Why this new watch
To be honest: We simply want to produce even better watches.
With the certification of the FH Aachen it will be possible for the first time to test the quality of the watch in a scientific developed procedure. Function, design and quality have to pass a complex testing procedure. For STOWA it was immediately clear to participate. Of course we continue to build our traditional and historical seeming pilot watches. But with the FLIEGER TO 1 TESTAF we want to go one step further into the future. The name of the new watch is program:
TO1 = technical optimized.
The Original
The history of the STOWA watch starts already in the 1930's Since the late 1930's STOWA is closely involved with flying. Since that date we continually build pilot watches. Due to their clear readability and the simple design they already achieved classical status. At that time the watches were relatively big (55 mm diameter) so they could be worn for example over a leather jacket. STOWA always concentrated its attention on the future. For this reason we have reinterpreted the former pilot watches and developed them further by exploiting all technical possibilities.
The new standard for pilot watches in the watch industry.
Developed by FH Aachen.
With the project „technical standard of pilot watches" (in short „TESTAF") for the first time a precise technicfunctional requirements catalog is submitted. This catalogue determines the regulations wrist-pilot watches with analogue time display have to fulfill nowadays in the civil air traffic in regard to sight- and instrument flight rules.
In the last years the term pilot watch became an arbitrary term. Concrete functional and technical requests faded into the background.
Therefore the FH Aachen developed and submitted in cooperation with the watch company Sinn this new standard. Until now there was no clear definition for pilot watches (like for example for diving watches, DIN 8306/ISO 6425). This gap will now be closed with the TESTAF certification. STOWA wanted to test its 70 year experience in building pilot watches and decided immediately to participate in this certification procedure.
The new model FLIEGER TO1 TESTAF is currently tested at the FH Aachen and it is planned that the certification will be terminated by May/June 2013. Of course you can see the watch "live" in our company or also in our online-shop. You receive the complete information to the TESTAF certification under the following link:
www.testaf.fh-aachen.de.
Technic and material
And how we effectuated the requests of the TESTAF criterions.
After having intensively studied the requirements catalogue of the TESTAF criterions some basic features were set:
• Use of a titanium casing due to the magnetic signature of stainless steel. A stainless steel housing would for example influence the classical compass which is used in an airplane.
• Undetachable bezel construction.
• Special thick sapphire crystals to resist safely the shock testing.
• Viton seals for crown and case. Viton is a sealing material which is besides others used in space flights.
• Special thick luminous color coating in white (Superluminova BWG 9) achieve a perfect contrast.
• Screwed lugs
Diameter: 45/46 mm, height: 12.90 mm
Material: titanium, matt
Water proof: 20 bar = 200 meters waterproof according to DIN 8310
Low pressure proof: by special thick crystal sealings
Bezel: turnable on both sides, undetachable screwed construction
Cone: special thick diameter for improved stability
Crown: titanium
Seals: Viton on crown and case, a sealing material used at space flights
Crystal: AR-coated sapphire crystal on both sides, front sapphire crystal domed
Dial: black matt, white printed, Superluminova BWG9 (white illuminating color, at night light blue luminous)
Hands: Superluminova BWG 9
Movement: ETA 2824-2 in TOP quality, rhodium-coated, Geneve strips finish, golden STOWA engraving, blued screws, shockproof acc. to DIN 8308, antimagnetic acc. to DIN 8309
Strap: buffalo leather or rubber strap fixed on very solid undetachable and screwed lugs
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