Tutima Flieger Friday Edition Wristshot
Social media has done a lot to impact buying choices, especially in the watch world. But now, it even influences watch collection names. Lovers of timepieces, especially aviation-inspired watches, are familiar with the hashtag #FliegerFriday, and regularly post images of their favorite pilot watches on that day of the week. Now, German watch brand Tutima unveils a limited edition Flieger Friday Chronograph that celebrates the brand’s nearly 80 years of experience creating pilot watches.
In fact, the brand unveiled its first Flieger Chronograph in 1941 and it was heralded for its easy readability and its reliability. It housed the first German two-pusher chronograph movement, caliber 59, that had been developed two years earlier in 1939 and that was the impetus for the Tutima Flieger collection. That 1941 version was crafted in nickel-plated brass with a screw-down case and had luminous hands and markers for easy reading in the cockpit and at night. The fluted rotating bezel with a reference marker enabled pilots to set precise times. The watch, built by the umbrella company UROFA-UFAG, was – and remains today in the vintage world – highly sought after.
A side-by-side picture of the Tutima 1941 Flieger and the Classic Flieger 783 chronographs, the predecessors of the Flieger Friday Chronograph.
The new Classic Flieger Friday Chronograph is inspired by the original and is a close reproduction in terms of style, design and mechanics. While Tutima released the Classic Flieger Chronograph series in the early 1990’s that was the first re-issue of the original 1941 watch, and that has continued to be produced over the decades, the Flieger Friday is the newest iteration.
Tutima Flieger Friday Chronograph Inside and Out
The 38.5mm satin-finished stainless steel case boasts an updated, modern movement, but it still offers a bi-directional fluted rotating bezel with red reference marker, large cathedral hands and numerals, and the same chronograph subsidiary dial placement on the main face. It also features bright green Super-LumiNova hands and numerals. It even features the Tutima logo in the same type font as the original. It is powered by a hand-wound ETA Valjoux Caliber 7760 that has been modified by Tutima to offer a modern interpretation of the original hand-wound Caliber 59.
Tutima Flieger Friday Edition retails for $3,450.
Modern features that offer top-notch functionality and readability, include a domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on it, and a sapphire crystal case back for viewing the movement and engravings. Created in a limited edition of just 25 pieces, the Flieger Friday Chronograph is water resistant to 100 meters and offers 48 hours of power reserve when fully wound. It is finished with a retro pilot style leather strap and each watch is individually numbered.
Because Tutima is conscious of its customers wallets, especially now, the watch – which is a striking interpretation of the original – the brand sets the price of the #FliegerFriday watch at $3,450. We expect they will fly out of stock at lightning speed.
Tutima Flieger Friday Chronograph has a great bright green luminescence.
(This article by Roberta Naas was first published on her Perfect Timing column on Forbes.com)
