Iron Annie - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

To begin with, Iron Annie, founded in 1919, is a German watch brand that draws its inspiration from the history of aviation and more specifically from the legendary Junkers JU-52 aircraft, nicknamed "Iron Annie". The design of their watches is often inspired by the aviator style but also by the more classic Bauhaus movement. The watches are designed and assembled in Germany using Japanese and Swiss movements. I was looking for a watch with an aviator look that wasn't necessarily very faithful to the first references (Laco, IWC, Stowa, Wempe and A. Lange & Söhne). This one therefore has the day/date complication and this green circle on the dial brings a little fun. Finally, the price of less than 200 euros definitely convinced me, as did the size of 42 which for my 18.5cm wrist is perfect. While the finishes and the light lume are correct for the price, the Miyota 8205 movement is very noisy because of its unidirectional rotor, which spoils the pleasure a little.

This watch has a slightly domed mirror-polished steel case. The beige dial is very pleasant to look at. The applied indexes blend perfectly with the power reserve, the date and the day of the week. The domed glass completes the antique character of the timepiece. This model is particularly well finished, as evidenced by the work around the oscillating weight. The pierced horns facilitate a possible change of strap, without distorting the slightly outdated appearance of the timepiece. The absence of a logo on the crown, as well as the quality of the strap are the weak points of this model, which nevertheless remains very endearing.

I love the readability of this watch and its simple and smart design. At night, it is a real beacon and during the day, its main exterior in "minutes" and the interior in "hours" allow precise reading in the blink of an eye. The cream background, the ultra-thin second hand with a tiny tear at the end, the size, the readability of the large crown, the aged leather strap: all the "retro-pilot" codes are there. The flat background (transparent), the rounded horns, the excellent quality of the soft leather with a very fine grain, make it pleasant to wear every day. The visible movement (SW200 in my case) is very soberly decorated. It keeps time very well (5/7s per day over 15 days).