Wound Up: A Conversation with Ian Morris

Welcome to Wound Up, a interview series exploring the vibrant world of watchmaking and collecting across the Intermountain West. Watches bring us together, but it's the unique stories and connections among fellow enthusiasts that truly wind our passion for horology.

Today's conversation is with Ian Morris, watch collector, military veteran, and new member of the Horological Society of Utah's Board of Directors.

HSU: Ian, welcome and thanks so much for your time. Please tell us about your background and what got you into watches.

Ian: Thanks for having me. I guess I’ve always had some level of anxiety about being on time for things. My worst fear used to be showing up for something late. This was compounded by being in the marching band in high school. The band director was the son of a Marine Corps Drill Instructor, and his mantra was “Early is on-time, on-time is late, late is dead.” I wore a mustard-yellow digital watch just to keep track of when I needed to be at practice and when the next water break would be.

My professional background is mostly military, which probably amplified that anxiety. I joined the Marines a month after I turned 17. While in boot camp, I was tasked with keeping track of the training schedule and ensuring that the drill instructors were updated with the changes to the daily routine. Recruits weren’t supposed to wear watches, but when we wore our sleeves down, I was wearing a Timex Indiglow.

As a senior in college, I was selected to fly in the Navy. My recruiter was an aviator and he wore a Breitling Aerospace. That watch intrigued me, and Breitling was cemented in my neophyte mind as the quintessential aviation watchmaker. I graduated in 2008 and because of the economic crash during that time, every branch of the military stopped hiring pilots and I never got a chance to fly.  

I eventually went to grad school and I was recruited out of my MBA program to my current job as a civilian contracting officer for the Air Force. I support the acquisition of parts and services for the worldwide fleet of F-16 aircraft.

HSU:  Timex is certainly where a lot of collectors start. What has the journey been like since then?

Ian: My first “real” watch was bought in boot camp. I fell in love with an orange-faced Luminox 3000 Navy Seals watch that was on sale at the recruit exchange store. I remember being appalled at the $135 price tag, which was about 1/4th of my Private First Class bimonthly paycheck in 1998.  It was a purely emotional purchase, and I guess you could say that started my fall down the slippery slope of watch collecting. I bought my next watch in 1999, a Citizen Solar Tech World Timer C605-Q00567. It was two-tone titanium and gold, which I thought was super classy.

I was gifted my first automatic watch in college, a titanium Orient, which had a button to advance the day, but the date still needed to be adjusted by the crown. The button would inevitably be pushed by accident during normal daily wear, so it was always wrong. 

I really got into watch collecting during the summer of 2021 when I purchased an orange Seiko 5.  I needed an orange replacement for my beat up 23 year-old Luminox. Shortly after, I succumbed to the marketing gods and bought myself a BYU-branded TAG Heuer Formula 1 as a very late graduation present to myself. 

Up next was a mustard yellow Breitling Super Ocean just a few months later. This watch was super nostalgic, because the color reminded me of that Timex I had worn decades earlier. I was now hooked. I then picked up a Navitimer B04 48 GMT shortly afterwards. The Navitimer was the archetypal aviation watch, and since I work in aviation sustainment, I had to have one.

HSU: Lets talk about watches and the military for a moment. There seems to be a groundswell of interest from the watch community on the connection between the two. As someone in aviation, what's your perspective on the role watches play with military personnel?

Ian: The wristwatch's role in aviation history is certainly significant, evolving from a convenient accessory to a crucial navigation and timing instrument. While modern technology has reduced the reliance on traditional methods, wristwatches remain important as backup instruments, status symbols, and reminders of aviation's rich history.

In the early days of aviation, pocket watches were the primary timekeeping device, but their cumbersome nature made them impractical for pilots in tight cockpits. This led to pilots adapting pocket watches with leather straps to wear on their wrists. A pivotal moment occurred in 1904 when Louis Cartier designed a wristwatch specifically for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, marking the true beginning of the aviation wristwatch.

World War I greatly accelerated the adoption of wristwatches by military pilots, who needed accurate time for navigation and coordinating maneuvers. Watches designed for pilots began incorporating crucial features like large, luminous dials for low-light visibility, rugged construction to withstand harsh conditions, and rotating bezels for tracking elapsed time. Chronographs became particularly important for timing events like fuel consumption.

During the mid-20th century, wristwatches remained essential as aviation technology advanced, complementing sophisticated navigation systems. GMT/World Time watches became popular for international travel, allowing pilots to track multiple time zones. This era also saw the rise of iconic aviation watch brands and models, such as the Breitling Navitimer with its slide rule bezel, the Omega Speedmaster, and the Rolex GMT-Master, each designed with specific pilot needs in mind.

With the advent of GPS and advanced electronic navigation systems, the reliance on traditional wristwatch navigation has decreased. However, wristwatches still serve as important backup instruments in case of electronic failures. They also remain status symbols and a reflection of a pilot's passion for aviation. Modern aviation watches often feature digital displays, advanced materials like titanium, and even connected capabilities for additional information.

HSU: We have an upcoming HSU event at the Hill Aerospace Museum that includes a special presentation from Breitling. Can you speak to the historical significance of the base and what you are looking forward to with the event?

Ian: Absolutely! Hill Air Force Base in Utah has a long and distinguished history, evolving from a pre-World War II Army Air Corps depot into a crucial center for aerospace maintenance, logistics, and innovation.

© 2025 Hill Aerospace Museum

The base began as an Army Air Corps depot in 1934 and formally established as Hill Field in 1939. It rapidly expanded during World War II to become a vital aircraft repair and supply center. After the war, renamed Hill Air Force Base in 1948, it became a crucial hub for jet aircraft and missile development and maintenance, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. Today, Hill AFB remains essential for F-16 maintenance, ICBM sustainment, and even space operations, supporting various satellite programs. The Hill Aerospace Museum, located at the base, showcases the evolution of flight and aerospace technology, preserving aircraft, missiles, and artifacts that tell the story of aviation history.

The event is a great opportunity to celebrate the deep connection between aviation history and precision timekeeping. The museum, which preserves physical advancements in flight technology, is an ideal venue to host Breitling, a brand with a rich heritage in developing pilot-specific instruments. In particular, chronographs with features like slide rule bezels (as seen on the Navitimer), were essential for in-flight calculations before digital navigation. Their watches were relied upon by both military and civilian pilots for their precision and reliability, making them vital tools in demanding aviation environments.

The event also underscores the intersection of military and civilian aviation. Hill Air Force Base has a significant military aviation legacy, while Breitling has served both sectors. This collaboration showcases how advancements in timekeeping and instrumentation have benefited both military and civilian pilots, demonstrating the technological transfer between these often interconnected realms and ultimately contributing to safer and more efficient air travel.

HSU: Ian, thank you so much for your time and insight.

To register for the "Chronographs and Cockpits" event at the Hill Aerospace Museum, click the button below.

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