Well, it’s patriotic if your national colors happen to be red, white, and/or blue. For those residents of other nations, you can simply view these as some great color additions to the existing lineup of their excellent Pilot 42 range.
Archimede’s flieger line first started to get some color back in 2007, when they released the Pilot 42 W (white dial), which was the first time they had a non-black Flieger dial (which is the traditional option) in the collection. Given how well that model did, they decided in 2012 to add a red dial (with date) to the mix. Of course, not everyone who’s looking for a pilot watch wants a date window (purists, those), so Archimede just launched a new variant of the 42 R without a date. It also has only the Archimede logo on the dial – no other lettering.
Along with this variation, they’ve also introduced the 42 B – a blue dial, which presents a very clean look, due to the dark hue and the sunburst pattern in the dial itself. But have not fears – they haven’t forgotten their original white model. With it’s date window and the printing of ‘AUTOMATIC’, it makes for a slight difference from the red and blue dials (aside from the color).
Frankly, if I was looking to pick one of these up, I’d have a hard time deciding. While blue is my favorite color (in general), the red dial presents a very bold look that we don’t see often with pilot watches. And then the white dial is just a great style, ready to pair with all manner of straps. Regardless of the dial you decide to go for, pricing is the same across the board. Pricing starts at 435 EUR for a steel case on strap, goes to 535 EUR for a PVD coating, and tops out at 565 EUR for a steel case and a bracelet.
Those are, of course, the base prices. As with other models that Archimede offers, there are a variety of upgrades available, with such things as a branded rotor, domed sapphire crystal, and caseback engraving available (among other choices). While a cynic might look at these as price grabs, I see it as a way of keeping the base model price lower, while allowing you to customize things a bit to your particular tastes (and budget). For more details, head on over to their site and plan out which one might grace your wrist. archimede-watches.com
