Stylish Aviation-Themed Watches

These days, planes practically fly themselves.

But once upon a time, it required mettle, skill and a whole bunch of doodads — an exceptional wristwatch chief among them.

Paying tribute to those days in rugged fashion: AVI-8, an aviation-themed watch company that makes timepieces based on iconic planes, primarily from WWII. Their newest watch commemorates a battle that shaped modern democracy.

And today only, it’s available just for you, InsideHook reader.

AVI-8’s new Hawker Hurricane Battle of Britain timepiece serves as an homage to the seminal 1940 battle between the British RAF and the German Luftwaffe. It was the first major war campaign to be fought entirely by air forces.

Spoiler alert: though vastly outnumbered and outgunned, the forces of democracy prevailed. As Churchill later said: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

The Battle of Britain timepiece honors the Hawker Hurricane, a plane used during the battle that was actually responsible for the most kills in the second World War (estimates put it at 60% of the RAF’s air victories). The watch itself is a beaut, and a solid presence on your wrist: 42mm diameter case, scratch-resistant sapphire lens, flared coin edged crown.

You’ll see the plane’s inspiration on closer inspection. The side view of the watch’s case mimics the side view of the Hurricanes, and the piece utilizes 1940s typography along with propeller-like hour and minute hands (complete with contrasting blade tips). Turn it around, and a see-through caseback displays a cutaway rotor in the shape of a Hurricane.

Each Britain watch comes with two straps (leather NATO and nylon), a field box, a strap-changing tool and individual cards describing both the plane and the battle itself. Only 1,963 pieces were made, commemorating the 1,963 aircraft involved in the battle.

The watches start at $430. They’ll go on sale a bit later this month, but InsideHook is offering an exclusive for today only.

Good time to look.