When I was about six or seven years old, I received my very first pocketknife from my father. It was a classic red Victorinox, and to this day I remember that moment as vividly as if it were yesterday. I was so proud of it that I even kept it on my nightstand while I slept. That summer, the knife never left my side—whether I was helping my grandparents in the garden, following my father into the woods for mushroom picking, or joining him on fishing trips, it was always in my pocket. Back then, my everyday kit was simple: a Wenger watch on my wrist and a Victorinox knife in my pocket. Those two tools became symbols of adventure, practicality, and independence for me as a child. As the years passed and I grew older, my attention naturally shifted more toward watches. Around the age of 20, I really began diving into horology, exploring different brands and their histories. One moment stands out clearly: in 2014, when Victorinox launched the I.N.O.X. collection. For me, this was the watch that marked a turning point. It proved that Victorinox wasn’t just making functional timepieces—they were engineering serious Swiss watches that could go toe to toe with established tool-watch competitors like Sinn, Fortis, Oris, or Formex. The I.N.O.X. was tested to extremes—drops, pressure, even tanks rolling over it—and it won Victorinox a new level of respect in the watch community.

Fast forward to today, and I’m excited to share something special. Victorinox has just unveiled their newest line of watches: the Air Pro GMT which will be legacy, replacing the Airboss collection with a modern, elevated design and advanced functionality. While they share some stylistic DNA with the Journey 1884 and Airboss models, these are not mere variations. This is a completely new watch with a fresh complication that had been missing in the Victorinox lineup—a true GMT function. For frequent travelers and enthusiasts alike, it’s an essential addition. Even more exciting for me personally, I had the chance to test the Air Pro GMT a full month before its official release date today—September 15, 2025. Getting hands-on experience with it before the launch only confirmed what I’ve felt since childhood: Victorinox continues to evolve, surprising us with tools and watches that combine rugged reliability with Swiss precision.

Victorinox is one of those rare Swiss brands whose name instantly evokes both tradition and innovation. Founded in 1884 by Karl Elsener in the small Swiss town of Ibach, the company began as a humble cutlery workshop. At that time, Switzerland was a poor country, and Elsener’s mission was not only to craft high-quality knives but also to provide employment for locals. His breakthrough came in 1891, when the Swiss Army commissioned him to supply soldiers with a new multipurpose knife — the origin of what we now know as the Swiss Army Knife. The knife’s iconic design, with its compact red handle and multiple tools, became a symbol of Swiss ingenuity. In fact, NASA astronauts carried Victorinox knives on space missions, and one model even rests in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent design collection. The name “Victorinox” itself was born in 1921, when Elsener combined “Victoria” (his mother’s name) with “Inox,” short for the French word acier inoxydable (stainless steel).

Over the decades, Victorinox expanded beyond knives while staying true to its “companion for life” philosophy. The company diversified into cutlery, travel gear, fragrances, and most significantly, watches. Each extension was not random branding, but a carefully considered evolution of its core value: creating reliable, functional tools that marry Swiss craftsmanship with timeless design. Victorinox’s entry into watchmaking came in 1989, at a moment when the Swiss watch industry was recovering from the Quartz Crisis. Many heritage brands were struggling, but Victorinox recognized that its reputation for durability and Swiss quality could translate naturally into timepieces. The first line of Victorinox watches was launched under the name Swiss Army Watches, initially targeting the U.S. market, where the brand’s knives were already beloved. The idea was simple: a watch that embodied the same rugged reliability as the Swiss Army Knife.

By the 1990s, Victorinox watches had carved out their niche. Unlike traditional luxury Swiss brands that emphasized prestige and status, Victorinox focused on functionality, durability, and value. These watches were designed for people who valued adventure, practicality, and honest craftsmanship. At the Watch Competence Center in Delémont, in Switzerland’s Jura canton, Victorinox seamlessly integrates design, assembly, and meticulous testing, ensuring that each timepiece upholds the same uncompromising standards for quality and precision that the brand’s knives are renowned for.

Victorinox watches are defined by utility-first design. One of the brand’s coolest achievements is the I.N.O.X. collection, introduced in 2014 to mark Victorinox’s 130th anniversary. The I.N.O.X. watch is tested against some of the harshest endurance trials in the industry: it can survive a ten-meter drop onto concrete, two hours in a washing machine, and even being driven over by a 64-ton tank. These extreme tests turned the I.N.O.X. into a cult favorite among outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers. Another interesting fact: Victorinox insists that every single watch undergoes over 100 quality checks before leaving the factory. This is unusual even by Swiss standards, underscoring the brand’s focus on reliability.

