It has long been my personal ambition to create a watch of my own and I am now happy to introduce the first of what I hope will be many. This project began as an idea in the middle of last year and after changing my mind several times, decided on a specification in January 2001. I could have launched the watch earlier if I was prepared to compromise my original concept but I decided that it was worth waiting to get exactly what I wanted. This is a limited edition of just 300 pieces world-wide and each watch is individually numbered.
I chose for my first project a watch in the style but not an exact copy of, the watch issued to pilots of the British Overseas Airways Corporation in the 1950s. This was a time when Britain still had an Empire, you could go to bed without locking the door and BOAC was regarded as the world's premier airline. Those times are now long gone but the memories are not.
Case
The stainless steel case has a fine brush finish, with spun finish screw back and a screw down crown. The dial is matte black with white painted minute chapter and Arabic numbers. Tritium luminous is applied at the cardinal points of the dial and in the centre of the black minute and hour hands: the centre sweep seconds hand is white. Bombé sapphire crystal and the watch is water resistant to 10 bar/100 metres/330 feet.
Dimensions
The case is 37.5 mm Ø, 48.5 mm lug tip to lug tip and 11.6 mm thick. The dial is 32.5 mm Ø and lug spacing is 18 mm. I originally planned for this watch to be fitted with fixed bar lugs but changed to springbars following requests from interested customers who said they would wish to alternate between NATO style and leather straps.
Movement
ETA 25 jewel automatic, calibre 2836-2 running at 28,800 bph with hacking seconds
Supplied fitted with a special custom NATO style strap based on the colours of the British Overseas Airways Corporation and with an extra RAF pattern strap in the same colours. Hang tag in the style of a dog tag, signed limited edition card, polishing cloth, watch information leaflet and a hardwood box. This watch is sold with twelve months warranty.
You can read a review of this watch HERE.
I chose for my first project a watch in the style but not an exact copy of, the watch issued to pilots of the British Overseas Airways Corporation in the 1950s. This was a time when Britain still had an Empire, you could go to bed without locking the door and BOAC was regarded as the world's premier airline. Those times are now long gone but the memories are not.
Case
The stainless steel case has a fine brush finish, with spun finish screw back and a screw down crown. The dial is matte black with white painted minute chapter and Arabic numbers. Tritium luminous is applied at the cardinal points of the dial and in the centre of the black minute and hour hands: the centre sweep seconds hand is white. Bombé sapphire crystal and the watch is water resistant to 10 bar/100 metres/330 feet.
Dimensions
The case is 37.5 mm Ø, 48.5 mm lug tip to lug tip and 11.6 mm thick. The dial is 32.5 mm Ø and lug spacing is 18 mm. I originally planned for this watch to be fitted with fixed bar lugs but changed to springbars following requests from interested customers who said they would wish to alternate between NATO style and leather straps.
Movement
ETA 25 jewel automatic, calibre 2836-2 running at 28,800 bph with hacking seconds
Supplied fitted with a special custom NATO style strap based on the colours of the British Overseas Airways Corporation and with an extra RAF pattern strap in the same colours. Hang tag in the style of a dog tag, signed limited edition card, polishing cloth, watch information leaflet and a hardwood box. This watch is sold with twelve months warranty.
You can read a review of this watch HERE.
SPEEDBIRD Ltd Edition Automatic Pilot Watch PRS-1
