Pilot Watch Battle Royale: Cartier Santos vs IWC

Being a pilot myself, I see so many Citizens and Breitlings in my field, both of which pack enough numbers and indices to make me dizzy.  I tend to vary my watches, but I either wear my tourbillon to see how its accuracy changes, or whatever has the least amount of markings on the dial so I have less to look at, i.e. my Panerai, Movado or Lorier.

A digital watch would be a lot simple but every cockpit already has one ;)

I picked the Cartier, but if I was really going to fly, I’d wear the Mark XX. In my estimation, IWC makes the best modern interpretation of a Flieger. 

That was basically what my poll is haha..maybe you should change you're vote 😉

I would have to say the Cartier. It's funny because my taste almost always leans towards watches like the IWC. The Cartier just grabs me for some reason.  

I know digital definitely is the safe bet amongst alot of pilots due to accuracy and other important function. Not surprised with the amount of less expensive pilot watches that are used, like citizen.

Sorry, but Cartier doesn't say pilot watch to me at all in any language.

How is this a possible pilot watch?

https://monochrome-watches.com/history-of-the-pilot-watch-part-i-cartier-santos-1904/

The Santos Dumont was made by Cartier for Alberto Santos Dumont, a Brazilian pilot in 1904.  He asked Louis cartier for a watch that he could wear on his wrist while he piloted his plane. The Santos is the first men's wrist watch and was used as a Pilot's watch.

I guess so, but not in my apparently addled brain. 

Today it wouldn't be used as a Pilot's as much as IWC or other pilot watch brands. Now it's just a high end luxury sport watch. But you gotta acknowledge the watch's origin to appreciate it even more so. It's as timeless as the tank, which was released in 1917 and went into production 1919.

Whatever it's origins, it's not a pilot watch to me & I voted accordingly. Sorry. 

I mean I'm all in on IWC and voted IWC. But the Santos is the O.G. Pilot's watch. 

https://youtu.be/W2Rdf0n_Lsg

Not doubting the origins (though a lot of accounts tell the story with "as the story goes"), but if the various military's did not consider it to be a worthy pilot watch, I find it hard to overcome all that regardless of the origin story of the watch. 

I get your point about military use, but this was made just for normal civilian piloting. Just had to have easily readable/legible time on the wrist rather than reaching for the pocket watch.

How about it started as a pilot watch but has since been passed by and is no longer one? 

But since the poll is happening today, NOT in 1920; it's still IWC. 

I agree, and I think I made that point in my post too. Here's a cool quick video on it from Tim Mosso at the watchbox. https://youtu.be/Y4sWl0rOXdk

But I agree, I'm all in on IWC all day.

Santos 100%, the IWC looks like a plain jane to me.

I never thought that Santos is a pilot's but looks much better than an IWC, i hope IWC fans will not offence me so much, but when I hold a few IWCs and take a deep look to them, i felt like: "Ok my Spirit's build quality and overall look is much better than this IWC Mark XX with much less than half of their prices".

I know they are incredible watches but to some, not me :)

The Santos is a pilot’s watch?

It was initially built for Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian Pilot, in 1904, so he could tell the time while flying without having to reach for his pocket watch. By today's standard the Santos is a sports watch and Santos-Dumont is a dress watch, but it's origin is being the first men's wrist watch, sports watch, and pilots watch

Well sense Cartier doesn't make a Pilots watch I would have to go with the IWC

The Santos was first used as a Pilot's watch but isn't one by today's standard.

Well, I guess based on that thought any watch could be a 'pilots' watch..I would still pick the IWC

Not really though. My thought is that a pilots watch is a watch that was made intentionally for Pilot's. Santos-Dumont was originally made to a a watch for Alberto Santos to tell the time on his wrist while flying a plane, thus pilots watch. But I did vote IWC and do agree on IWC as I have one and do believe they are gold the standard of modern pilot watches.

Thank you for the info..I had a Santos awhile back but sold it off in that i wasnt wearing it..I did not know that it was designed as a pilots watch..

Fliegers can be found in most brands, but the Santos is unique to Cartier or at least less copied

These are very different types of watches imo. IWC is clearly the practical watch here but the classiness and that strange feeling of Cartier cannot be ignored. 

Absolutely! 

Wow, didn’t know that. Nice history lesson, thank you!

https://bigpilot.watch

I'd take the Santos all day long. From flights to dinners in distant destinations.