When Seiko released the NH34 GMT caliber in 2022, it created a revolution for micro, independent, and affordable watch brands. A mechanical automatic GMT movement which retails anywhere between $50 to $100 USD whilst the popular Swiss equivalent in terms of functionality—the Sellita SW330-2—retails for $330-$350 USD. The Seiko NH34 made it possible for many brands to offer GMT watches at affordable prices, for, generally speaking, at least half of what brands typically offered for the Swiss movement. Of course, the price at which each brand sells a NH34-powered watch depends on how the watch is made and how much margin they want to make, but globally the new Seiko caliber put travelers’ watches at the reach of many enthusiasts. This was indeed great news for anyone who appreciates the affordability and great value micro/independent brands famously offer, and even better news as since 2022 brands have managed to squeeze in even more value into Seiko NH34-powered watches. 

Enter AVI-8, not a microbrand per se as it is part of the UK-based Dartmouth Brands Ltd group, and that it isn’t the type of brand I usually talk about on Mainspring—because I prefer to steer clear of conglomorates—but which presents itself and offers watches which are geared towards the enthusiast and it designs, specs out, and sells its watches as such. In the past I reviewed a Spinnaker, another brand of the aforementioned group, as I found it appealing for the same reasons I found the Flyboy Airmaster GMT interesting from design, specs, and value perspectives. In many ways it is a microbrand-enthusiast-type of watch which will set you back the meager price of $249 USD currently on sale or $345 USD full retail. For that price you get a good design, outstanding mechanics, and therefore a high-value timepiece which the traditional microbrands do not seem to be able to offer anymore. Either because things simply costs too much to manufacture or because their priorities have changed. 

Therefore, the Flyboy Airmaster is a neat tool watch which I couldn’t resist telling you about. 

Specifications 

The conversations about micro and independent brands used to revolve about the great value they were known to offer: great specifications, somewhat of original designs, and small price tags. The brands I liked to talk about five years ago (when I started Mainspring) no longer offer, for the most part, affordable watches, and only brands which are just getting started do offer really attainable timekeeping devices. So when I saw this AVI-8 at the Toronto Timepiece Show this past September amongst dozens and dozens of models that were laid out on the Dartmouth table, put side-to-side its design, specs, and price, it felt like too good of a deal not to tell you about it. As whether you spend $249 or $345 USD for it, the Flyboy Airmaster GMT will blow your socks off in terms of value. As a first example, its caliber: as you probably guessed, the Seiko NH34 “caller” style GMT movement which ticks at 3Hz and comes with 41 hours of power reserve and accounts for 20% of the total value of the watch, minimum. 

If you’ve read other reviews about GMT watches on Mainspring before, you know I prefer this type of GMT caliber instead of the “flyer” style ones a la Miyota 9075 as I find the former more practical and easier to use than the latter. With the NH34 you can track a second time zone by moving the fourth hand forward in one-hour increments. AVI-8 then added a bi-directional 24-hour GMT bezel so that you can track a third time zone which is neat to be able to do at this price point. (Yes, more functionality for a small dash of money does impress me.) The brand also added large quantities of two types of lume for superlative nighttime legibility, a green-glowing compound (I assume C3) on the hands, inner GMT track, and inner bezel markings, and a blue-glowing compound (I assume BGW9) on the hour markers and outer bezel markings*. It would have made more sense however to switch the lume type on the bezel so that the second GMT scale would have been of the same color (at night) as the first one. However, it looks good! 

*Although hard to see below, there are indeed two blends of lume. On its website, AVI-8 shows a more pronouced differentation in tones between the two Go figure.

The aforementioned bezel does turn in both directions and is made of 120 precise clicks and a polished coin edge knurling for easy operation. With a case-back which screws-down and a crown which doesn’t, the Flyboy Airmaster GMT comes with a good 50 meters of water resistance which is enough for everyday activities and non-adrenaling-inducing vacations. Working our way down the specifications we also get a domed sapphire crystal with an unspecified number of layers of inner anti-reflective coating, a bi-finished 316L stainless steel case which measures 40mm in diameter, 48mm lug-to-lug, 15mm thick and comes with a 20mm lug width. The Flyboy comes on a black leather strap equipped with a steel buckle, two keepers, and tapers to 15.6mm to its narrowest part. Even though AVI-8 doesn’t specify a few things on the spec sheet, which numerous other brands do and for which they charge you more for watches which use the same things, we do know it is well spec’ed and indeed of really good value. No, of excellent value. 

