At Oracle Time we happen to be a little bias when it comes to sand dune themed watches following our sell-out collaboration with Christopher Ward. However, the Aera M-1 Dune manages to take a similar concept and execute on it in a completely different way that feels fresh and interesting. Specifically, it pays tribute to the military service vehicles used by the SAS in desert environments.
In particular, the 72 pink Land Rovers that saw service from 1968-1984 and which became affectionately known as the ‘Pink Panthers’. The dusty pink colour was believed to offer the best camouflage in the dunes of the Persian Gulf during the rosy hours of dawn and dusk, the most active time for operations. So, the choice of pink was very much a military decision rather than a farcical one, plus it’s believed to have been generally effective. A niche bit of British military history that Aera are commemorating with a dial in the same shade of dusty pink.
It’s actually a really nice colour, sitting in a space part way between candy pink, pale orange and copper. It is in effect a true salmon tone and it looks great. The dial itself retains the signature M-1 dished shape with small seconds at 6 o’clock and applied numerals in Super-LumiNova. It’s a classic field watch style display, clean with no nonsense. Though admittedly the tone-on-tone display is not quite so traditionally legible as the normal black and white displays of military watches, but I think that can be forgiven as a thematic side effect of having a dial inspired by camo. Which is something we have a lot of experience with thanks to the Ball Dazzle.
The 39mm x 13.14mm case is made from 904L stainless steel, a more corrosion resistant alloy than the typical 316L steel used in watchmaking. It makes sense for a field watch where the timepiece is expected to be exposed to harsh conditions more regularly, protecting the longevity of the piece. In terms of shape, it has smooth, round design that is purpose built to allow sharp objects and detritus to be deflected off of the watch rather than dig into and damage it.
Protected by that case is the Sellita SW216-1 automatic elaboré movement with manual winding and a 42-hour power reserve. The term elaboré refers to the movement’s grade, as Sellita often produce the same movement in up to four different grades, with each grade being more rigorously tested and regulated for improved accuracy than the last. It starts at standard, then elaboré, then premium and lastly chronometer. An elaboré movement is adjusted in three positions with an accuracy in the region of between +/-7 seconds per day to +/-20 seconds per day.
The Aera M-1 Dune is a limited edition of 300 pieces at a price of £1,600. It’s not often that you can describe a military style watch as balancing creativity and colour but that’s what the M-1 Dune is. It remains loyal to its serious roots and inspiration while being a colour we would traditionally associate with casual, sunny day activities. The idea of a pink military watch sounds far-fetched, but it simply works.
Price and Specs:
More details at Aera.
