Ball Engineer III Endurance 1917 TMT Limited Edition

The watch I want to present this time is Ball Engineer III Endurance 1917 TMT Limited Edition to 1000 pieces. I love this watch, mostly because it is a tribute to a great man and expedition – Ernest Shackleton. It all began with the announcement made by Ernest to find members for his crew: “Men Wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” – Ernest Shackleton

Ernest Shackleton ended The Heroic Age Of Antarctic Exploration with his 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. This expedition was unsuccessful from one point of view and successful from another point of view. Ernest and his team didn’t reach to the South Pole. However, the great success when all crew returned home after 3 years spent in the most unlivable place on earth. Their ship, Endurance, was locked in a pack of ice and sunk.

This watch an has a sum of nice features not seen on others. The case has a 40 mm diameter, made in stainless steel with round surfaces, covered by an antireflective coated sapphire crystal. It has a great case back, engraved with a picture of Endurance locked in ice. A couple of days before she sunk, the crew took this picture and I remember seeing it in the book.

I would say that the dial has a perfect blue with applied tritium gas markers that should provide at least 25 years of night readability. The date is present at 1 o’clock which is also very rare and at 6 o’clock is a thermometer with a range from -40 to +50 degrees Celsius. The integrated thermometer has a bimetallic design.

At 12 O’clock, under brand name, there is the text “Official Standard”. A small reminiscence from the history of the brand. At 6 o’clock under thermometer sub-dial there is “Amortiser” and “Chronometer”. Amortiser is a Ball innovation that will protect the movement against mechanical shocks. The chronometer marks the COSC certification for this watch. The movement of this watch Ball calibre RR1601-C obtained from a heavily modified ETA 2892 is a real workhorse movement with added features like the above mentioned thermometer, amortiser and antimagnetic resistance. It also has a special oil that insures its precision at all temperatures present on the thermometer.

The watch came with one of the most impressive bracelets I saw. Very nicely finished, with screws between links and a great clasp. However, since I’m not a bracelet person I’ve changed it with a full grain black leather strap. The hand stiched strap is 21/18 mm and you can find it in our store.

Overall, this is a perfectly balanced watch in every aspect, a great wrist presence and a tribute to a great period of time in the history of explorations.

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And during this Covid-19 hard times, remember:

“Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all.”- Ernest Shackleton

Cheers!