Benrus has unveiled a new version of their Sky Chief, a classic pilot’s chronograph that dates to the brand’s 1940s heyday. There are many, many vintage inspired chronographs and re-editions of classic references on the market, so it takes a certain something to stand out from the crowd in this particular watch collecting niche. It appears that Benrus, for this release, has taken the approach of creating a vintage styled chronograph that is truly in line with the proportions of the original, something a lot of brands simply don’t care about, or don’t quite go far enough in emulating.
The headline here, I think, is that the new Sky Chief measures in at a very vintage-accurate 36mm in diameter. The original Sky Chief was approximately 35mm, so this is about as close to the original as anyone has a right to expect given the need to use a modern movement. The decision to go small here has two key benefits. First, obviously, the case is going to wear great on a huge variety of wrists. The 36mm diameter is a very accommodating size, and the case height of 11.9mm and lug to lug of 42.5mm make for a watch with classic proportions, at least on paper (we haven’t seen the Sky Chief in person yet).
The other important benefit of a smaller case that people do not talk about nearly enough when it comes to watches like this, chronographs in particular, is that you wind up with a far more balanced and cohesive dial. A smaller case of course means less dial space, and for a chronograph movement that can actually fit in the case, there’s less negative space around the perimeter of the dial, outside the registers. This is a matter that comes down to personal preference, but I’m personally a bit allergic to chronographs that appear to have registers pushed toward the middle of a dial with a lot of empty space around the outside, a consequence of cases that are too big for older, smaller calibers. I find the layout of the Sky Chief to be just about ideal, with subdials at 3, 6, and 9 that are perfectly balanced by the Benrus wordmark and “Sky Chief” script at 12:00.
There are two dial options available at launch, Stratus Grey and Cirrus White. The Stratus Grey option feels like the more traditional choice, with a lacquered black dial and subregisters. The Cirrus White variant has a silvery tone and sunburst finishing. Both feature lumed Arabic numerals in the style of a traditional pilot’s chronograph.
The Sky Chief runs on an ETA 2894, an automatic winding chronograph movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The movement is visible through a display caseback, and while it doesn’t appear to be elaborately decorated, it does have a black coated and skeletonized rotor, which is a nice higher end touch, and a reflection of a new approach we’ve seen from Benrus in their output over the last year or so, which is to offer watches that feel just a little bit more upscale and worthy of a brand with genuine heritage, as opposed to a pure value prop alternative to more expensive brands. While some collectors who prize a low price over other factors might be disappointed in an apparent move upmarket, the watches themselves are inarguably better in terms of fit and finish.
The Sky Chief retails for $3,950, and it’s available as of today via the Benrus website. Benrus
Zach Kazan
2026-03-02 19:25:00