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MATWATCHES, MECHANICS IN ACTION
For fifteen years, MATWATCHES has been the leading French name in the design, manufacture and distribution of military watches for professionals. With clients ranging from the French RAID tactical unit, the Foreign Legion, and the French Residential Security Group (GSPR) through to French naval aviation units and US Navy aviators, MATWATCHES has established a reputation for excellence with bespoke commissions for members of élite units for technical automatic watches renowned for their reliability, accuracy, extreme legibility, and robustness in all conditions.Steely discipline, proven technical prowess and a strong design ethos are the watchwords for this company founded by director Fabrice Pougez. With its military heritage, MATWATCHES has a proven watchmaking pedigree and can now roll its products out in new markets. As an independent brand focusing on warriors in all their guises with a taste for adventure and beautiful objects, MATWATCHES brings the same attention to the design of civilian and professional timepieces alike. Respect for the conventions and esprit de corps which constitute the brand DNA are what have appealed to Bruce Dickinson, an exceptional pilot and lead singer with Iron Maiden, and also to US Navy officers, professional rugby players, modern adventurers of the calibre of Denis Brogniart and Philippe Bourseiller, the heroes of French national sea rescue units (SNSM), and the French America’s Cup team.
SNSM
The objective of the SNSM is to rescue anyone in danger at sea and on the coast, in Metropolitan France and the Overseas Territories. It is the only institution tohave both the skills and qualifications needed to intervene on the beaches and offshore.
It draws upon 8,000 volunteers dedicated to rescue at sea. In 2018, lifeboats and lifeguards aided 30,000 people, including more than 9,000 at sea. After one year of development and following the recommendations of the specifications of the Sea rescuers, we are delighted to present our partnership, which today becomes reality through the creation of a Compressor watch.
This watch in the SNSM colours comes in 2 dial versions, distinguished by fine touches of orange for optimum readability. Its highly-resistant case is made of recycled navy-blue leather and bears the emblem of the SNSM, and you can take it with you wherever you go. For each watch sold, MATWATCHES has agreed to donate a percentage to the SeaRescuers association.
TEAM FRANCE 35TH AMERICA’S CUP
In 2013 Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux and Olivier de Kersauson created Team France. Together theydecided to develop French excellence in thebest of racing and technology: the America’s Cup. With the victory of the American team in 2010, the oldest sporting trophy in the worldunderwent a revolution, and since then hasbeen fought over by the fastest boats in the world.
The official Timer of Groupama Team France is a technical and functional product which is easily identified by its 316L steel casing, its Régate Timer function and its strap with very high resistance against shock, strain, bad weather and extreme conditions. The luminous figures on its dial are made in Super Luminova BGW9 and its reinforced sapphire glass offers readability in all conditions including underwater and at night. The Team France logo reinforces the unique character of this Timepiece.
BRUCE AERIS
Created in conjunction with Bruce Dickinson the IRON MAIDEN vocalist, this one is to commemorate Bruce piloting the band’s customized Boeing 747 jumbo jet named Ed Force One around the world on THE BOOK OF SOULS WORLD TOUR 2016, carrying Iron Maiden, their crew and over 20 tons of stage equipment across six continents.
The official Bruce Aeris chronograph quartz is a technical and operational product that is identified by its black steel and its strap with its high resistance to shocks. A certificate of authenticity signed by Bruce Aeris accompanies each watch numbered and engraved, thus reinforcing the unique character of this series.
NAVAL AVIATION
With more than 30 years of military and civilian flight operation experience, Jerry «Leekster» Leekey has beginning his career in corporate aviation, he was later selected to be a US Navy F-14 Tomcat Fighter Pilot. His passion for aviation and his life experiences are expressed in the design of these new MATWATCHES timepieces - they are truly an expression of his desire to create the quintessential pilot wristwatch. In the spring of 2015, we designed our first Naval Aviation timepiece.
This year we went for a radical vintage look. Protected by a robust 316L surgical steel case of 42.5 mm, its dark blue dial (sun-ray finishing) with its oversized index and arabic figures in super luminova (BGW9:blue glow white) features pilots’ wings at 6 o’clock. This new UTC is equipped with a unidirectional turning bezel in blue aluminium, with guilted figures indicating the second time zone for perfect legibility.
