Victorinox INOX Mechanical
Switzerland’s toughest piece steps up a gear
“Of course the Swiss Army Knife is a huge inspiration for us when it comes to watchmaking,” says Arianna Pozza, head of product and sales, reflecting on Victorinox’s eagerness to draw on, rather than distance itself, from its most famous product — which it has been supplying since 1891.
This inspiration can be seen in the latest iteration of Victorinox’s flagship timepiece, the INOX, with the watch’s patterned dial, available in both black and blue, designed in the style of a Swiss officer’s knife.
Perhaps most noteworthy, this is the first mechanical version of the INOX, with the transparent back of the 43mm case revealing the inner workings of a mechanism that, due to the delicate nature of automatic movements required, says Pozza, took “several phases of R&D to bring to life.” That’s along with 130 “extreme” certifying tests the watch is put through by Victorinox.
The flagship INOX is a notoriously resilient timepiece (as 130 different stress tests prove), unveiled in 2014 with a presentation that featured it being run over by a 64-tonne tank — it’s on YouTube. It’s unlikely the INOX Mechanical, which is powered by a Swiss-made automatic winding mechanical movement, will pass quite as many of those tests. But, says Pozza, it will still “stand out from the masses with its intentional, edgy design and weight”. The design features a high-grade Swiss 316L stainless steel case with a screw-in case back, a protected screw-down crown that makes it water resistant to 200m, and a screen crafted from scratch-resistant, triple-coated, anti-reflective crystal.
While the 2018 INOX is available with a traditional stainless steel bracelet, a more intriguing proposition is the genuine wood strap crafted onto a leather base, the first of its kind. “The perfect innovation that fits well with Victorinox’s environmental commitments,” asserts Pozza.
Despite “only” having 29 years of watchmaking experience, Victorinox is quickly proving that it can go toe-to-toe with the biggest players in horology thanks to an obsession with quality, testing, innovation and a final product that can take whatever you throw at it. Or, indeed, drive over it.