Friday, July 12, 2013

Bremont's Codebreaker Watch Pays Homage to WWII's Enigma Crackers

Source: http://gizmodo.com/bremonts-codebreaker-watch-pays-homage-to-wwiis-enigm-745738355

Bremont's Codebreaker Watch Pays Homage to WWII's Enigma Crackers

The allied victory in World War II can be as much credited to the brave men and women who fought with weapons as it can the scientists and mathematicians who successfully broke the secret codes used by the Germans, including the famous Enigma machine. And Bremont is commemorating that accomplishment with a limited edition timepiece called the Codebreaker that incorporates elements of Britain's code-breaking efforts.

During the war, a facility called Bletchley Park was converted into the allies code-breaking HQ, and Bremont's watch actually incorporates elements from that now historical landmark. The Codebreaker's crown is inlayed with pine taken from Hut 6, the building where Alan Turing cracked the Enigma machine, and the watch's automatic movement's counterbalance is made from parts of an actual Enigma device.

Available in just 240 pieces with a steel finish, and 50 crafted from rose gold, even the limited edition numbering appearing on the side of the watch is fashioned from actual printed punchcards used during the war. So as you can expect, the watch doesn't come cheap. The steel version comes in at just under $19,000, while the rose gold option is a bit more pricey at $34,000. But all of the proceeds are being donated by Bremont towards the restoration and preservation of Bletchley Park, so at least your small fortune is going to a good cause. [Bremont via Gear Patrol]