The Nº 1988 Phantom [Eagle] Automatic

Description

Classic Tool Watch

The ‘Final Countdown’ Collection

We are proud to present our ninth collection – the ‘Final Countdown’ classic tool watch.

Inspired from iconic 1980s tactical hardware, the ‘Final Countdown’ collection introduces the aggressive aesthetic to our growing collection of timepieces that so far includes examples of aviation, racing & diving stories to name a few!

We have taken every essential aspect from 10 legendary designs & modernised them from top-to-bottom within our own expertly engineered unique components.

The ‘Final Countdown’ watch chapter is an automatic & hand-wound mechanical wristwatch collection with a quick date setting, unidirectional rotating bezel & exhibition back. Each stainless steel watch head measures 44mm diameter [excluding crown] × 49mm length [lug-to-lug] × 13.4mm depth [excluding lugs] & is tested to 10 ATM [100m / 328ft] water resistance.

The watch head utilises a beautiful combination of meticulously polished & carefully brushed surfaces. This has been elevated further with the use of highly polished silver-tone numerals on a matt black, ion plated, unidirectional rotating bezel. The robust crown features a bold, deep red anodised finish, consistent with all of our earlier editions.

The screw down exhibition back, printed with the WT Author mark & uniquely allocated serial number, gives the wearer uninterrupted access to view the inner workings of the intricate mechanical movement. The bespoke watch head is finished with a black matt fluoroelastomer [FKM] band with a silver-tone brushed stainless steel branded buckle.

Every watch is built to order with British and imported parts in our UK workshop located in Shropshire. It is guaranteed against any defects in material or workmanship that may occur under normal use for a period of 24 months from the date of purchase. Learn more.

Classic Tool Watch

The Nº 1988 Phantom [Eagle]

The Nº 1988 Phantom Variant [Eagle] references markings from instrument panels found on tactical jet aircraft. The first production of the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft was made in 1988.

It features turquoise & Super-LumiNova dial details contrasting against a dark grey dial, & a vivid yellow hazard chevron minute track. The variant is finished with an ion plated gunmetal, matt stainless steel head plate.

Classic Tool Watch

The Mechanical Movement

In 1959, Citizen Watch established a movement manufacturing factory in the town of Miyota, Japan.

The Miyota caliber Nº 9015 is both an automatic & hand wound mechanical 24 jewel movement, assembled using only parts manufactured at Japanese plants. It is produced in-house by high-speed automatic assembly lines & undergoes strict quality checks.

The balance wheel is produced by human hands. Adjusting the eccentricity & horizontality of the balance spring is the most difficult procedure & cannot be expressed in numerical form by machinery.

The movement is precise & durable with high impact resistance. It is valued for its craftsmanship, artistry & beauty; all major parts are made of metal to enhance colour
& texture. We trust Citizen due to the high quality & stable supply that our products require.

Classic Tool Watch

The Stainless Steel Head

The type 316L stainless steel watch head securely houses the intricacies of the delicately assembled mechanical movement, displaying its complexity through the uninterrupted rear lens.

It has been designed to fit perfectly on the wrist within a robust & solid watch head that has been assembled to be put through its paces.

The result is a timepiece with a 44mm diameter [excluding crown], a length of 49mm [lug-to-lug], contained within a depth of 13.4mm [excluding lugs] & a lug width of 22mm.

Classic Tool Watch

The Unidirectional Bezel

The bold unidirectional rotating bezel offers quick functionality through substantial grip areas on the edge of the component.

The high contrast aesthetic presented through the ion plated, black surface & silver-tone markers is enhanced further by a strong combination of matt & highly polished finishes. The unidirectional ratcheting mechanism stops any accidental movement to the bezel thus avoiding any chance of less time being recorded.

Classic Tool Watch

The Screw Down Case Back

The intricately machined screw down exhibition back includes deep, tooled recesses to reflect our established signature “poker chip” aesthetic influenced by our earlier editions.

The component includes a robust gasket to create a powerful seal that ensures water resistance tested to 100m / 10 ATM. The exhibition back is fitted with a lens to ensure the watch retains its maximum water resistance whilst offering an uninterrupted presentation of the mechanical movement’s inner workings. The stable construction with precisely defined architecture has been designed & machined to be as beautiful as every other component on the watch. The rear lens is finished with our intricately printed mark & serial code to indicate its allotted number in the limited edition collection.

Classic Tool Watch

The Screw Down Crown

The custom-machined, anodised crown enhances the water resistance.

To defend the component from accidental knocks or other interactions, it is housed within a substantial crown guard tooled directly into the watch head plate. The crown
is deliberately placed at the 4 o’clock position with lugs that fall tightly to the watch head, avoiding any discomfort to your wrist.

Classic Tool Watch

The Solid Sapphire Crystal Lens

The solid sapphire crystal lens is constructed in extremely high temperatures & made up of crystalline aluminium oxide. Each item is precisely cut with diamond saws that are then grinded & polished into shape for the finished product.

It offers significantly more scratch resistance vs. traditional glass, plastic or acrylic crystal as well as being extremely strong & shatter resistant. The solid sapphire crystal lens has an identical hardness to natural sapphire.

Classic Tool Watch

The Signature Dial

The watch dials are where we can be the most expressive.

The ‘Final Countdown’ watch comes in 10 variants. Each one carries
a specific correlation of meticulously designed hour, minute & second indices. The result is a timepiece that’s rugged, reliable & legible.

Classic Tool Watch

The Expressive Hands

The highly distinctive minute, hour & second hands are substantially sized with a combination of brightly coloured gloss paint & Super-LumiNova coatings.

The bold forms have been designed to be easily read & visible against a dial if it is in total darkness.

Classic Tool Watch

The Functional Super-Luminova Details

Super-LumiNova is based on a non-toxic formula consisting of strontium aluminate.

This is one of several powerful luminous pigments available in the watch industry today. We have opted for a light green lume for the ‘Final Countdown’.

Classic Tool Watch

The Fluoroelastomer (FKM rubber) strap

Made from a custom high-performance fluoroelastomer [FKM rubber], the quick release ‘Final Countdown’ watch band is durable and strong, yet surprisingly soft.

The smooth, dense material drapes elegantly across your wrist and feels comfortable next to your skin.

Classic Tool Watch

The Sustainable Packaging

Our packaging has been engineered to be 100% reusable and recyclable, as well as providing a lightweight solution to reduce wasteful distribution. We endeavour to use recycled stock at every possible opportunity. The inherent beauty of this repurposed material is adorned by our own exclusive artwork.

Every watch comes accompanied by the following items:

• Signed and numbered sketch print (limited edition watch sketch print with signature and corresponding number to match the watch’s serial code).
• Signed and numbered watch blueprints (limited edition technical drafts with signature and corresponding number to match the watch’s serial code).
• Set of watch assembly photographs (capturing the ‘Final Countdown’ watch build process).
• Chapter 9 taken from The Book of WT Author (the ‘Final Countdowns’ story visualised within a beautifully formatted booklet).

Learn more about our environmental commitments here.