Beginning with 1926 Benrus Watch Co. is starting another interesting marketing campaign, by publishing a series of ads in which different personalities of that epoch are “shown” next to Benrus watches. Of course, the names from the sports environment had a privileged position. But, among the most spectacular ones we can mention also the “association” to Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator. Here they are (but also [6], [7] and [8] from the right column):



In such a mixture (Babe Ruth association) in 1929, a "sport-aviation" model was launched, model that I dare to consider the first important Benrus watch, although I did not succeed to see one in any collection - Benrus Airman (see also [9]) presented as being accepted, in those times from the beginnings of transport aviation, by N.A.T. (National Air Transport) Company:



It was only the beginning because Benrus Flyer (1929) [10] and Benrus Pilot (1931) [11] models were launched in the next years.

In 1932 Benrus comes with its first complication, "jumping", launching simultaneous with Bulova a model, Jump Hour, very rare nowadays in collections, which announced the future Dial-O-Rama:



Also, regarding the women watches, Benrus "kept up" with the fashion of those times. The Baguette models from that epoch were found in Benrus collections.
With 2, 6, 8 or even 20 "diamonds"! Below or [12],[13] and [14] ... from the right column:



In 1935, Gruen has released his very famous Curvex and of course, Benrus (next to the competition - see [15]) has reacted (1936) with its models. Of course, not with some kind of ’curved’ movement such as Gruen, but in 1937 he released Kurve King that made a sensation by the amplitude of its ‘arching’. For the chosen solution, Benrus requested in 1936 a patent [16] obtained (US PAT 2069453) in 1937.



For 1938 Benrus kept the release of its model - Signet, a very interesting solution for individualization for which in 1939, the required documentation for two patents was laid-down [16] and [17], given by the American authorities in 1941 (US PAT 2237675, respective US PAT 2240993), both patents obtained on the name of Benjamin Lazrus.



It is known the fact that Benrus did not produce watches issued under the US military specification for WW2. In spite of these stories we can remember that Benrus produced a series of watches (some of them similar to the military specifications from that epoch) called as “military” in presentations, but having the possibility to be bought by civilians. To this kind of watches, the next materials are referring (1943).



The apparition of Sky Chief in 1940 can be considered one of the moments of glory of Benrus Watch Co. The interest for collaboration with aviation companies has already begun (in those very agitated years for the beginning of the transatlantic flights) even since the end of the ’20s when, at the releasing of Airman model [9] (1929) was mentioned: "The timepiece officially chosen by the Nationat Air Transport (N-A-T) and other leading American Airways carrying U.S. Mail and passengers coast to coast". Also, the Flyer model [10] from the same year, 1929, specified "Officially adopted timepiece of the Transcontinental Air Transport" (T-A-T) newly funded in 1928. In 1931 the Pilot model [11] was presented for which the presentation ad noted: "Leading U.S. mail pilots wear this latest 1931 Benrus". And there must not be forgotten the association Benrus | Charles Lindbergh from 1926!

So, beginning with the ’30s, Benrus was entitled to adopt the first variant of a slogan that will add up his watches to some of the most important aviation transport companies during 1930-1965, such as were or still are: NWA, TWA, Delta Airlines or KLM.

Initially (1930-1931), the watches presentation was made - "Benrus Watches - They Time the Airways" but the first known variant (1931) for this slogan was "Officially Adopted by Leading US Airways" modified several years later (1935) under the form "Officially Adopted by Leading American Airways". At the releasing in 1940 of Sky Chief, it becomes "Official Watch of Famous Airlines" variant in which will remain until the end of the campaigns from the ’60s.


version: 1930-1931


version: 1931


version: 1935


version: 1945

It is obvious that through the Sky Chief model, Benrus Watch has answered to the requests from the aviation companies that wished for a cronograph model that could offer more than the simple hour displaying.
And, because I made a reminder above about the Benrus’s addition to USA effort for WW2, recent stories mention the American Export Airlines - AEA/AmEx pilots’ equipment with Benrus Sky Chief watches, pilots that took part in the materials and troops transportation between USA and Europe after the ‘D’ Day. Anyway we should not fall into the trap of assimilating Sky Chief with a military watch.

Sky Chief  was made into two variants with the following movements:
- simple chronograph (steel case) 
* movement  Venus 178/937 | code Benrus: BE [see 20] | steel case
* movement Valjoux 71 | code Benrus: GHH [see 21] | steel case
* movement Valjoux 72 | code Benrus: VZH [see 22] | steel case


photo credit to: http://www.ranfft.de si S. Walter
(from left to right) -  Venus 178 | Valjoux_71 | Valjoux 72

- chronograph day/date (steel and gold case)
* movement Valjoux 72C | code Benrus: VZHC [see 23] | steel or 14K gold case


Valjoux 72C
photo credit to: http://www.ranfft.de

For the simple chronograph variant, there are two case variants known:
- the case with rotating bezel and pointer | white dial;
- case without bezel | black dial in two variants.


Sky Chief | white dial (rotating bezel), black dial 
photo: Joel M./MWR, piecesoftime.net, lamesuredutemps.com

For the triple-date chronograph variants, the cases were both from steel but also from 14K gold with only one dial design:

Sky Chief Triple Date, steel | Sky Chief Triple Date, 14K gold
photo: yorktime.com, farfo.com

Regarding the dial, one should remember that the Sky Chief is the only chronograph from that epoch where the dial for minutes counting is "marked" at an interval of 4(four) minutes and not 3(three) as are all the other similar chronographs. The reason for such of a marking interval came from the concrete necessities concrete for navigation during flight in the ’40s.

The appearance of Sky Chief ends a "romantic" period from the Benrus history. Models such as: Airman, Jump Hour, Baguette, King Kurve or Signet I did not have the chance to see yet in any collection. Still, there are watches for which the Benrus history, from those beginning years, should be reconsidered.