Watches

The Crate Club & NFW Watch Collaboration

A watch is a great way to finish off your look. Not only can watches be a lifesaver to those in the military, but they are a staple in a gentleman’s daily carry and wear. I own both the Auto Pilot and Valor from NFW and they are nothing short of rugged, dependable and bad-ass, which is why we chose them to collaborate with on the custom Crate Club watch.

NFW Watch Company is a small American owned and run business designing and producing quality timepieces. NFW is known for their support of the military and our veterans and gives a portion of each sale back to specific charities. For a list of their timepieces that give back, see their ‘Purpose Driven’ page.

Although you can read the specifications below, I would like to briefly cover a few of them and why we decided to go the direction we did. The 316L stainless steel case will stand up to day-to-day wear as well as other less than ideal conditions. The addition of the raised bezel ensures that the hardened mineral crystal remains unscathed during any activity or if it gets dropped.

With a water resistance of 100 meters, you’ll be able to wear this watch during swimming, snorkeling and other water-related activities. Under the hood is a rugged Citizen Precision Quartz movement that will withstand shock and abuse much better than other mechanical/automatic movements (primarily due to fewer moving parts) and will continue to run reliably for 10 years. Citizen movements are Japanese and seem to be very analogous to a Toyota truck: tough, reliable, well-designed & long-lasting.

We worked closely with NFW to ensure that the finished product would be one that we could stand behind for years to come. This watch is one that can be worn with everything from a t-shirt to a custom bespoke 3-piece suit.

Specifications:

CASE: The Crate Club watch uses NFW’s Valor case design (42mm), which is forged from the very best 316L surgical/marine-grade stainless steel. The bezel is raised in order to provide protection for the crystal when wearing the watch in active, rough situations.
WATER RESISTANCE: 100 Meters/330 Feet
CASEBACK: 316L stainless steel, screw-in, with customized engraved graphics.
CRYSTAL: Hardened mineral glass (heat-tempered to an optimal balance between scratch resistance & impact resistance). Anti-reflective coating on the underside of crystal.
LUME: Swiss SuperLuminova (multiple layers of C3), on the hour/minute hands and all hour markers.
MOVEMENT: Citizen precision quartz, with whopping 10-year continuous-run battery life
STRAP: Black Italian oiled leather, white contrast stitching, with reinforcing rivets at the strap stress area. Custom machined stainless steel buckle with NFW “lay-flat” design so the buckle maintains a low-profile on the wrist.
BONUS STRAP: Black ballistic nylon Nato strap included for when the watch is to be used in rough, wet, muddy, sweaty conditions. Also included is a steel strap changing tool.

Custom presentation box, genuine leather strap, nylon nato strap, strap changing tool.

If you missed getting this watch in our premium crate you have the opportunity to pick one up in our online store.

NFW Regulator: Captain America’s dive watch

“Submarine portholes, deep-sea dive helmets, race car gauges, adrenaline…. This is the inspiration behind the design of the NFW Regulator (named for the piece of scuba diving apparatus)”. This is the first thing you read when you pull up the NFW Regulator website. The design intent certainly came across in the aesthetic appeal of the finished product. The round, studded “porthole” looks like it would be right at home in any of the many ships I’ve spent time aboard, dating back to my childhood. The gauges look ripped straight from the dash of a gas-guzzling, steely thunderhorse. The looks are spot on, but is it useless bling or does the performance match the visual?

Let’s break down the stats before we get to my experience with the Regulator. As per NFW’s site:

Case: 44mm, forged 316L stainless steel, bead-blasted, Gunmetal Gray ionic plated
Water Resistance: 200 Meters / 660 Feet
Movement: Citizen Precision Quartz chronograph with quick-set date
Crystal: Hardened mineral crystal, anti-reflective coating on inside
Lume: C3 Green SuperLuminova
Dial: Circular brushed silver with silver subdials
Bracelet: Bead-blasted, Gunmetal Gray ionic plated stainless steel with double-locking deployment clasp
Bracelet Attachment: Screwbars, 10 times stronger than standard spring bars

Out of the gate, I want to admit: I usually love good dive watches. I started diving almost twenty years ago, and come from a family of divers with a ton of underwater experience ranging from recreational, commercial salvage and commercial dive fisheries (sea cucumbers). Spending time at one hundred feet below the surface of the Pacific ocean during an Alaskan winter is an experience both personally satisfying, and immensely strenuous on equipment. The tremendous pressure of the frigid water, the corrosive salt-water environment and the terrifically abrasive sand/silt/rocky bottom of the sea routinely combine to reduce expensive gear to tatters. A piece of equipment that can hold up there can hold up just about anywhere.

