Azimuth
Azimuth (pronounced “Air-Zi-Muth”) was founded in Biel, Switzerland in 2003.
Biel is a thriving region, rich in Swiss watchmaking technology and is also hometown to a busy architectural & engineering college. The many engineers & designers of Biel enjoy the perpetual challenge of building hand-crafted, beautiful new things. Azimuth designers have no doubt felt inspired from their city’s creative surroundings. All Azimuth watches are hand-built and differ from other Swiss brands in that inside every one of Azimuth’s cases is a working, vintage movement. Azimuth has a valuable collection of out-of-production Swiss watch movements by Valjoux, Unitas, ETA, Venus, Fontainemelon and Marvin. These vintage movements date back to the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. The rareness of Azimuth’s acquired mechanisms are their pride & joy. In less than five years, Azimuth’s watches have become highly desired by watch collectors that seek new timepieces powered by vintage movements.
Azimuth has taken some of their avant-garde watch designs right out of WWII history books, while others have taken three years to reach their full concept. The marketplace’s demand for creative new timepieces sets a pleasant challenge to Azimuth’s designers -and an expectation from Azimuth’s intrigued new customer base.
Azimuth has three different families of watches: BMF, Militare and Round
Mecha-1 BMF
"BMF" is Azimuth's signature collection. These far from traditional timepieces are big, bold and "industrial" with amusing scale-like displays incorporated into their bright, primary colored dials. The most high profile & memorable watches within the BMF family include; the tonneau-shaped, retro toy-like dial of the "Mr. Roboto Watch" or the multi-dialed "Gauge Mecha 1Watch" with its vertical retrograde 60 minute scale and 24 hr. indicator. There is also a super-sized 50mm "Chrono Gauge Mecha 1 BMF" that features a 25 jewel Valjoux 7750 modified movement.
Again, Azimuth's greatest focus is on technical excellence. Every aspect of the BMF series proudly meets Azimuth's high standards for Swiss craftsmanship and attention to details. For example, Azimuth's BMF case is forged out of a single block of patented 316L stainless steel. It takes no less than 80 steps to anneal it into its elegant tonneau shape.
Militare-1
Azimuth's Militare-1 Collection consists of two different pilot watch series; "The Bombardier" and "B-UHR" Azimuth's Bombardier series of pilot watches feature new "old stock" manual winding vintage movements, painstakingly restored and adapted for Azimuth's use in its very limited edition models. These WWII-style pilot watches have authentic elements such as over-sized cases with onion-shaped crowns as well as aircraft-inspired riveted buffalo straps.
Azimuth's B-UHR series pilot watches feature modified Unitas manual winding movements. All B-UHR cases are one single piece of solid 316L stainless steel with half-hunter casebacks that hinge open to reveal its 17 jewel mechanism decorated with blue-steeled screws and traditional Cotes de Geneve hand-engraved detail work.
Round 1
Azimuth's "Round 1 Collection" is a theme-complimenting series of 1940's-inspired round dial classic timepieces. This series features fine complications such as a Regulateurs, Retrograde Minutes, Bi-Retrogrades and Triple Calendars.
SP-1 MECANIQUE
Azimuth has named this;"The World's First Space Concept Watch". Azimuth's most substantial Concept Watch so far premiered in 2007. The SP-1 Mecanique, nicknamed "The Spaceship" is a futuristic round dial timepiece with an earthly blue dial complete with luminous hour markers, arabic numerals and "stardust". One of the dial's cleverest features is its constantly rotating image of the planet earth @ 6:00; which completes one full rotation every 60 seconds. This "Rotating Earth" feature replaces the traditional sub seconds dial.
The dial's large dagger-like pointer is actually its minute hand. To read the hour, the wearer need only look through the circular opening of the pointer to see what number is displayed. The sequence of the hour display is random and once the minute hand completes a 60 minute turn ‘round, the hour then "jumps" and the next hour is newly displayed within the circular opening.
Azimuth's SP-1 Mecanique's dial was inspired by the cockpit views from the space shuttle and the large minute hand shape & outer space-themed inspiration came from the "Starship Enterprise" from the groundbreaking 1960's Sci-Fi series; "STAR TREK" .
Azimuth has clearly succeeded in their quest to "Fulfill the fascination of telling time in the most unconventional manner." Markham Fine Jewelers is an authorized retailer for Azimuth.
Markham Fine Jewelers has North Texas' largest selection of One of a Kind Bridal Rings, Certified Diamonds, Wedding Bands and Designer Jewelry – all affordably priced with unbeatable savings! Our full-service jewelry store has the in-house facilities & friendly staff able to beautifully create the custom jewelry of your dreams, custom-fit your new jewelry purchase or properly repair, resize or remount the jewelry you already have. Additionally, Markham is an authorized dealer for greater than twelve Swiss Watch brands and features one of IWC's special few "Shop in Shops" in the United States. Markham also offers a large & ever-changing selection of highly desirable "Pre-loved" Watches to choose from. Markham happily accepts fine watch trades!
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