The Fortis Stratoliner Reentry Edition blazes a path with unique energy
Russell SheldrakeFortis is no stranger to space. And the Stratoliner Reentry Edition brings this journey full circle for the brand with its Earth-bound dial sparking the imagination and thoughts of the hardest part of space travel, as brave astronauts reenter Earth’s atmosphere at otherworldly speeds. The watch world often celebrates the watches that make it up into space, or even onto the Moon, but very little is spoken about how these pieces have to survive the harrowing experience of coming back down to Earth, and that’s what I like so much about this new edition from Fortis, as a brand that prides itself on make tough tool watches, they aim to be in the toughest environments.
The dial
You might first look at this watch and think you’ve got a faulty dial. But that’s not the case, the blue spot you will see on each of these has been individually applied by an open flame to add colour to the titanium dial and represent the intense heat experienced by spacecraft as they go through reentry. A unique touch that is added to each of these pieces, which gives a fingerprint-like quality to every dial as the spot shifts between copper and violet, thanks to this unique heat treatment.
The rest of this dial is very much as expected for the Stratoline family in its layout, although the finish is a uniform frosted look. We still have the contrasting white and blue outer tracks to match the blue chronograph seconds hand, along with blue segments on the minute and hour counters. All of this is set aside in a 12-6-9 configuration to allow for the day-date display and logo to have the right half of the dial. Keeping everything a fairly monochrome affair helps that heat spot really stand out here, a clever design choice that drives home the unique element of this watch. While it is possible that this spot could be distracting, there is enough going on with this dial that ensures the blued area adds character without taking away from the rest of the dial.
The case
The 41mm case is made entirely from recycled stainless steel with the screw-down crown offering 200m of water resistance. The majority of the case is brushed, adding to the tool watch nature of this watch. One design choice which I quite like here is the elongated lugs which jut out in straight lines from the case. The effect of these lugs is amplified by the bracelet end link design, but more on that later. It means you are left with a clear gap between the bracelet and the side of the case, giving this a bit of a vintage feel. Add on top of this the no-frills pusher design and a thickness of 15mm, this is very much a case that means business without adding anything unnecessary to the watch or its price tag.
The movement
Inside this watch is a rather special movement, and one that leans further into the aerospace theme of this watch. The WERK 17 is a column wheel chronograph that Fortis sent up 30km attached to a stratospheric balloon while data collection boxes monitored the performance of these several movements. So this movement has its space wings already, featuring a full chronograph and day-date function with automatic winding and an impressive 60 hours of power reserve, this is a movement that well and truly lives up to the concept of this watch.
The bracelet
This watch comes on a three-link block bracelet, which is made out of the same recycled stainless steel as the case and features a straight end-link. I made reference to this end-link when we spoke about the case above, but it gives this watch more of a vintage feel without coming across as tacky. The advantage of having a straight end link as well is that you can change that bracelet out of anything you like with real ease. There is a sliding buckle to hold it all together with a micro-adjustment built into it, a nice touch that shows attention to detail from the guys at Fortis.
The verdict
While we talk about space a lot in the watch industry, it’s nice to see a brand doing something different in this… space. There is a point of difference about this watch, and it feels like none of the big brands would dare to make something similar that, at first glance, looks like a mistake, but when you read into it, you understand just what it means. Add on top of that a movement that is proven to work in space, and you have, what I think, is a perfect watch to add to a collection for someone who is obsessed with space and is looking for something different.
Fortis Stratoliner Reentry Edition pricing and availability
The new Fortis Stratoliner Reendtry Edition is available now direct from the brand and in our London Discovery Studio. Price: £5,500.
| Brand | Fortis |
| Model | Stratoliner Reentry Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 15mm (T) x 51mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Recycled stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal |
| Dial | Titanium, unique blued spot |
| Strap | Block recycled stainless steel, sliding micro-adjust clasp |
| Movement | WERK 17, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, day, date, chronograph |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | £5,500 |