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As the watch industry itself places an enormous emphasis on history and tradition, an ongoing goal for today’s manufacturers is to create something that participates in the rich legacy of horology while still managing to simultaneously feel fresh and new. Some brands will do this by reimagining famous models from their archives. However, for the companies who haven’t been around since the dawn of the wristwatch, a more creative approach is often required.
Batavi is a watch company based in the Netherlands, which has been around since 2017 and has already successfully launched two different collections. The brand’s latest model, the Geograaf is a follow-up to its previous GMT watch, the Kosmopoliet, and although both models offer access to multiple time zones, they are incredibly different watches. While the Kosmopoliet largely followed the design of a traditional 4-handed GMT watch, the new Batavi Geograaf collection combines an innovative dual time zone display with a Dutch minimalist approach to design and pops of bright color to offer collectors and enthusiasts a fresh and modern take on the classic travel watch.
As a brand, Batavi fearlessly embraces being the underdog. The company’s name actually comes from the Batavi people, who were an ancient Germanic tribe that lived in a small village along the modern Dutch Rhine delta, and who bravely stood up to the Roman Empire against impossible odds. Headquartered in Amsterdam and run by a passionate watch collector and enthusiast named Ugur Mamak, Batavi is known for its use of fresh, bold colors, and this can clearly be seen in the new Batavi Geograaf collection.
The “Geograaf” name translates to “geographer” in Dutch, and the Batavi Geograaf collection is inspired by travel and the colorful, far-flung destinations that exist throughout the world. Offered in two different configurations — a GMT and a worldtimer — both variations of the new Batavi Geograaf offer simultaneous access to multiple time zones and feature durable cases and bracelets that are designed for a life of travel and ready for any adventure.
Featuring 39mm stainless steel cases that measure 13mm-thick with a lug-to-lug distance of 48mm, both GMT and worldtimer variations of the new Batavi Geograaf offer identical exteriors, and both also include internal rotating bezels that are operated by the secondary crowns located at 10 o’clock. Fitted to the top of their cases are double-domed sapphire crystals, while each one also features a sapphire crystal occupying the center of its display caseback.
Surrounding the crystal on the dial side is a thin fixed bezel that features a radially brushed top surface with polished outer edges, and this two-texture finish is echoed on the case, which primarily features brushed surfaces with lugs that have thick high-polished bevels. As the Batavi Geograaf is designed to be an adventure-ready travel watch, its case offers an ample 200 meters of water resistance, meaning that it is more than up to the task of accompanying you everywhere from snorkeling in the ocean to lounging by the hotel pool.
Spanning a total of four modes, the new Batavi Geograaf collection includes two GMT watches and two worldtimers. The GMT models are offered with either a white dial that includes a red and pink 24-hour ring or with a salmon-colored dial that has its 24-hour ring finished in light and dark blue. The wordtimer configuration is offered with the option of either a dark blue dial with a bright green and gray 24-hour ring or with a cool gray dial that has its 24-hour ring finished in a vibrant combination of orange and teal. Additionally, on all of the various models, their hands and hour markers are finished with Swiss Super-LumiNova to provide them with maximum legibility in the dark.
The Batavi Geograaf GMT watches feature 12-hour scales along their inner rotating bezels that allow their owners to quickly access a third time zone without disrupting either of the two that are displayed on the dial. Meanwhile, the Batavi Geograaf Worldtimer models draw their inspiration from iconic travel watches like the Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5131, and they feature the names of major cities printed upon their inner rotating bezels for immediate access to all of the world’s major destinations and commonly used time zones.
Powering the new Batavi Geograaf collection is the Swiss-Made Soprod C125 movement. Running at a frequency of 28.800vph (4hz) and offering users a power reserve of 42 hours; the Soprod C125 is a GMT movement that offers the ability to display a secondary time zone in a 24-hour format. However, rather than displaying the time with an addition 4th hand on the dial, the Batavi Geograaf watches feature a split-color rotating 24-hour disc along the interior of their hour markers, which rotates throughout the day to track an additional time zone, and it is color-coordinated for easy reference of daylight versus nighttime hours.
Completing the Batavi Geograaf watches and holding them securely onto your wrist is a stainless steel H-link bracelet that features completely solid links and is fitted with a matching stainless steel fold-over clasp. Screw-in pins connect each one of the removable three-piece links, while quick-release pins are integrated into the solid end-links themselves, which enables the bracelet to be quickly and easily removed for tool-free strap changes.
After years of travel bans and restrictions, people are ready to get out there and see the world again, and Batavi wants to make sure they have the perfect timepiece for wherever their travels happen to take them. With a practical set of features, durable construction, and a unique approach to color and design that is true to the spirit of the Batavi brand, the Geograaf is built for a life of travel and the ideal watch for experiencing new locations.
Pre-order pricing for the Batavi Geograaf is set to start at €649 EUR (or approximately $685 USD) and the watch will soon be available on KickStarter, where you can sign up to receive additional notifications about its expected timeline for availability. For more information on the Batavi Geograaf collection, please visit the brand’s website.
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