The name Sopwith carries a hefty weight in British military history, supplying the navy, flying service and Royal Air Force with aircraft during World War One. I remember sinking hours upon hours of time on retro WWI flight sim games piloting the plucky Sopwith Camels against the German Air Service and the might of the Red Baron. Sadly, the Sopwith name quickly disappeared following the conclusion to the war. American based brand Sopwith Watch Company aim to shine new light on the history of WWI aviation across the world with their wristwatch collections that include pieces like the Aero Marquis Thomas-Morse Scout Limited Edition GMT.
Thomas-Morse Scout is the name of the plane flown by US fighter pilots during their training for WWI combat. A versatile and nimble craft ideal for preparing pilots for the rigours of early aerial combat. Importantly, the Sopwith Watch Company Aero Marquis Thomas-Morse Scout Limited Edition GMT does more than just take its name from the historic aircraft though: the 41mm case is made from the reforged pistons and valve guides of vintage Le Rhône 9c rotary engines that powered the planes.
The parts were sourced from a restoration project involving an original wartime engine at the Murrin Antique Aero in Pennsylvania. The parts being used in the watch were deemed unfit for use and beyond repair in that initial project. On the wristwatch front, the case is very classy with a smooth, round shape, clean lines and vertical edges. It’s still built to be a robust piece of equipment like the Thomas-Morse Scout, featuring a 200m water resistance rating that makes it the ideal adventure partner. It also features a titanium carbide PVD coating to improve its hardness and scratch resistance, protecting the historic metal.
Above the case sits a unidirectional rotating bezel in bronze with coin-edge grip. It features a compass scale (which has the technical name of an azimuth bezel), adding yet more adventure-ready utility. You can check out our guide on how to use your wristwatch as a compass here. The scale is also lumed for low light legibility and is protected by a sapphire insert for scratch resistance.
For the dial, the Aero Marquis Thomas-Morse Scout Limited Edition GMT has a sandwich style display. A sandwich dial features three layers with two discs interposed by a layer of lume, which is visible through the cutout hour markers in the top disc. That top disc is Emerald Green with a sunray brushed finish, inspired by the colour of the original Thomas-Morse Scouts. Other details include the American flag tri-bar at 6 o’clock and central, Mariner Blue hands.
Surrounding the main disc of the dial is a 24-hour chapter ring that in conjunction with the GMT hand allows the wearer to tell the time in a second time zone simultaneously. Ideal for pilots operating overseas to keep track of home time while on operation – either in civilian or military contexts. It’s a popular complication for pilot’s watches because of this reason so it’s inclusion here is thematically perfect.
Below the dial beats the heart of the watch, the Swiss-Made ETA Calibre 2893-A2 automatic with a 42-hour power reserve. It’s the élaboré grade of the movement, which means it’s slightly higher spec, adjusted in three positions with an improved accuracy of +/- 7 seconds per day. It’s a popular movement because its relatively easy repair due to the ubiquity of ETA calibres (any service centre worth their salt should be able to help you).
The Sopwith Watch Company Aero Marquis Thomas-Morse Scout Limited Edition GMT is limited to just 30 pieces and can never be reproduced because of the historic provenance of the metal case. Given the historic connection and rarity of the materials, it is also at the top end of their price range at $10,500 (approx. £7,820), available for pre-order now. What I like about Sopwith Watch Company is that it’s clear they’ve paid attention to the watchmaking fundamentals with the élaboré movement, well-constructed and robust case, and interesting dial on top of the headline historic material niche at the heart of the brand.
Price and Specs:
More details at Sopwith.
