Since June 2019 Australia has encountered some of the worst bush fires in its history. The main states that have been affected are New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It is estimated that the fires have affected 450 square miles of land and killed 1.25 billion animals. This type of devastation has attracted international media coverage and is a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. With temperatures exceeding 49 °C (120 °F) it is anticipated that this situation could get worse over the years. That is why the Australian government is making provisions for future needs.
The effects of global warming and reducing carbon emissions is a hot topic at the moment. Many luxury brands have been inspired by social cause including Swiss watchmaker Azimuth. A couple of weeks ago they sent me a very interesting press release unveiling their new ‘Back-In-Time ‘Earth Vision – Save The 1’ Limited Edition’ In fact, there are two models in this collection called the ‘Ocean Blue’ and ‘Rainforest’.
Approximately two and a half years ago (July 2017) I featured the original ‘Back-In-Time’ model, which has one central hand. Azimuth is constantly trying to push the boundaries and this is their interpretation of a contemporary dress watch. The 2020 model has many similarities to its predecessor but with a certain je ne sais quoi. For example, the case material has changed from stainless steel to Bronze. This means over time the watch will develop a beautiful patina. It also complements the new dials which are inspired by the rainforest and ocean.
A few years ago Azimuth shifted their operations to Switzerland and employed Giuseppe Picchi as a technical partner. Subsequently, the brand unveiled several new models like the Gran Turismo, Crazy Rider and Twin Turbo. They also reinterpreted classics like the King Casino, Mr Roboto and Predator with great success. The new ‘Back-In-Time ‘Earth Vision – Save The 1’ Limited Edition’ follows this same strategy. There are two distinct models with blue (‘Ocean Blue’) and green (‘Rainforest’) ripple textured dials. To achieve this effect involved a meticulous process of precision stamping (to create a guilloche wave-like pattern) and numerous fine layers of paint, which gives a graduation effect. Finally, several thin coats of varnish are applied before the numerals and brand logo are printed.
The 2020 versions also have two hands (hour/minutes) rather than central single hand in the first incarnation. However, they are powered by the same modified Swiss mechanical movement. For more information about Azimuth and these two limited watches follow this link
