Revue Thommen Airspeed Altimeter

[alexiscabel]

Dear Digital and ABC Watchuseekers,
I just want to share my Revue Thommen Airspeed Altimeter. It is 536th of 1,998 pieces made in 1998 commemorating the Swiss Alps challenge in October 29 of the same year. This is actually a manual-winding watch with an altimeter and barometer. You press the crown, the air comes in the watch and an aneroid capsule measures the altitude in feet and air-pressure in hecto-pascal.

I like the handy barometer function wherein you set the bezel for a fine day. When you go out the next day and press the crown and the orange arrow goes above zero, it indicates chances of rain as air pressure lightens. It is measured in the hecto-pascal display in the dial. It's been very accurate reminding me when to bring my umbrella.

The watch I got has titanium casing. It has tritium laced hands and numbers and anti-reflective coatings at the front and back of the sapphire crystal. I also like RT's Airspeed bracelet. It's one of the watch bracelets I recognize and admire.

I don't really use this watch for climbing/trekking unlike my Casio Pro Trek. I don't think the RT can stand the water and mud. This is the first "expensive" (for me) watch I bought in an actual store, and I got it because it is manual-winding, of the functions, it is RT and it's about mountaineering.

I guess an ABC watch doesn't have to be digital, and I wonder if there are other ABC watches out there that may be manual winding or even automatic. Anyway, thanks for reading:-)

[Isthmus]

Very interesting and unassuming piece. How accurate are the readings taken from it's barometer and altimeter? Are the measurements spot readings or do they adjust as you move?

[alexiscabel]

Hi Isthmus, the readings are all right compared to what my Casio Pro Trek indicates. The barometer function is more applicable for me especially now that it's rainy season here. The watch is for casual purposes though and not for roughing it up. Titanium scratches more compared to stainless steel or rubber-plastic so I don't dare take it to climbs/treks. I also don't think the crown which lets air in to take readings can withstand the current of river water when you cross it.

The watch takes spot readings. The air pressure though moves the orange arrow indicator by as much even though you don't press the crown. When you press the crown, the arrow adjusts itself properly to show the reading.

RT's Airspeed line is inspired by flight instruments in a plane's cockpit. RT also makes the box-type altimeters for planes. That's why the black dial looks like one of those gauges in a cockpit, and the crystal has two anti-reflective (AR) coatings so as not to blind the pilot's eyes. I think this watch is more applicable for hang-gliding or piloting ultralights than climbing as what it commemorates.

[zippofan]

That is very cool, thank you for sharing, I have never seen that RT before :-!

Cheers,
Griff

[OnTimeGabe]

That's a great watch you've got there. Looks ready for business & it's good to hear that the performance is just as good. Do you happen to have any wrist shots?

[alexiscabel]

Thanks Zippofan, yeah, it was released in 1998 but it's not even in RT's website, but the 1997 Cricket is there (in Rarities, I think) even if it's already sold out. :think: The Airspeed Altimeter also came out as I remember with stainless steel casing and even with a blue dial. However, you can Google the model and it will turn out sold out in some internet store websites.

Hi OnTimeGabe, the diameter is 40mm without crown and some 48 mm up to lugs. The width is around a quarter of an inch, i guess. I don't usually post wrist shots because it gives poor assessment of the size of the watch. In other words, I have really small wrists, hehe, sorry. But I'll post some soon.

[alexiscabel]

Here are the wrist shots. I was also mistaken, it's 1,029 of 1,998 pieces made in '98. I thought 1029/1998 was a date. The Ranfft website identifies the movement as a caliber Peseux 7001 modified, 17 jewels, Incabloc. Here's the link, Ranfft (http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&0&2usau&1067443216). :thankseveryone.

[OnTimeGabe]

Look great on the wrist. Thanks again for sharing that one!