So when looking for tough gear, look for the extra layers of protection. Stainless steel is great at resisting corrosion, but when you add ionic plating (through which a thin surface layer of ultra-tough titanium nitride is added) ensures the case and bracelet are made to last. One small but noteworthy design feature I’ve seen on high-dollar watches lately is the addition of screwbars holding the bracelet to the case. Far stronger than the usual spring pins which I routinely break, and much easier to remove if you want to swap watch bands. Likewise, when the water resistance is overbuilt to a depth pressure far beyond a reasonable expectation, you can tell NFW is planning for success rather than praying to avoid failure. 660 feet underwater? At 200 feet of depth, you’re blowing through dive tanks and bottom time in a hurry.

One interesting design feature of the Regulator is it’s subjugation of the 60-second hand to the chronograph (stopwatch). The 60-second hand is one of the three small “race gauges” inset of the main face. The long red hand is for the chronograph, as are the other two inset gauges, the minute dial and hour dial. Hit the top right button and you start a mechanical 12-hour timer. Hit it again to stop. Hit the bottom right button and all the chronograph dials whirl back to top dead center. It’s easy to use and much easier to keep track of than a spinning bezel.

Given that I never rebuilt my dive gear after my final year of commercial cucumber diving, I’m not testing the NFW Regulator undersea (sadly). Instead, I’m opting for the next toughest test, one which combines extreme temperature with pressure. For those of you who have studied physics, you may remember that as water freezes, it expands. This is why ice floats (less dense than water), and why beers split if left in the freezer. For a watch, it means a serious test of the waterproofing as the ice slowly crushes into the watch, testing its seals.

After months of uneventful normal wear and usage, I set the freezer to 0°F and gave NFW’s Regulator the Captain America treatment. I tossed it into a ziploc bag, totally submerging the watch underwater. After four days of resting on the rocks, I pulled it out to check it. You can see in the video below, the second hand is still ticking away happily, and the time still matches up to my cell phone (which updates via GPS to the Atomic Clock in Boulder, CO). I tossed it back for more ice-time over Super Bowl weekend, then decided to give the Regulator the thaw. Check out the un-icing of the Regulator:

Runs like a champ. Comfortable. Avoids accidental button presses via a bent wrist (a la pushup position). Tough enough to take your abuse and keep precision time. After all the function, keeps stylish form as well. The NFW Regulator is a serious contender and still comes in at a reasonable $349. Check it out!

–Rex Nanorum

@Rexnanorum

NFW Operation Enduring Warrior AutoPilot: A watch with a story

The Operation Enduring Warrior watch by NFW is by far one of my favorite timepieces to wear. It’s not because of any fancy movements or materials used. The reason is the story behind it and what the watch symbolizes to me. To me, the term ‘Enduring Warrior’ signifies someone enduring the effects of combat and/or the struggles with leaving the military. Although I’m not a combat veteran, I had to endure the effects of seeing the death of those I served alongside during a training exercise gone bad.

I also chose to have both the watchcase and metal band distressed by the owner of NFW Watch Company. Although the ‘distressed’ look gives the watch a very unique look, it also symbolizes to me the struggles some veterans have when transitioning out of the military. We come out of the military a bit distressed, battle worn and a little rough around the edges. Wearing this watch gives me a daily reminder of where I came from as well as the struggles those are dealing with today. It keeps me in check and thankful for what I have.

What is Operation Enduring Warrior?

NFW is honored to join Operation Enduring Warrior, producing watches that raise funds and awareness for the outstanding work the organization does.

Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW) is a veteran-founded non‐profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to honor, empower, and motivate our nation’s wounded veterans through a physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation. Our program helps participants overcome adversity and hardship through innovation, teamwork, and perseverance.

The Timepiece of Cosmonauts: Fortis B42 Cosmonaut

To many, a watch is more than just something that tells you the time or the date. In many career fields having a watch on your wrist is almost a requirement more than it is a fashion accessory for men. Pilots, Doctors, Nurses, and a host of other professions rely on accurate timekeeping on a daily basis. Many times those watches receive a great deal of abuse in the form of knocks, bangs, scrapes, and in some instances, they are exposed to great torque and extreme temperatures. There is one profession where all of the hazards and conditions I listed above could be encountered by a single timepiece, and that profession is that of a Cosmonaut or Astronaut as our own National Aeronautics and Space Administration refers to the personnel lucky enough to be selected for manned space flight.

