The Nightflight Limited Edition

From Limes -

Courtesy of Limes

Available in 2 different dial versions, the black dial Nightflight Limited Edition LB (above), and with what Limes describes as a silver white dial -

Courtesy of Limes

The case is (of course) by Ickler and is of stainless steel, measuring 37.8 mm in diameter. 

Courtesy of Limes

The movement is the ETA 2824-2 TOP.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Limes -

Movement
Swiss automatic movement 

ETA 2824-2 TOP

Watch Case
ICKLER made stainless steel case, finely brushed and polished, diameter 37,8mm, thickness 9,5mm, flat sapphire crystal with A/R coating on both sides, mineral crystal display back, crown with Ickler logo, water resistant 5 ATM

Dial
Black or Silver White , arabic numerals (Superluminova)

Hands
White or Black, luminous hands (Superluminova)

Band
Brown leather, width 20mm, wrist size: 18,5 - 22,5cm

Price incl. VAT plus shipping costs
€980.00
(Price w/o VAT €844.83 ) 

Don't Believe the Hype!

On a day when everyone at SIHH is apparently pooping their trousers over the latest offering from IWC, I thought I would share with you the counter-point to the "tulip-mania" - meets watchmaking philosophies of some folks in the fourth and fifth estate and share with you something a bit more realistic in terms of pricing, that is wonderfully free of the magic pixie dust sprinkled to add zeroes to price points.

And it is also, the shit that killed Elvis!

Courtesy of Stowa

This is the Icarus Klassik Sport from Stowa and in fairness, it is not a brand spanking new "SIHH Specialty".  It is not something cooked up just for a special occasion for the press to fuss and cluck and fawn over as they reach for another prawn cocktail.

Courtesy of STOWA

This is - hold onto your hats - a REGULAR, CONSTANT member of the collection.  And it is beautiful.  It is everything that IWC is trying to convince you that their latest iteration is.  And what continues to fascinate me about Stowa's approach is that they consistently put out a great watch, and if the wait times to receive the watch you ordered are anything to go by, the demand constantly outstrips the supply.  Clearly the folks at Stowa are onto something!

Their modest efforts - without hoopla, fanfare, millions in advertising, celebrity pals (or prawn cocktails for that matter) are a welcome change - a sustainable business model.  Making watches as they are requested - rather than making watches and waiting for the request.

The case is 43 mm in diameter and is stainless steel and is water resistant to 20 atmospheres.  The movement is ETA's 2824 - 2 TOP version.  Hours, minutes, seconds and date at 6 o'clock with approximately 38 hours of power reserve.

So ask yourself an important question - do you want a REALLY COOL pilot's watch, or do you want to help pay for more prawn cocktails?

Oh, and at 1,084 Euro (less VAT) you can still afford that prawn cocktail - FOR YOURSELF!