Victorinox watches, much like the knives, have found their way into pop culture. They have been spotted on the wrists of explorers, mountaineers, and even in Hollywood action movies where practicality and toughness are part of the story (I Am Legend (2007) Will Smith wears Victorinox ST 4000. Eddie the Eagle (2016) Hugh Jackman wears Victorinox Swiss Army Original 241514. Source Code (2011) Jake Gyllenhaal wears Victorinox Swiss Army Chrono Classic XLS MT and many more examples can be found). But beyond the screen, these timepieces are widely worn by professionals who need a dependable companion — from pilots to emergency responders.

The company’s philosophy remains consistent: just as a Swiss Army Knife prepares you for any challenge, so too should a Victorinox watch. This ethos explains their long-term popularity: the watches are not mere status symbols, but trusted tools that blend design and resilience. Today, Victorinox is still a family-owned business, run by the fourth generation of the Elsener family. Its knives remain a symbol of Swiss culture, but its watches have carved out an equally important place in the world of horology. For anyone who values reliability, endurance, and understated design, a Victorinox watch is more than an accessory — it is a modern embodiment of the company’s original 1884 mission: creating tools for life.

Today we’re taking a closer look at the brand-new Victorinox Air Pro GMT. The collection comes in four variations, each with its own personality. There’s the striking blue dial paired with a blue rubber strap, the all-black dial with matching bezel and strap, the stealthy black-on-black case set off by a bold red strap, and finally the version I have on my wrist: a black dial with a stainless-steel bracelet. Interestingly, this is the only bracelet configuration in the lineup, which immediately made it stand out to me. I first learned about this watch back in May, and by the time it arrived in August I was more than ready to put it through its paces. Opening the package was a pleasant surprise. Alongside the watch itself, Victorinox had included a thoughtful selection of gifts: the iconic red Swiss Army pocket knife, a paring and peeler set, and even a packable backpack. Each of those items has already been used in my daily life over the past month — a nice reminder of the brand’s ethos of practicality and everyday utility.

The watch presentation is refreshingly straightforward. The box is compact, containing only what you truly need: the watch, a warranty card, and the instruction manual. It’s simple, functional, and very much in line with Victorinox’s “no-nonsense” approach. From the moment I held the Air Pro GMT, I was genuinely impressed. The quality of the finishing is on another level compared to what I expected in this price range. The case and bracelet feel solid and precisely machined, and the high polish on the bezel is so clean and reflective it could easily be mistaken for ceramic. This isn’t the sort of finishing you usually find unless you climb much higher up the price ladder — in fact, I’d argue it outshines certain luxury brands if we’re talking purely about casework and bracelet execution. The dial, while relatively busy, remains highly legible. Everything feels purposeful: the bold hands, the GMT scale, the applied markers. Even in more dynamic settings, I never found myself struggling to read the time.

What impressed me most, however, was the durability. I wore the Air Pro GMT every day for two weeks — to the office, out on mountain bike trails, and even during moments when I wasn’t particularly careful and knocked it against walls or desks. Despite all that, the watch remains virtually flawless. Not a scratch to be seen, which speaks volumes about Victorinox’s commitment to ruggedness. The Air Pro GMT captures the spirit of Victorinox perfectly. It’s practical, robust, and built with a level of finishing that genuinely surprises. More importantly, it’s a reminder that Victorinox is not just a knife company dabbling in watches — it’s a true Swiss watchmaker competing seriously with established tool-watch brands.

