From content partner JustLuxe iW Magazine
About twelve years ago, I walked into The Hourglass, a specialist watch store in Sydney, and it changed my perception of watches.
At this time, there was a new wave of high-end contemporary brands such as De Bethune, MB&F and Urwerk. These great brands push the boundaries of watchmaking with radical designs and unusual materials. Some of their pieces have a particularly futuristic look, with extremely complex mechanical movements.
Unfortunately, the problem for consumers is that these watches are (due to the price point) inaccessible to most people. This is where the Swiss/Singaporean brand Azimuth finds its place in the market. Finally, Azimuth has made Avant-Garde designs more affordable and a great example can be found in the newly released product. Land Cruiser.
Azimuth Land Cruiser
“The Land Cruiser exemplifies Azimuth’s long love affair between imagination and science fiction, intertwined with the realm of watchmaking,” said Azimuth co-founder Chris Long. It is a rugged seaplane with off-road capabilities, embarking on a top-secret military project to a newly formed planet 500 light years away.”
Certainly, looking at the brand’s DNA, this influence is evident in all of its designs. Previously, I wrote an article called Ode to Mr. Roboto, chronicles the development of this amazing timepiece, inspired by 1960s toy robots.
The Land Cruiser is another entity comprised of four years of rigorous research and development. Looking at the finished results, the ends justify the means.
land ship
In 2010, Azimuth launched the SP-1 Landship, its most ambitious watch. Inspired by World War I military tanks, the watch has large proportions and a 51mm x 44mm x 20mm titanium case. The brand then presented six hand-painted replica tank versions (of the SP-1 Landship) at Krasnaya, the Watch Art Gallery in Singapore.
Although today Land Cruiser resembles the original Landship but its overall design is much more complex.
For example, the satin-polished miniature case (the afterburner of a supersonic aircraft) has chiseled edges and a top-mounted crown, making the façade sleeker and more comfortable on the wrist. Time is displayed by domed wonder hour (noon) and through a retro-tilted minute aperture (6 o’clock position).
Powering the watch is a highly improved Swiss automatic movement supplied by Sellita. Caliber SW200-1 includes 26 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This exquisite Perlage-finished mechanism is displayed through a sapphire crystal exhibition-style window.
Rear view of Azimuth Land Cruiser.
Functionally, the Land Cruiser has adjustable hours (via a sapphire crystal dome) and retrograde minutes. The watch is also water resistant to 30 meters and has a power reserve of forty hours. To complete the picture, the Land Cruiser is equipped with a rubber strap with folding buckle and is housed in a special military ammunition case.
The Azimuth Land Cruiser is limited to 100 units worldwide and has a retail price of 6,800 CHF (about 7,750 USD).
Steve Huyton is an industrial designer, illustrator and published author Total design rating.
