Zero West S5e and S6e Spitfire Escape Review & Best Straps

The Supermarine Spitfire is possibly the most iconic aircraft of all time. Elegant, acrobatic, powerful, and fast, it has captured the imagination since it first flew in the fight to defend Great Britain. Hampshire based watch brand Zero West have released two limited editions that commemorate this magnificent plane and we have them at HQ, so let’s take a closer look...

I’ve covered a few watches recently that have historical stories behind them, but I think these two win for having the most impressive story. It involves a brave pilot, a great escape and of course a Spitfire. Specifically, AA810, a Spitfire used for photographic recognisance.

The plane was being flown by Sandy Gunn when it was shot down during a mission to photograph the Tirpiz battleship. Gunn was captured and held at Stalag Luft III prison camp. Gunn was one of 75 servicemen that took part in one of the largest prison breaks of the war through tunnel ‘Harry’, an event that was later immortalised in the movie ‘The Great Escape’.

Sadly, Gunn was recaptured and along with 50 other men executed under the Führer’s direct order. Over 80 years on, many of the parts of the Spitfire AA810 have been recovered in a bid to restore the warbird to its former glory with Zero West as a proud sponsor for the project.

That’s where this watch comes in. Each watch is adorned with a small piece of metal on the side of the case. That piece of metal has been taken directly from part of the infamous Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that powered Spitfire AA810. A beautiful tribute to Gunn and the many other brave pilots in the Photographic Recognisance Unit that also displays the unique serial number of each watch. Running your finger over it, you feel a connection to that plane and the many pilots that sacrificed their lives to protect their home.

The first model, S6e, is an automatic chronograph with a Swiss Sellita SW500BVc movement in a bicompax configuration. Interestingly neither of the sub dials are a running seconds hand, only a 30 minute and 12-hour counter are displayed. It’s a chunky one, coming in at 42mm and 16.8mm thick. Part of that thickness is due to the highly domed sapphire crystal, and as we know, any automatic chronograph is thick.

This watch is water resistant to 100m, a remarkable achievement considering they have not used screw-down pushers. Those pushers feel reassuringly crisp when activating and resetting the chronograph. There are some really nice small design details such as the bronze and red tipped chrono seconds hand, the large lume-filled numerals and the sloped rehaut that draw you in to take a closer look at the design.

The S5e is much more simplistic in its design. Featuring only a small seconds complication. The dial layout has been inspired by the ‘Dirty Dozen’ watch design commissioned by the British Army during the Second World War. It still features the large lumed numerals and hands and features a tactical countdown between 9 and 12 o’clock. It is powered by a Sellita SW261-1 and is 42mm and 12.5mm thick.

Some other interesting design features of these watches include the coordinates of tunnel ‘Harry’ on the dial under the Zero West logo. On the case back there is a message in morse-code that is only visible when UV light is shone on it. A hidden feature that reminds us of the bravery and secrecy those men had to uphold along with the many others that served during the second world war.

These watches are large and have considerable wrist presence. Both have a 50mm lug-to-lug and 22mm lug width. Almost every dimension on them is large. They feel durable and like they could be bashed around the tight cockpit of a fighter plane and come out completely unscathed.

A key component to having a durable military watch that can survive the most hostile of environments is having the right strap. So, with these two watches being built for all purposes, we thought we would highlight some of our favourite strap choices for each.

We combined the S6e with our Cambridge leather military strap. The chocolate brown leather allows the blue dial to stand out on its own while adding a touch of vintage class. This design speaks to the pilot aesthetic of the chronograph and is probably not dissimilar to the type of strap that would have been worn by servicemen that flew Spitfires.

An alternative style now, and one that compliments the versatility of the S6e. This is the Highley also in Chocolate Brown, adding a touch of class to this watch and making it a perfect choice for dinners with your pilot friends. A staple of the WatchGecko lineup, and for good reason, this is a leather strap that is timeless in design but modern in its material quality, construction, and durability. This strap will age beautifully but will also be structurally sound to ensure your watch is well protected.

Now for some picks for the S5e. First up, the Vintage Perforated Rubber in green. This keeps the vintage military aesthetic while keeping up with the modern capabilities of the watch. Completely waterproof and able to take on anything you can throw at it.

Sticking with the military theme, this is the Green & Red colourway on our Ridge Nylon Military strap. The green and red colours compliment the accents on the dial while maintaining the rugged military styling of the watch. The nylon is hard wearing and will keep up with any amount of punishment. A suitable fit for such a rugged watch.

Here we have two watches with British design, Swiss movements, and a backstory that pulls on the heartstrings. Not only that, but we’ve also proven that they look good on a wide range of strap choices. Remember, these pieces are limited to just 100 examples each so if you love them, don’t hang around.