The New Tutima Mara Safari Chronograph

Tutima, founded in 1927 in Glashütte, earned its wings with its famous 1941 Flieger flyback chronograph. Following the destruction of its manufacture and eventual relocation to the West, in 1984, it resumed its flight path with chronograph ref. 798, the official pilot’s watch for the German Air Force and NATO. Returning to Glashütte in 2011, Tutima jumped on the bandwagon for vintage Flieger-inspired models and, in parallel, created the M2 family, a more contemporary lineup sustaining the rugged attributes of its military-spec ref. 798 pilot’s watch. Moving beyond the theatre of military watches, Tutima turns to a noble cause by supporting the Mara Elephant Project in the Serengeti/Maasai Mara ecosystem with a special edition of its M2 Chronograph, the Mara Safari Chronograph.

The connection with the Mara Elephant Project runs deeper than a mere adaptation of an existing model. Marc Goss is the head of the Mara Elephant Project, which protects elephants and their habitats in the African savannah. For years, Goss relied on a Tutima chronograph that his late father wore as a ranger and pilot in Kenya.

The rugged build and cushion-shaped cases of the M2 collection – comprised of the Chronograph ref. 6450 and 6451, the 500m water-resistant M2 Seven Seas and the M2 Coastline 3-hand and chronograph models – descend directly from the famous 798 NATO pilot’s watch. A distinctive feature of all M2 Chronographs is how the pushers are integrated, designed to address the problem of protruding pushers getting broken off or snagging in the cockpit.

The Mara Safari Chronograph is an all-terrain, do-anything action watch with a 300m depth rating and chronograph functions. It comes in a 46.5mm titanium case with a thickness of 16mm and pearl-blasted finishes to withstand knocks and blows sustained in outdoor adventures. Yes, the dimensions are almost elephantine, but the titanium ensures a comfortable, lightweight wearing experience, and the absence of lugs diminishes its mass (photographed on Brice’s 17cm wrist). Don’t miss Derek’s underwater experience with the M2 Pioneer Chronograph.

The overhang of the bezel partially protects the screw-in crown, and the screw-in caseback is embossed with the Mara Elephant Project logo. Covered with a black treaded non-slip neoprene inlay for enhanced grip, the flat rectangular pushers are set deep inside the case to avoid accidental snagging. The cushion-shaped case is surmounted by an elaborate bidirectional rotating bezel. It has a notched and scalloped base and features inserted luminescent capsules at 5-minute intervals with a round marker and double capsules at noon.

The matte safari green dial is packed with information. It has a 30-minute elapsed times sub-dial at noon, a 12-hour totaliser at 6 o’clock, running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock and a date window with a white background at 3 o’clock. The chronograph counters have snailed interiors and are indicated by red hands with luminescent interiors, while the central chronograph seconds hand is lumed with a red accent. The thick rectangular indices and hour and minute hands are also treated with Super-LumiNova. Legibility is ensured by the double anti-reflective treatment given to the flat, 2.5mm-thick sapphire crystal protecting the dial.

Powered by the calibre 310, first seen on board the M2 Coastline Chronograph, this automatic chronograph movement with a 62-hour power reserve is based on an ETA/Valjoux 7750. Although hidden by the caseback, the rotor is an antique grey colour with a gold seal.

The Mara Safari Chronograph is a limited edition of 250 pieces and comes on a matching green rubber strap with a titanium pin buckle. It retails for EUR 4,600. For more information, please consult tutima.com.