Haute Horlogerie with an adventurous twist
A family business that produces rare watches for enthusiast and collectors since 1999. Terra Cielo Mare narrates the history of aviation, naval and mechanical engineering through Haute Horlogerie.
Terra Cielo Mare is an Italian company that, one generation after another, creates uncommon and peculiar timepieces taking inspiration from travels, explorations and historical events. The company has recently released the Terra Cielo Mare 88 Flak timepiece: the watch is dedicated to the famous antiaircraft cannon 8,8cm Fliegabwehrkanone, also known as Flak 88. This weapon was one of the most successful cannons of World War II and it has been widely used also in the aftermath.
It was invented and assembled in Germany during World War I as a mean of defense of the cities near the French border. Through continuous improvements, it became a highly efficient weapon which has been subsequently adopted by various national armies, including the Italian Regio Esercito. The Flak 88 was extremely versatile, but it was mainly used as an antiaircraft cannon. Terra Cielo Mare drew inspiration from these characteristics to design a watch whose dial recalls the instruments used to calculate the shoot while aiming at flying objects.
The Terra Cielo Mare 88 Flak, released for the first time in 2016, is available in a limited edition of 88 pieces. In fact, the dial is made with an original bullet of a caliber 88 we managed to found after a long search that seemed quite hopeless in the beginning. This very special design strongly recalls the military tools used to calculate the shooting angle and their indications. With the help of a visual support tool and timing on an 18-second basis the trajectory of the target, the shooter was able to calculate its speed and its distance and, consequently, the shooting angle. The PVD-coated case of the watch is made of steel, with the bezel and the flat back case in phosphor bronze.
The engraving on the back case, with its edged grooves, reminds the rifling of a barrel. The back case of the 88 Flak is engraved with a grooved texture that recalls the rifling of a barrel as seen from the front. The dial of the 88 Flak is truly refined. Made with an original anti-aircraft bullet, it’s fashioned after a military tool the army used to calculate the shooting angle. The spiral which embellishes the dial, when paired with the suitable optical tool, was used to time on an 18-second basis the trajectory of the target and to calculate its speed and its distance - and, consequently, the shooting angle. Limited editions are a hallmark of Terra Cielo Mare. However, the number of available pieces is never based on a random choice, but rather on an unavoidable one - as in the case of the Flak 88. In fact, the watch is made with the original bullet of a caliber 88, which is considered extremely rare by many connoisseurs.
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