Tutima Flieger/GMT

Review by Ludwig

Summary

• The Hunt:

  I was heavily into my military-style-watch phase, and I was in need of a multi-timezone watch, as I was travelling frequently on business. As my usual destination wasn't a very hip and trendy place, and my tasks there involved getting my hands dirty on occasion, I wanted something low key, robust, and disposable, if need be. It also had to be quite visible in the dark.

  One day, I took a friend of mine who had just caught the watch virus to visit one of my local pushers with me. He picked up a nice Tutima GMT, and over the next few weeks, I began to admire it more and more. I hadn't given Tutima much consideration before this, but seeing the line in person impressed me much more than simply seeing the pictures in their catalog.

  A few weeks later, I went to check out the Tutimas again. I decided that I didn't like their modern "Military" line all that much, but that their "Classic" line was quite nice, and excellent value for the money. I decided to give the Flieger/GMT a try, bought it, and have been happy ever since.

  
  
• Am I still happy?

  I still like the watch, but my new job doesn't require me to travel so much, so I don't wear it as often as I'd like. Plus, I now have so many military-style pieces that it is lost in the crowd, unless I need the GMT function. I now use a UN GMT Big Date as my preferred travel watch when I need multiple timezones, unless I am going someplace rugged, in which case the Tutima still gets the nod. When I wish to wear just a simple, vintage-looking military-style watch I usually pull out a Minerva Pythagore instead, as I now am much more found of handwound watches.

  I may eventually sell it as I trim down my collection, but I would be selling it not due to any fault of the Tutima, but simply because I bought too many watches too fast, which I am sure has never happened to any other TimeZone participant...

  
  
• Would I buy it again?

  In the same circumstances, yes. The only thing I'd change is that I'd buy it on the bracelet, and also purchase a strap, to widen my options.

  Would I buy it today? I don't think so - I've too many watches too much like it, and I need to do some triage :-)

Specifications

• Movement:
  I believe that the movement is an ETA 2893-2. It is 28,800 bph, diameter 26.2mm, 21 jewels. Glucydur balance. Nivarox spring. Incabloc shock protection. Ball bearing central rotor. Pearlized finish; rotor has Cotes de Geneve finish. I have seen the movement with the back off, and it looks nicely, but functionally, finished. Power reserve ~42 hours.
  
  
• Functions:
  • Hours, minutes, center sweep second hand
  • Date in window at 3 o'clock, quickset
  • Second timezone hour hand, set with crown
  • Rotating coin-edge bezel with red time marker - can be used for measuring elapsed or countdown time.
  
  
• Case:
  Stainless steel, diameter 36.4mm, height 10.5mm. Coin-edge bidirectional rotating bezel with index mark. Convex sapphire crystal. Screw-down crown. Water resistant to 10atm. Nice matte polish to case. Back is screw-down. Also available with sapphire crystal display back. Reference #639-01.
  
  
• Strap/bracelet:
  This watch is available with high quality military-style rolled black calf leather strap and steel buckle, or a stainless steel bracelet. I have the version with the strap, and it is excellent quality, especially considering the price point of the watch. The strap is nice enough that I've bought a few spares to use on other, nominally "higher-end" watches, as the Tutima strap is more comfortable and robust.

  I have not closely examined the bracelet model, but I have a Tutima 1941 with similar bracelet, and that bracelet is awesome.

  
  
• Dial and hands:
  Luminous skeleton-style hands and hour markers - not tritium, but some very bright compound, which seems to fade away after 8-10 hours or so. The dial is a nice black, and has very high-resolution minute chapters. There is an inner 24-hour scale on the dial for reading off military time, or the 24-hour time of the second timezone. The second timezone hand is not luminous, and is another skeleton-style hand, filled in with black. It looks a bit ghostly. Very long, visible, sweep second hand which extends into the high-resolution section of the minute chapters. The date is in a window at 3 o'clock, and there is no magnifier. I have no trouble reading it.
  
  
• Warranty:
  1 year, unless purchased from Nigeria...
  
  
• Price: $870 U.S. list price on strap.

Impressions

• Pros:
  • Function: This is a nice, good-looking, simple, robust GMT watch that keeps good time. It is easy to use the additional timezone, and hard to mistake your two timezones.
  • Legibility: Excellent legibility, even at night.
  • Looks: I love the classic military style of the case, dial, bezel, and hands. The workmanship seems quite good for the price.
  • Value: Purchased well, this is a very affordable GMT watch, and offers great quality for the price.
  • Great box and literature, like most of the Tutima line.
  
  
• Cons:
  • The crown is a bit large, which may cause problems for some. I like it, as it makes the crown much easier for me to manipulate.
  • When adjusting the GMT hand, it clicks into place with a disturbing feel. Evidently this is normal, but it gaves me a bit of a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach the first time - it felt as if something was binding, or about to break.
  • Bezel does not lock into place, and can be knocked into a new position, so don't rely on it for anything life-critical, like when your favourite TV show starts...

Manufacturer's Info

• Name: Tutima Uhrenfabrik GmbH
• Address: Postfach 1153, D-27770 Ganderkesee, Germany
• Phone: +49 4221 98830
• Fax: +49 4221 988377
• Email: info@tutima.com
• Web: www.tutima.com

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