The case of the Air Pro GMT is crafted from AISI 316L marine-grade stainless steel. While 316L steel is a standard in watchmaking, Victorinox specifically highlights the AISI classification here—a nod to its engineering origins. In theory, the difference may seem subtle, but the AISI-certified alloy emphasizes strength, corrosion resistance, and durability. It’s a thoughtful detail that reinforces the brand’s tool-watch ethos. In terms of size, the case measures 43 mm in diameter, 12.2 mm in thickness, and 53.9 mm lug-to-lug. Make no mistake, this is a large watch, and it wears large. Yet despite the dimensions, the ergonomics are surprisingly well executed—on my 18 cm wrist it remains comfortable and just within the limits of what I could wear daily. The finishing is one of the standout elements of this watch. Most of the case features a satin-brushed surface, while the bezel combines polished upper edges with sandblasted recesses in the minute markings and between the lugs. The transitions are crisp and consistent, and I would rank this finishing among the top three I’ve seen, ever! Small engraved details add to the sense of quality: at 8 o’clock, “Stainless Steel, AISI 316L” is neatly inscribed on the case flank, while at 4 o’clock, just above the crown, the bezel itself carries the 200 m / 660 ft depth rating.

Speaking of the bezel, it is a fixed diver-style bezel with ten-minute graduations and a bold yellow triangle at 12 o’clock, echoing the yellow highlights found on the dial. On top sits a flat sapphire crystal with AR coating. At 2 o’clock, a large crown operates the inner rotating bezel and is topped with an engraved yellow “GMT.” At 4 o’clock, a screw-down crown controls the time, date, and GMT function. This crown is signed with the Victorinox shield logo. Both crowns are oversized, easy to grip, and remain functional even underwater. Turning the watch over reveals an exhibition caseback with flat sapphire crystal. Printed in white on the glass is the image of a Swiss Army Knife—a subtle but clever nod to the brand’s heritage. Around the sapphire window, the essential specifications, reference number, and serial number are cleanly engraved. This playful yet purposeful detail reinforces the watch’s character: just like the Swiss Army Knife, the Air Pro GMT is designed to be versatile, robust, and ready for anything.

The dial of the Air Pro GMT is unapologetically complex, but once you take the time to understand its layers, it becomes surprisingly intuitive. Starting from the outside, there is a matte black inner rotating bezel with a 24-hour scale in yellow, accompanied by a yellow line dividing day and night hours. Just below that sits a recessed ring featuring world cities and corresponding time zones, allowing quick reference for global travelers. This sunken layer adds welcome depth and structure to the dial architecture. The main dial surface features a circular textured finish, bisected by a fine horizontal line. At 12 o’clock, the applied Victorinox shield logo sits prominently. Arabic numerals at 3 and 9 anchor the layout, while the remaining hours are marked by applied indices. A precise minute track runs along the perimeter, and closer to center you’ll find an additional 24-hour GMT ring, enabling the watch to track up to three time zones simultaneously.

At 6 o’clock, the dial carries the Swiss Air Force logo—a fitting nod to the aviation inspiration behind the design. Just below it is a triple-date window, displaying yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s date with a color-matched black date wheel. It’s a clever and practical detail that integrates seamlessly into the dial. The handset is equally detailed: the hour and minute hands are index-shaped, partially skeletonized at the base, and filled with white Super-LumiNova®, ensuring strong readability. The GMT hand is skeletonized with a bold yellow tip, visually tying it to the other yellow highlights on the dial. Curiously, the tip lacks lume—a missed opportunity, as a luminous GMT pointer would have enhanced nighttime usability. The seconds hand features both a luminous tip and a lumed counterweight. All hands are polished, catching light dynamically against the textured dial surface. Despite its initial impression of being “busy,” the dial is functional and legible once you understand the layout. In daylight, reading the time is straightforward, and at night the lume offers decent visibility—though brightness and longevity fall short when compared with benchmarks like Seiko or Rolex.

The Sellita SW330-2 is a well-known Swiss automatic GMT caliber, and in the case of the Victorinox Air Pro GMT it plays a central role in the watch’s character. Derived from the architecture of Sellita’s popular SW300 series, the SW330-2 adds a practical 24-hour hand that can be set independently, giving the wearer the ability to track multiple time zones without complication. For a travel-oriented tool watch like the Air Pro GMT, this functionality is a perfect fit. One of the most notable updates to the SW330-2 compared with its predecessor is the extended power reserve. At 56 hours, it offers nearly two and a half days of autonomy when fully wound. This is a meaningful improvement over the original SW330’s 42-hour reserve and allows the wearer to take the watch off for a weekend without finding it stopped on Monday morning. For a GMT complication, where utility and reliability are paramount, the added endurance is particularly valuable.