Design

On that fateful day in Toronto when I strolled along the exhibition floor and saw the Dartmouth table, before seeing its price and mechanics, my eyes were drawn in by the design of the Flyboy Airmaster GMT which I found to make for an interesting take on the pilot’s GMT. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate watches whose dials have large hands and large hour markers as they make for legible timepieces but also ones endowed with an extreme purpose-driven aesthetic. From far away I saw the large Alpha hour and minute hands and Arabic numerals at the 3, 6, and 9, and I was instantly charmed. I could read the time from a few feet away and was reminded how cool that was and how long it has been since I’ve had this experience. (The last one as far as I remember was of the Praesidus A-11 Type 44.) Seeing its dial therefore I picked up the watch and studied the dial more closely, the case, and marveled at the multi-functionality of the Flyboy and how little money the brand was asking for it. 

We can’t put a price design but this one felt special. 

What is remarkable about it is how complex the dial is even though it doesn’t appear to be at first glance. It was designed and laid out in several layers and with different textures to make it easier for our eyes to quickly process the hierarchy of the information which indicates how smartly designed it is. At the center and lowest level of the dial there is a disc made of two types of grooved patterns, the top one shooting vertically and the bottom one horizontally. Above the pinion the words “Dual Time” and below it “AVI-8” and “GMT” so that we clearly know what we’re dealing with. Around it another disc on which is printed the first GMT scale, with a black finish for the AM hours and gray finish for the PM hours, perfectly aligned with where the aforementioned grooves bisect. The latter disc is then framed by a narrow moat which separates it from a larger section of the dial on which are applied the 3, 6, 9 hour markers and triangle + dots pilot-style 12 o’clock marker, against a matte texture. 

Then there is the raised chapter ring on which is printed the minute track and other hour markers, the latter ones are also raised and partially levitating above the dial. Designing and manufacturing the dial in this way creates vertical dynamism, indeed organizing all of the information in a neat way, and making all elements of the dial easy to read alone or taken globally. AVI-8 added a porthole date aperture at the four, made of a red ring and white printed numerals against a black disc, so that it blends in with the dial and matches the color of the short GMT hand positioned on the lowest position of the pinion. Lastly, around the dial we find a dual-scale bezel where the inner part indicates the minutes and the outer part the second GMT scale, so that we can easily track a third time zone. The case for its part has a fairly classic design with slab-sided flanks, narrow lugs, polished chamfers, and a discreet crown decorated with an aviation-themed circled dot symbol. The Flyboy therefore has a lot to offer. 

The Heart of the Matter

The main point of this watch is that it offers a type of value and a relative originality in its design we rarely see nowadays and which micro and independent brands have abandoned in the past two years or so. (According to my empirical observations that is.) A similarly spec’ed and finished watch from a smaller brand would have retailed for double the price, which wouldn’t be terrible in itself of course. But since AVI-8 is part of an 11-brand conglomerate, it means, I assume, that economy of scales are possible which explains in great part the high affordability of the Flyboy Airmaster GMT. Making these comments and knowing that I prefer to review watches from "independent" brands—in the sense that they operate independently from groups even though they don’t manufacture their own watches—might make me come across as being contradictory. I know and I feel you. But…this watch does look and feel like a microbrand enthusiast watch which is why I wanted to review it. 

Moreover, as someone who dedicates time and money to attend many watch fairs, I was always pleased to see the Dartmouth table manned like those of traditional micro and independent brands, that is by someone who works for the brand and who is invested in it, and not by a distributor who couldn’t give two shits about the watches. I see the same person at each fair and it is the same I write emails to and arrange for reviews, and that means a lot to me. But besides all of this, the Flyboy Airmaster GMT is an incredible timepiece from design, specs, and value perspectives. When combining its looks and mechanics, it offers tremendous value. When looking at its design only, it offers a new take on the classical genre of pilot watches by having created a layered and multi-texture dial, adding large hands and hour markers, and tons of functionality thanks to the GMT hand and dual GMT scales. For $249/$345 USD, you do get a lot for your money and so much more than that. 

Conclusion

If you are either into pilot watches or GMTs, or both, then you will certainly find the AVI-8 Flyboy Airmaster GMT Automatic interesting. I reviewed the Engine Black version because I’m biased towards monochromatic dials, but if that isn’t your thing, know that this model also comes in four other versions: Wing Silver, Cockpit Blue, Rubber Black, and Fuselage Green. Unfortunately, at the time of publishing this review, most versions are sold out but I assume they will be back in stock soon. So keep an eye on the brand’s website to catch the restock or glance through its expansive catalog of high value tool watches.

Thanks for reading.