There comes a time in every watch collector’s life when they fall in love with a watch they know others in the hobby may potentially scoff at. Whether it be misconceptions around the brand, the use of cheaper movements and parts, seedy advertising campaigns, or just overall subjective taste in design, it’s a phenomenon that exists as one of the very few downsides of the collecting space. It’s important to note, however, that this frame of mind lies on a spectrum of course, with some watches being far more notable enemies of the wristwatch state than others. The Chase-Durer Wing Commander X is a watch that has fallen into the cracks of the watch market and a piece, I believe, may initially conjure negative sentiments by some corners of the collecting sphere.
Chase-Durer was originally advertised in magazines and on the very early days of the internet, where zealous dial-up internet subscribers would surf the World Wide Web in hopes of making their very first online purchase. They never held the same staying power as others of the watch industry, akin to the 38mm mail-order film cameras found in years’ worth of popular and print media when compared to Canon or Nikon. However, there is a lot to like about the brand and, in this case, the Wing Commander X. If you’re someone who’s on the fence about whether or not you’re a fan of this watch just from aesthetics and brand recognition alone, welcome in––let me walk you through what makes this an interesting piece of 90s horological nostalgia.
History of Chase-Durer and the Wing Commander X
The Chase-Durer brand itself was founded in the mid-1990s by the titular Chase-Durer, an entrepreneur from Los Angeles, California, according to the sparse information I was able to locate online. The brand’s bread and butter was, and still is to this day, military and aviation-inspired timepieces. Their models typically feature numerous subdials and readouts that can be employed to measure and calculate all sorts of information pertinent to events and occurrences frequently experienced in combat or in the air. Their early models were typically powered by quality Swiss and Japanese movements from brands like ETA, Hattori, and Ronda. Chase-Durer today is owned by Invicta, and while they appear to still be producing watches, their website is no longer active.
The history of the Wing Commander X is difficult to nail down. Previous auction listings state that these came to market in 1996, with various iterations to the overall design releasing in the years following. The majority of documentation and information on this model exist online through abandoned blogs and discussion boards, with the occasional advertisement scan and photograph by an owner popping up. It appears these were heavily marketed towards middle-aged men who subscribed to magazines such as Men’s Health and The Home Handyman to cash in on the demographic most associated with military and aviation interests. Many advertisements I’ve seen explain how to place an order over the phone with one’s credit card, so these appear to have been timepieces sold primarily through mail and internet order, not in brick and mortar stores.
Design and Specifications
The first notable aspect when looking at the Wing Commander X’s looks is its stark white dial. Although a bit busy, Chase-Durer did a good job of keeping mostly every aspect legible and usable. The black font on the gold subidals––used to track minutes, seconds, and 1/10 seconds––may be a bit difficult to see in some lighting, but the gauges and measurement tools on the inner and outer bezels look great. I will forever be a fan of how some watches utilize pops of color to spruce up an otherwise mundane color pallet, and this Wing Commander X is no exception. The light green numerals help separate themselves from the white dial, and while the lollipop red pip on the seconds hand isn’t luminescent, it’s a welcome addition.
My example’s handset exhibits the crumbing remnants of luminescent material barely hanging on for dear life. As you could imagine, it no longer glows like it did from the factory, but I appreciate the way it looks with the lights on and how the darkened green plays off the silver and gold dominating the watch’s aesthetics. Speaking of, I know not everyone is a two-tone fan, but I will always be a firm believer that some watches look great with it. The use of both steel and gold here is incredibly emblematic of the time period in which this watch was designed. The two-tone bracelet the watch is fitted on also feels wonderful on the wrist, contouring seamlessly without nipping any hairs with continuous wear.
The Wing Commander X measures in at 40mm in diameter and 46mm lug-to-lug, making it a great fitting watch for anyone with a relatively standard 6.5-7.5” wrist. If the aforementioned bracelet isn’t included with an example you may look into purchasing, its 20mm lug width will easily fit all sorts of aftermarket bracelets and straps.
Before moving on from design and specs, I want to first recognize two aspects I find to be notable attributes. First, while not an incredibly high quality movement, the Wing Commander X is powered by the Hattori VD57B quartz caliber, in this case distributed by Time Module Inc. These are known for their reliability and affordability, being readily available for under $20 on many watch supply websites. This means that if for whatever reason the VD57B in your personal example were to go bad, it could easily be replaced within minutes for not a lot of cash.
Lastly, you would assume this model uses a mineral crystal, as is customary for the majority of watches in this price range, right? Wrong: the Wing Commander X sports a sapphire crystal that, on my example at least, has held up incredibly well over the last 30 years. It’s not a showstopping addition for many, but for some collectors out there, this may come as a pleasant surprise. It’s the little touches sometimes that make a watch for me, this is a key example of one of those small yet important details.
Conclusion
Is the Chase-Durer Wing Commander X a watch every reader will go out and purchase right after reading this article? Most likely not. Is it a watch that, no matter the personal preference in styling, most readers can agree is worth the $100 or less these are typically list for? I’d like to think so. Reliable movement, great proportions, intricate and well thought-out design, and sapphire crystal to boot, the Wing Commander X is a watch worth putting on your radar.
While I would imagine most pilots today wear Apple watches or high-end aviation timepieces, I do think this would be a fascinating piece to have in their arsenal. While I won’t be flying any planes any time soon, I know it’ll always be a dependable piece in my personal rotation for years to come.
Tommy Demauro
2026-03-20 19:00:00