FURTIVE
The GIPN French police intervention units were formed in 1972. To celebrate their fortieth anniversary, the GIPN opted to partner with MATWATCHES once again.
The Furtive watch was developed exclusively for the GIPN and the key criteria in the specification were robustness and legibility.
The dial markers are applied in subdued colours for high legibility/low visibility, thus ensuring total discretion. The time is easy to read by day and night as the hands, indices and bezel marker are coated with Super-Luminova C3. It is fitted with an automatic Swiss movement and an ultra-thick anti-reflective sapphire glass, and is watertight to a depth of 300m.
LÉGION ÉTRANGÈRE
The Foreign Legion is, without a doubt, the most prestigious army corps in the French Army. On the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, MATWATCHES was honored to be able to participate in this event by creating two original watches, one was an automatic taken from a prestige series limited to 150 copies and a quartz chronograph.
Due to the success of these series, we are proud to announce the creation of two new Limited Editions in 2017. An automatic electric (Hybrid) watch which inscribes itself in the timeless code of the military watch: natural tanning oily leather strap, large surgical steel case, readability and simplicity of the dial, with the subtle details of the codes from this elite institution.
We have chosen an hybrid mechanism in order to increase the power reserve up to 120 days and guarantee a strict accuracy.
CALIFORNIA
Without sacrificing any of its military pedigree, the California collection is opening a new chapter in the history of MATWATCHES by expanding its design parameters and style brief. Combining strength of character with elegance, these watches with a more civilian look offer neo-classical styling to active urban wearers.
They retain the MATWATCHES DNA and drive to explore new horizons, while preserving the intrinsic energy of its watches. After extensive design research, and in order to reflect the mood of the era, MATWATCHES presented its first California model in 2014. With a self- winding Swiss mechanical movement (ETA 2824-2) which is both robust and accurate, it was initially designed as an “État-Major” military staff watch, and boasts all the distinctive traits of an all-purpose timepiece which is equally at home in the office, on a motorcycle ride or as weekend wristwear. Its 11.5mm deep barrel-shaped case (39mm in diameter) is beautifully understated. Refinement is implicit, but the large dial aperture and broad strap deliver a strong visual impression on the wrist.
An instantly recognisable and iconic contribution to the collection, the California features both Roman and Arabic numbers on the dial like certain combat watches. Discrete but easy to read, refined but robust, it is ideal for everyday missions; its cleverly designed short lugs provide optimal comfort and the vintage-style strap sits perfectly in the watch case middle. It epitomises a spirit of freedom and sophisticated elegance which make it a highly versatile, very cosmopolitan and stylish watch for all occasions.
URBAN CLUB
Military uniform has always been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the fashion industry. Military apparel has to be simultaneously functional and tactical, while expressing its own distinctive style.
This approach also applies to watchmaking: military watches have always been a key source of creative input for contemporary watch designers. As a brand, MATWATCHES is uniquely placed in France to draw on this heritage. Following the success of the “État-Major” 39mm diameter military staff timepiece, MATWATCHES was keen to develop a sport-chic watch drawing on the brand’s core aesthetic and historic design features. The 42.5mm diameter Urban Club watch therefore revisits the very neo-vintage lines of the California in a larger and more contemporary format.
It has been styled for action men who enjoy sport, the good life, yachting, and long weekends on the coast. In this respect, it can claim an illustrious pedigree in the history of sports timepieces. It features a 2.8mm domed sapphire glass, is watertight to a depth of 200m, and comes with a set of three interchangeable straps (black tactical, tawny leather, and genuine rubber). As a nod to the MATWATCHES brand’s military roots, the crown is positioned at 9 o’clock to give this sporty yet traditional timepiece a uniquely authentic allure when worn. Elegant and reliable, it complements every wrist and can deservedly claim to be a fully-fledged all-terrain watch. It ticks all the new sport-chic classic boxes.
