Benrus Sky Chief Chronograph "Tachymeter"
The Benrus Sky Chief, introduced in the 1940s, was marketed as “the official watch of famous airlines” and served as the official chronograph of American Export Airlines, known for their luxurious transatlantic “Flying Aces” seaplanes. Powered by the highly regarded manual wound Valjoux 71 movement, the Sky Chief was designed as a professional tool watch for pilots and aviation enthusiasts. The movement is signed with 147 and AXZ for import to the American market. Our example features an exceedingly rare silver dial variant with a tachymeter scale, adding both functionality and collectability. Despite the Sky Chief’s known vulnerability to moisture due to its rotating bezel and snap-back case, this watch has aged gracefully, showcasing no significant wear. The Sky Chief remains a coveted yet often overlooked pilot chronograph, cherished by collectors for its historical significance and enduring design.
Case: Stainless steel
Movement: Manual winding
Strap: Leather strap
Diameter: 38mm
Height: 14mm
Water resistance: None
Year: 1950s
Accessories:
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The Ole Mathiesen values are born from the Scandinavian virtues of modernism which focus on functionalism and simplification of form. The purpose is to improve the daily life to create harmony and affordable pleasure inspired by durability functionality and reliability - as well as less tangible values such as simplicity and equality. The values in an Ole Mathiesen watch are discrete classic timely as well as timeless - never ostentatious.
Our Focus
Ole Mathiesen applies the Danish design principles of simplicity, quality and focus to one of our most precious assets: time. The simplicity of the Ole Mathiesen watch calls for the ability to focus on what matters. And in the design process the watchmakers ask themselves: How can we design to last a century rather than a season? Always with the focus: the design is not finished when there is nothing left to add but rather when there is nothing left to remove.
Our Trademark
The unmistakable trademarks of Ole Mathiesen’s design are indebted to the three concepts on which his watch design was based – honesty tradition and quality. The design of Ole Mathiesen’s classic watch from 1962 builds on the design tradition that has its roots in functionalism and it represents the very essence of a timekeeping instrument being both timeless as well as timely offering a harmonious interaction between the watch and the wearer.