The Swiss (with Russian roots) company Aviator has released a new line of watches – Douglas Dakota. The collection is dedicated to the military transport aircraft of the same name, which made its first flight in 1941, was widely used during the Second World War and, in several copies and in some countries, continues to serve to this day. The factory marking of this legendary "Douglas" was C-47, in the US Air Force its code designation was Skytrain, in the British Air Force it was Dakota.
The aircraft was created on the basis of the civil prototype Douglas DC-3. The portfolio of the Aviator watch brand includes a collection with the appropriate name, and the new family of watches has an even more vintage character - and, one can confidently say, even more “pilot-worthy”.
Mechanism, functionality
The Aviator Douglas Dakota watch is powered by the Swiss automatic Sellita caliber SW200-1, one of the most reliable workhorses in the global watch industry. The mechanism operates on 26 jewels, the balance makes 28 vibrations per hour, and the power reserve is 800 hours. Functionally, the mechanism is laconic: it counts hours, minutes and seconds. Note that this line uses a version of the caliber without a date display (it is present in the Aviator Douglas DC-38). The mechanism is equipped with the Incabloc shockproof system.
Chassis
The case of the Aviator Douglas Dakota watch is made of satin stainless steel with or without PVD coating. The massive bezel is one of the design features that defines the vintage style of the watch and clearly echoes the characteristic features of the brutal appearance of the Douglas aircraft. At the same time, ergonomics are also at their best: the grooved cone-shaped crown is convenient for operating it even with gloves, the strap mounting lugs are elegant and at the same time ensure a comfortable “fit” of the watch on the wrist.
The case is massive (diameter 45 mm) and quite water-resistant (up to 100 m). Sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating are installed on both sides of the case. Through the glass of the back cover, the working mechanism is clearly visible, as well as the imitation of the attitude indicator device that adorns the automatic winding rotor.
Clock face
The Aviator Douglas Dakota watch is available in several versions, differing, in particular, in the dial color - silver, khaki, black or gray. The font of the numbers is another reference to the style of the first half of the twentieth century, as is the peculiar shape of the hands. The latter, like the triangular and round hour markers, are treated with SuperLuminova.
In general, the dial is modeled after aircraft instruments, and the multi-level design, concentric grooves and circular satin finish give it a special elegance.
Strap
Aviator Douglas Dakota watch straps are made without stitching, in a minimalist design typical of the last years of the Art Deco era. The strap consists of three parts: a top made of fine grain leather, a contrasting color hard middle, and a soft leather lining. The color of the strap, depending on the version of the watch, is khaki, gray or brown.
Below is a table that will help you navigate the models of the Aviator Douglas Dakota collection. The release of all versions is limited.
| SKU | V.3.31.0.230.4 | V.3.31.7.229.4 | V.3.31.5.227.4 | V.3.31.0.227.4 | V.3.31.0.228.4 | V.3.31.5.228.4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVD coating | no | gray | black | no | no | black |
| Clock face | silver | gray | khaki | khaki | the black | the black |
| Strap | dark Grey | light gray | khaki | khaki | brown | brown |
