Sunday, March 31, 2013

The Flipper is back...

I was walking around at one of the malls here in Bangkok when I spotted this. 


I found it very interesting but did not know anything about it. Actually I saw this watch in a small article in a Japanese watch magazine. But I did not pay heed to it. After seeing the real thing, I got interested. This is what I found out. 

The watches is called Fortis Colours. You can see more about it here:


There is a video showing the watches in zero gravity during a parabolic flight experiment. Cool....

Anyway there are two sets available for the Fortis colours:

Reference 9.989


and reference 9.988


Photographs: Fortis

Evidently this is a reissue of the watches that Fortis issued in 1967 which became a cult watch known as the Flipper. 


Photograph: Fortis

The original Flipper watch was quartz powered and water resistant to 200M. The original became a cult watch as was seen on the wrist of such stars as Ron Wood (Rolling Stones), Leonard Bernstein and even James Bond... ok Roger Moore. 

Fast forward to 2012/2013. The Fortis Colour watch. The 10 colour set is priced at about USD 700 while the 3 colour (or lack off) is priced at about USD 300. I would go with the 10 colour set. I understand the Fortis Colour was release to celebrate Fortis 100th Anniversary. 

The Fortis Colour watch features a quartz movement (module) and is water resistant to 10 ATM (as opposed to 20 ATM of the Flipper). It is fitted with a mineral crystal and has the date complications. 

The Fortis Colour strap comes with a stainless steel deployment buckle and the strap is made of silicon. The straps comes with a 60 minute uni direction rotating bezel. 

The Fortis Colour features an easy change system. You simply push the watch module to release it. Choose the colour of the strap according to your mood or even coordinate it with your clothes, reinsert the module and you have a new watch. My main worry is the durability of the easy change system. 

I have to say that it is an interesting set or collection.....

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