Growing their collection simultaneously with their popularity, AVI-8 has newly released another addition to the pilot collection. Having already reviewed the FLYBOY, and the Hawker Hurricane, I only found it fitting to squeeze in a review of the new Supermarine Seafire. In the Seafire collection, there are four case options to choose from. Two being brushed stainless, one black stainless, and the model we’re reviewing today, the AV-4025-04, stainless gold casing. The Supermarine Seafire AV-4025-04 comes with a price tag of $450 USD, so lets break it down and see what we get.
Arriving in AVI-8’s standardize watch box, the AVI-8 Supermarine Seafire will be resting comfortably on the pillow inside, safe and sound. AVI-8 does a good job with their product packaging, shipping wise, so no need to worry about the international traveling your watch will be doing. Along with the watch, you’ll be supplied with the instruction manual, warranty card and an identification card explaining the history of the Supermarnie Seafire.
Constructed from stainless steel, the case of the Supermarnie hosts a gold plating that matches up well with the dial. The case width measures a total of 43mm, with a case to crown of 47mm. Being a fan of the horn shaped lugs, I like that AVI-8 used these styles of lugs on the Seafire, as they really dress up the case. The lower portion of the lugs are a brushed stainless, with the upper half of the casing done in high polish, giving the case a nice contrasted look. The overall LTL measurement is 52mm, with a case height of just over 13mm.
Framing the dial is a coined edge bezel. “Coined bezels”, as I refer to them, are really starting to grow on me. Breaking up the smoothness of the case, the coined bezel adds the needed dimensional flare, giving the AVI-8 Supermarine Seafire a classy feel to the timepiece. The diamond shaped, push-pull crown compliments the bezel nicely with it’s coined edging.
X2Eliah
Shame about the mineral crystal, given the pricetag of this thing – $450 or so – a sapphire seems to be almost a necessity (heck, you can get pvd-coated miyota automatic watches with a sapphire for that price – of course, not chronos, but even so). Especially with a dial this detailed, a sapphire would have made more sense.