Detroit's Sub $800 Automatic Pilot Watch

As a man who prides himself on his distinct disinterest in nice watches, I was pleasantly surprised when I got handed Detroit Watch Company’s Pride of Detroit Aviator Series Timepiece to test out.

Made in the USA, the Pride of Detroit is as bold as the Stinson-Detroiter monoplane this timepiece takes its namesake from. A smart calfskin leather band with an accompanying deployment buckle keeps this piece in place, while the dial's large numbers make it easy to read in all conditions.

For guys like me who stumble over their own feet and—if winter is involved—are prone to falling in oceanic puddles, the fact that this pilot watch is water resistant up to five ATM is a relief...not that I’m planning on tripping into a large body of water.


At 44mm in diameter, the Pride of Detroit is a certainly a girthy chunk of metal on my dainty wrist, which admittedly took some getting used to. If you’re more into the traditional vibes of IWCs and other traditional pilot watches, it might be a little too much watch.

But if you have a wrist that can handle the large contemporary size, this American-made fliegeruhr might appeal with its fleur-de-lys crown detail, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and embossed plane graphic on the back.

A self-winding Miyota Caliber 821A powers the Pride of Detroit, carrying a 40-hour power reserve and date calendar that keeps your schedule in check and reminds you that there’s a lot more to Detroit than Faygo and Juggalos.


Jeremy Glass is the Vice editor for Supercompressor and wishes his wrists didn't look like those of a 10-year-old's.