Watches have been intertwined with the history of flight ever since Cartier came up with the first pilot watch for Alberto Santos-Dumont in the early 1900s. Pilot watches and timepieces inspired by planes have remained faithful companions ever since. Even concept designs reach into the world of aviation for inspiration. The Watch Bf 109 Limited Edition by Brazil’s Itamar Salles is such a concept timepiece. It is inspired by World War 2’s Messerschmitt Bf 109 (also known as the ME 109), one of the first modern fighters with an all-metal monocoque, a closed canopy and retractable landing gear.
The cockpit of the Bf109 provides the inspiration for the Watch Bf 109 Limited Edition. Just like the dials screwed into the fighter’s dashboard, the case of the watch features a round dial and four screws at the corners. The dial adopts the same stark design with bold numbers and limited markers to ensure easy readability. The hour and minute hands (presumably luminous to be seen at night) look like propeller blades.
The green hues of the Watch Bf 109 Limited Edition are inspired by the camouflage patterns.
There is no word on the size of or specifications of the Watch Bf 109 Limited Edition. The renders suggest a slim case but there is no word on the movement used and whether it would be hand-wound, automatic or battery-powered.
Salles also came up with a standard edition version which lacks the yellow ring around the display and uses a brown leather strap instead of the dark green one on the limited edition version. They are presumably otherwise identical in terms of specifications.
It remains to be seen if we’ll ever see the Watch Bf 109 Limited Edition timepiece in stores. The closest you can currently pick up might well be the Aristo Messerschmitt Watch ME109.
Source : Behance