Butler debuted the OOOI earlier this (last!) year, as a modern pilot’s watch. I’ve had some time to wear and travel with it, and it’s everything it’s cracked up to be, and more.
The case is brushed stainless steel, with a very nice stainless bracelet to match. The end links are folded rather than solid, but they fit so tightly that I was initially fooled into thinking they must be solid end links. The hands are lume, but instead of being filled with lume, they’re hollow, in a shape that I couldn’t quite place.
The detail that makes this watch a pilot’s GMT is the movement. Of course, it’s fine for everyday wear, but it really shines when it’s time to set an alternate timezone, or change hours quickly. By twisting the crown quickly, the hour hand will advance or retreat a full hour, making it easy to change time in flight. The only difficulty is in mastering the quick rotation required. It’s not a huge deal, if the movement doesn’t understand the quick-twist, it just advances one minute. It’s still the fastest way to adjust an analog watch I can think of. With two LCD screens to carry the details besides the analog time, it’s an excellent baby Breitling.
In a 40mm case with 20mm lugs, it’s compatible with a wide range of straps, from Clockwork Synergy’s sailcloth to Cheapestnatostraps’ leather offerings. Both of those come with quick-release bars, making it easy to change up the straps. Of course, it comes with the steel bracelet and its own leather strap, so it’s not like you really need to experiment with straps… but you can, and it’s such a comfortable watch to wear on them.
The watch ships in a Pelican case with foam cut to have the Butler Watch logo on the inside lid and foam surrounds cut to cradle the watch. It’s a little thick for a travel case, but it’s an excellent choice for storing or shipping.
So where did I go with it? Around the house, around town, and an international trip to parts east. It saw Roman ruins dating back to 6 CE, a crusader castle, and Byzantine ruins. It overlooked the port from a cafe, and took in some mild winter Middle East sun.
The Limited Edition Professional Series OOOI is an excellent watch. It’s certified Swiss Made, and eminently comfortable at 12mm tall. You should add it to your list. While it’s limited to 99 examples, there are still some available for $589 (preorder, regularly $789) from butlerwatch.com
- FunctionsDisplay by means of hands:
Hours, Minutes
Numerical LCD display:
– Hours, minutes, seconds, 12H or 24H option.
– Second, date, perpetual calender.
– Day in english, french, german, spanish and date.
– Timer: hours, minutes, seconds.
– Hours, minutes and seconds of another time zone.
– Chronograph: hours, minutes, seconds, 1/100 second.
– Functions ADD or SPLIT.
– Alarm (hours and minutes alarm).
– END OF LIFE indicated by blinking numerical display. - Movement: Swiss Made ETA 988.333 Analog/Digital quartz movement.
- Case: 40mm Ø dia. 12mm Height. 20mm Lug Width. 316L Stainless Steel case with brushed finish.
- Case Back: Stainless Steel case back with decoration.
- Crystal: Domed Sapphire Crystal with anti-reflective coated interior.
- Crown: The Crown is used for manipulation of functions by rotating in either direction and push/pulled as directed.
- Dial: Dial with SuperLumiNova ® luminous compound coated numerals, indexes, and hands. Beveled dial ring with 13-24hr numerals.
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM/50 meters/165 feet water resistance.
- Bracelet: Brushed finish stainless steel bracelet with clasp.
- Strap: Genuine Leather strap Made in the USA.
- Certification: Certified Swiss Made according to the standards of the Swiss Federal Council.
How can I help it if I think you’re funny when you’re mad
Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad
