Commemorative watch for RAF 100

Watch brand Christopher Ward has revealed the latest timepiece from its C9 range; the C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition.

This 100-piece collection honours the 100^th anniversary of the RAF and includes actual aluminium from the Hurricane fighter plane that defended a raid on Buckingham Palace, on what became known as Battle of Britain Day, 15 September 1940.

The story of the new C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition starts with RAF Pilot Flight Lieutenant Ray Holmes who created history when flying the Hurricane fighter plane, serial number P2725, over the skies of London. His brave actions on 15 September 1940 came to define the heroic resolve and lion-hearted fighting spirit of the time.

On that day, having intercepted a massed raid on central London by German Dornier bombers, Flight Lieutenant Ray Holmes noticed one enemy raider heading in the direction of Buckingham Palace. With P2725 out of ammunition, quick-witted Holmes, rammed the Hurricane into the German bomber. This action sliced through the fuselage with his wing and forced it to crash-land on the forecourt of Victoria railway station. Holmes’ Hurricane was also mortally damaged and, after he safely bailed out, P2725 nosed vertically downward, burying itself deep into the ground beneath Buckingham Palace Road.

To honour an incredible moment in British history, Christopher Ward worked closely with TMB Art Metal, who excavated the historical crash site to recover pieces of aluminium wreckage from the Hurricane fighter plane P2725. The result is the C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition. 

Mike France, Co-Founder of Christopher Ward commented, “When Chris Bennett, from TMB Art Metal our precious metal partner, put the disfigured piston of Hurricane P2725 TM-B’s engine on my desk several years ago, the hairs on my neck stood on end. I knew immediately we would one day find the right moment to incorporate the historic metal into a watch. The RAF’s centenary in 2018 is that moment and we are proud and privileged to mark this momentous year in such a unique way.”

The C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition uses a museum grade crystal exhibition case back which reveals metal from a piston of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine, recovered from Hurricane fighter plane P2725. This has then been treated, hand-brushed and laser-engraved with a map of central London where the crash site is identified with a dot of red, and the location and date are marked to commemorate the Battle of Britain Day.

Watch features include:

Technical

• Diameter: 43mm
• Height: 15.1mm
• Weight: 95g
• Calibre: ETA Valgranges A07.161
• Case: DLC sandblasted stainless steel
• Vibrations: 28,800 per hour
• Timing tolerance: +20/ -20 seconds per day
• Water resistance: 3 ATM/ 30 metres
• Strap: 22mm leather
• Lug to Lug: 51.5mm

Styling

• Special limited edition of 100 pieces
• 24 jewel automatic movement with a disc of P2725 Hurricane precious metal with Central London crash site map engraving embedded below museum-grade sapphire into exhibition backplate
• 46 hour power reserve with altimeter-themed indicator at 6 o'clock
• Museum grade anti-reflective sapphire crystal
• Original Hurricane instrument panel inspired dial with old radium SuperLuminova® markings
• Surgical-grade stainless steel case with embossed crown
• Premium quality canvas webbing strap with CW twin flag logo debossed in on reverse with black DLC sandblasted clasp.
• Additional camel vintage oak leather strap included
• Unique engraved individual serial number
• Deluxe presentation case and owner's handbook with signed Certificate of Provenance

Inspired by the Hurricane’s dashboard instrument panel, the extra matte black dial has alternating white and old radium numerals in a vintage inspired, san-serif font. The power reserve indicator of the ETA Valgranges A07.161 movement is then depicted in old radium with a red empty gauge and needle. At the 3 o’clock position the celebrated plane’s call sign “P2725 TM-B” is depicted in old radium paint, with the Christopher Ward logo sitting at 9 o’clock. Continuing the dashboard tooling aesthetic, the old radium lume-painted second and minute hands come to a fine needle-like point, with the minute hand counterbalanced by a black gunmetal-brushed circular dot. Then, the gunmetal-brushed central second hand is tipped in a flash of red for better legibility, aided by museum grade sapphire crystal. 

Priced at £2,495 the C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition is available to order from www.christopherward.co.uk