So recently, I am on the phone with a particularly enthusiastic Italian man who is telling me about Vittorium. He speaks to me like Vittorium is his child – no his family name – in a particularly enthusiastic manner that only Italians can seem to have mastered. Vittorium is a brand that until recently was totally unknown to me. Which makes sense as there isn’t a lot of advertising and more or less little presence so far in the US. Vittorium has been around for a long time actually – but only recently started to brand their own watches – prior to such being a supplier for other brands. So the Swiss brand explain by the Italian brand has my attention. And who better to convey the qualities of the watches – which themselves have an undeniably Mediterranean style to them.
As almost totally Swiss made watches, the pieces have a good prices. Right now I would like to discuss their collection of watches known as the AT. The AT is segmented into four versions with a number of color combinations. There is a three-hand and a chronograph, and models with, and without rotating diver’s bezels. “AT” is meant to remind your of “atmospheres” because this is a diver’s watch. Though a very fashionable diver’s watch. Each AT piece is water resistant to 500 meters and has a sapphire crystal (with AR coating).
The steel cased watches are 42mm wide and a nice shape. The black models are DLC (diamond like carbon) coated – which as you know is stronger than PVD. The strong looking lugs help even out the smoothness of the round case. Plus, the tapering straps help give the watch a nice organic look that is common among Mediterranean deigned watches. I also like the use of the “metal protrusion” between the lugs that serve an important use to prevent boring empty space and a custom look. No luxury watch wants to look like it has any interchangeable parts (with other timepieces). Remember what I said about unbroken lines? Well look at the visually integrated crown and chronograph pushers (on the chronograph models that is). Like an arc, the crown, crown guard, and sloped chronograph pushers form a graceful shape together. Not forgetting the need for this look on the three-hand models, Vittorium simply extends the crown guards to give it that same look.
Three hand AT watches have a particularly delightful to view face. The design is calming, and feels like a perfect mix between occupied and uncluttered. The font for the Arabic numerals is interesting, while the colors used are soothing. A real low-key visage in a “notice me body.” Without the fun colors, the AT collection wouldn’t quite be what it is. While the designs that can only be described as “confident but relaxed” won’t appeal to everyone, it hard to argue that these watches aren’t well-designed. The chronograph AT models take a different direction, and feel very different than the three-hand models. The very symmetrical dial uses a bisected series of chronograph subdials that simply use both sides of the hand to read out information. Inside both of the watches are Swiss ETA movements. An ETA caliber F06 for the three-hander, and an ETA caliber 251.471 for the chronograph model.
In terms of colors, the AT models have many. There are currently 12 versions of the watch in all manners of colors. My favorite is the devilish looking red and black model above, though they all have their use. The watches are available on leather or rubber straps. Vittorium is quick to point out that even their rubber straps are Swiss made. This is actually very hard to find in watches with this price. You can check out the full line of Vittorium AT watches here.
Prices for Vittorium AT watches range from $695 for a basic steel cased three-hand model without a rotating bezel – to $1,350 for the top of the line chronograph version with the rotating bezel and DLC coated case. Pretty good for a really nicely designed Swiss Made watch with lots of Swiss parts. Prices for other models are all in between that range. You can even buy them online from Vittorium’s website.