Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree Watch Review
The Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree is a skeleton watch, featuring the legendary Unitas 6498-1 and offered at a very agreeable price. Angus Davies reviews this sublime timepiece from the picturesque Canton of Jura.
Aerowatch
While touring the countryside of Switzerland, one is struck by its incredible beauty. Bright green, verdant fields sit adjacent to dark green forests. Many of these forests are populated with slender coniferous trees, eagerly reaching upwards towards pale blue skies. Few landscapes can surpass the allure of Switzerland’s beautiful countryside.
However, for an English tourist, there is a problem with holidaying in Switzerland. Owing to the lamentable state of the British pound, virtually everything in this landlocked country proves expensive. Visiting a modest hostelry and ordering a pizza and bottle of beer may leave the unwary tourist bereft of funds.
Surprisingly, Aerowatch, a family-owned Swiss watch company, clearly understands the notion of value, offering impressive watches at accessible prices. While attending Baselworld 2018, I visited the company’s exhibition stand and tried on an interesting timepiece, the Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree. This hand-wound skeletonised watch features some exquisite details while costing a mere CHF 2,650.
Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree dial
The skeletonised dial reveals a plethora of components, typically hidden from view. The wearer is able to view the black, open-worked hour and minute wheels. The spring barrel, sans cover, reveals the mainspring and discloses its state of wind. The crown wheel and castle wheel are readily visible, allowing a curious observer to see them rotate when turning the crown. Again, Aerowatch has elected to reveal as many parts as possible by skeletonising the cover plate next to the castle wheel.
Two fir tree-shaped bridge sections doff their hat to the country’s indigenous trees. The fir tree at 8 o’clock features an Incabloc and adjacent, the balance wheel, pallet lever and escape wheel are clearly visible. Each skeletonised bridge is beautifully grained.
A further depiction of a fir tree is located at 12 o’clock. Slender spokes span the movement. A key requirement of making a ‘squelette’ is to ensure the removal of material does not compromise the necessary rigidity required to ensure reliable operation. Clearly, Aerowatch has surmounted this challenge.
While skeleton watches often prove attractive, they can prove challenging to read. The exposed components can make the dial appear ‘busy’, impairing lucidity. However, in this instance, I had no problem determining the hours and minutes, courtesy of the luminescent treatment on the hands and the clear indices on the outer flange. The small seconds display above 6 o’clock is less visible, owing to its lack of Super-Luminova. Nevertheless, this does little to mar the overall proclamation of time.
Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree case
The Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree is fitted with a Unitas 6498-1, a large movement measuring 16½ lignes. The scale of the movement has determined the size of the 43mm case, preventing it from being made smaller. Personally, I don’t feel the case is too large and suspect its proportions will prove acceptable to most wearers.
The bezel and case-back are highly polished, while the case-band is satin-brushed. This blend of finishes works well. The lugs do not protrude from the case too much, drawing the strap close to the wrist and conferring a comfortable fit. The crown is highly polished and eschews any branding on its vertical flank.
Aerowatch has imbued the case with a comparatively muted appearance that assumes a deferential role next to the intricate dial. This is a shrewd move as nothing is allowed to distract the wearer’s gaze from the allure of the open-worked vista.
Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree Unitas 6498-1
I am a huge admirer of the hand-wound Unitas 6498-1. Over the years it has been used in a myriad of watches. It is reliable and facilitates the addition of complications, such as a power-reserve indicator. Albeit, in this instance, the watch company from Saigenlégier has chosen to limit the inventory of functions to hours, minutes and seconds. In my opinion, this was a wise decision as additional complications would have cluttered the open-worked dial area.
Aerowatch has removed every bit of extraneous material to reveal as much of the going train as possible. The transmission wheel and ratchet wheel are skeletonised to allow sight of the surfaces below. Jewels and blued screws grace the spoke-like bridges. The balance wheel and index adjuster are freely shown. Indeed, the anatomy of the movement is presented in all of its naked glory. The slender spoke-like bridges are grained and stand testament to the company’s finishing skills.
Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree – closing thoughts
I found this watch fascinating. It offers much for comparatively little. Despite the disclosure of numerous movement components, nothing detracts from the declaration of hours and minutes.
Aerowatch has skilfully worked with the Unitas 6498-1 caliber to create a movement that provides a wonderful insight into the mechanical thought processes at play. The spoke-like sections of the main-plate confer a visual lightness and allow the wearer to see through the watch from front to back. Despite its modest pricing, the Swiss brand has employed some delightful details, such as embellishing the bridges with straight graining. I particularly like the coniferous design of the mainplate, it shares the beauteous appearance of a Swiss rural scene. However, unlike most things in Switzerland, the Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree is incredibly affordable, an aspect that should appeal to many of my compatriots.
Further information
Technical specification
- Model: Aerowatch Renaissance Fir Tree
- Case: stainless steel; diameter 43mm; sapphire crystal to front and case-back; water resistant to 5 atm (50 metres)
- Functions: hours; minutes; small seconds
- Movement: Unitas 6498-1; hand-wound movement; frequency 18,000 VpH (2.5Hz); 17 jewels
- Strap: Black leather strap with customised black PVD-coated folding clasp
- Price: CHF 2,650 (RRP as of 20.6.2018)