It’s hard to believe that it has been almost 35 years since Basil Fawlty coined that famous phrase “Don’t mention the war”…..this week two pieces have come to our attention at the Watch Press which attribute their design inspiration to all things military -  if you’re a lover, not a fighter then please leave now!

Firstly CX Swiss Military Watch™ release the Hurricane which marks the beginning of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the RAF’s legendary Hurricane aircraft which fought against the Luftwaffe in the historical aeronautical face-off.

The CX Swiss Military Hurricane

Using the Airforce 1 model as its base the CX Swiss Military Hurricane is powered by the COSC ETA Calibre 7750 with 48 hours power reserve.  Constructed from DLC coated stainless steel the piece measures 47mm and has the busy dial and bezel synonymous with an authentic pilots watch. At the 9 o’clock position is a quirky propellar-shaped seconds hand.  The CX Swiss Military Hurricane is available in four dial options – silver, black, arctic or the iconic resplendent  red of the RAF, shown above and is a limited edition of 200 pieces.

……..And now for something completely different…………..The second air combat inspired piece comes from the lesser-known Bathys Hawaii Watch Co. – the formidably titled Bathys Hawaii Bomb Timer.

The Bathys Hawaii Bomb Timer

The Bathys Hawaii Watch Co. established in 2005 are known for creating robust dive watches and the Hawaii Bomb Timer  marks a departure in design for the brand.  Inspiration comes from the clocks found in the cockpits of the B17 and B29 bombers of World War II , these console-mounted dials were often removed when hostilites had ended and were taken home by air crew who would then attach a wriststrap thus making an unusual souvenir watch.   The piece measures 52mm x 35mm is constructed from stainless steel and is water resistant to 100m.  The Hawaii Bomb Timer is powered by a hand wound ETA 6948 Calibre with a power reserve of 48 hours and will be a limited edition of 200 pieces worldwide.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Longines release their Les Elégantes Collection for 2010.

Ladies watches have in recent times mirrored that of their more masculine counterparts, manufacturers have realised that women want the complications, the sporty styling, even the outsize “look-at-me” cuff shredding size synonymous with some men’s collections.  Throughout these evolutions the exquisitely crafted quintessentially quaint dress watch has firmly refused to go away.

Art Deco influenced almost everything – you and I see evidence of it almost everyday in the most mundane of items, from its rich sunburst designs to the bold shapes, forms and curves – influences gained partly from the beginnings of global travel when our planet was becoming a smaller place, a time when artists were taking influences from previously unseen Aztec, Egyptian and African designs.  In terms of the watch industry, manufacturers managed to shrink mechanical movements into the tiny confines of ladies wristwatch cases just at the perfect time to produce exquisite pieces ready to be showcased on newly exposed slim wrists in the “roaring twenties”.  Over at Ebel, Alice Blum’s eye for detail and design won the brand the Grand Prix in the category “High Jewellery Wristwatches” at the 1925 “Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoraties et Industries Modernes” in Paris, the event that would eventually give Art Deco its title.

Surely a time which should continue to be celebrated and one which Longines pay tribute to annually with their Les Elégantes Collection. For 2010 three models of ten pieces each, one rectangle yellow gold, one tonneau in rose gold, one almond shaped in white gold, all in the style of Art Deco and at the heart of each the Longines Calibre L805 mechanical movement.

Popularity: 7% [?]

There was a time, I am assured by older and more knowledgeable writers in our industry when a wristwatch would appear on a celebrity’s wrist purely because they loved the piece, rather than through some kind of sponsorship or financial arrangement.  Ebel the brand originally created by Eugene Blum and Alice Levy in 1911 was to become a leader in the use of high profile brand ambassadors.  Alas this was not to save the company from lean times, and it is also true to say that the design department at Ebel lost its way for many years.  Brand confidence did not return until Ephraim Grinberg of Movado led the design team to refocus on the classic sensuous lines of the Ebel ladies collections and to strengthen the somewhat neglected mens portfolio, of which the Classic Hexagon models form an integral and important part.

The Hexagon Classic Chronograph, the flagship model of the range, when released achieved much needed kudos within the industry, however if you require a less complicated and slightly smaller version of the curvy hexagon case shape this year’s new models might just fit the bill.

Ebel Classic Hexagon 41mm

The Classic Hexagon measures a unisex-aimed 41mm, is constructed from stainless steel and its refined styling is pure Ebel.  The movement is an ETA 2896 and the piece  is available in black or silver galvanic dial options.

Ebel Classic Hexagon 41mm

Hand applied hour markers and polished hands along with a hand applied Ebel logo add the desired touch of quality and the dial remains uncluttered apart from the fairly large date window at 3 o’clock.

Popularity: 14% [?]