Independent Australian watchmaker Panzera has been selected by pilots of the United States Air Force’s Aggressor Squadron to produce a custom timepiece.
Commissioned directly by members of the elite squadron – including instructor pilots, commercial aviators and alumni – the collaboration resulted in a bespoke watch built on Panzera’s Flieger 45G model, with that model valued at $1,238. The Aggressor Squadron watch design will not be made available to the public.
Panzera was founded in 2009 by long-time friends Roger Cooper and Andrew Herman, with the goal of producing modern timepieces based on vintage styles, without high pricing or the middlemen of traditional luxury.
The brand operates on a direct-to-consumer model, with in-house assembly in Sydney and Ticino, Switzerland, and components sourced from Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Italy.
Co-founder Cooper said most brands would spend millions of dollars trying to be associated with a unit like the Aggressor Squadron.
“The fact that we were selected organically – by the pilots themselves, and arguably the best pilots in the world – is a huge testament to the credibility we’ve built,” he said.
According to the founders, Panzera has recorded a 35 per cent average year-on-year growth over the last five years, with 85 per cent of sales coming from offshore. More than 50 per cent buy from the United States.
Panzera is aiming for further global expansion, with over 30 per cent of its customers owning more than one watch.
Herman said he and Cooper see Panzera as Australia’s leading international watch brand.
“Our customers return because we deliver real value – strong design, honest pricing, and global credibility,” Herman said. “This moment with the Aggressor Squadron is a reflection of that.”
The bespoke watch for the squadron is designed to be a marker of identity and was chosen following an independent search by the pilots and crew.