Here is my review of my new Archimede pilot watch. I'll start off with the basics. Archimede is another brand of Ickler GmBh, more famous for the Limes brand of watches. They are both made in Germany with swiss movements. I ordered the 42mm pilot but there is a 39mm model available for those concerned about the size. The watch is a modern recreation of a WWII luftwaffe pilot's watch. I am told the originals were something like 52mm! The case is bead blasted but PVD is available as an option. I chose the traditional black dial but there is a white dial available as well. Furthermore I chose the black leather strap but brown leather and a stainless steel bracelet are also available. You are given a choice of two crowns as well and I went with the large diamond shaped pilots crown. The damage for this was $375 inclusive of all taxes, fees, shipping charges etc. etc. So simple every company should operate like that.
I ordered my watch through Archimede's website directly and paid via Paypal. I received a confirmation of my payment immediately and then received an e-mail the next day stating the watch was shipping via FedEx and I was given a tracking number. There was a minor shipping delay for customs reasons but it was quickly cleared up after an e-mail to Archimede.
I received my watch safe and secure in a simple box in a padded mailer envelope. No money wasted on fancy boxes that I never use anyway. (Except my Stowa box I use for travelling!)
When I first looked at the watch I was immediately impressed by the size of the dial. I have 42mm divers but this grabs your attention because there is no bezel it's all dial. The dial is so large and clear that even those with horrible eyesight can read it with no problem. The dial markers are simple, clear, and traditional for this watch. They are luminous and are painted on the dial. The hands are classic Fliegler (elongated diamonds) in shape. They are a glossy black outline in contrast to the matte black dial. The hour and minute hands are filled with white luminous material. The date window is in a good position between 4 and 5 o'clock because it doesn't interfere with any of the markings.
The case is beadblasted evenly and the finishing is excellent. The crown is unsigned, large, and easy to use. It's not "too large" but it does stand out. You must order your watch this way. The caseback is a screw in display back allowing you to see the undecorated ETA 2824 movement. The movement itself appears to have the incabloc shock system and leads me to believe it is one of the better grades of 2824 but I am no expert on this. I do see that the movement is in a metal spacer. I hate those plastic rings.
The lugs are 20mm wide they curve downward and are short. The lugs are probably one reason why this watch wears comfortably for a big watch. The one thing I think I would of preferred was 22mm lugs. I don't think the 20mm size detracts from the watch but I prefer a wider strap.
The strap itself is nice. It is much better than I anticipated. It has a great grainy texture, white stitching and is very comfortable. You don't feel the screws at all. The buckle is plain and unsigned with a beadblasted finish.
One thing that suprised me about this watch was the weight, or the lack of weight I should say. I know I am used to divers but this watch is very light. I assume because it is a pilot and is only 50 meters water resistant you don't need a thick crystal and a heavy duty case so that may explain why the watch is so light. It does make this watch very easy to wear.
A pleasant suprise I discovered first hand was something I've read in other forums about this watch and that is how loud it is. When I put my arm at certain angles I can easily hear my Archimede ticking away. It reminds me of one of the reasons I love mechanical watches. You can also hear the rotor if you move quickly but I prefer not to hear that noise.
In conclusion I am very impressed with this watch. I recommend it to anyone looking for a watch of this style. Here is the link to Archimede: http://www.archimede-uhren.de/US/Collection.htm
Here are a few quick pictures I hope to take some better ones when the weather around here improves.
Last edited on Wed Apr 18th, 2007 07:33 pm by JCKoLnturn
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