ETERNA – KONTIKI DIVER BRONZE MANUFACTURE

On 28 April 1947, the Norwegian anthropologist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl, with five other men, set off across the Pacific Ocean on board the Kon-Tiki. The makeshift raft built by Heyerdahl and his team took 101 days to sail from the Peruvian coast to the Tuamotu archipelago in Polynesia. This human adventure inspired Eterna to create a new collection of replica watches with a sports look: KonTiki. Because 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of Heyerdahl’s epic adventure, the replica watchmaker based in Granges has designed a bronze timepiece baptised the KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture.

eterna kontiki bronze closeup

Bronze is not only an alloy that is very much in vogue in replica watchmaking today, but has also been often used in shipbuilding for several decades. Sailors have long praised its robustness and resistance to rust. What is more, bronze has the advantage of oxidising delicately, creating a vert-de-gris patina that makes each of the 300 KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture replica watches unique.

This new timepiece designed by Eterna features a bronze case of 44mm in diameter and 14mm thick, with a unidirectional revolving bezel. It has a screwed back and is decorated with sapphire glass, revealing the in-house automatic mechanical movement driving the hours, minutes and seconds. This is the 3902A calibre that runs at a frequency of 28 800 vibrations per hour and provides 65 hours of power reserve.

The dial of the KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture is anthracite grey in colour and has a roughened look, evoking granite. An hour rim featuring triangular, golden and luminous indices surrounded by a white minute track is the home for two dauphine-style hands. The counterweight on the second hand recalls the outline of an assegai spear.

The replica watch comes with a hazelnut brown strap with ecru-coloured stitching around the lugs and a bronze ardillon buckle.

Price: 2 890 CHF eterna.com

By Sharmila Bertin