15 Days with the GAVOX Curtiss P-40 - A Watch Fit for a Flying Tiger!

So sadly all good things must come to an end, and Friday marked the final day of my 15 days with GAVOX's Curtiss P-40.  So now it is time to sum up.

One of the inescapable - and very positive aspects of the GAVOX is the price point.  The GAVOX model I tested was the CURTISS P-40 REF 350.  Priced at a very competitive $248.00 US, you get a very solid, very smart looking watch for the money.  And unlike a lot of other lower priced options out there, you actually get decent - and USEFUL packaging for your watch.  The P-40 arrived in a zippered semi-hard case that could also be used for glasses, or for an extra watch when you are traveling.  It is not a big, heavy presentation box.  No, it is actually something that you can use ; )

The GAVOX I tested arrived on a black leather strap with white accent stitching.  It also came with a green canvas/leather strap with brown leather accent, and a black NATO style strap.  While all of the straps were comfortable and easy to put on and take off, the green canvas and leather was my favorite.  The underside of the strap is a very soft leather, and unlike many other "canvas wrapped" straps I have worn in the past, this one really held up.

As I said, the nice folks at GAVOX thought of just about everything, from sensible packaging to strap alternatives, and even to changing those straps.

A GAVOX branded strap changing tool was included - and unlike the somewhat cheesy throw-away tools that some watches are sent with, this one is durable and a real joy to use!

The watch itself was a real joy to wear.  It was a good size without being too large.  The face is clear and well marked.  Very often with a watch at this price point you get, well, dodgy finishing work.  Not so with the GAVOX!  The lume markings were clean and clear.

And speaking of lume, as you can see it is quite good!  Apologies for the shaky camera hand, but by now you know not to come to this blog for the quality of my photos ; )

The timekeeping was what you would expect from a Seiko movement - perfect.  No deviations.
The case is a brushed stainless steel, keeping true to the Flying Tigers who inspired the design.  Hours, minutes, seconds, day (of the week) and date are all displayed clearly on the dial.  And unlike many other watches out there trying to give you all of those indications, you can actually read these items without undue eye strain.

The GAVOX P-40 has been very comfortable to wear - even though it is a 40 mm, it is not too big.  It wears very comfortably without overwhelming the wrist.

More importantly, the finish work on the case itself is of a much higher quality than you often see in a watch at this price point.  Smooth edges, no burrs, no sharp "picky" edges.

For those of you who like all of the details, here they are courtesy of GAVOX -

Inspired by early military watches, the Curtiss P-40 features a multifunction calibre designed and built by Seiko Instruments, the second biggest watch manufacturer in the world. The Curtiss P-40 uses a precision Quartz Oscillator calibrated at 32,768 Hz. Forged in 316L stainless steel, the case with brushed surface finishing is water-resistant to 5 bar.

The Gavox Curtiss P-40 was created in homage to the American Volunteer Group (AVG) and especially my Grandfather who joined the Flying Tigers in China in 1939.

• Smallest unit displayed 1 Hz
• Calibre Seiko Instruments VD78
• Autonomy (+/-3 years) 
• Accuracy (minutes per year) 4
• Measurements Ø 40.0 x 46.2 x 8.0 mm
• Water-resistance 5 bar (50 m / 199 ft, static)
• Time base Quartz Oscillator
• Limited Warranty 24 months
• Measure between horns (lugs) 20 mm
• Crystal Mineral (silica)
• Anti-magnetism 1,600 A/m

So to sum up, for the quality of the watch itself, the features and comfort, this watch is real value for the money.  Solid, sporty and dependable - this is a fun watch to have for not a lot of pocket money!

www.gavox.com