2,300 Kickstarter backers worked together to build a watch inspired by cockpit designs and fused with diver tools for people with missions to tackle. Design and refinement began in 2015, and we started shipping in December. During development, G.Mok, MD CPT, MC, US ARMY, a military physican asked if we could work with him to create a custom bezel for fast pulse readings in the field. Among our backers, emergency medicine doctors also believed they would find this function helpful to be equipped with.
We selected the time-tested and proven A-11, a classification of original American designs based on a military spec for aviator wrist watches. Three manufacturers produced hundreds of thousands of these for Allied airmen who flew countless sorties against enemy targets. Although originally designed for flight navigation, the excellent design later trickled down to ground troops. The A-11 production standard used a hand wound 7 to 16 jewel movement. These had smooth sweep and hacking seconds. A plastic crystal covered the lumed hands. The case was 27mm dust and water resistant chromed nickel alloy/brass, in order to save stainless steel for other war purposes.
Manufacturers painted the dials black and used white numerals and markers for high contrast visibility. In addition, manufacturers were not allowed to mark the dial, thus giving the watch a clean logoless finish.
From the moment we first learned about the A-11 watches, we wanted to honor the legacy. So, we preserved all the original specs as a starting point, then upgraded the materials [titanium and sapphire], movement [24 jewel auto], standards [15ATM], and functions [rotating bezel, date].
Mok sent over an initial sketch for his design wish. In the meantime, EM physician, and COURG backer, H.Mell, MD had been on the search for a pulsometer and shared his thoughts.
And now we need your help and would like to hear more voices in the mix.
SpecificationsBase Variant: A-11 Material: Titanium, gr. TBD Crystal: Sapphire 2.6MM Lume: Hands/Dial Water Resist: 15ATM Movement: SII NH35A 24J Power Reserve: 41-hr Crown: Screw down Lugs: Drilled Shoulderless springbars Date: Black / No-date Lume: Dial & Hour/Minute hands: RDXb01, true blue Bezel & Second hand: C3, green Dimensions:39mm x 13.7mm Strap width: 20mm Strap: Black ballistic nylon mil-strap equipped with exclusive Redux titanium hardware. |
Second Hand Counterbalance: Yellow
Uni-Directional Rotating Bezel: Pulsometer, Base 15
Leather Strap: TBD