A Beloved Affordable Microbrand Just Launched Its Take on a Pilot’s Watch

When it comes to World War II pilot’s watches, the German Fliegers get most of the attention.

But a watch designed by an American Navy pilot and commissioned by the British RAF is getting some love through another transatlantic collaboration.

Lorier

In 1937, U.S. Navy Officer P.V.H. Weems worked with Longines to design a pilot’s watch with a lockable rotating bezel to assist with timing and navigation. It also had a white dial and heat-blued hands for maximum legibility.

The British Air Ministry adopted this design as the CK2129 by placing an order for 2,000 units from Omega in January 1940, right before the Battle of Britain began.

A replica of this watch was prominently featured in the 2017 film Dunkirk, which inspired British blogger The Urban Gentry to dig into the history of the “Weems” watch and eventually recreate one with New York watchmaker Lorier.

Lorier

The fittingly transatlantic partnership looked to surviving examples from Longines and Omega, along with a rare Rolex prototype, and utilized some modern tech for a faithful “Weems” reproduction.

It is named after the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that powered the British Spitfire fighter plane.

A faithful flyer

Officer Weems’s design and the subsequent Omega interpretation were smaller than their German counterparts because they were meant to be tucked under a jacket sleeve.

Lorier

While significantly smaller than Flieger examples like the IWC Big Pilot, the Merlin’s 37 mm case is a bit larger than Weems’s original 33mm design.

The rotating bezel was reproduced exactly, including the crown at four o’clock that screws down to lock the bezel in place. It has an etched 60-minute track filled with black lacquer except for the red zero indicator.

Rather than copy the simple hands used by Longines and Omega, Urban Gentry and Lorier got a little fancier with hour, minute and second hands that might be found on a 1940s dress watch.

The hands are heat-blued, just as Weems’s specifications called for, and, like the Omega CK2129, all three are distinctly shaped for clear legibility. A railroad minute track lines the dial’s outer rim, consistent with surviving “Weems” watches.

Lorier

Another period-faithful liberty the collaborators took is using a deerskin leather pass-through strap. The underside of the case is beveled between the lugs to allow the unique strap to pass comfortably through.

A modern touch

To keep the Merlin within Lorier’s typically affordable price range, a Miyota caliber 90S5 automatic movement was used. It is a no-date three-hand movement, so there are no phantom crown positions to worry about.

Lorier

The other significant modern technology used for the Merlin is the 3D printing used for its hour markers. The dash and numeral arrangement was inspired by military field watches, and each marker is an applied block of 3D-printed Super-LumiNova.

The same creamy white lume with a green glow is set into all three hands for a consistent look.

Lorier

The Merlin is a comfortably sized vintage pilot’s watch that is perfect for daily wear. It should help bring more attention to the overlooked World War II pilot’s watches worn by Allied aviators.

If nothing else, the bezel-locking crown is a tactile treat and a fun trick to share with other watch fans.

Availability and pricing

The Urban Gentry x Lorier Merlin is available now from Lorier for $550.

It is a limited-edition run of only 500 pieces.

Lorier

Urban Gentry x Lorier Merlin

Specs

Case Size	37mm
Movement	Miyota caliber 90S5 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $550 at Lorier

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