Monochrome Watches
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Favre-Leuba Raider Sea King – The Urban Side of the Brand

Still shaped like most modern Favre-Leuba, still all-terrain but also more urban and daily-oriented.

| By Xavier Markl | 2 min read |

Over the past few years, Favre-Leuba, one of the oldest names of the Swiss watch industry, made a strong comeback by releasing a series of rough, sturdy mechanical watches with distinctive designs. The Raider collection with, for instance, the Bivouac, the Bathy or the Harpoon offers gargantuan timepieces, with 46mm to 48mm diameters, featuring unique built-in functions designed for active wear – a depth-gauge for the Bathy or an altimeter for the Bivouac. If these heavy-duty tool-watches for “conquering frontiers” work perfectly in everyday life too, Favre-Leuba has also something for those looking for a watch that is a little less rugged and slightly more ‘elegant’ with the Sea King (and the Sea Bird for ladies).

The Sea King comes in a 41mm diameter case, which is indeed much more versatile than the adventurous tool watches mentioned above. The case is designed in the same vein as the other models of the Raider collection but with a different bezel. The round and angular volumes are instantly recognizable. The Radier Sea King retains the retro-modern barrel-shaped case with a round opening, as well as the characteristic profile. However, it also feels more subdued (relatively speaking). The screw-down crown is protected in a rounded guard. Turning the watch over, the screw-down case back is aligned, with the brand logo and markings placed upright rather than positioned randomly. Water-resistance is of 300m.

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Protected under a double-sided anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal, the dial – available in black, blue and silver – features faceted, rectangular hour markers and distinctive hands inspired by 1960s and 1970s Favre-Leuba models. They all feature Super-LumiNova luminescent material to make time readable in low light conditions. The dial is framed by a sloping flange for the minute track, which adds a sense of depth.

The automatic movement inside the Favre-Leuba Raider Sea King is a customized ETA 2824 – a robust tried-and-tested all-rounder that will keep accurate time. Displaying the hours, minutes, seconds and the date, it runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a 38-hour power reserve. A coherent movement for such a sports watch.

The Favre Leuba Sea King makes a great daily wearer with a distinctive personality – and like the rest of the collection, it is still well executed and highly robust. It is mounted on a three-link steel bracelet secured with a double folding buckle or on an antelope leather strap with pin buckle. It comes with a 5-year warranty and price is set at CHF 1,950 on a bracelet and CHF 1,750 on a leather strap. For more details, please visit www.favre-leuba.com.

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