Introducing BYOP Watches

Some journeys take years to start and perhaps even longer to finish. This best describes the design and production of a set of new aviator-style watches from a fledgling watch company with the unique name of BYOP.

In the spirit of transparency, I know the sole owner and designer of this brand, Brian Auré. In fact, our friendship goes back several years when I first bought a watch from him (or was it the other way around?). I really cannot remember because quite a few timepieces have been swapped back and forth.

Our common collecting passion was (and sometimes still is) Victorinox Swiss Army watches. In those, we found a common design language that spoke to us. This was especially true about Swiss Army’s pilot watches such as the Airbosses, Alpnaches, FA/18s, Hunters, and SeaPlanes. Those excellent watches from the mid-2000s seemed to have ignited our imaginations and honed our tastes for aviation-inspired watches.

This interest led me to write the Watch Hunter blog which might seem crazy to some. However, Brian really went off the deep end and told me that he wanted to design and build his own watches. At first, I thought he had lost his mind or maybe was just a glutton for punishment. Regardless, he survived the process of becoming a microbrand founder.

Anyone who has listened to the origin stories of microbrands has heard the warnings. Building watches is not a pursuit for the faint of heart. It is not for those who give up easily either. Luckily, Brian is a tenacious guy and has a “can-do” attitude. Personally, I probably would not have the stamina to bring not just one, but six design variations to the market. We will be covering the first three here: The BYOP Meridian, BYOP NavTimer and BYOP Aviator.

The Dreamer Behind the Watch

Most ventures like these are built from passion, and not the overwhelming urge to cash in on the watch collecting craze. Most microbrand owners will tell you that it can be difficult to make a wristwatch design that they are proud of while also managing the costs. Every component is potentially a budget buster and needs to be carefully considered for quality, cost, and appropriateness before inclusion into a production watch.

This is not as easy as it seems. Many specialty factories in Asia, which make microbrand watches and watch components for major watch brands, may not be one-stop-shops. A microbrand might have to use several different suppliers to get the best quality possible for the projected cost. It is a juggling act only made harder by language barriers and distance.

Finding a suitable factory for your wristwatch production is not easy. This is often a process of trial and error dealing with foreign manufacturers who may not be on the same page as you or may have larger clients to satisfy. Brian told me that it took starting over at nine different manufacturers to get to this point. He had the patience of a saint and the tenacity of a bulldog. It took him three years and several difficult fights to get the quality he demanded. As painful as that was, the watches are better for it.

Brian is a humble man, but I can tell you that he already had a long, accomplished career as a police investigator and instructor. This type of job makes one pay attention to the small details. Brian turned those skills toward producing pilot watches that live up to his exacting standards. His goal was to provide the quality of some of the larger watch brands, but sell them at microbrand prices. This simple concept launched BYOP Watches.

What does BYOP Mean?

The acronym BYOP stands for “Be Your Own Pilot”. In other words, you should do your own thing. You should pursue your dreams and make them a reality. BYOP is not just about building wristwatches for Brian. It is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. He told me that he wanted to recreate the feeling that he had when he was gifted his first watch as a child.

On byopwatches.com, Brian tells how he used to watch airplanes take off for far-flung places. They actually flew over his townhouse so closely that he could sometimes see inside the cockpit. One day, he knew that he would be able to do whatever he wanted, just like the pilots of those aircraft. I encourage you to read his story in his own words here. The watches in the BYOP Air Force Collection are the tangible proof of his dream, but they are also meant to be inspirational to others.

Finally… the Review

I was not sure what to expect as I opened the package that I receive in the mail. I was pleasantly surprised to see three of the six planned variations of BYOP watches. I had only seen production images throughout the years, but those did not do the watches justice. Though I have tried to capture the quality of the watches in-camera, BYOP watches are best experienced in the hand and on the wrist. This is where you can tell that these designs came from the mind of a watch enthusiast. They have juicy details that watch collectors like to obsess over.

The more I wore BYOP watches, the more I appreciated them. All the choices I would have made if I was dreaming up a watch were right there sitting on my wrist. This included a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, brushed finishes, a mechanically rotating internal bezel, Superluminova Lume, a wearable case size, an automatic movement, supple leather straps, and an easy-to-read dial.

All of those features are there on BYOP watches, which follow the traditions of classic pilot’s watches. There is a reason that pilot watches may look similar because their main goal is legibility. Pilot watches have bold indices and watch hands that can be read at a glance. Function defines form.

Pilot Hands

Sword hands on a watch may remind you of Roman gladiators, but they are popular choices for pilot watches too. They’re easy to read at a glance and are not easily confused for one another due to the contrasting sizes. BYOP’s sword hands are painted matte black at the base. The lume starts further out. I am not sure of the origin of this style, but I have seen it on several pilot-style watches. I would suspect it is reminiscent of cockpit gauges. The second’s hands are different colors, and this can be one of the quickest ways to identify the different models.

Dial & Bezel

There will be a total of six variations of BYOP watches in the Air Force Collection. Each has a different function and style accomplished by changing the dial markings, chapter ring markings, and seconds hand colors. You might need to look closely because the minor variations are subtle. I had to map it out to notice all the choices myself. I realized each dial represents time-proven pilot watch dial designs, and they resonate with aviation watch lovers. I could see a future where there is additional variation in the dial, hands, and bezel colors. There is a lot of room for future growth in the BYOP Air Force Collection.

The dials all have a semi-matte appearance to reduce glare. The internal bezels are slightly glossier so there is a nice contrast between these elements. The printing on the dial is crisp and it looks like several layers of lume were built up for the indices. Examining microbrand watches through a loop can often reveal inferior printing, but not here. I was impressed.

