The RAF are far more than just a wing of the military; they’re a badge of national pride. Since the Battle of Britain, they’ve been one of the most storied air forces in the entire world and are still regarded as one of the finest groups of pilots ever trained – and this year marks their 100th anniversary. A watchmaker was bound to get in on the aerial action.
That watchmaker however might not be who you expect. We know Christopher Ward from stupidly well-priced watches and complications en masse, not the kind of small-scale creations most of these commemorative pieces are. Even so, the C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition is well worth a look.
The watch is on the surface a very nice pilots’ watch. It has the kind of military style you’d expect with its all-black case and fabric strap, not to mention the clear legibility of the dial, ideal for reading at a glance thousands of feet up. The real story however isn’t obvious at a glance.
The C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition will be available in two strap variations (camel-coloured vintage oak leather and canvas webbing)
Apparently taking a leaf out of Bremont’s book, the TM-B Limited Edition incorporates aluminium from a wrecked Hurricane fighter plane. Not just any Hurricane either, though any instance of the WW2 fighter is a find, but one belonging to Flight Lieutenant Ray Holmes.
On 15th December 1940, he was part of a team that intercepted a massed bombing raid on London. After the German Dorniers were dealt with however, he spotted an outlier, one that they had missed. Out of ammo he did the one thing he could and rammed it. He survived, but his Hurricane was wrecked – the very same wreck that has now been included in Christopher Ward’s TM-B Limited Edition.
Flip the watch over and you can see it in all its historical glory. Thankfully you’ll be looking at more than just a piece of scrap metal, as Christopher Ward has laser engraved the chunk of Rolls Royce Merlin engine with a map of London complete with a red dot marking the Hurricane’s crash site.
At £2,495 the TM-B Limited Edition is on the high end for Christopher Ward, but when compared to other timepieces like it, is phenomenally well-priced. Not bad for a piece of aviation history, is it?
Pre-order for mid-October at: www.christopherward.co.uk
