Z
Zach Weiss
Guest
Feed from Wornandwound.com .Borealis Watch Forum takes no responsibility for any of the content posted.
Tutima is a brand we’ve talked a little about here at worn&wound. We looked at the history of the brand here, and pined over the Grand Classic Chronograph UTC here. We’ve always liked the tool watch aspect of the line. While the brand is remaking itself and offering some more refined models in conjunction with their move back to their historic home of Glashütte in 2011, they haven’t forgotten their military roots.
The venerable German brand can trace those roots to 1927. During World War II, the brand made something of a name for itself when it was one of a handful of companies making flieger watches for the German Luftwaffe. Post-WW II, Tutima was subsumed into the Eastern Bloc’s watchmaking industry. However, the founder, Ernst Kurtz, had escaped to the west and started over in Saxony. Dieter Delecate, a former associate of Kurtz’s, eventually took over and led Tutima into the modern era, traversing the mine field of the quartz crisis as he did so.
Part of the secret to Tutima’s survival of the quartz inundation was to produce instrument watches which used Swiss movements. To that end, in 1983 Tutima won a contract to supply watches to the German Air Force. To fulfill the contract, the company began work on the NATO, using the legendary Lemania 5100 as the base caliber. The Tutima Military Chronograph, ref. 798, was launched two years later and formed the basis of Tutima’s Military line. Tutima continued to supply this watch to all NATO pilots for nearly 30 years. The commercial version was the Military NATO Chronograph, ref. 760-02. This watch and its variants were the modern era Tutima chronographs that made us such a fan of the brand.
The Military NATO Chronograph was available in various configurations: with and without rotating bezel, choice of hour or tachymeter markings on the inner bezel, with gold bezel and center bracelet links. One unique version was the Commando, which featured only one sub-dial, the 12-hour totalizer. This watch was initially offered to the public only in non-rotating bezel form. Later, as the Commando II, it became available with the rotating bezel (with either black dial or an interesting orange dial option) briefly in the mid to late 2000s.
The watch had a refined cushion-shaped case, a post-modern nod to the pure pillow shape chronographs from Omega, Heuer, Seiko, and others in the 1970s. The shape held up well for three decades, and frankly still looks great.
Tutima shut down its then-current lines in 2013 (after the Glashütte move) and announced four new lines at Baselworld that year. Production and moving issues being what they are, watches did not start flowing from the new facilities as early as everyone hoped. That’s now changed, and I was able to get my hands on a new M2 chronograph a few weeks ago and put it through its paces.
Tutima M2 Pioneer Review
Case: Titanium
Movement: Tutima 521 (modified Valjoux 7750 automatic)
Dial: Matte Black
Lume: Yes
Crystal: Flat Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Bracelet: Titanium with deployant clasp (Kevlar strap included in the kit)
Water Res.: 300M
Dimensions: 46.5 x 45.7mm
Thickness: 16mm
Crown: Screw-down
Thickness: 16mm
Bezel: Bidirectional partial knurled
First Impressions
The first thing you notice is the M2 is big. 46.5 x 45.7mm big. It’s made of titanium, which mitigates the size to a fair degree. Inside beats a modified Valjoux 7750 named the Tutima 521. It’s been made to duplicate the features and usability of the Lemania 5100, which Tutima used for decades in several variations of their NATO chronographs. (In the unlikely event you’re not familiar with the 5100, the overarching feature of that movement was the center chrono minutes totalizing hand, which made reading chrono minutes a breeze.) Indeed, the M2 is an update of the NATOs. Like we said, Tutima hasn’t forgotten its military roots.
However, there’s been a terrific price jump from the NATOS, which were in the realm of $5000. The M2 tips the cash register at $7900. This puts if firmly in the realm of “luxury tool watch,” similar territory to that occupied by the likes of Bremont, IWC, Omega, Bell & Ross, TAG-Heuer, etc. That’s a big shift for Tutima. It aims them at a demographic that’s very different from that of their previous line. Yes, the watch is the product of Glashütte R&D and manufacture, and fit & finish are top notch, but the watch buying public will ultimately decide whether or not it stands up against others in the price range.
But enough of horological economics. How does the watch perform? I wore the M2 – actually the variation called the M2 Pioneer – for a week on a western trout fishing trip a few weeks ago, and here’s what I discovered.
Case
The 46.5mm wide, 45.7mm long, 16mm thick case takes its design cues from the old NATO, cushion shaped and using profile-hugging rectangular chrono push pads. The M2 pushers received an update on the NATO design, now sporting knurled rubber pads. This improves traction if you’re in a wet situation and need to measure elapsed time. Pusher actuation is sure, with a satisfying click, as long as you’re applying pressure toward the crown end of either pusher. These flat pushers give the M2 a unique, symmetric design. In fact, they define the overall look of the watch. No cuff-snagging here. No snagging on anything, for that matter.
The post Tutima M2 Pioneer Review appeared first on worn&wound.