Subtle Date Window

Yes, BYOP watches have a date window at 4:30, but it is sometimes so subtle that I would argue that it is effectively in stealth mode. You can still see it when you want to find it. The black date wheel is deep-set that its white text is caught in a shadow, sometimes rendering it gray. Whether a clever trick or happy accident, it should calm the “no date window” crowd and please everyone else who wants a date.

On the Case

While the faces of the different models are varied, the case remains a constant. BYOP watch cases are perfectly sized for most wrists. It is in the sweet spot at 42 mm wide, and a lug-to-lug length of about 48 mm. The height is only 13 mm high. All these dimensions make BYOP watches ultra-wearable for wrists from small to large. Males or females can wear this, but it’s arguable that the BYOP’s styling might appeal to men more. However, there are no rules these days so wear what you want, Amelia Earhart.

BYOP cases are completely brushed, cutting down on harsh reflections to give the models a tool watch feel. I prefer this to polished cases on a pilot style watch because it feels more purposeful and less dressy. BYOP’s watches mean business and play the part well.

From the side, one can see that the watch is well proportioned with a strong mid-case and curved lugs. This helps the watch sit on the wearer’s wrist. To reduce the visual heft of the watch, the bezel is sloped from the mid-case towards the crystal to give it a refined appearance. It really is a great case design.

A Watch with Two Crowns

Two signed crowns appear on BYOP watches. The lower one is a traditional screw-down crown used to set the time and date. It can be used to hack the watch movement for the precise setting to an atomic clock (aka the time shown on the internet).

The upper crown is to turn the internal bezel on all the models. This one does not screw down because it must be ready to use at a second’s notice. The action is bi-directional and decently smooth in my examples. Most internal bezels have a geared feel and these were similar to what I have experienced in the past (on more expensive watches). That is a good sign that the gearing has meshed well. I did not experience any unwanted movement in the bezel position and the triangle stayed in place once set.

To use the internal bezel, simply align the triangle to your minute hand to set the starting point. Elapsed time can be read on the sloped bezel. For the GMT model, the bezel is set to read a second timezone, but that is not my strong suit to explain how that works. There is also a compass bezel on the Navigator, which will be a future release.

Mechanical Movement

When you flip a BYOP watch over, you’ll see an exhibition case back to display the Miyota NH35 movement. Those interested in mechanical calibers will appreciate this because they will be able to see the customized BYOP rotor that winds the mainspring and also the escapement, aka the beating heart of the watch. This workhorse movement of microbrands is a solid choice to balance cost and value. It has a power reserve of 41 hours; bi-directional winding and it will hack (you can stop the second’s hand). You can get decent performance from these movements and they are appropriate for watches in this price bracket.

Drilled Lugs

Drilled lugs are a welcome feature for strap swappers who might want to add aftermarket options. This is a bonus that strap changers absolutely love. Having drilled lugs means that owners can easily remove the watch straps without scratching the underside of the lugs with a spring bar removal tool. Many people cannot change a strap on a non-drilled watch without damaging the lugs. Having drilled lugs makes that far less likely. Simply stick a paperclip or thin strap tool into the hole to release the strap. I wrap lugs with masking tape when changing straps.

Standard Black Leather Straps

All BYOP watches currently come with smooth black leather straps with bright white stitching. They feel comfortably thin yet strong. They are branded on the underside and on the signed buckle. If I had one nitpick, it might be that the stitching is ultra-bright white (almost bluish) compared to the creamy lume on the dial, but that is easily remedied. Just wear it for a few days and that problem will be solved. Haha.

The straps could use an extra slit/hole for smaller wrist sizes, but it will work for most people. I still had one hole remaining when sized for my 6.5” wrist. The straps include one stationary and one floating keeper to manage the tail. The result is a compact wearing experience that hugs your wrist nicely… not something that can always be said about some other pilot watches with bulky straps.

Aftermarket Strap Options

The lug width is 22 mm so a whole world of possibilities opens up if you want to turn your watch into a strap monster. NATOs, single-pass NATOs, rubber straps, canvas, perlon, straight-end link bracelets, leather straps, bund straps, and MN-style straps are all candidates for BYOP watches. You can literally pair any strap with a black dial and get away with it. I tried quite a few as you can see below. I particularly liked the Bell & Ross style textile strap from B&R Bands because it completed the pilot theme beautifully. I also liked to color match the second’s hand to the straps.

Light Show

BYOP watches are fully lumed and have good performance when the lights go out. One pet peeve of mine is no lume on watches or weak lume. BYOP dial indices and internal bezel have fully lumed markings which can be read in low light. I have owned more expensive watches that did not perform as well. I would say the lume glows a bit above average for a watch in this price bracket.

Carrying Case

BYOP watches come in a very handy, high-quality leather carrying case, which is more useful than a box that is going to clutter your closet. I have shelves of boxes that are seen only when I receive a watch or sell it. The rest of the time, they take up valuable space. This case will is so smooth that I wish I had couches made of this stuff. I wonder if I can request that from Brian? haha

Take Flight

To be honest, I was not sure that I would ever see this day and actually hold my buddy’s watches in my hands. It has been a long time getting to this point for Brian of BYOP watches. The uphill battle was not because of a lack of effort, but it was due to his demand and high expectations for his watches. If they were not up to par, he would not release them. This is personal and he takes pride in his brand.

Anyone who is looking for a pilot style watch would do well to check out the many options at BYOP watches. A universally great wearing case combined with several dial options is a microbrand collector’s dream. I can honestly say that the watch feels like it is worth the asking price of $415. There are quality elements and an attention to detail that should please fellow watch nerds. Grab a BYOP watch today at byopwatches.com and “Be your own pilot”.