Avi-8 Spitfire Review - A Fighter Aircraft On Your Wrist
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My voice seems to be a common point of conversation in my YouTube video comments. I seem to have an accent that’s tricky to pin down. Turns out I’m from the home of cheap drugs and knife crime, Stoke on Trent; or at least, the outskirts of it. While these days, it’s a hive of criminal activity, years ago, the situation was much different. This was once an industrial hub and the home of world pottery production. This locale was also the birthplace of Reginald Mitchell, designer of the iconic Supermarine Spitfire, which saw action in the skies of World War 2.
It’s some pretty cool history and the Avi-8 brand seem to think so too because they’ve sent me this watch, which is inspired by that very same aircraft. This beefy boy is the Spitfire Type 300 in gunmetal grey and is quite different from many of the pieces I’ve covered before on this blog.
The watch comes beautifully presented in this green, canvas-coated box, with a press stud fastener at the front. This has a foam lining and really is some of the most impressive packaging I’ve come across to date.
Watch Size
This piece has some large dimensions, which isn’t altogether surprising for what is essentially a Flieger watch. Historically, these were designed to be large and easily readable in a pinch, for example, in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. This one sits bang on 42mm in diameter, with a lug to lug of 50mm and a depth of 13.5mm. I doubt you’ll be using this to help you fend off the Luftwaffe, so just be aware that this will sit pretty large on your wrist when wearing a regular outfit. This watch is best-suited to average or large wrists. If you’re a fellow skinny wristed person like me, unfortunately, they don’t offer this in any smaller sizes, so it will look very big indeed. It’s also a reasonably heavy watch at over 150 grams, so you’ll certainly feel that heft on-wrist.
Case
Something that strikes me straight away is the gunmetal finish on the stainless-steel case and strap. Recently, I’ve looked at plenty of simple glossy silver finishes, so it’s pleasant to review something that has a different vibe to it. What I will say is this finish makes this watch a fingerprint magnet, or should I say oil magnet. From certain angles, you kind of get that oil slick effect, which may bug you. Nevertheless, I love the overall look and colour that this provides. It looks gorgeous and I think adds to the versatility. On this case, there are also a couple of neat touches that contribute to the watch theming.
One is the shallow wings that are engraved into either side of the crown. These even have the famous upward Spitfire trajectory and I think add some interest, without being too in your face. The crown itself is described on their website as being inspired by the propellor and I think that’s true. If you look at that bulbous shape, you can easily make out that nosecone structure. 50m or 165 feet of water resistance is what you can expect to get with this piece, which is solid, though not spectacular.
Strap
The stock bracelet is very well integrated and has that same colour and finish. It is constructed of high-quality solid links, including solid end links, and a signed clasp that feels better than it looks; including three levels of micro-adjustment. For most people, I think this will be more than keepable and useable. Maybe a black Nato strap would be a good substitute if you wanted a more casual look.
Watch Dial
Something else that really impressed me is the dial. In all truth, the design is probably a bit to elaborate for me to wear regularly. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the effort that’s gone into this. According to Avi-8, the dial is inspired by some of the readouts and dials inside a Spitfire and I think they’ve transitioned this well to wristwatch format. Some of the smaller details, such as the design of the subdial and the inner ring add to the desired aesthetic.
My favourite part is the combination of the two-tone hands and the raised white numbers. These make for incredibly easy reading. The stepped design, along with the other applied parts add to the visual depth of the dial. When looking through the domed glass at an angle, this is a treat to behold. Everything, including the logo, sits neatly in place. From looking at static photos online, you really don’t get a sense of how much depth there is here. If there was anything I could adjust, I’d maybe like to see those screws, real or not, positioned more in-line with the 3 and 6 o’clock positions; rather than staggered. Though, maybe that would ruin the layout and spacing of other elements.
Glass
The crystal is sapphire, with an anti-reflective coating. I’d want this type of watch at this type of price to feature this, so it’s great to see they haven’t cut corners. The anti-reflective coating is very effective at reducing reflections, helping to make this arguably the most legible wristwatch I’ve reviewed on this blog, even in direct sunlight.
If there was anything I could change, it would be the position of these small screws. I’m guessing these are probably fake screws, but regardless, they are offset slightly from the 6 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions. I’d probably prefer it if they were sitting straighter.
This grey version is one of four colour variants that are available to preorder. You’ll notice this model features a dark date wheel, which fits the look very well; though I think they could have gotten away with a white one if they wanted to.
Watch Movement
That brings us to the movement then. This is a Miyota 8218 automatic movement, which is a 21 jewel movement that provides the date and small seconds functionality. This is non-hacking and has a 40-hour power reserve. Overall, this movement is okay and while the beat rate isn’t the highest, you likely won’t notice it given the tiny second hand. Maybe they could have something more impressive in here. I have to say I’m a sucker for the custom Spitfire shaped rotor, which looks very cool and doesn’t harm the functionality in any way. I also think it’s much better positioned here, rather than being plastered on the front of the watch.
Is the AVI-8 Spitfire Type 300 worth it?
The retail price for this one, at the time of recording, is £350; some of the other colours are a tad less. Considering what you are getting and how much effort they’ve put into this design, I think that’s alright; albeit not great value. I’d like to see this closer to £200 maybe. Currently, you get a 20% discount when you use my personal discount code of ‘BENJAMINARTHUR20’. That would make it £280, which is somewhat fairer.
Unfortunately, primarily due to the size and weight, this isn’t a watch that will be seeing must wrist time. I love war movies and history, however, it just practically wouldn’t make sense for my thin wrist.