When you stop to think about the hazards, testing requirements and extreme climates that anyone involved with manned spaceflight has to endure it’s staggering. Any failure of equipment in an environment like space or in the international space station could have grave consequences. Every piece of equipment that is loaded into a rocket or shuttle to space is examined, prodded, beaten and tested to its limits, including a wristwatch. It’s a high standard to pass, so when I had a chance to pick up a Fortis B42 Cosmonaut Watch, the official watch of the Russian Space Federation ROSCOSMOS, I jumped at the chance.

WHY?

Am I a Cosmonaut ?, Nope, Am I ever going to experience the temperatures or conditions of outer space? Most likely not. I do however live in Alaska so I can promise being exposed to stupidly cold temperatures at times, that’s as close as I can get. If I am lucky I will won’t experience anything near the G-Forces that military pilots will experience either. So why would I want a timepiece that was designed to handle those conditions if I never expect to be in those conditions? We will get to that in a little bit, but first, let’s look at some of the specifics of this watch and the history of the Fortis Brand. We will also take a quick look at how this line of watches became the official timepiece of people lucky enough to earn the title Cosmonaut.

The Brand

Fortis was like many other fine watch manufacturers founded in Switzerland where it still resides today as one of the last privately owned watch companies. The company was founded in 1912 by Walter Vogt in the Swiss village of Grenchen and has over the last 100 plus years been an innovator in technology and style. In 1926 it was Fortis who released the Harwood Automatic, the first self-winding wristwatch to be made commercially available. In terms of horology, the release of that design turned the watch world on its ear. In 1943 Fortis again set the standard in technology when they released the Fortissimo, the worlds first line of waterproof watches.

After years of testing and design work with NASA and other agencies, Fortis was ready to step to the big stage and beat out several larger manufactures in a competition for the next generation of timepieces to be used in not only manned space flight but in orbit on the International Space Station. When the trials had ended Fortis, beat out the big names of the industry like Rolex and Omega and was deemed worthy to wear the title “Official Cosmonaut Watch”.

Emblem of Russian Space Federation ROSCOSMOS shown on watch back

Specifications:

Manufacturer: Fortis

Country of Manufacture: Switzerland

Movement Type: Swiss ETA 2836-2 Automatic

Case Diameter: 42mm

Water Resistance: 20 BAR (669 Feet)

Lug Width: 20 mm

Case Thickness: 15.5 mm

Strap Types:

Stainless Steel
Leather
Rubber

MSRP: $840 – $980 depending on band choice at www.watchbuys.com

Weight: 6.7 Oz with Stainless Steel band

Pros:

Stainless Steel Case
Automatic movement means no batteries
Can withstand the most severe elements
Classic look with
Affordable compared to its competition

Cons:

Price for some people
Lack of chronograph function
Large, thick heavy stainless steel case
Metal bracelet can be problematic to size and small easy to loose screws

Fortis logo seen on the stem. Lots of small details in this watch for sure

30 Days of Wearing, Thoughts and Impressions

I have been wearing this watch for just over 30 days on my wrist and I can tell you there are somethings I have come to like, and some I have come to dislike. The overall watch is a beast, it presents a large clear no-nonsense face to the wearer. This is nice but at the same time just sort of bland at times to be honest. I understand the target audience on this watch is not a guy who works in a government office so I take that into account. At almost 7 ounces of weight, the stainless steel case at times is nice and other times feels like you are wearing a wrist weight all day.

The 42mm case easily protects the Swiss-built ETA 2836-2 movement that is also found in many other watches made not only by Fortis but other makers such as Hamilton, Rado, Sinn, Ball & Tissot. The stainless steel comes it handy because you will most likely knock this watch into things on a daily basis. The case also features uses Fortis specific strap bars that are 20mm wide instead of the more universal and generic spring bars common on most wristwatches today.

The watch I have been wearing has the stainless steel bracelet style strap on it which adds to the overall weight. One thing to note on this is the, however, Fortis designed the bracelet they did it in a way that it doesn’t pull out wrist hairs. This is something to mention because to date I have only owned one watch that had a metal strap that didn’t constantly pull out my wrist hairs, and that was the Doxa Sub 1200, which costs nearly twice what the Fortis B-42 does.

Shortcomings

Any watch that gets close to the $1000 price range I tend to be more critical of the fit, finish, and presentation of the product. The Fortis B-42 left me with a sense that the company could have done better in some areas. The first area I think needs to be addressed is the previously mentioned stainless steel bracelet. While the strap is great at not pulling out hairs, the screws that hold the link together are prone to breakage and easily getting lost. It’s a shame Fortis doesn’t offer this watch with more strap options. I like the strap now that it’s sized but I will not be happy if I ever have to adjust it again.

