Heritage and history can prove intoxicating in the watch world, and legacy Swiss watch brand BENRUS is putting both to good use in retooling the BENRUS Sky Chief for the modern era.
The pioneering aviation and military watch brand, founded in 1921 by brothers Oscar, Ralph and Benjamin Lazarus, made history by later becoming the first Swiss watch brand to be led by a woman. In time, BENRUS became the trusted watch of choice for none other than Charles Lindbergh, while watches like the military-issue BENRUS DTU-2A/P become a tool of choice for the U.S. military. Style icon and actor Steve McQueen also sported the military-inspired #3061 watch in the classic film Bullitt.
Models like the BENRUS Flyer and Pilot also took to the skies to great effect in the company’s early years, and the first iteration of the historic Sky Chief was developed thereafter “as a purpose-built chronograph for the cockpit,” the company said. Mission accomplished, and history and an ideal blend of form and function are very much the BENRUS way, an effort the BENRUS Sky Chief carries on.
Available in both Stratus Grey and Cirrus White, the 36mm 316L stainless steel case harkens back to historic proportions while boasting a 42-hour power reserve via its COSC-certified Swiss-made ETA 2894 automatic chronograph movement.
True to form, the new BENRUS Sky Chief duo also nods to the slim bezel and profile, plus the domed crystal, of the first Sky Chief watch (as the watchmaker says, the porthole-like effect of the crystal, plus its legible chronograph build, became pilot favorites).
When it comes to the retooled 2026 Sky Chief, a double-domed box sapphire crystal features dual anti-reflective treatment in a nod to the original, leaning heavily on “optimal readability from every angle,” the watchmaker noted in calling out the “refined proportions and modern materials” of its latest archive-inspired offering.
The newest historical homage also features a crisp, glossy lacquered sunburst dial and numerals finished with BG W9 Super-LumiNova coating. With 330 feet of water resistance and the option to swap in a black leather strap in addition to its standard-issue, elegant grey leather strap, BENRUS notes the 2026 Sky Chief release is “as capable on the ground as it once was in the air.” Find the handsome, rugged and heritage-minded BENRUS Sky Chief online now at BENRUS for $3,950, and prepare to add a dash of history to your wrist game.
