This German manufacture from the provincial city of Pforzheim is known for its long history of making pilot’s watches. The Stowa Flieger Verus was first presented in 2018 as a modern interpretation of the classic pilot’s watch. With its matte case and purist dial design, the watch received the Red Dot Design Award. Now, the brand is treating its followers to a smaller version with a 36 mm case.
The case of the Stowa Flieger Verus 36 is made of stainless steel and has a glass-bead blasted matte surface. With a diameter of 36 mm, the case measures a 11.3 mm in height. Lug-to-lug, the case measures 44.2 mm. The band width on this watch is also a smaller 18 mm. There is a user-friendly fluted onion crown on the side, as is typical of pilot’s watches. Both the front and the caseback feature a sapphire crystal, revealing the movement within. The water resistance is 5 bar.
The black dial is entirely in the style of the legendary Baumuster A. Thus, large numerals and a distinct minute scale ensure optimum legibility. Above all, the contrast with white numerals and hands on a black background and the absolute reduction to the time display make this pilot’s watch one of the most purist timepieces around. What’s more, there is the option to omit the brand lettering. Alternatively, the owner of the watch has the option to add a date window at 6 o’clock. A notable detail is the absence of a counterweight for the second hand, which gives the dial an even cleaner look. At night, the hands and hour markers glow a luminous blue.
The Stowa Flieger Verus 36 offers a choice of three different movements. The first is an automatic Sellita SW200 with a Basic finish. This gives the watch a power reserve of 38 hours and moderate precision of up to +/-30 seconds deviation per day. The Top version, meanwhile, deviates +/- 15 seconds per day. Last but not least, with the SW210 in Top finish, there is also a manual-winding version to choose from, which offers a power reserve of 42 hours.
The watch comes on either a black leather strap with a pin buckle or a Milanese strap, and will be available from May 2, 2024. The price depends on the respective movement configuration. The automatic movement with Basic finish, which is available for 950 euros, is the entry-level model. Choosing the Top finish, the watch costs 1,080 euros. Lastly, the price for the manual-winding version is 1,100 euros.
