Daniel Oliver 
Some check out makes have carved out a really unique area of interest, and AVI-8 is one particular of my favorite in the very affordable variety. This youthful watchmaker, founded in London in 2012, specializes in timepieces that are influenced by famed aircraft. Their identify is even a pun. AVI-8 appears like “aviate.”
As of February 17th, 2023, AVI-8 is asserting the launch of a model new view: the Hawker Harrier Farley Multifunction AV-4098, and the model I have listed here with the white dial is referred to as the Stratosphere. This observe is named in honor of John Farley, 1 of the most well-known check pilots of the renowned Hawker Harrier “Jump Jet.” For the duration of his career, Farley would test several versions of the Harrier, from early prototypes to upgraded versions. He pioneered the so-referred to as “Farley takeoff,” where by he would hover the jet and tilt the nose nearly to 90 degrees, then utilize entire afterburners.
The AV-4098 is inspired by the inside of the Harrier’s cockpit, with subdial frames and a distinctive see-as a result of date mechanism that brings to thoughts an instrument display panel. Making use of my super-exclusive influencer benefits, I was able to get my fingers on an early model. Below are my impressions.
A Serviceable Scenario
The Farley Multifunction AV-4098 has a large, 44mm case that steps 14mm thick. This gives it a medium-massive wrist existence, despite the fact that at 140 grams, it doesn’t really feel terribly heavy. The stainless metal has a brushed finish, with a spherical profile and prolonged, straight lugs. The lugs are spaced 22mm apart, which is a fantastic proportion for the size of the case.
The pull-out crown is situated at the 3 o’clock posture. Although it doesn’t screw down, it is properly guarded by protrusions on the side of the scenario. There’s no knurling, but there is a groove in the side that would make it quick to pull.
The bezel is blacked out, which supplies a distinction to the case and helps make the dial appear to “pop” additional. It is flat on prime and beveled close to the edge, and is non-rotating. Inside of is a flat crystal, which is designed from tough mineral glass with an anti-reflective coating. Because it is flat, it does not distort the dial, irrespective of your viewing angle. Like the bezel, it is beveled all-around the edge, which produces refined highlights when the mild hits it from different angles.
The metallic caseback is adorned with a “Hawker Harrier” imprint in the center, along with embossed artwork. It is extremely eye-catching, and a fitting layout for a Harrier-encouraged look at.
The AV-4098 is water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters. It is fantastic for showering, but it is not a superior plan to choose it in the water.
A Harrier-Inspired Dial
The Harrier view arrives in 4 different colours. I have the white edition, but it’s also readily available in black, charcoal, and blue. Other than the coloration, they are all the similar, and they all have the very same things.
To begin with, the outer index is pretty refined. It’s a slender band around the dial, with a two-tone pattern that is reminiscent of a plane’s mindset indicator. Alongside the band are great hashes, painted at the 1-minute marks. The interior index is made up of a set of significant used markers that overlap a little bit with the band. They’re silver-coloured 3D wedges, with more compact lume stripes down the centers.
The palms are long, wide and two tone. There’s a established of blue stripes down the sides – pink on the black watch – and lume stripes in the center. The 2nd hand is skinny and black, with a lume-loaded triangular suggestion.
At 9 o’clock is a 24-hour subdial with a small arrow for a hand. It has smaller Arabic numerals for the even-numbered hours, with dashes in-among them. It operates on the same time as the key dial, and sits in a square frame with fake bolts that seems to be like an airplane gauge.
A comparable square subdial is situated at 6 o’clock, but it is a retrograde dial. The needle sweeps from left to ideal as it goes from to 24 hrs, then jumps again to the starting at midnight. You can set this subdial to a next time zone.
Possibly the coolest feature is the 3 o’clock date window with its blue-striped frame. Inside are Arabic numerals on a white background, but there’s a smoked glass arc that carries on over and underneath the window. This presents a somewhat obscured see of the interior date system, which isn’t one thing you see daily on a quartz check out.
A Trusted Strap and Motion
The AV-4098 is powered by a Japanese quartz motion. It does not have the exact allure as an automated movement, nor do you get the identical fine workmanship. On the other hand, it’s quartz. You’re wanting at a very exact timepiece that you will only have to established when a calendar year or considerably less.
Just one thing I actually appreciated was how relaxed this observe is – not just the observe alone, but the strap. It’s built from tender leather-based, with cross-stitching close to the lugs and far more stitching down the borders. My white dial variation arrived with a black strap, when the black just one will come with a brown strap, and the blue and charcoal versions appear with straps that match the dials.
For a lot more info you can take a look at the formal AVI-8 website right here.
