MEET THE WATCH: Fortis Blue Horizon Limited Edition B-42 Aviatis from BaselWorld 2014

This will be the first Fortis watch to appear on the Watch Hunter site. I have always wanted to own a Fortis ever since I learned about the Cosmonaut watches that they produced back in the 1990s. Those Cosmonaut watches were true space watches having been picked for Russian crew members of extraterrestrial voyages and long-term orbital space station missions. You have to respect these watches as true tool watches built with the rigors of zero-g/zero atmosphere missions in mind. This designation puts them into a relatively small group of timepieces that have traveled “off-world”. Imagine the stories that these watches could tell if they could talk. Luckily, some cosmonauts onboard the International Space Station made a video about their Fortis watches.

Since those earlier space watch days, Fortis has branched out and refined their collection of watches for the consumer. Like many companies, they produce specific timepieces for Space, Air, Water and Land activities. This is a logical way for manufacturers to separate the different styles of watches because those groups align perfectly with astronaut watches (Cosmonautis), pilot watches (Aviatis), dive watches (Aquatis), and field watches (Terrestis). In the last group, Fortis replaced rugged field watches with dress watches. Each group has its own set of features designed to help the wearer accomplish his or her mission. Because this is a review of a specific limited edition watch, you can check out the current models offered on the Fortis website yourself. (Update 6-19 – Fortis changed teh structure of their web site and the collection names so they no longer align with this article).Besides the standard watches that Fortis sells, they also offer limited edition watches from time to time like the Fortis Blue Horizon Aviatis B-42 Limited Edition. This review may seem a little behind the times because this rare watch was released many years ago in 2014. That is normal for me because I rarely review new watches. I tend to lurk in the used markets picking up slightly older watches after the depreciation from high MSRPs kicks in. This is the best way for me to stretch my meager budget allocated for this horological addiction that I have (if there is a cure, I don’t want it!).

Fortis Blue Horizon Limited Edition watch with brown sunburst dial

I have a feeling that this peculiar Fortis Blue Horizon Aviatis B-42 Limited Edition is going to be one of the most polarizing watches on the Watch Hunter Blog so far. Taking a glance at the bronze-colored dial and those light blue hands inside of an inky black PVD case will give most people an instant gut reaction of “yay” or “nay”. I’ll state that this watch is not for everyone and get that out of the way first. That’s because many daring designs can be polarizing. Just read any watch forum thread where people argue about design, and you will know that you cannot please everyone all the time. In my opinion, strong reactions are preferable to ho-hum apathetic responses. Somewhat strange watches can be far more interesting than predictable watches that do not possess any memorable features.

Such an interesting color combination on the Fortis Blue Horizon

To be transparent, I bought this particular watch to evaluate the Fortis B-42 model for myself and eventually flip it. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. In fact, the majority of watches that I review are from my own collection or ones that I can beg or borrow. In the case of this Fortis Blue Horizon Limited Edition, I knew if the color worked for me in person then it might become a keeper. If it did not, then it would be a flipper. Either way, I would have accomplished my goal to handle a Fortis in the metal. I would like to own a regualr B-42 in the future because the 42 mm case size and connection to outer space make it incredibly appealing. The fit on my wrist and finish was also excellent.

Facts and figures are all good, but that is not what would get people talking about this watch. This is because the format of the Fortis B-42 should be a familiar one by now. It’s the metallic brown dial, black applied markers, and case plus the baby blue lume that will make you go “hmmmm….” I literally remember a time when brown and light blue were popular colors in home furnishings, and maybe this limited edition got inspiration from that time period. There is just no telling.

One thing is for sure though, the Blue Horizon is difficult to capture with just one photo because the appearance of the dial can change dramatically depending on the lighting conditions and color. Also, the finishing on the case seems to be a bead blasted or satin finish that PVD was applied over. This was done to soften light reflections on the black case, smoothing the harder reflected gradients seen on a polished case. Minimizing light here, lets the metallic sunburst dial show off its full glory.

