On October 1st last year (2013) Azimuth unveiled seven customised SP-1 Landship watches at Krasnaya, The Watch Art Gallery in Singapore. The timepieces called the Battle Tank Collection are hand painted in enamels by a local artist. Essentially the artist has applied techniques normally found in model making. The result is a brilliant and unusual watch unlike anything I have seen before. Every timepiece has it own unique characteristics, which should appeal to collectors. Recently I was privileged to wear an Israeli Tank version so I can appreciate the level of craftsmanship involved. It also felt very comfortable and lightweight on the wrist, although not massively practical to wear on a daily basis.
Over the last few months I have had many conversations with Alvin Lye. As one of the owner/founders of the company he is instrumental in many of the watch design concepts. Fundamentally what the brand are striving to achieve is a range of Avant-Garde timepieces marketed at reasonably affordable prices. Normally these type of designs would be reserved for luxury brands like MB & F, Urwerk and Vianney Halter. For that reason Azimuth has carved its own special niche in the market place.
Recently Alvin Lye informed me of a new and exciting model (from the SP-1 Spaceship collection) called the SP-1 Spaceship Predator. This timepiece has a diameter of 45mm and feels significantly smaller than the SP-1 Landship. Generally I found that it sat comfortably on my wrist without any friction from the lugs or crown. Primarily this is down to the innovative case design and use of stainless steel in production. Normally I prefer materials like titanium or carbon but in this instance steel suits the style of watch. I also feel this timepiece doesn’t need to be any lighter than it already is to make it a practical option for daily usage.
Currently there are five other attractive models available in the SP-1 Spaceship collection. The Predator is the first watch in the series to have an open worked dial, which gives it a multi-layered appearance. It also showcases the intricate mechanical movement to its full potential. I love the three-dimensional titanium minute hand and rotating jumping hour disc. Other features include a large sculpted crown (positioned at the top of the watch) and dome sapphire crystal glass. Overall the composition is highly effective and the finishing superlative.
Beneath the futuristic façade Azimuth have equipped the timepiece with a Caliber AZM 768. This manual winding movement comprises 17-jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. The mechanism has been skillfully engraved with Côtes de Genève decoration and is visible through the sapphire crystal case back. Functionally the SP-1 Spaceship Predator features mystery jumping hours, minutes and is water resistant to 30 metres.
The wonderful SP-1 Spaceship Predator has a black alligator strap with folding deployment clasp. Priced at: CHF 6,250 (approximately $7,039).
For more information visit the company’s website: http://www.azimuthwatch.com
