Suggestions on lady's chronograph for aviation?

[NavyMom911]

First-time poster!

Our daughter is graduating in just a few months and has already been selected for navy aviation. She's pretty excited. Her dad and I want to get a present for her she will never forget and which she can pass down to her kids. We were thinking of a nice chronograph. We're ready to spend from $4K-8K on it as a piece of jewelry (she's a careful girl and takes good care of her belongings).

The problem is that there don't seem to be many chronographs for ladies around that price point that aren't ridiculously ornamental. Diamonds are out. That isn't her style and we aren't buying an evening watch. We really want to get a practical watch which she can wear day-to-day, and not only on special occasions. She's petite, so a man's watch looks just huge on her arm. Otherwise, we would have preferred a Rolex GMT-Master II, or the Breitling Navitimer which are both huge watches on a woman.

The only Swiss watches that we can find which seem to suit her chosen profession are the Breitling Cockpit Lady (http://www.breitling.com/en/#/models/windrider/cockpit-lady/) and the Breitling Starliner (http://www.breitling.com/en/#/models/windrider/starliner/) and neither seems as nice or as suitable as a men's aviation chronograph.

Can anyone make any suggestions on a lady's chronograph in this price range which looks functional and will be wearable around-the-clock?

Also, I'm taking suggestions for what to engrave on the back which might be literate and enduring. We are stuck at the "To Our Dearest XXXX, Love Mom & Dad".

Thanks!

 

[abracadabra11]

Unfortunately, I can't offer any watch suggestions. But there are few phrases as enduring as 'Go Navy! Beat Army!'

 

[Schnugg]

Ladies Rolex Yachtmaster would be nice. Lots of different options and looks.

 

[zab1001]

I'd say wait to drop that much money on a watch for when she actually gets her wings.

 

[sickboy]

Cockpit Lady. This is my girlfriends opinion, not mine.

 

[MAKE VAPES]

I'd say wait to drop that much money on a watch for when she actually gets her wings.

Concur 100%... with respect Maam, she's got 2 years of real hard work ahead of her, and nothing says "silver spooned brat" like a 5K watch on an O-1 in flight school who drives a cute little red convertible Audi... Most of her meager backgrounded classmates will think it... some will say it and act upon their views (we can be real SOB's!).... If you must, the Breitling is a great heirloom watch, of the 5 or so female pilots I know, Zero have pricey watches.. If she is "into" watches great, mostly a dude thing from what Ive seen.

 

[CommodoreMid]

For commissioning my parents got me an Abingdon watch- they're designed especially for women. They aren't as pricey as you're willing to pay, but I love mine.

http://www.abingdonwatches.com/Models.html

 

[BlkPny]

I was looking for one last year for my daughter's winging, and ran into the same problems. Abingdon is a line of watches they tout as "made specifically for the female aviator", but they are HUGE.
I would second Schnugg's suggestion for the Rolex Yachtmaster. Another suggestion would be the Breitlng Colt Oceana.
Also, give some thought to what Zab said.

 

[CommodoreMid]

They aren't that big. My wrist is relatively small and while the face is bigger than that of your average watch it's not overbearing. It just depends on your preferences, but if you're getting one with a chronograph it's going to be larger in general.

 

[scoolbubba]

G Shock. If you really wanna be fancy get the one with the atomic hack so it's never wrong. Save the expensive stuff for wings, it'll just get nicked up in a 34 or a T-6 anyways.

Rocking a Rolex or a Breitling to Fam 0...probably not the impression you wanna make.

 

[a_m]

Concur 100%... with respect Maam, she's got 2 years of real hard work ahead of her, and nothing says "silver spooned brat" like a 5K watch on an O-1 in flight school who drives a cute little red convertible Audi... Most of her meager backgrounded classmates will think it... some will say it and act upon their views (we can be real SOB's!).... If you must, the Breitling is a great heirloom watch, of the 5 or so female pilots I know, Zero have pricey watches.. If she is "into" watches great, mostly a dude thing from what Ive seen.

I'll throw my support this way, too.

 

[efini_kid]

rolex, breitling, omega.... all you need to know.

and congratulations to your daughter!

 

[PropAddict]

One thing we did for both of the midshipmen we sponsored was to get them wings. We presented them the day they graduated. We basically told them it's a long road to wings but worth it and told them to put them somewhere they could see them as a reminder of what they're headed towards.

^^Best idea in this thread.

You could go to Flywings.com or somewhere else and get some of the 14k gold ones, have them engraved, and gift them on graduation. They'll provide great motivation through flight school and in 2 years, you can pin them on her.

It's an expensive, meaningful, and practical gift that will be cherished and could easily become a family heirloom.

 

[badger16]

One of the midshipmen we sponsored got herself an Abingdon and seems to like it. I personally think it's too big but that's my opinion. One thing we did for both of the midshipmen we sponsored was to get them wings. We presented them the day they graduated. We basically told them it's a long road to wings but worth it and told them to put them somewhere they could see them as a reminder of what they're headed towards.

Agreed! I keep a pair of my bro's wings that I plan on having him pin on me when I get winged in my "office" that I look at often when flight planning/ studying. It is the best piece of motivation I have.

 

[llnick2001]

Concur 100%... with respect Maam, she's got 2 years of real hard work ahead of her, and nothing says "silver spooned brat" like a 5K watch on an O-1 in flight school who drives a cute little red convertible Audi... Most of her meager backgrounded classmates will think it... some will say it and act upon their views (we can be real SOB's!).... If you must, the Breitling is a great heirloom watch, of the 5 or so female pilots I know, Zero have pricey watches.. If she is "into" watches great, mostly a dude thing from what Ive seen.

I agree with the saving the money till she wings, but not because the other kids might get jealous of her. If she doesn't act like a brat, she shouldn't be treated like one. Holding a family's money against someone is as lame as holding a family's lack of money against someone.