Emporio Armani Aviator Men’s 43mm Chronograph Watch (AR11168)

Grey on grey, with one orange hand cutting through it. The dial, case and strap are all in the same muted charcoal family, and the only colour on the watch is the orange seconds hand and the thin orange ring that runs just inside the crystal. \n\n Dial and Legibility \n A flat mid-grey face with applied dark grey batons at the hours – deliberately low contrast, so the markers sink into the dial rather than jumping off it. Two sub-dials sit at nine and three, a 60-unit counter and a 24-hour register, both in the same grey with white printing. The date is cut at six. Around the outer ring a tachymeter scale runs in white from 500 to 60, with TACHYMETER spelt across the top. White-tipped hands and that orange central seconds hand do the work of making the time readable; without them this would be a hard dial to use. \n\n Case and Wrist Presence \n Forty-three millimetres, round, in a matte gunmetal finish with a stepped bezel, wide lug posts and a fluted crown between two pushers. Matte dark metal absorbs light instead of throwing it, so despite the size this reads as a subdued watch rather than a loud one. The orange ring around the dial edge is the only thing that breaks the restraint. \n\n Movement and Functions \n Quartz, chronograph, date. The pushers start, stop and reset the timing hands. The tachymeter converts an elapsed time over a set distance into a speed – time a kilometre and read the figure where the chronograph hand stops. \n\n Strap, Clasp and Fit \n Dark grey leather with a natural pebbled grain, cut wide at the lugs and tapering toward the buckle. Grained leather hides scuffs far better than smooth leather, which suits a watch meant to look worn-in rather than pristine. It softens quickly and holds the shape of the wrist after a fortnight, at which point the case stops rotating. \n\n Who This Watch Suits \n Someone who wants a chronograph that stays quiet. Everything about it is muted except one hand, which is a more interesting choice than another black-and-steel sports chronograph. It goes with grey, olive and denim and looks wrong with anything formal. \n\n Care and Maintenance \n Keep the leather dry – a soaked strap stiffens and cracks at the fold. Gunmetal is a coating over steel, so use a soft dry cloth and nothing abrasive, and never a polishing compound. Do not work the pushers while the watch is wet. \n\n Technical Specifications \n \n Brand Emporio Armani \n Collection Aviator \n Model AR11168 \n Gender Men’s \n Case diameter 43mm \n Case colour Gunmetal, matte \n Dial colour Grey \n Movement Quartz \n Functions Chronograph, date, tachymeter \n Strap Grey leather \n EAN 4013496069754 \n \n\n Buying With Confidence \n A 24-month international manufacturer warranty covers the movement, excluding battery and normal wear. It ships new and unworn in its original box with the manufacturer’s paperwork, nationwide with tracking, and the Consumer Protection Act right of return applies to an unworn watch in its original packaging. The orange ring sits under the crystal at the very edge of the dial, so it only shows from certain angles.