Continue reading...
Let us know your thoughts and impressions.
Tutima is a brand we’ve talked a little about here at worn&wound. We looked at the history of the brand here, and pined over the Grand Classic Chronograph UTC here. We’ve always liked the tool watch aspect of the line. While the brand is remaking itself and offering some more refined models in conjunction with their move back to their historic home of Glashütte in 2011, they haven’t forgotten their military roots.
The venerable German brand can trace those roots to 1927. During World War II, the brand made something of a name for itself when it was one of a handful of companies making flieger watches for the German Luftwaffe. Post-WW II, Tutima was subsumed into the Eastern Bloc’s watchmaking industry. However, the founder, Ernst Kurtz, had escaped to the west and started over in Saxony. Dieter Delecate, a former associate of Kurtz’s, eventually took over and led Tutima into the modern era, traversing the mine field of the quartz crisis as he did so.
Part of the secret to Tutima’s survival of the quartz inundation was to produce instrument watches which used Swiss movements. To that end, in 1983 Tutima won a contract to supply watches to the German Air Force. To fulfill the contract, the company began work on the NATO, using the legendary Lemania 5100 as the base caliber. The Tutima Military Chronograph, ref. 798, was launched two years later and formed the basis of Tutima’s Military line. Tutima continued to supply this watch to all NATO pilots for nearly 30 years. The commercial version was the Military NATO Chronograph, ref. 760-02. This watch and its variants were the modern era Tutima chronographs that made us such a fan of the brand.
The Military NATO Chronograph was available in various configurations: with and without rotating bezel, choice of hour or tachymeter markings on the inner bezel, with gold bezel and center bracelet links. One unique version was the Commando, which featured only one sub-dial, the 12-hour totalizer. This watch was initially offered to the public only in non-rotating bezel form. Later, as the Commando II, it became available with the rotating bezel (with either black dial or an interesting orange dial option) briefly in the mid to late 2000s.
The watch had a refined cushion-shaped case, a post-modern nod to the pure pillow shape chronographs from Omega, Heuer, Seiko, and others in the 1970s. The shape held up well for three decades, and frankly still looks great.
Tutima shut down its then-current lines in 2013 (after the Glashütte move) and announced four new lines at Baselworld that year. Production and moving issues being what they are, watches did not start flowing from the new facilities as early as everyone hoped. That’s now changed, and I was able to get my hands on a new M2 chronograph a few weeks ago and put it through its paces.
Tutima M2 Pioneer Review
Case: TitaniumMovement: Tutima 521 (modified Valjoux 7750 automatic)
Dial: Matte Black
Lume: Yes
Crystal: Flat Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Bracelet: Titanium with deployant clasp (Kevlar strap included in the kit)
Water Res.: 300M
Dimensions: 46.5 x 45.7mm
Thickness: 16mm
Crown: Screw-down
Thickness: 16mm
Bezel: Bidirectional partial knurled
First Impressions
The first thing you notice is the M2 is big. 46.5 x 45.7mm big. It’s made of titanium, which mitigates the size to a fair degree. Inside beats a modified Valjoux 7750 named the Tutima 521. It’s been made to duplicate the features and usability of the Lemania 5100, which Tutima used for decades in several variations of their NATO chronographs. (In the unlikely event you’re not familiar with the 5100, the overarching feature of that movement was the center chrono minutes totalizing hand, which made reading chrono minutes a breeze.) Indeed, the M2 is an update of the NATOs. Like we said, Tutima hasn’t forgotten its military roots.
However, there’s been a terrific price jump from the NATOS, which were in the realm of $5000. The M2 tips the cash register at $7900. This puts if firmly in the realm of “luxury tool watch,” similar territory to that occupied by the likes of Bremont, IWC, Omega, Bell & Ross, TAG-Heuer, etc. That’s a big shift for Tutima. It aims them at a demographic that’s very different from that of their previous line. Yes, the watch is the product of Glashütte R&D and manufacture, and fit & finish are top notch, but the watch buying public will ultimately decide whether or not it stands up against others in the price range.
But enough of horological economics. How does the watch perform? I wore the M2 – actually the variation called the M2 Pioneer – for a week on a western trout fishing trip a few weeks ago, and here’s what I discovered.
Case
The 46.5mm wide, 45.7mm long, 16mm thick case takes its design cues from the old NATO, cushion shaped and using profile-hugging rectangular chrono push pads. The M2 pushers received an update on the NATO design, now sporting knurled rubber pads. This improves traction if you’re in a wet situation and need to measure elapsed time. Pusher actuation is sure, with a satisfying click, as long as you’re applying pressure toward the crown end of either pusher. These flat pushers give the M2 a unique, symmetric design. In fact, they define the overall look of the watch. No cuff-snagging here. No snagging on anything, for that matter.
The post Tutima M2 Pioneer Review appeared first on worn&wound.
Continue reading...
Let us know your thoughts and impressions.