The movement runs smoothly, with a high-beat frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, which contributes to the precision and a pleasingly fluid sweep of the seconds hand. My own example of the Air Pro GMT performed impressively—keeping time at +1 to +2 seconds per day. That level of accuracy, while not guaranteed across all examples, demonstrates the potential of this caliber when well regulated. The finishing on the SW330-2 is understated but respectable for its category. Perlage and machine finishing are present on bridges and plates, though Victorinox opts to cover most of the movement with a solid engraved ring and a sapphire window rather than showcasing elaborate decoration. Instead, the focus is on robust engineering and durability, qualities that align with the Swiss Army Knife philosophy of practicality over ornamentation.

One of the strengths of Sellita as a movement manufacturer is their widespread adoption across the industry. The SW330-2 is used not only by Victorinox but also by numerous other respected Swiss brands, which means parts, servicing knowledge, and long-term support are readily available. For a consumer, that translates into confidence: this is a caliber designed to be serviced and kept running for decades, not a disposable mechanism. In conclusion, the SW330-2 is a workhorse GMT movement that balances accuracy, endurance, and serviceability. In the Victorinox Air Pro GMT, it enhances the tool-watch credentials of the piece, delivering reliable world-time functionality with the added benefit of excellent real-world performance. It may not boast haute horlogerie finishing, but it delivers where it matters most—precision, reliability, and practicality.

The bracelet of the Air Pro GMT continues the theme of robust engineering and thoughtful detailing—and it doesn’t disappoint. Designed in a single-link style, each broad central link features a satin-brushed top surface, complemented by polished sides and sandblasted recessed connectors where the links articulate. The combination of textures not only looks sophisticated but also enhances the fluidity of the bracelet, giving it a remarkably smooth drape and high comfort on the wrist. The solid end links deserve special mention for their clever quick-release system. Hidden on the underside is a knurled push button; when pressed, it retracts the spring bar ends, allowing the bracelet to be removed without tools. It’s a practical and elegant solution that makes strap changes effortless. The only lingering question is long-term serviceability: should the proprietary spring bar fail, it cannot be replaced with a standard one. That said, given Victorinox’s reputation for durability and testing, it’s reasonable to trust the system will hold up for many years.

If there is one area where improvement could be made, it’s in the link assembly. The bracelet currently uses traditional push pins rather than screws. While functional, screws would have elevated the construction further, bringing it in line with higher-end expectations. In terms of proportions, the bracelet is non-tapered, maintaining a consistent 22 mm width from lugs to clasp. The clasp itself is a hidden butterfly design with an additional locking mechanism for security. Its surface carries an engraved Victorinox shield logo, positioned slightly off-center, while one side of the clasp is polished and engraved with “Victorinox”—a subtle detail easily overlooked but rewarding on closer inspection. Functionally, the clasp is robust and inspires confidence. Combined with the bracelet’s smooth articulation, the overall wearing experience is excellent. In fact, it ranks among the most comfortable bracelets I have encountered, comparable to the likes of Rolex. In summary, the Air Pro GMT bracelet offers a thoughtful mix of practicality, comfort, and brand character. While screw links would have been a welcome refinement, the execution is otherwise superb—making this bracelet a genuine highlight of the watch.

From a boy’s pocketknife to a modern GMT, Victorinox has been with me every step of the way. That sense of continuity is what makes the Air Pro GMT so special—it doesn’t just feel like a new watch in the lineup, it feels like the natural evolution of the brand’s DNA. The same values that once made their knives indispensable tools—durability, practicality, and clever engineering—are all present here in watch form. The Air Pro GMT delivers where it matters: robust casework, a movement that performs far above expectations, and a bracelet that’s genuinely a joy to wear. Yes, the lume could be stronger and I’d personally prefer screw links, but these are small notes in an otherwise very complete package. What Victorinox has created is a GMT that’s both serious enough for travel and lighthearted enough to enjoy every day—a balance few brands truly achieve.

A big thanks goes to the Victorinox marketing team for making it possible to experience this watch early. It’s been an incredible journey to follow the brand’s growth firsthand, and to see how far Victorinox has come while still staying true to its roots. For me, the Air Pro GMT is more than just a new release—it’s a reminder of why I first fell in love with this brand all those years ago, when a little red pocketknife seemed like the most capable tool in the world. Victorinox has once again proved that they don’t just make products—they make companions for life. And with the Air Pro GMT, they’ve added another worthy chapter to that story.

RRP 1650.00€