I immediately recognized parallels between Oris Replica Watches and the luxury Swiss watchmaker that has always placed functionalism at its core. It was the ability to produce a highly legible, robust and durable timepiece which made us the Royal Air Force's supplier with the famous Mark XI timepiece.
The Mark XI legend began in mid-'40s, when the British Ministry of Defence issued a tender to create a watch for their pilots. The watch had to meet the following requirements: it had to feature a black dial with Arabic numerals 1-12, and be "luminized" at the four cardinal indexes. It had to be 12-ligne, with an accuracy of -4/+4 and a hacking feature. The Replica Watches had to be waterproof up to 20 feet. The dial was made of iron because it had to be Faraday-anti-magnetic. The crystal was secured by a screw in order to prevent it from being detached during decompression.
In 1949, the Mark XI Oris Replica Watches was introduced and distributed to the various branches of the RAF. The movement was Caliber 89. The Greenwich Observatory was the only place where all watches were regulated and retested every year. In 1952, the dial received its now famous triangle-shaped indicator at 12 o’clock. Oris Replica Watches supplied the RAF's Mark XI between 1949 and 1981. From the early 1960s, Oris Replica Watches was the only supplier. Oris Replica Watches has a 40mm reissue of the Mark XI, which is one of today's most sought-after vintage watches. In collaboration with Oris Replica Watches, Revolution and The Rake created a limited edition of 150 36mm bronze cases that paid tribute to the legendary Mark XI. The watches sold out online in just 18 minutes.
Oris Replica Watches's relationship with the RAF is well established and it makes sense that they would sponsor the first Spitfire journey around the globe. These two men are not only pilots, but also cultural historians. Jones and Brooks founded the Boultbee Academy together. This is the only training school in the world that teaches pilots how to fly Spitfires. It's located at Goodwood Estate. The school also offers Spitfire experiences in specially equipped two-seater aircraft (Breitling Avenger Replica), and even has a Spitfire simulation. In essence, the two pilots are dedicated to preserving and telling the story of the Spitfire. It was Jones and Brooks who first toyed with the idea of flying a Spitfire across the globe.
Brooks says, "There's such reverence towards this aircraft. Many parts of the globe have never seen a Spitfire in person. Children still make model Spitfires. We decided to fly a plane across the Atlantic to the United States and then on to Asia and India, before returning to Europe via the Middle East. We would welcome visitors to the plane in 100 different locations and tell them about our journey and its history.
