What is the most iconic modern military airplane? According to Avi-8, it’s the British Hawker Harrier and I’m inclined to agree. Known for its vertical take-off and landing capabilities (VTOL), it’s one the most visually distinctive and recognisable jet fighters of its time. As you may expect considering Avi-8’s modus operandi they have created plenty of watches inspired by this plane, including their latest offering. It’s the Avi-8 AV-4117 Hawker Harrier HUD Automatic, which I have here in the metal for review.
Off the bat, it’s one of the largest watches I have worn in a long time. It measures 44mm in diameter with a thickness of 15mm (with the weight to match) and even the hybrid leather-rubber strap feels big with a top to bottom thickness of around 5mm matched by the buckle. There is no hiding this watch under a cuff. I understand that a size like this will often be an immediate deal breaker for many collectors, including myself, but taking personal opinion out of it for a moment, I do think that this size works for the watch in terms of style.
It’s broad and industrial with a gunmetal grey tone to the steel with a combination of brushed and polished surfaces. It feels like a technical piece of equipment you’d expect to see in a military hanger or in the cockpit of a jet – similar in some ways to Bell & Ross’ instrument watches. That association is also heightened by the Avi-8’s display which echoes the Hawker Harrier’s HUD.
If you’re not down on your aviation lingo (or video games and cars) a HUD is your heads-up display. It’s essentially an overlay of information on top of your primary visual stimulus. For example, in a fighter jet it can show airspeed, altitude, horizon line and even military details such as targeting information and weapon sensors, all without requiring you to take your eyes off the sky in front of you to glance down at an instrument panel. Think of the various digital sensors and targeting devices you see over Robert Downey Jr.’s face in the Iron Man films during his close-ups while in the suit – it’s kind of like that but a real world, practical application.
In order to create this impression on the watch, the various indicators and markings of the HUD are printed onto the mineral glass, hovering above the dial to create the signature layered appearance. Adding to the technical appearance is a bi-directional, internal rotating bezel that’s very easy to manipulate with the crown at 2 o’clock, it also has a turbine texture that evokes images of the Harrier’s engines. The typography on the dial is also reminiscent of the plane’s digital display.
There are three editions available and the version I have here is the green, which has an olive dial that fades into black with a degrade gradient. Also available are a red and a blue edition which have matching tone dials and straps although they retain the green HUD markings. I do think the green is the most logical of the colourways as it feels the most military inspired and tactical. There’s also a lot of luminescent material across the markings on the dial and even the rubber portions of the strap for low light legibility.
While the Hawker Harrier is powered by the Pegasus engine, the Avi-8 is powered by the Seiko NH35 automatic. It’s a time-and-date calibre with a 41-hour power reserve. It’s one of the most widely used movements in the world, balancing accuracy, reliability and accessibility perfectly. And at a price of £350, the AV-4117 Hawker Harrier HUD Automatic is suitably accessible.
Unstrapping the watch and turning it over reveals a solid caseback that features the same turbine pattern seen on the inner bezel and dual crowns. It’s a fun finish and thematically appropriate. Really, I think that is this watch and Avi-8’s greatest strength – they commit to the theme and concept unapologetically. They don’t sit on the fence and make another retro aviator with vintage proportions. They go out on a limb and try something different to the rest of the watch world. While it won’t be to everyone’s taste, that alone is admirable and if it does happen to overlap with your personal tastes and interests, it’s a great entry-level watch.
Price and Specs:
More details at Avi-8.