Viewing the dial at an angle shows the depth that Fortis designers built into this model. The tachymeter chapter ring is steeply angled, but usable when you need it. Notice that all the black features like the hands, the applied markers, and the day/day windows link the internal features of the watch to the outer case. This proves Fortis indeed wanted to balance the elements of design. The colors were not accidental.

This watch has tons of personality but is not for everyone

Fortis probably already knew this and that is why they kept the numbers limited to only 135 of each model, of which there are 2, or is it 3… or 4? I have a slight bone to pick about this because I originally thought that only 135 total of these watches were built, but the total is more like 270 units because Fortis made 135 with the black kevlar watch band and 135 with the brown calfskin strap. There may even be another version of a black PVD stainless steel bracelet, which would push the total numbers up to 405. Furthermore, there seems to be a stainless steel case version released in later years too, but I will consider that a different watch. In my opinion, the watch head should be the numbered part that counts for limited editions. Like a pistol’s chassis, the case is the most important part of the watch and watchbands can be swapped out, right?

Here are the Fortis Blue Horizon model numbers (I think?):

• 656.18.95 – Black PVD Case + Black Kevlar watch band with deployant clasp (135 each)
• 656.10.95 – Black PVD Case + Brown leather watch band with deployant clasp (135 each)
• 656.18.95.M – Black PVD Case + Black PVD Stainless Steel bracelet with deployant clasp (135 each)
• 656.10.95 L.38 – Stainless Steel Case + Brown leather watch band with deployant clasp (135 each)

The ever-changing sunburst brown dial of the Fortis Blue Horizon Limited Edition

The dial color and finishing is only the start of the story behind this watch. Fortis used light blue accents on the chronograph hands and blue indices to take the design over the top. The applied numerals and black edge indices are very dimensional. This is a daring color combination and surely gives the watch amazing wrist presence. In a sea of black dial watches, this one refuses to be boring. The shape of the hands is similar to other Fortis watches and it could be argued that some Omega SeaMasters have similar skeletonized hands so these are in good company.

I want to point out a special feature on the dial and that is the split date window. I have not seen this before by the day-of-week and date appear on opposite sides of the dial. The regular B-42 watches do not have this unique feature. The carbon-fiber look textile watch bands both compliment the deep black PVD case coating, but also provides enough texture to stand apart. Fortis took the care to custom fit the watch band to the case. Notice how it is pre-curved to provide a close-to-the-wrist fit.

Pre-curved watch bands and a deployant clasp improve the watch’s fit

Here is the other side of the watch showing a display window, and a high-quality, leather-lined Kevlar style (aka sail cloth) watch band. The watch band is pre-curved and custom-fit to the lugs. It is heavily padded and sculpted too. The watchband has drilled lugs with screwed hardware to simplify strap changes even though regular straps will likely show a gap near the lugs. The big crown and large pushers give this watch great usability.

The back view of the Fortis Blue Horizon 656.18.95

The watch band has a PVD deployant clasp with the Fortis logo. The clasp had perlage on the inside.

No detail is too small. The signed deployment clasp is finished in deep black PVD

Here is the other side of the watch. The display window shows a decorated Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement with a custom rotor. Leather lining is used on the inside of the Kevlar style (aka sail cloth) watch band.

The limited edition number is etched into the PVD and the decorated movement is visible from behind.

The watch came in a leather-clad Fortis display box and had a signed and numbered card. You can see how the unusual combination of colors and finishes come together to make a watch that does not look like many others.

Fortis display box with Blue Horizon Limited Edition watch

I will fully admit that I was on the fence about this limited edition design. On one hand, it has an amazing “wow factor” because the color combination is so unusual. On the other hand, this design’s dial is not as legible as models from Fortis with more traditional colors. Those tend to have more contrast between the hands and the dial. Pilot watches are known for they legibility so the fact that Fortis paired blue hands with coppery brown dial in a black PVD case was daring, and a little risky. Perhaps this kind of experimentation is okay for a limited edition watch that was never meant to be used by a pilot on critical missions. Instead, the Blue Horizon Limited Edition watches were created to garner attention for Fortis Watches at BaselWorld. Raising eyebrows and pushing a design beyond a safe color palette is a great way to do that… so mission accomplished.