Nardi HMS-C20 – Automatic Diving Watch Made from HY-80 Steel Reclaimed from the Royal Navy Frigate HMS Cornwall

Nardi is a new watch brand based in Portsmouth, the birthplace of modern maritime innovation and also the home of the Royal Navy. The brand has announced the launch of its debut watch model HMS-C20, an automatic dive watch made from HY-80 steel that has been reclaimed from the Naval Type 22 Frigate; The HMS Cornwall.

A Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy, The HMS Cornwall (F99) was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, a major shipbuilding firm based in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow. It is now part of BAE Systems Surface Ships, owned by BAE Systems. The ship was commissioned in 1988. On 26 April 2011 she returned to Plymouth for the last time, and decommissioned on 30 June 2011. The HMS-C20 watch pays tribute to this combat ship.

This aquatic combat watch made from materials of historical significance will be engineered, finished and assembled in England. To raise funds for the initial mass production of this timepiece, Nardi has launched a Kickstarter online crowd-funding campaign with a goal of $55,722 .

Made from HY-80 Hardened Steel using CNC technology, the watch case measures 42mm diameter and 13.5mm thickness. The watch is equipped with the Sellita SW200-1, a high beat (28,800 bph/4Hz) automatic Swiss movement. This 26-jewels movement features a date complication with ‘hacking’ function and has a 38 hour power reserve.

The watch has a water resistance of 20 atm, equal to 200 meters. It features uni-directional, 280 point coin-edged bezel, screw-down case back, screw-down crown and double domed sapphire crystal with AR coating applied to the underside.

The watch comes with an option of Italian Calf Leather strap or Basket-Weave Canvas strap. All Kickstarter watches will also be numbered as ‘limited editions’ and carry a unique engraving. NARDI watches are guaranteed for 2 years worldwide against any manufacturing defect.

You can pre-order this watch by backing the NARDI watches HMS-C20 Kickstarter page. Pledges start at £430 (about $556). Kickstarter campaign ends on 27 February 2020. Estimated delivery planned in Apr 2020.

 

Technical details

Case
Material: HY-80 Hardened Steel, CNC cut with proprietary rehaut.
Water resistance: 200m
Bezel: Uni-Directional. 60 Click (Double-sprung bearing ratchet).
Bezel insert: Brushed ceramic with bi-colour printed markers and lumed pip.
Crown: Screw down. Signed.
Case back: Ornate. Screw down.
Glass: Double domed sapphire crystal with AR coating applied to the underside.
Measurements: Diameter (excluding crown) 42mm. Height (excluding glass) 13.5mm. Length (lug to lug) 50mm. Inner lug (strap width) 22mm
Unique to the Kickstarter ‘Launch Edition’: Gold ion plating to the top-inner edge of the bezel ring and crown signature relief, plus an engraved limited run ‘number’

Movement
Sellita SW200-1 (date)

Dial

Hands: Slim sword style.
Hour markers: 8 standard ‘bucket markers’ with custom teardrop quarter markers.
Lume: Swiss superluminova BGW9.

Strap options
Italian hand-stitched calf leather (tan) or heavy duty basket-weave canvas in black (both with signed buckle)