Hands-On With The TWCO Air Controller
When reviewing a new brand, like TWCO, for the first time this should come with a short introduction. Driven by passion, TWCO was founded in 2012 by Robbert Suurland. Robbert is a Dutch watchmaker from Oosterhout who was only 19 years young when he began with his new brand. Thinking about the four elements and fundamental forces that surround us every single day, he found a source for inspiration in two elements (water and air) that would be the leading factor for his line of watches to come. Timeless design, high quality and craftsmanship are the basics for the watches of TWCO.
Starting off with a dive watch called the Sea Rescue Diver, TWCO recently announced their second model. The TWCO Air Controller. During our meeting with Robbert he enthusiastically showed us the new TWCO Air Controller, which comes packed in one of those indestructible outdoor cases. Like the ones I use for my photography equipment most of the time. So the package looks cool and so does the Air Controller, which comes with a price tag under 1K euro. Something you wouldn’t expect from the first look. The overal finish is very impressive and details are all crisp and clear.
Where the looks could give you the impression that you’re dealing with a titanium watch, you will notice from the weight that it’s actually made from stainless steel, finished with a bead-blasting technique. The matte grey finish looks pretty good if you ask me. Robbert brought along both models as the Air Controller is available on a steel or leather bracelet. Nice detail of the leather bracelet is the hidden clasp. The buckle lies in-between two layers of leather and the rolling top makes sure the bracelet moves smoothly through the loop. The orange stitching on the leather bracelet matches the 15/30/45 minute markers on the bezel.
Despite the rather large case, which measures 43mm, the Air Controller wears very comfortable and somehow doesn’t feel as big as it is. The double anti-reflective coating on the inside of the sapphire crystal always gives you a clear view on the dial. Pictured on the dial is the TWCO logo and below the hands you find a picture an A-10 Thunderbolt. Super-luminova is used on the hour markers, hands and the triangle on the bezel.
Inside the TWCO Air Controller you will find the automatic Miyota caliber 9015 movement. Featuring a hacking mechanism to help you precisely set the time. The power reserve is rated over 42 hours and the movement operates at 28.800 beats per hour. One feature that you will not find on most of the watches in this price category is the anti-magnetic shielding. Besides testing the case for water resistance up to 20 ATM it is also tested for low pressure conditions of 0,2 ATM which resembles a height of approximately 12.000 meters.
In the end we think the Air Controller is a well crafted watch with some nice features that comes at a competitive price. We are keeping an eye on TWCO for future models to come.
For more information and full technical details please visit the official TWCO website.
