting versions of the ETA 2824-2 and Dubois Depraz 2030 chrono module combination, which explains the thickness. This is further confirmed by the orientation of the pushers, as they sit just a tiny bit above the crown.
Junghans Meister Pilot Chronoscope and Meister Pilot Automatic pricing and availability:
The Meister Pilot models are available now. The Chronoscope Navy Blue will be a limited edition of 300 pieces, while the other two models are part of the permanent collection. Price: €2,590 (Meister Pilot Chronoscope), €1,990 (Meister Pilot Automatic)
| Brand | Junghans |
| Model | Meister Pilot Chronoscope Meister Pilot Automatic |
| Reference Number | 27/3396.00 27/3398.00 27/4397.00 |
| Case Dimensions | 43.4mm (D) x 14.4mm (T) (Chronoscope) 43.3mm (D) x 12.5mm (T) (Automatic) |
| Case Material | DLC-coated stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 10 bar |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire with double-sided AR coating |
| Dial | Blue or sandy lacquer |
| Strap | Rivetted leather strap with DLC-coated steel buckle |
| Movement | J880.4, based on ETA 2824 with Dubois Depraz 2030 chronograph module (Chronoscope) J880.1.6, ETA base (Automatic) |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph (Chronoscope) Hours, minutes, small seconds, date (Automatic) |
| Availability | Now – navy blue Chronoscope limited to 300 pieces. |
| Price | €2,590 (Meister Pilot Chronoscope) €1,990 (Meister Pilot Automatic) |