 Success is rarely a matter of chance: the wristwatch has literally been gathering upward momentum ever since it was invented. Even as early as September 18, 1918 when these timepieces were still regarded as a cutting-edge invention, the first wristwatch crossed the magical 10,000-meter threshold. That was the memorable day on which pilot Roland Rohlfs set up a new world altitude record, at exactly 34,610 feet or 10,550 meters. Despite an outside temperature of -44°Celsius, his wristwatch coped effortlessly with the enormous strain. Ever since that day, wristwatches have been an indispensable item in the cockpit. Depending on the different operations, they have to cope with various demands such as strong vibrations, extreme acceleration or deceleration, as well as vast changes in temperature.
Needless to say, the procurement offices of the German Army are well aware of these requirements. In the early eighties, they issued a new invitation to tender for an official air force chronograph. This was based on a requirement profile which had been meticulously compiled by the engineers of the armed forces' test institute. After careful scrutiny of the offers, the authorities awarded the contract to Tutima Uhrenfabrik. The decisive factors were not only the reliability and precision of the company's automatic chronograph, but also the innovative design of the control buttons for the chronograph functions.
Tutima had departed from the usual protruding knobs, opting instead for large spaced push buttons which were integrated in the case. This ingenious solution to a well-known problem greatly facilitates operation, particularly when the user is wearing gloves. At the same time it does not affect the water resistance - 20 bar - of the case in any way. Another important advantage of this design is that parts, which do not protrude, can neither cause injuries nor break off in turbulent situations. Also for safety reasons, all the edges and corners of the case have been chamfered. Continue in section.
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