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Measuring in at 42mm wide, the stainless steel case on the Spitfire is appropriately sized for a pilot style watch. Taking the 13.6mm height into consideration, the watch is definitely on the larger side. The shape of the case is rather straightforward, but the unique finishing and design is where the Spitfire stands out. AVI-8 says that the case closely follows the curves and lines of the plane it’s modeled after, but I think that’s a bit of a stretch. That’s not to say that the watch’s shape isn’t well-designed. The 07 and 09 have a sandwich look to them at a wrist’s length away, but there isn’t a plate underneath, and it isn’t lumed. It’s more of a debossed or stamped effect. There is text on the knots gauge in the Spitfire plane with a similar appearance. The metal screws are also found on the gauge. It’s hard to remember the last time AVI-8 put out a piece with a flat dial. They are really big on textures and multiple levels. The markers on the spitfire are raised, and to add more depth, the half dial in the center has a sandwich style appearance for the 07 and 09 markers – more on this later. The screw heads at 6:00 and 3:00 are also applied and raised out of the dial with a subdued finish that reflects at certain angles. AVI-8 has announced their first new watch of 2020, a tribute to the Spitfire aircraft with an automatic movement. We’ve covered AVI-8 at length here at Worn & Wound, and their watches inhabit an interesting niche that’s worth exploring. Since their inception, AVI-8 has produced a series of watches that serve as tribute collectibles that honor important aircraft while simultaneously offering a contemporary spin on aviation watch design. They harness the idea of classic Flieger watches and add tons of color and explicit references to aviation history in the design of their timepieces, and this type of storytelling through their unique watches is one of the things that really set them apart. Let’s take a closer look at the new Spitfire Type 300 Automatic Edition.
As with all of the watches AVI-8 produces, the design of their latest model is influenced by aviation. The brand is pronounced aviate after all. This time, they went with the WWII era Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. Final thoughts: The more I spent time with this watch, the more I appreciated all its details. To get a good sense of the watch’s strengths and weaknesses, I decided to only wear this piece for a week, and I didn’t get tired of it.AVI-8 is presenting its Spitfire range of timepieces, with the first model titled the Spitfire Type 300 Automatic Edition – paying tribute to the prototype Supermarine developed in 1934. Inspired by the lines, form and design of the famed World War 2 era fighter, AVI-8 delivers a unique take on a stylish timepiece that draws from one of the most famous aircraft to have ever flown. As with other AVI-8 watches, the Spitfire Type 300 Automatic takes many design cues right from the famous fighter plane on which it is based. Some of those design cues are obvious (the winding rotor is cut in the shape of the Spitfire), and some are much more subtle (the shape of the crown is a reference to the nose of the propellor). The most important design element is likely the lines of the case itself, which are modeled after the shape of the plane, something that should be easily identifiable to anyone who has spent time studying the Spitfire. In practice, what that means for the watch is a quite elegant case shape, that appears would hug the natural curvature of most wrists with ease. Firing up a lumeshot on the Spitfire Type 300 is a real joy! Glowing double digits all around the dial is something pleasantly different. We keep seeing references to the side of the case being a similar shape to the plane’s wings from a bird’s eye view, but couldn’t see it.
Toss the Spitfire on a mil-strap, and you’ve got a completely different vibe. It gives the watch more of a military look. It’ll also work well with leather (admittedly, I don’t have any 22mm leather straps on hand) for a more classic aviation vibe. The green and yellow dial lend themselves to looking sharp with a variety of different colors, but my preference would lean towards a nice gray or khaki, or a perforated deep brown leather strap. Conclusion Arguably no battle was more important than the Battle of Britain, where side by side Hurricanes and Spitfires equipped with Rolls Royce Merlin engines helped successfully defend the skies over Great Britain in what was to be a crucial and pivotal stand against the Nazi Luftwaffe. AVI-8 Spitfire Type 300 Automatic Edition In designing a watch that takes its cues from the Spitfire, AVI-8 has looked at both the obvious and subtle details of its design and fabrication, purposefully injecting them into this timepiece. More details at AV-8 online store. Technical details Model: AVI-8 Spitfire Type 300 Automatic Edition, Reference AV-4073 The Spitfire ships on a stainless steel bracelet with Oyster style links. All of the earlier AVI-8 watches were on straps, so it’s really nice to see them developing decent bracelets. The endlinks slide right up against the case to create seamless consistency, nothing janky here. When buying this model from AVI-8 you’ll get a leather strap for an entirely different look, however, this may not be the case when purchasing from other retailers.AVI-8’s dials are always a great opportunity for the brand to get incredibly specific with references to the planes that are the inspiration for their timepieces. Naturally, the dial has an instrument like appearance, using gauges and readouts from vintage Spitfires as inspiration for the design. The hands have been designed with legibility in mind (fitting for any watch that has anything at all to do with aviation) and key dial elements are covered in yellow lume (or white, depending on the dial variant chosen), providing an appropriate vintage aesthetic for a watch of this type. If you’re searching for a gift for a young enthusiast or to introduce someone to this hobby, I think you should consider the Smith Automatic. The 82XX series of movements have an indirect sweep seconds design that sometimes causes hesitating seconds. This occurs on many watches, but the small seconds subdial on the Spitfire will make this phenomenon much less noticeable. This tidy, elegant fighter was a national hero and a pillar of the Royal Air Force. Its cutting edge design and superior specification gave it a fighting edge in the air against enemy aircraft during World War 2. Throughout the chapters of the air effort, pilots of the RAF skillfully moved the ever-impressive Spitfire from one battle to another.
The bracelet finish is also satin brushed and looks like any undesirable desk diving swirlies would be easy to clean up. The best way is to use a polishing machine with a satin wheel, but you could always hit it up with a Scotch-Brite pad if needed! The Type 300 employs a custom modified Japanese made, 21 Jewel movement based on the robustly reliable Miyota 8 series. The rotor is shaped after the silhouette of the Spitfire as an ever spinning reminder of the plane that has inspired the watch.The crystal is sapphire, with an anti-reflective coating. I’d want this type of watch at this type of price to feature this, so it’s great to see they haven’t cut corners. The anti-reflective coating is very effective at reducing reflections, helping to make this arguably the most legible wristwatch I’ve reviewed on this blog, even in direct sunlight. Upon close examination, the dial has a lot going on, but it’s a breeze to read on the wrist. As with any proper pilot watch, legibility is key. The crown side of the case features a carved design that represents the silhouette of the Spitfire wingspan. Looking at the watch from this angle, the crown is meant to be the propeller of the plane and the two lines are the wings. feet water resistance is screen printed at the top of the dial in an appealing vintage layout. Note that the crown is push-pull style, so don’t put too much weight on the rating.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a watch with the word Spitfire in the name, but it’s the first time we’ve seen one with a dial inspired largely by the knots gauge of the namesake plane. AVI-8 didn’t miss a mark on this design and even made the minute hand look like the needle of the gauges. The slim fixed bezel makes the 42mm diameter almost all dial, adding to the legibility and field of view.
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