The numbers and markings on the dial show up wonderfully clear in the daytime but at night the markings are hard to see even considering that Fortis touts its “Superluminova” technology. I noticed after a few days I could pick the markings up in a dark car but it’s still a chore to see them clearly and that is unfortunate. I have other analog watches that are at a much lower price point where the hands and numbers are easier to see in low light. Again Fortis missed the mark here.

Closing Thoughts

The Fortis B-42 Cosmonaut Watch is a large, well built and accurate timepiece that will take a beating for years and is able to withstand more abuse than it’s wearer. The company continues a tradition of handmade Swiss watches that goes back over a hundred years in the Grenchen region of Switzerland. That being said the Fortis B-42 is not a watch for everyone, and honestly, I was a bit let down by it after 30 days. I plan to keep the watch and put it into my watch rotation and use it when the mood hits, but to me this is not an everyday watch. The size and lack of features aren’t a problem for me personally, what bothers me is the thickness and weight of the case. When you add that to the sub-par lume on the dial it just sours the overall feeling of the watch.

The company also has in recent months suffered a financial setback and has asked the Swiss Government for bankruptcy protection for a specified time period. This is interesting because it’s an independent company and would most likely be primed for a buy out by the SWATCH group or another Swiss watchmaker. In a nutshell, the slight slip in attention to detail and quality control (the poor illuminating quality of the dial) coupled with the shaky financial status of the company, unfortunately, makes me not recommend this Fortis B-42 or any Fortis currently to our readers.

We sometimes get accused of being paid shills for the manufacturers of the gear we review, this has not and will not be the case here at Hurricane Group. This test watch was not provided by Fortis or one of their authorized retail outlets, it was purchased with my own money from an Authorized Distributor. One who I would like to add sent me replacement screws for the stainless steel bracelet when a set snapped off. That was a nice touch of customer service and the substandard review of this watch in no way reflects on the treatment I received from the Authorized Distributor.

We hope you enjoyed this honest look at the Fortis B-42 watch if you have a watch that has served you well over the years we would love to hear about it. Horology and higher end watches aren’t for everyone, just like a custom 1911 isn’t for everyone. But for those of us who enjoy, collect and choose to wear higher-end timepieces, I think it’s safe to say we enjoy hearing about other peoples watches and why we tend to gravitate towards one brand or another.

Omega announces reintroduction of the 321 movement used in Apollo moon landings

Earlier this week, Omega announced their Caliber 321 movement was is in production. The 321 movement most famously powered the various Speedmasters used in the Apollo missions, including the Speedmaster ST 105.012, the first watch worn on the moon. This announcement clearly wasn’t done on a whim as 2019 happens to be the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, the first manned moon landing in history. Omega had informed watch enthusiasts around the world that the new Caliber 321 was in secret production for the last two years and to stay tuned for more news in the upcoming months. You can read Omega’s entire press release below.

Having been used in all six of the manned moon landings, the Speedmaster was given the nickname, “The Moonwatch.”

If you ask most watch fans to name a famous movement they’d like to see reborn, you’re bound to hear them mention the OMEGA Calibre 321. This robust and elegant chronograph movement has been a favourite since the 1940s and is still highly sought-after by watch collectors around the world. Now, more than 50 years after the last Calibre 321 was produced, OMEGA is bringing the iconic movement back.

Known for its beautifully intricate design, the original Calibre 321 earned a notable place in history. It was used in a variety of models including the Speedmaster ST 105.003 (the model first tested and qualified by NASA and worn by astronaut Ed White during the first American spacewalk) and the Speedmaster ST 105.012 (the first watch worn on the moon).

Reintroducing a movement with such an important reputation must, therefore, be done with the utmost exactness. For the Calibre 321 project, OMEGA utilized a dedicated team of experts who worked efficiently over two years and in total secrecy to bring the movement to life. The small group was composed of researchers, developers and historians, as well as the finest craftsmen and experienced watchmakers.

