Every once in a while, a watch manufacturer creates a watch that is so outrageous, that even many years later, it is remembered with great fondness. Victorinox Swiss Army did such a thing in 2008 when they released “the baddest Airboss of them all”. Of course, I am talking about the Victorinox Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge 2008 Limited Edition that has to be one of the most audacious watches that Victorinox Swiss Army ever made. Just look that this beauty (or brute depending on your tastes).
Victorinox Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge Limited Edition Chrono
The 2008 Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge LE is not a watch for shy people. In fact, this watch is kind of like a slightly drunken loud talker in a fine dining establishment. You can try to act like you don’t hear him, but you know that you won’t be able to ignore him forever. Eventually, you have to look at the commotion. Once you do, you can’t take your eyes off of it.
Much bigger than a postage stamp!
Victorinox Swiss Army has historically been known to make limited edition watches that have special features that elevate them above the standard issue models. This particular watch, model #241308, is one of the most special due to its complexity and its unique dial. While some limited editions only alter a few features of an existing watch model, Victorinox Swiss Army pulled out all the stops to make this limited edition (LE) one of the most complicated models ever.
In a previous article, WATCH SLEUTH: The Mystery of a Loose Dial from Victorinox Swiss Army’s 2008 Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge Limited-Edition, I go into great detail about the complexity of the dial and the skill that was required to make it. I encourage you to read it to learn more about the M6PG’s fascinating dial construction.
A quick note about this particular watch. The anti-reflective coating had a splotchy appearance which can be seen in the photos. This is how I bought it. The sapphire crystal has since been replaced.
The Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge was one of the first watches that I remembered seeing with most of the dial components fully lumed including the bezel’s tachymeter scale. It is spectacular at night.
The Mach 6 Power Gauge is fully lumed including the tachymeter scale
The Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge has many innovative features designed to give it massive wrist presence. Starting with the size, this watch’s case measures 45 mm wide, and about 50 mm if you include crown! The height is almost 16.5 mm, which is not necessarily out of the ordinary for a chronograph, but it is considered tall. The lug-to-lug distance is about 54.5 mm, which is substantial. A wide watch can feel like it is hanging over the edges of your wrist. That measurement is almost as wide as my entire wrist! This watch is large, wears large, and it is proud of it. It will not fit everyone, even if we want it to.
A big wrist presence, especially on a smaller wrist
Watch sizes go in an out of fashion going from small to large and back again. In 2008, Victorinox Swiss Army had several 45 mm wide watches in their catalog. This Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge was part of the Airboss Mach 6 series of pilot watches. The Limited Edition Mach 6 is not much larger than its siblings, but it certainly steals the thunder from the others. With a $4,000 MSRP, it should.
While other Airboss Mach 6 Chronos are great, the Limited Edition Power Gauge is in a class of one!
You’ll notice that the 2008 Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge is the only Airboss Mach 6 that has a “Black Ice” gunmetal PVD case. This darker color helps to visually slim the watch, but it does not do a thing to make it feel lighter. Mine weighed in at 4.8 ounces, but I cannot remember if that was on the makeshift metal bracelet or not. The previous owner figured out that a PVD bracelet from a Victorinox Swiss Army Infantry Vintage Automatic Chrono would fit this case. I’m mentioning this in case any future owners reading this article are interested.
The bracelet from an Infantry Vintage Automatic Chrono fits the Mach 6 Power Gauge
Power Gauge Movement
Another thing that made this watch so special is what was inside, specifically the power gauge. I should probably qualify that before caliber hawks swoop down on me. The movement in the Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge is a 25-jewel Valjoux 7750 that has a power gauge module added to it. The movement is decently finished with a custom rotor and blued screws. A needle on the gauge indicates how much the mainspring is wound. It gives a general indication of how much power is left in the watch before it stops. The power reserve is about 42-hours, which is typical for the movement.
A modified Valjoux 7750 with a Power Gauge module
The Original Buffalo Straps
The Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge came with an irreplaceable black buffalo leather watch band with a signed “Black Ice” deployant buckle. This band is as rare as the watch with only a few having been made. You can use a modern black leather Airboss strap, but it’s simply not the same. The leather will be smoother and thinner, plus the hardware will be brushed stainless steel. There will not be any exact replacements available from Victorinox, period.
The original buffalo leather strap is impossible to replace. Photo: eBay
For this reason, I stored the strap in the box and wore the watch on a variety of custom straps. I almost always remove the original in favor of an aftermarket strap that lets me personalize it. I use complementary colors and textures to emphasize details on the dial. Only then, does a watch feel like it is my own. This limited edition watch uses a 23 mm wide watch band. This is a slightly unusual size in the watch world, but it is not uncommon for larger Victorinox Swiss Army watches.
Using a Bell & Ross Style Watchband
To combat the bulk of the Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge on my wrist, I replaced the original buffalo band with an even wider watch strap. This might seem counterintuitive, but I believe wrist balance has to do with proportions. I paired the Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge with a strap from B&R Bands that looks like a Bell & Ross style hook-and-loop textile strap. The 35 mm wide strap kept the watch from shifting on my skinny wrists and it is a visual foil to the large size of the watch. A wider watch band makes the watch look proportional (or a cuff style watchband). A narrow watch band would alternately make the watch head look even larger because the proportions would be so extreme.
B and R Bands Hook and Loop strap looks like a Bell & Ross design.
There was a time when I felt comfortable wearing 45 mm watches, but those days are quickly coming to an end for me. While there is no rule saying that my 6.5″ wrists cannot wear a watch this large, I have started to feel more comfortable wearing watches in the 40-42 mm range. That smaller size seems to be the sweet spot for me. I hate to admit that I sold this watch, but I did not do it easily. In fact, I was pursued by the seller who I told “NO” to at least twice. He was persistent and now we are great friends.
Letting It Go
The man who I originally bought the watch from wanted it back. He had been trying to track me down to see if I would sell it to him. At first, I was appalled at the idea of selling the watch that I considered the crown jewel in my collection. At the time, it was the most expensive watch that I had ever bought and it represented a watch quest and significant sacrifice to get it. I asked myself if I could really part with it after working so hard to get it. Hmm…
The limited edition display box is painted dark olive and features a fighter jet and a gauge.
The short answer is that I could. When the buyer offered me a handsome sum, I could not refuse. I guess everyone has a price. More importantly, I realized that the watch looks better in my box than on my wrist. If I was not going to wear it like it should be worn, then I should let someone with stout wrists have it. I know for certain that my Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge is back in the hands of a serious Swiss Army watch nut. Randy has one of the best Victorinox Swiss Army watch collections that I have seen. His boxes are filled with many rare limited editions. I know that the Power Gauge is in good hands so I am happy. Also, I was able to buy something that fit my wrist a little better, which was a Doxa 300T Divingstar Poseidon.
One last moment with the special Airboss before I mailed it away
Many people who collect classic cars claim that they are just stewards of the machines, and I suppose the same goes for watches. Even though they might pass from one wrist to another, each owner has indelible memories of the watch. We form bonds that are only broken by circumstance or a pile of cash. Such is the way of the watch collector. I am proud that I owned number 320/330 of the 2008 Limited Edition for a few years. It represented one of the high marks of my Victorinox Swiss Army watch collection during a time in my life I remember fondly.
Me and someone else’s watch…
Now that is a handsome chronograph. If I had the forearms, I’d rock that with pride…