Fortis Flieger F-43 Bicompax Chronograph Is A Blueprint For The Future
It’s the 13th of the month. You know what that means, right? That means it’s Fortis day. And to celebrate this, the very first Fortis day, we bring you news of the Fortis Flieger F-43 Bicompax chronograph.
I was lucky enough to see the upcoming models from Fortis what seems like a lifetime ago at the Inhorgenta fair in Munich back in February. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to suppress my excitement. I love color. I really can’t get enough of brands trying something new and fully committing to it in the design. What we have here is a great example of that. The size of this piece (especially on the wrist) would be enough to make a statement without the creative use of color, but the vivid Berlac Fluor Orange and raised luminous green sections combine to create something truly arresting.
A long history
This Flieger has its roots in the Fortis model from 1987. Back then, the range was all business. Strong, reliable pilot’s watches designed to be used by aviation professionals above the clouds. Today’s interpretation is a little different. Fortis even goes so far as to state “This is not a pilot’s watch” in the recently released press material. And while it is still a highly functional and impressively legible watch, I think I understand what the brand means by it.
This is not a pilot’s watch. It is something much more. It is a new cornerstone, a benchmark, the first of many exciting timepieces to come. Whether this model or any like it that follow become icons of the brand is unclear, but I think that is very much what is intended here.
Overdue respect
The Fortis brand rarely gets the respect it deserves. With such a long and important history behind it, that is a shame. Prior to the current owner Jupp Philipp’s acquisition of the company, Fortis had experienced some rocky times. Philipp’s attitude has always been to keep things simple and to keep the core identity of the brand front and center in everything it does.
The new Flieger F-43 Bicompax is, fundamentally, a very straightforward watch. It is made much more interesting by its decoration and, most importantly, its execution. Having big ideas is one thing; realizing them to this level of quality is quite another.
The hulking 43mm case of the Flieger assures water-resistant to 200 meters in case you unexpectedly splashdown. The sapphire crystal, which is double-coated with anti-reflective material on both sides is surrounded by an interesting concave bezel. Recessed sub-dials and a raised minute track (or Brixtrack as Fortis styles it) add depth to a dial which boasts four distinct levels. The “Brix” hour markers pop against the balanced use of that blazingly bright Berlac Fluor Orange used on the seconds hand, the date wheel (amazing touch), and the two five-second lines either side of 12 o’clock.
What are those lines for?
Interestingly, those two orange lines either side of the triangular 12 o’clock marker actually have a practical application. They can be used by pilot squadrons to coordinate with their teammates and synchronize essential movements.
Behind the dial is a self-winding movement with 27 jewels and a 48-hour power reserve. The centrally-mounted bright orange seconds hand works in conjunction with the 30-minute register at 3 o’clock, while the going seconds can be found across the dial at 9. The quick-set date at 6 o’clock is easily my favorite feature of this entire watch thanks to the continued use of the Berlac orange paint on a black background. It looks simply sublime (perhaps because it is sublimely simple). I am excited to see what comes next from Fortis now the brand is very firmly on the right (Brix) track… Learn more about the brand here.
