AVI-8 makes, no surprise, aviation-inspired watches. They’re now announcing the launch of the Spitfire 300 range, which references the plane made in 1934 by aviation company Supermarine. How is a watch like a plane?
The watch is a 42mm stainless steel case with a Japanese automatic movement. The crystal is an anti-reflective coated sapphire. It’s provided with both a stainless bracelet and leather strap. But how is it like an airplane?
The curve of the lugs as they wrap around your wrist echo the curve of the back edge of the wingspan.
The slight V shape engraved in the side of the case around the crown recall the V profile of the wings, with the crown as the propeller. On either side of the wings are vertical dots, echoing rivets.
The dial looks not unlike an airplane gauge, although some parts of it have been raised to give increased legibility. It’s a 3-level dial.The outer chapter ring is proud of the main surface of the dial. Inboard of that is the next highest level, the mezzanine. The mezzanine level has 05, a 3 indice, 25, 35, 45, 55 raised high off the surface of the dial. Printed on the mezzanine in darker numerals are the hours. The lowest floor of the dial has a indexed ring that is marked with minutes in bright white, hours in black.
The hands are very much aviation style sword hands, and there’s a sub seconds at the 5 o’clock area in the center of the dial. The rotor on the back side of the watch is a Spitfire, visible through the display back.
If you’re an aviation aficionado, and like a 42mm watch, the AVI-8 Spitfire could be for you. It’s available in a black dial in black coated watch, blue dial, gray dial, or sort of a gray-olive dial. They’re expected to be about ?335-350 GBP, or about $450 to $460 USD. Sign up at AVI-8.com to get yours.