Forged from a 1918 WWI Fighter Plane: Why Sopwith’s $8,500 Nieuport 28 Is the Ultimate 'Engine' Watch

A new limited-edition watch is turning aviation history into a luxurious timepiece that can be worn on your wrist. How it was manufactured, its scarcity, and the company that produced it are the reasons it seems poised to be the ultimate status symbol.

The Story Behind the 1918 Fighter Plane

From the Western Front to your wrist. This 1918 Gnome engine (#55521) now forms the entire case of the Sopwith Aero Marquis GMT. Own a piece of aviation history: https://t.co/s0Wa8DOMut pic.twitter.com/PlzcFMTsvg

— Sopwith Watch Company (@SopwithWatch) November 13, 2025

One of the things that has always set a great watch apart is the materials that are used to make it. In the case of Sopwith's Nieuport 28 Limited Edition GMT, that is especially true, even though the case is crafted from steel, one of the most common watchmaking metals.

As the company has announced on its website and social media, the body of this watch is made from steel sourced from a Gnome Monosoupape 9 Type N's rotary engine. The specific engine was once used to power an American Nieuport 28 fighter plane in 1918 during World War I. In addition to the metal coming from a machine that saw action in one of the biggest conflicts in human history, its design was inspired by the plane as well, according to the company.

"The color combination of the Nieuport 28 Limited Edition is reminiscent of the paint scheme used by the 95th Aero Squadron in World War I. The Camouflage Green dial and bezel represent the lighter shade of the official pattern used on fighter planes of the United States Air Service. The Fjord Blue outline of the hour and minute hands celebrates the background of the 95th’s famed 'kicking mule' insignia that was painted on the fuselage of its Nieuports. The hands themselves are diamond cut in the shape of the needle on the Nieuport 28’s only dash instrument – the altimeter."

For military history enthusiasts, owning a watch inspired by and manufactured from an actual World War I fighter plane's engine seems like an incredible opportunity. It will allow them to wear a gorgeous timepiece connected to a war that helped shape the modern world.

What Makes This Timepiece So Rare

Given its origin, there is no way the Nieuport 28 Limited Edition GMT could be a mass-produced watch. Instead, Sopwith's website notes that it is limited to only 98 pieces. That scarcity and how the watch was produced alone are enough to make this timepiece a status symbol. Additionally, the company behind the watch also adds to its appeal.

In November 2025, Luxury Lifestyle complimented the company when the outlet described Sopwith as "a Houston-based luxury boutique producing low volume, Swiss-powered automatic timepieces."

The Nieuport 28 Limited Edition GMT is currently available for preorder at the price of $8,500.