It might not seem it if you’ve had the displeasure of taking a Thameslink train recently, but the railway demands accuracy which, back in the golden age of American expansion mean timepieces. That’s where Ball made their name.
Today they’re a lot different, with tritium gas tubes and anti-shock systems getting them into the adventuring world more than the frontier. Still, there is still a hint of those early railway standard watches in there somewhere – especially in the Fireman Night Train III.
The night theme is pretty obvious; H3 gas is phenomenally bright and in the 61 tubes on the dial lights the watch up like Times Square – and just like the City that Never Sleeps, those lights never dim.
The case is a little more reserved for Ball than their chunkier pieces built to survive a nuclear apocalypse, hence railroad slant (that and the engraving on the caseback of course), and comes in 43mm, 40mm and a diminutive 31mm. Each is limited to 1,000 pieces, which is a good number for a limited edition – enough that it seems less than limited.
Inside, Ball use a simple, very reliable automatic ETA movement in all sizes, but thanks to their signature built-in protections is far more than the usual. In short, there’s a lot going for the Fireman Night Train.
If you’re thinking that you’d like to get in there early, you might like to hear that if you pre-order now there’s a nice discount. We wouldn’t normally suggest plumping for a watch that you can’t try on first but Ball have proven their worth over and again. You’re in good hands here.
The Fireman Night Train III is pure Ball: bright, cool and flawlessly-engineered. It balances both arms of their watchmaking spectrum, with all the signature flourishes of the Swiss / American brand. The bottom line? We’ll be submitting our preorders pretty soon.
Price & Specs:
- Model name: Ball Fireman Night Train III
- Dial/Case: 31mm x 10mm, 40mm x 11.3mm, and 43mm x 11.2mm, stainless steel
- Movement: ETA 2824-2 / ETA 2671
- Power reserve: 38h
- Water resistance: 100 meters
- Price & availability: £960 if you pre-order before 19 September 2018, retail price is £1,474.80 (limited to 1,000 pieces each)
More at: www.ballwatch.com
