Singapre’s MMI (Modernization, Modification, Innovation) launched their first watch in 2019 and have already established a distinctive design language and a catalog of handsome, affordable tool watches. The MMI Sky-Hunter 38 is the brand’s fourth collection and the first to leave the oceans and take to the air. I spent a couple of weeks with it and found this mid-sized pilot’s watch quite charming.
Much of the Sky-Hunter’s appeal lies in its case. Measuring 38mm wide, 45.5mm long, and just 10.6mm thick from its case back to its sapphire crystal, the brushed stainless MMI sat comfortably on my 6.75″ wrist and even tucked neatly under a buttoned shirt cuff. That low profile can be handy, as the Sky-Fighter’s polished bezel and 20mm bracelet dress up this tool watch just enough to wear with a tie and jacket when the occasion arises.
Pilot’s watches generally have big crowns for the same reason that dive watches do, so you can operate them with gloves. In the case of a pilot’s watch, those gloves would be worn in the cold of an unpressurized cockpit. Now, ask yourself, how often are you in that situation? I’m guessing the answer is “never.” Big crowns have their place, but given my druthers, I’ll choose one like the Sky-Hunter’s: modestly sized, broader than tall, and recessed inside the edge, so once unscrewed, it is easy to extract. The head is signed with the MMI logo and also lumed because why the heck not?
On the flip side is a Hawker Hunter fighter jet, the same model that served the Republic of Singapore Air Force until 1992. It’s a simple line drawing that is cleanly executed. Behind it, beats a trusty Miyota 9015 (24 jewels, 28.8k bph, 40+ hour power reserve).You’ll also notice a 100m water resistance rating, which is precisely what I want in a tool watch.
Pilot’s watches must be easily legible. After all, you don’t want you captian squinting at her or her wrist at 30,000 feet. To this end, the MMI Sky-Hunter’s dial is a sensible arrangement of three delineated rings: seconds index on the outer edge, Arabic hours on the next, and MMI’s unique date display on the innermost. In the right light, you can catch the horizontal brushing on its surface. Old Radium SuperLuminova warms up the face and glows brightly at night – even on the crown.
I love the date. Like the MMI Turret 300m I reviewed, the dates are printed on the dial near a corresponding series of perforations. The date indicator is an orange mark on the disk below. It’s a clever layout that immediately establishes the brand’s identity, and I think it is a pretty cool effect. The indicator is even lumed, although this is more of a novelty than anything else as the dates do not glow, and even if they did, iI doubt my aging eyes would be able to pick them out. I had no such issues under normal light conditions. In fact, I found the date much easier to read on the Sky-Hunter than I did on the Turret.
Production watches will have the same locking clasp and three (fused) link design but will get a female end link instead of the male shown here. This is a wise move that will afford an extra bit of articulation, which is always appreciated by smaller-wristed folks like myself.
MMI offers the watch in blue, white, sliver, and champagne in addition to the black model shown here. All are attractive but if you are not a pilot’s watch purist, and are not afraid of a little color, I might suggest you have a look at the blue…
The MMI Sky-Hunter 38 is available for pre-order now for $357.73 US. That price goes up on Februry 1, and will continue to rise each month until it hits its full price of $469 on April 16. That is not a bad price, but $357 (at current exchange rates) is so much better, don’t you think? As the price is climbing and only 150 will be made, I suggest you head over to mmiwatches.com and check them out.
