MICRO-MONDAYS: The AERONOM AeroOne is a street-tough brute of a watch
Fergus NashThe AERONOM AeroOne is born from concrete jungles, hardened beneath derelict overpasses and finessed in underground clubs. The brand’s origin, after all, is credited to the Notorious B.I.G track, Sky’s The Limit, whose spirit of audacity inspired the founders they could start a watch company themselves. In other words, this brand take their street style seriously. Certain elements of the AeroOne may show their inspiration, but the sum of the whole watch is a bold, imposing and unapologetically unique timepiece.
AERONOM is a German brand that fully embraces the country’s underground subcultures, which helps to explain why the industrial architecture of the case feels so authentic. Staring at the watch sends your mind into the graffiti-coated streets of Berlin in the 1980s without coming across as a relic from the past, as the stoic street attitude has followed it into modern style.
The case
To call the case of the AERONOM AeroOne masculine would be an understatement, with its hulking mass extending past the pure size dimensions and into the character of the construction. The monolithic structure feels hunkered down on-wrist — the blocky lugs integrating with the bracelet and framing the whole watch in a brick of brushed steel. Polished facets on the edges of the lugs add touches of aggression to the profile, while even more material is added to the sides that form symmetrical ears and crown guards.
If you haven’t been scared off by the description of this watch, then you’re probably still going to be onboard for the hefty measurements. The huge flat expanse that is the vertically brushed bezel measures 43mm across on my calipers, while the width straight across the ears comes in at 45mm excluding the crown. If you have the wrists to pull off that kind of size, then the 51mm lug-to-lug length and the 13mm thickness are actually fairly reasonable. If you don’t have the wrists for this watch however, nothing’s stopping you from letting it hang from your arm anyway in a nonchalant display of confidence.
The dial
The AERONOM AeroOne’s dial does carry a bit of aviation flair that somewhat explains the AeroOne name, especially with the 24-hour subdial and expanded date window that looks like a professional flight instrument. The colour appears as a matte black but is actually the darkest grey that AERONOM could get, somewhat offsetting the glossy shine of the black diamond that’s set into the bezel above 12 o’clock. The AERONOM logo is quite minimal, with the “A” symbol stacked on top to help balance out the printed text below the pinion that lists the model name, automatic status, German manufacture and the 100m water resistance.
The minute markers are relegated to a chapter ring on the outer fringes of the dial, giving more space to the obelisk-like applied markers that are filled with Super-LumiNova. The thin baton hands are a fairly stripped-back element of the watch, which is quite welcome considering how bombastic the rest of the designs are.
The bracelet
AERONOM may be indebted to street life, but the steel bracelet on the AeroOne is actually a relatively high-class affair when looked at in isolation. Modelled after the “president” style, the three-link construction is secured with push-pins and drapes well over a wrist. Although the edges aren’t completely refined, it’s well articulated and comfortable enough. The butterfly clasp is incredibly solid and reassuring, with another little “A” logo milled into the end piece. The lug width is 22mm, so you should have an easy time experimenting with aftermarket options too.
The movement
Although the watch has enough German parts and assembly to earn the “Made in Germany” title, for the sake of affordability, the movement is a Japanese Miyota 8217. The automatic movement has a beat rate of 21,600 vibrations per second and a power reserve of 42 hours, and of course features the 24-hour display at 3 o’clock. The unidirectional winding is often a point of complaint from watch owners who may experience the rotor spinning freely and wobbling the watch, however the case of the AERONOM AeroOne is substantially thick enough to prevent that feeling. Although the caseback is mostly solid and plain, there is a small sapphire window for you to view the beating heart of the movement and glimpse the swinging rotor.
The verdict
For $630 AUD or €495, the AERONOM AeroOne offers more than enough quality manufacturing to be worth the price. Even if you don’t consider the massive flight case that carries both the watch as well as a smaller carrying pouch, you would definitely be getting your money’s worth. The larger question sits with your tastes and whether or not you would want a watch of this size and swagger, but I would guess that you’re already tempted if you’ve made it this far.
The AERONOM AeroOne pricing and availability:
The AERONOM AeroOne is available from AERONOM’s website here for $630 AUD / $450 USD / €495 and is limited to just 200 pieces. For the sake of scarcity and to prevent potential flippers, sales are restricted further to just one watch per customer.