This tactical heritage has given MATWATCHES an unquenchable thirst for freedom which is expressed in its liberated rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Its indisputable watchmaking expertise demonstrates beyond doubt its passion for high-performance ultra-technical sports watches. Drawing on its roots in theatres of operation and combat zones, MATWATCHES is now providing anyone who wants to step off the beaten track with the opportunity to wear a different kind of watch and join a community in which the values of sharing, independence and quality have retained their meaning. Its roots are military, its reality is freedom, and its future is action.
HIGHLIGHTS
ABOUT US
« The birth of a French Watch-making house »
The SEA-AIR-LAND adventure started in 2005 with a special order for watches for police officers belonging to RAID, the special French police enforcement unit. These watches were expertly crafted to meet the needs of these security professionals. The originality of their design has enabled them to fulfil every requirement of the members of the French Special Forces. MER-AIR-TERRE have proved their worth in action in the activities of the various military units deployed in the French army’s many theatres of operation.
MER-AIR-TERRE is one of the very few and one of the last independent French watchmakers firmly rooted in family values that puts the emphasis on reliable operation in day-to-day use. The firm of MER-AIR-TERRE has always upheld the traditions of French watch-making, right from the outset.
This French brand was founded in 2007. Since then it has grown to have not only its own manufacturing workshop, but also an R&D department, a quality control unit, an after sales department, a showroom, and also its own Marketing & Communication department. The workshop, located in the Rue Vignon, close to the Madeleine Church in Paris, is devoted entirely to the assembly, quality control, maintenance and repair of MER-AIR-TERRE brand watches. These facilities mean that MER-AIR-TERRE can design and manufacture its products fast and flexibly. We have our own design team who design the various models making up our current collection.
Day by day, our watch-making firm benefits from the experience and know-how of many serving security professionals. Their ideas and their advice help us create reliable and robust timepieces for specialist units and Special Forces. Our watches are respected and admired by collectors and watch enthusiasts alike.
Our models spring from one of the three elements – sea, air and land. MER-AIR-TERRE actually means ‘Sea’, ‘Air’ and ‘Land’ in French. The combination of functionality, quality and understatement has won the loyalty of a large section of the special unit and collector market. They find that MER-AIR-TERRE are the best timepieces for them.
MER-AIR-TERRE is a brand aimed at everyone who loves sport, adventures or beautiful objects, and who wants to step off the beaten track to find a watch of unique character.
OUR DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS
The passion that drives us makes itself felt at all levels: in our showroom, in our workshop, in our dealings with people, in the detail and attention we pay to our watches, and at our distributors. This passion has been the driving force behind our achievements to date, and will sweep this legacy forward into the future.
Visit us at our showroom or go to one of our distributors to find out about the passion that drives our firm and has allowed it to thrive.
MER-AIR-TERRE will be glad to see you at its showroom at the heart of the Paris Golden Triangle, right next to the Place de la Madeleine. At this private but welcoming showroom, you can discover the whole MER-AIR-TERRE collection in an exclusive and privileged atmosphere. It will give you a unique experience of the world of watches and watch-making.
Outside Europe, MER-AIR-TERRE exports its products to Japan, the US, Singapore and Indonesia in particular, and plans to develop a distribution network with a carefully selected group of exclusive boutiques. The value of our products is based on extremely reasonable and attractive prices, with no compromises on quality or ruggedness.
« MER-AIR-TERRE ambassador Club, a big family »
The Special Forces’ qualities of excellence and meticulousness, which are replicated in our brand’s values, are also espoused by the privileged few who wear our watches. Our club currently has several thousand members along with ambassadors from various backgrounds, such as Bruce Dickinson (music & aviation), Denis Brogniart (journalist & TV presenter), the French rugby players Olivier Magne, Alexandre Flanquart and Damien Chouly (playing for France), Olivier Panis (motor racing), and Bixente Lizarazu (football).
MER-AIR-TERRE works with its ambassadors to create watches that meet their needs and fulfil their highest expectations. No detail is left to chance. They choose SEA-AIR-LAND products because they know we are committed to the highest quality. They know they will be wearing a unique item, worn only in exclusive circles.