Using the 2nd generation Calibre 321 as a reference, the OMEGA team compiled extensive historical research and original plans to reconstruct the movement as accurately as possible. Going even further, they also used digital scanning technology to see inside the true Speedmaster ST 105.003 timepiece that astronaut Eugene “Gene” Cernan wore on the moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

As a result, even the most unique and iconic parts of the Calibre 321 have been reborn in respect to their authentic specifications. The new movements will now go into production at OMEGA’s HQ site in Bienne. Uniquely, all aspects of creation will be undertaken within a dedicated Calibre 321 workshop. For each movement, the assembly, as well as the watch head and bracelet assembly will be performed by the same watchmaker. Watch fans can expect more developments and news in the coming months. – Omega

Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin wore the first watch on the moon as Neil Armstrong left his Speedmaster inside the lunar module to replace the malfunctioning in-cabin timer.

Stay tuned for Omega to unveil a new model soon, most likely a new Speedmaster to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Moonwatch.

All photos courtesy of Omega Watches and NASA.

NFW Watch Company FireFighter tribute watch

There’s no doubt that we firefighters love to represent who we are and what we do without looking tacky with the, “I fight what you fear”, BS. Oftentimes though, I find that gear made to showcase the fire service is either for full casual or straight work and usually cheaply made, until now. NFW is a company known for making high quality, rugged, and yet classy timepieces; and that’s not all. These guys don’t just stand behind their product. They stand in front of it. Their “Tribute” line of AutoPilot watches are dedicated to those that serve this country in multiple aspects, from law enforcement, military, and special forces, to firefighters; and to each of these facets, they give back $50 of each purchase to specific foundations or causes. More on that later.

I was honored to wear the Firefighter Tribute AutoPilot. This watch is full of class from start to finish. The quality that George Fox, the founder, puts into his watches is evident just by looking at something as simple as the case that holds them. The case was an oversized brushed aluminum box, with the watch secured inside and strapped to a “velvet” pillow. Along with the watch was an interchangeable Nato style band, and two hex head screwdrivers to take the guesswork out of installing it yourself. That’s foresight, and that’s just scratching the surface of NFW’s customer service!

Back to the watch: Personally, the first thing that I noticed when looking at it was the band. Rich, black leather with vibrant red stitching; straight, clean stitching at that. The bottom of the band is smooth and supple. This is a band that looks as if it were custom-made for a couple thousand dollar watch. The case of the watch is as black as dense smoke, not dull and matted, but also not shiny. Perfect. In the center of the watch, the famed Maltese Cross; an unmistakable representation of the firefighter. The cross and lettering within are chrome, but not in a loud way that takes over the piece. The face of the AutoPilot is black, with the hour and minute markers including the hands, appear white, and are painted with SuperLuminova, a highly luminescent coating that has been used on some of the most well-known watches. The lume glows greenish blue, which is a nice change from many of the watches that are on the market today. Honestly, everything on this watch just flows.

Picking up the watch, I was sure it would be uncomfortable with its square shape and rugged feel, and I was certain that the crown would dig into my wrist. Sorry, George. That’s the truth; but, I was wrong. I adjusted the band to fit my wrist and wore it around the kitchen before I had my morning cup of coffee. So far so good. It was comfortable. For now. The family and I got ready and headed out for the day and the AutoPilot came with me. Even on a sweltering hot day here in Florida, the watch remained comfortable, and a pleasure to wear. No sliding around, no leather sticking or crown digging into my wrist. Then I realized it, NFW put so much thought into this timepiece that they put the crown on the left side of the watch. If you’re wondering why that’s a big deal, then you probably haven’t had huge indentations left on your wrist before by the crown. The kind that leaves the little purple bruise and creates a sore spot. I love this! It’s easily one of my favorite design points that were employed by NFW on the AutoPilot.

Hesitantly, I brought the watch to work at the station and wore it. A piece like this is not something that I looked forward to beating up. But, I did it, and I don’t regret it. I’ve got to say, the ionic coating that NFW uses on their watches is superb. Call after call, and little dings here and there, the watch kept its integrity. I didn’t go trying to abuse it, nor did I go out of my way to see what type of abuse it could take. I just wore it. Is this something that I would wear to the station on a regular basis? Probably not. The AutoPilot is just way too nice. It is exactly the type of gear that I was talking about in the beginning of this article; something classy that I can wear out and tells a bit about who I am without screaming at people to look at me. There is no doubt that this watch is versatile enough to wear with a t-shirt and pair of jeans, and classy enough to finish the look of a nice suit. The AutoPilot will definitely be in my collection for years to come!

As mentioned above, NFW donates $50 from each purchase to specific causes, depending on which timepiece you buy. For instance, money from the Firefighter Tribute AutoPilot goes directly to the Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut to help victims with severe burn injuries.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a watch from a trusted company that not only overbuilds their product, but stands behind it and is driven by purpose, then look no further. NFW is the way to go.

Author – Tony Kuhn