Today we are gonna take a look at another AVI-8 Flyboy variation. AVI-8 make many great looking aviation inspired watches. Their latest model is the AVI-8 Flyboy Chronograph AV-4054. This line of aviation watches is inspired by the 38 American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille who flew for the French in 1916 before the United States entered World War I. AVI-8 was kind enough to send me one of the production models to review.

The watch arrived in the same box as they all come. It is cardboard box wrapped in this army green canvas with leather accents. So let’s dive right into the watch. The case is made from stainless steel with a brushed finish, this case measures in at 42mm wide and 10mm thick. There are two polished chronograph pushers and a diamond aviation style crown. The case is water resistant to 5 atm or 50 meters. The case back is screw down and has an etching of a pilot representing the Flyboy pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille. The case on this AVI-8 Flyboy is very nicely made and does not look too big on the wrist. I feel that 42mm for this watch is just right.I really like the look of the dial on the AVI-8 Flyboy. The mix of stainless steel, black, and red colours just work for me. Gives it a vintage vibe. The hour and minute hands have a cool stained glass look, cathedral hands, with lots of lume. There are two sub dials, one for the 24 hour time and the other for the chronograph minutes. There is no active seconds hand on this watch but there

The dial AVI-8 Flyboy is made really good. The mix of stainless steel, black, and red colours just work for me. Gives it a vintage vibe. The hour and minute hands have a cool stained glass look, cathedral hands, with lots of lume. There are two sub dials, one for the 24 hour time and the other for the chronograph minutes. There is no active seconds hand on this watch but there are the chronograph seconds hands that are parked at the 12′ o’clock position until needed. The lume was good, but I think it could be applied better, as there are uneven spots. The one feature of the watch that I think destroys the look completely is the mineral glass and how it is raised. So as you can see from the pictures you can see that where is that edge of the glass you see the light green colour of mineral glass, and I really hate that, I think it looks cheap.

One of the best features of this watch is the use of a Japanese Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement. Great quartz movement, in my opinion, I only can say good things about it. While having all the accuracy of a quartz movement, the meca-quartz powers the mechanical movement of the chronograph. When you activate the chronograph the mechanical side of this quartz kicks into life with a sweeping seconds hands. Since this watch has no active seconds hand and all you see is the sweeping second’s hand when using the chronograph. No one would even know this is a quartz. Cheeky I would say 😀 The strap on this AVI-8 Flyboy is a thick leather strap but is very soft and comfortable. As I said in the previous AVI-8 watch review, they make great straps. The French tricolour accent stitching pairs well with the colours on the dial. The strap uses a signed pin and buckles clasp and lots of adjustment holes to fit any wrist.

Overall the AVI-8 Flyboy Chronograph is a pretty well-made watch and has that vintage vibe that is quite popular. I like quartz watches, but I would never buy time only quartz, as I think it is dumb. I better buy quartz watch that has some complications. And this watch works for me, as it doesn’t have that “tick tock”, that I really hate. It also has meca-quartz movement and chronograph. This watch looks great on the wrist and is just the right size.

Price: €193 @ www.avi-8.co.uk

COLLECTION: FLYBOY – LAFAYETTE
MODEL: AV-4054-02
MOVEMENT: Japan Quartz Chronograph with Date and 1/5 second
CASE: Stainless Steel
CASE DIAMETER (mm): 42
CASE THICKNESS (mm): 12
CASE SHAPE: Round
CASE COLOUR: Stainless Steel
DIAL COLOUR: Black
BAND: Genuine Leather Strap
BAND COLOUR: Beige
BUCKLE: Strap Buckle
BAND WIDTH (mm): 22
WATER RESISTANCE: 5ATM
WATCH WEIGHT (g): 80
WARRANTY: 2 Years International
BAND WIDTH (mm): 22
WATER RESISTANCE: 5ATM
WATCH WEIGHT (g): 80
WARRANTY: 2 Years International