Montres-Militaire is a new and exciting watchmaker located in the region of Baar, Switzerland. The creative powerhouse behind the brand is the progressive thinking Markus Tschopp. With a career spanning nearly three decades he has become a prominent figure in the lucrative world of horology. Essentially this invaluable experience inspired him to team up with some close friends to design an exclusive range of watches.
Before Markus established Montres-Militaire he sold rare watches from many prestigious brands including Audemars Piguet, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Officine Panerai and Patek Philippe. Recently I have had many conversations with a key member of the marketing team to ascertain the company’s primary objectives. Ultimately their vision is to design a range of original high quality hand made watches. The result is the production of the sensational Officier De Marine.
When the watch arrived I was incredibly impressed by its size and general appearance. The Officier De Marine has an imposing diameter of 47mm and because of the chunky design appears even larger. I reckon this model will definitely appeal to fans of IWC and Panerai because of its sporty exterior. The timepiece sat comfortably on my wrist and there was no protrusion from the lugs. Principally this is down to the skillfully constructed case and use of lightweight materials. Even though this is a substantial timepiece I would personally be happy to wear the watch on a daily basis. I can clearly picture this amazing watch sported with jeans and a smart shirt.
Over the last few months I have tried on a few bronze watches but this is the first one I have reviewed. To achieve the tone they wanted Montres-Militaire extensively researched the market. The result is a unique formula of alloys of copper and tin. I absolutely love this material and the way it develops a wonderful and distinctive patina over a period of time. Apparently the construction of the case involved a process of 60 complex operations. The brown dial is uncluttered and perfectly highlights the large Arabic numerals. Other successful elements include the open worked hands, dodecagon shape (12 sided) bezel and oversized crown.
To achieve the level of perfection the company ensured every aspect of this watch was deliberated over. This includes securing the most effective and reliable movement to power the watch. Finally they settled on the trustworthy ETA Unitas 6497. This mechanical hand wound movement comprises 17 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 (2,5 Hz) vibrations per hour. The Officier De Marine features hours, minutes, small seconds and a power reserve of 46 hours. It is also pertinent to mention the timepiece is water resistant to a depth of 100 metres.
The Officier De Marine has a fantastic sharkskin strap with large bronze buckle. There is also an additional interchangeable strap and screwdriver. The suggested retail price is: €1860 (approximately $2510).
http://www.montres-militaire.com
