Last weekend we were invited to the official launch of the new Eza Airfighter presented by Eza Watches. This brand dates back to 1921 where it was established in Pforzheim in Germany. After becoming a manufacture in the late 50’s they suffered from quartz crisis some 20 years later. Last year the watch brand was put back to life. Their goal is to bring back the brand to it’s original brilliance and dynamism. Doing this by launching newly designed automatic watches with that are vintage and use modern materials.
After the Eza Sealander which they introduced last year it was time for them to extend the collection. So besides a dive watch they presented an aviation inspired watch and what better location to do this than an airport hangar? Off to Rotterdam Airport following a cool invite.
Besides members of the press we see many owners of the first Eza collection amongst the guests. Actually quite surprised to see a micro brand pull of a launch party like this. Inside the large hangar there are several vintage cars and there is a plane on display. Besides that they have an award winning Gin brand ambassador creating some amazing cocktails for the guests. But enough about the atmosphere, let’s head on to the actual Eza Airfighter.
Eza Airfighter
Inspired by aviation this watch features a clean looking dial with a small step to give it some more depth. The 41mm case size fits well on the wrist and both the leather and mesh strap feel comfortable while wearing. Especially the mesh bracelet is surprisingly well made for a watch in this price category. You could easily compare it to mesh bracelets found on watches that retail for several thousand euro’s. Considering this watch retails for just under 800 euro it’s quite an impressive package.
This is the Eza AirFighter a modern interpretation of the classic military issued pilot watches with some subtle details. The Eza AirFighter has a stylish appearance with its brushed finish and narrow high gloss finish on the side.
Eza has chosen to keep the dial very clean and added a little step in it which works really well. The hour markers are filled with SuperLuminova so you have great legibility in dark situations also. Like typical pilot’s watches, the 12 o’clock marker is shaped like a triangle which helps reading the correct time in all conditions. Besides the added minute track the rest of the dial is clean. Although it might be hard to see from the images, the Eza logo and Airfighter text has been laser etched onto the inside of the glass. This works really well for this watch and makes it stand out.
Bang for the buck
As the Eza Airfighter is powered by the trustworthy ETA 2824 this watch sure is a great deal. Although it’s hidden from the eye by a closed caseback, it has been made ‘visible’ by having the movement engraved on the caseback. Something we’ve not seen done before. According to Eza they adjust the watch to six positions for maximised accuracy. Setting the time and winding the movement is done by an onion shaped crown which is well balanced with the size of the watch and add’s to the pilot’s style.
Considering the price for the Eza Airfighter and what you get for your money, this watch has a great fun for the buck ratio. It’s far under the 1000 euro price range for which you get a well constructed watch with a reliable and quality movement. It’s distinctive features only add up making it an interesting choice should you want to have something different that comes from a microbrand like Eza. More info can be found on the official website where you can also order yours.
Technical Specifications
