A Customer Story

MEET MARTIN GERHARD

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Martin, a passionate PANZERA watch owner who shared his incredible journey in aviation with us. His story left us truly inspired, and we couldn’t wait to pass it along to you.

As a seasoned Captain and Check Pilot on the Boeing 777, Martin not only gets to soar across the globe—from Europe and South America to Hawaii and Japan—but also has the privilege of training and mentoring the next generation of First Officers and Captains. Even after 33 years in the skies, his love for aviation hasn’t waned; every day feels like a new adventure.

When he's not flying, Martin devotes his time to giving back as an Instructor Pilot with the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. This civilian volunteer organization, funded by the U.S. Air Force, has been serving the military, state, and local agencies since World War II—another testament to Martin’s unwavering commitment to both his passion and his community.

DRIVEN BY DETERMINATION

Martin’s dream of becoming a pilot took flight when he was just five years old. A thrilling transatlantic journey on a Boeing 707 from Germany to the USA ignited a lifelong passion for aviation. From that moment on, he spent his childhood building airplanes—first with Lego, then model kits, and eventually remote control aircraft—while dreaming of soaring through the skies himself.

When it came time for university, Martin wasted no time, immediately enrolling in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps with the goal of becoming a fighter pilot. But his dream took a crushing turn when he failed the color vision test during his first medical check. "I can still hear my Commanding Officer’s words: ‘Son, you will never be a pilot!’” Martin recalls.

But his story didn’t end there. Refusing to abandon his passion, Martin found a way to stay in the world of aviation, starting as an aircraft refueler. Slowly but surely, he worked his way up in civilian aviation. And after years of perseverance, he finally passed the FAA medical exam, clearing him to fly. From that moment on, his career has quite literally taken off—proving that true passion and determination can overcome even the greatest of obstacles.

FAVOURITE TIMEPIECE

When asked which of his PANZERA timepieces was his favourite, Martin had trouble choosing. "For my Civil Air Patrol flights my trusty AQUAMARINE 45C is always on my wrist! However when I am Captaining an international 777 flight my new FLIEGER 45G with the GMT function is an essential." Either way we appreciate Martin's passion for flight and also our PANZERA watches!