AVI-8’s latest aviation-inspired watch gets its name and design influence from the P-51 Mustang of the US Air Force.
A long-range, single-seat fighter famously finished in chrome with a colourful nose and tail, the P-51 Mustang entered service with the US Air Force in 1944 and was used to escort larger bombers as they flew on missions between England and Germany.
Twilight Tear was the name given to a P-51 that was delivered in 1945 to the 78th Fighter Group, 83rd Squadron at Duxford, England. It was assigned to lt. Hubert ‘Bill’ Davis and named after his favourite racehorse. The aircraft features a chrome body with a chequered black and white nose.
AVI-8’s latest timepiece gets its name and design influence from the Twilight Tear. Limited to 200 examples, the watch is available in three colourways with matching dials and leather straps finished in black, red and blue. Each example features a piece of metal taken from the fuselage of the actual Twilight Tear aircraft and fitted to the case back.
All three have a 43mm stainless steel case and feature a chequered ring around the outer circumference of their dial as a nod to the aircraft’s nose, while the fighter’s tail number of 463864 is featured at the two and three o’clock position. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating and the chequered pattern as well as the dials and numerals glow at night.
There’s a date window and a fully guarded pull-out crown at three o’clock, as well as a second counter stamped into the watch’s black bezel. The watch is powered by a Japanese automatic movement with 24 jewels, visible through a small exhibition window on the case back, and is water resistant to 5 ATM (50 metres). All three watches come with an additional 22 mm velcro nylon strap, also in red, black or blue depending on the buyer’s preference.
The watch is priced at £305 in the UK and $305 in the US. AVI-8 says five percent of net sales will be given to the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Minnesota.
