Every so often a watch comes along that has you completely convinced that models just looked better “back in the day.” We get so many amazing contemporary timepieces (like your MINGs or Unimatics), but there’s just something about vintage watches that still hits us to our core.
Benrus’ latest release is case in point. It revives the Sky Chief from the 1940s, and despite bringing back an 80-year-old reference, it’s one of the best chronographs we’ve seen in months.
New York Roots, Cockpit Credentials
Benrus has always been one of those brands that deserves more attention than it gets. Founded in 1921 by Romanian-American brothers Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph Lazrus out of New York City, the brand climbed to become the third-largest American watchmaker by the early 1950s. The Sky Chief was the crown jewel of that era, a tri-compax pilot’s chronograph introduced around 1940 specifically for commercial aviators, at a time when navigation meant your watch was as critical as your altimeter. It became the official watch of several major airlines, and period casebacks survive today engraved with specific carriers and fleets.
Doing a Reissue the Right Way
A lot of brands talk about staying true to original proportions and then quietly size their reissue up to 40mm. Benrus didn’t do that here. The original Sky Chief measured around 35mm; this one comes in at 36mm, which is a concession to fitting a modern automatic movement, and nothing more. At 11.9mm thick with a 42.5mm lug-to-lug, the watch sits closer to the vintage wrist experience than most re-editions that come out. The double-domed box sapphire crystal is a smart nod to the original’s porthole-like effect, and the brushed-and-polished 316L stainless steel case includes a screw-down crown and 100m of water resistance.
The Dial Situation
The new Sky Chief comes in two attractive colorways: Stratus Grey (glossy lacquered black with azuré-finished snailed subdials) and Cirrus White (silvery sunburst, same subdial treatment). Both carry BG W9 Super-LumiNova on the Arabic numerals and hands, though notably in slightly different tones. This was a deliberate choice by Benrus after studying vintage examples, where lume on hands and dials rarely aged at the same rate.
Ticking away is the ETA 2894 automatic chronograph, a COSC-certified movement with 42 hours of power reserve and a 4Hz frequency. It’s visible through the sapphire caseback and features a skeletonized black-coated rotor.
Lastly, the timepiece is equipped with a gray leather strap, while a secondary black strap is also available too.
Spec Sheet
Model: Sky Chief Chronograph
Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Case Diameter: 36mm
Case Thickness: 11.9mm
Lug-to-Lug: 42.5mm
Crystal: Double-domed box sapphire, dual AR coating
Movement: ETA 2894 automatic
Lume: BG W9 Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap: Gray leather (secondary black strap available)
Price: $3,950
Pricing & Availability
Not limited in edition size, the Sky Chief is available now directly through Benrus at $3,950, in both the Stratus Grey (ref. SKY-SS-B-036-01) and Cirrus White (ref. SKY-SS-W-036-01) colorways.
Recap
Benrus Sky Chief Chronograph Reissue
Benrus just brought back the Sky Chief, a 1940s pilot’s chronograph that was once the official watch of major airlines. They did it right with a case at a vintage-accurate 36mm with proper proportions and a COSC-certified ETA 2894 inside.
