Dial by fire

Are These The Most Durable Watches In The World?

From the deepest depths of the ocean to barren deserts, sometimes what you need is a watch that can withstand whatever life throws at it.

Are These The Most Durable Watches In The World?
The Tudor Pelagos FXD

Tudor’s latest addition, Pelagos FXD (above), is made in collaboration with a specialist unit of the French Navy. It features a set of unique specifications, such as fixed strap bars machined into the 42mm satin-brushed titanium case for increased robustness and reliability, as well as a 120-notch bidirectional bezel with a 60-minute retrograde graduation filled with luminescent material.

While this does not correspond to the ISO 6425:2018 standard of divers’ watches, it is necessary for underwater navigation, one of the specialities of combat swimmers. Other unique features include the special engravings on the caseback, interchangeable one-piece straps made in woven fabric and rubber and “snowflake” hands. It is powered by a robust manufacture Calibre MT5602 movement that features a 70-hour power reserve.

Zenith’s Defy Extreme Desert

The first special edition of Zenith’s Defy Extreme line is inspired by barren desert landscapes. Christened the Defy Extreme Desert, it is crafted from titanium and features tinted sapphire for the power reserve indicator, luminescent markers as well as a rubber strap in a sandy hue. Protecting the pushers and dodecagonal bezel is falcon’s eye, a blue-grey opaque macrocrystalline quartz gemstone named after the bird of prey that has accompanied desert nomads for centuries.

Used for the first time in such a complex case structure, it bestows the watch with a mesmerising and unique look — no two watches will look identical, thanks to the fibrous structures on each insert. The watch is powered by the El Primero 9004 automatic movement, which features a cam-actuated chronograph capable of measuring up to 1/100 of a second.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition IWC
x Hot Wheels Racing Works

Petrol heads rejoice. IWC’s latest ticker is a collaboration with legendary toymaker Hot Wheels. Inspired by the adrenaline-pumping world of motor racing, the IWC x Hot Wheels Racing Works collector’s set contains a special edition of IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph and the Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Racing Works Edition, presented in a special metal toolbox.

Limited to 50 pieces, the 43mm ticker is presented in a titanium case featuring an engraving of the Hot Wheels flame logo on its side at 9 o’clock. It comes complete with a racy chequered dial and a silver and black one-piece textile strap mimicking the colour scheme of the IWC Racing Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. This is the third collaboration between the two companies in two years.

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