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| Joined: | Sat Jan 24th, 2009 |
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Is this a perfect Pilot watch? Maybe not, but it is very close, at least for me. This is a a watch from Wilson Watch Works. I actually got this from another forum member a week ago after he had it only for a few weeks. The watch had been too big for his wrist but fits just perfectly on my 8 1/4" wrist. It is not the usual looks as it is not the more common manual wound with the small second hand at 6 or 9 o'clock, using the 6497-6498 type movements. This is a lot less available due to the parts and movement that is New Old Stock and I guess available only in small quantities. I believe that only a handful of such models have been produced.
The specifications from Wilson Watch Works are:
Case: Milled from 316L solid stainless steel and brushed to a matte finish with a highly polished bezel and domed sapphire crystal. Threaded solid brushed case back with oversized German polished diamond crown. Factory pressure tested to 3ATM.
Dial: Black pilot applied with white indexes, black framed hand set applied with white C1 luminescent material.
Movement: Swiss made Fabriques D’ Horlogerie De Fontainemelon S.A. FHF ST96-4 movements. These movements are all NOS gold or nickel plated hand wind movements with a center sweep second and Incabloc shock protection.
To expand a bit from these specifications I have to say that the size of the case is 47 mm in diameter, the lugs are 22 mm wide. I believe that smaller cases are also available on the 42-43mm range.
This is a big watch, however not overly so. It is essentially the same size as the original NAV-B from Steinhart/Debaufre. I use to have one of these, the one with the manual wound Unitas 6497 movement. The size, quality of the case and the fit and finish are comparable and this is saying something as Debaufre is a really high quality watch. This flieger from Wilson Watch Works is every bit as good.
The crown is big and easy to grab, the winding action is super smooth and positive. The adjustment of the time is equally easy to do. Not that you need to do this often as this watch keeps time within 1-2 seconds per day. For the past 7 days it has been on my wrist, it has gained not even 10 seconds total time. Is this impressive? It is to me. This movement FHF is apparently several years old movement that has been cleaned up and oiled, adjusted etc. and so far it is an absolutely fantastic and flawless performer.
The sapphire crystal is a nice touch, it is slighlty domed but does not deform or magnify the view of the dial at all. Not sure if there is any sort of antireflective treatment but so far I have had zero problem in reading the very legible dial and hands combination even if there is a slight reflection of the light at times. The black of the dial is kind of matte and the white of the hour markers and the hands stand out easily to give the time at a glance. The hands are white luminous paint framed with black paint and on a quick look it seems that they are floating on the dial. One thing that I like is that the second hand is central and not smaller on the side or at the bottom of the dial. Of course this is a matter of individual taste, and I find it more likable to me this way.
The markers luminous paint is well applied and there is a certain amount of it, the lume is pretty normal in brightness, meaning this is no match for a Seiko Monster. However it is legible at all times and lasts through the night. The hands are slightly brighter then the markers as you can see in the photos.
The caseback is sterile and well made, The whole combination is well assembled and a great product. I find this a very solid watch, nice to touch, wonderful to wind, beatiful to look at, a pleasure to wear, easy to consult to know what time it is. What else can you desire? A good price? That's included. The watch favorably compare with other watches of the same type and quality. To me it is every bit as good as the Debaufre NAV-B that I had and the Archimede Pilot that I currently have.
I put on a Debaufre 22mm buffalo leather XL strap. Originally it came on a Leather Nato that is actually really nice quality but found that the Nato type straps tend ot lift the watch off the wrist even if so slightly, and I prefer when the watch literally "hugs" the wrist. As a matter of I prefer low profile watches that don't stick out like the Pisa Tower from the wrist as this make them prone to come in violent close encounter with walls, door frames, rough surfaces etc. that tend to leave their signature on the watch crystal or bezel.
I know that there are other pilot type watches talked about but unfortunately I never had the luck or chance to own one or even see one in the flesh. This Wilson Watch Works flieger is an impressive watch that not only is quality made, but is also very affordable. Not much else to say, other then this is a great package and while not a "branded" watch, it is a great deal. In fact if you want you can even get photos of the watch parts and some of the steps of the assembly. In fact you can choose your various parts and combination including case size, dial, markers color, finish of the case, etc. In short you can literally "make your own watch". Where else can you get that?
I hope I have been able to explain the reason for my beginning statement: there are no faults and there are no problems, in fact I cannot find any negative point on this watch. There seem to be just goodness, quality and functionality. If anything this watch has an air of vintage and true old style pilot timepiece, from the manual winding to the lack of date window, from the nice legible numbered to the to the large size, everything gives it a flair of good old watch.
Unfortunately my limited photographic skills don't allow me to show the full beauty of this watch but I hope that I gave at least a bit of a taste of it and I hope they are enough for you to enjoy.
