Swiss watchmaker Victorinox is a champion of utilitarianism, garnering renown since its founding in 1884 where it shortly after created the now-iconic Swiss Army Knife. The knife design became the foundation for the brand, which in its storied history has since broken into the watch industry with an impressive catalog of versatile, sporty styles. Victorinox is undeniably Swiss, and the brand’s new Journey 1884 collection is no different. Models in the collection make reference to Swiss hiking paths and signs via intentional dial textures and yellow accenting. And while inspired by the great outdoors, the collection is a harmonious fusion of adventure and urban utility.
The Journey 1884 collection offers a diverse range of options with seven statement watches powered by either a reliable quartz or sophisticated automatic movement. The Journey Automatic styles from Victorinox offer a pronounced example of the urban architectural influence of the collection. With a bold style and namesake automatic powered caliber, the watch ensures a daily companion on the wrist ready to help wearers navigate an ever-changing urban landscape.
On the exterior, the steel case has a 43mm diameter with a height of 12mm, occupying a relatively substantial place on the wrist equipped for hardy use. The sleek faceting of the ceramic-inlay bezel is reminiscent of the glass curvature of modern city skylines, while still offering the functionality of an easy grip edge. To fasten the watch, Victorinox offers the option of a steel bracelet or an innovative wooden strap that can each be changed without tools for a practical and easily customizable look.
For the dial, Victorinox offers two sleek color options for the Journey 1884 Automatic: matte blue and matte black, with the latter pictured. The dial is highly legible with bright white indices and partially skeletonized hands. Incorporating the yellow detailing in honor of Swiss hiking signs is a bright yellow seconds hand that stands out boldly against the dark dial. Instead of a numeric 6 o’clock hour marker, Victorinox opts for a triangular index with its topmost corner pointing upwards at a date window, at once complementing the geometric styles in the watch’s design, as well as recalling a rich history of sports watches by the brand to feature the motif.
The Victorinox Journey 1884 Automatic is available with a black dial and presented on a steel bracelet (ref. 241981) for $1,050 and with a blue dial on a wood strap with pricing marked at $995. The entire Journey 1884 collection is available for purchase via the brand’s website.
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