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In New York City, Victorinox Swiss Army held an event in collaboration with the New York Fire Department (FDNY) designed to subject its I.N.O.X. (INOX) collection timepieces to a battery of stress tests. Victorinox Swiss Army’s goal was to assert its slogan of “Made To Last” for the new for 2014 collection of durable sport watches. See the I.N.O.X. movie here.

In celebration of Victorinox’s 130th anniversary, the company devised 130 tests meant to ensure lasting quality and reliability for its new Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch collection. 30 of those tests were specifically designed to demonstrate the “exceptional resistance” and the “made to last” values of the new Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch collection, putting them in torture situations. The watches all survived.

During the New York City event, firefighters tested Victorinox Swiss Army INOX timepieces as the watches were boiled in water, frozen in ice, tumbled in washing machines, blasted with sand, and run over with a truck, among other ordeals all designed to test the limits of a modern sport activity watch.

More practically, Victorinox Swiss Army wanted to prove that its Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch could withstand the abuse its owners might subject it to. Specifically, Victorinox Swiss Army designed the Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watches to survive the shock from a 10 meter fall, harsh vibrations, as well as extreme g-forces and velocity.

In other tests, Victorinox Swiss Army demonstrated the durability of the Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watches by running over them with a 64 ton tank, placing them in a centrifuge environment with 12 G-forces of momentum, subjecting the watch cases to corrosive oils and acids, and heating them up to 163.4 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as cooling them to negative 59.8 degrees for extended periods of time.

In addition to the strength of a reinforced stainless steel case, the Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch collection has specially produced dials and hands which are designed to withstand forms of shock and vibration that would permanently destroy less durable timepieces. The company positions the Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watches as leader in timepiece durability, as an extension of the brand’s core values of producing products that are “Made To Last” including its other timepieces as well as its cutlery, pocket knives, and luggage.

The “INOX” (I.N.O.X.) name of the new watch collection honors the French term originally given to stainless steel. Strong, corrosion-resistant steel alloys helped revolutionize the wrist watch industry when it became more widely used during the latter part of the 20th century. The thick steel case of the 43mm wide I.N.O.X. timepiece is gracefully rendered in order to suggest the strength of the metal as well as the elegance of modern timepiece design.

Victorinox Swiss Army rates each Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch to be water resistant to 200 meters, and each piece is covered with an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal over the dial. As a nod to their own past, Victorinox Swiss Army includes an “original” rubber bumper that wearers can attach over the bezel on each I.N.O.X. timepiece. For 2014, the Victorinox Swiss Army INOX watch collection is available with three dial color options including black, navy blue, and khaki green. Each is paired to a matching rubber strap.

As an extension of their durable nature, Victorinox Swiss Army uses Swiss-Made Ronda caliber 715 quartz movements inside each Victorinox Swiss Army INOX timepiece. Retail price is $525. victorinoxwatches.com