A Refined Flyer
This is a tool watch, but it’s quite a luxurious one. Jack Mason doesn’t claim to be a luxury brand, and I don’t know of any luxury pilot’s watches on the market for under two grand, but this comes awfully close to meeting the criteria.
The size is damn near perfect. While the original Pursuit was a 42mm watch, this new version clocks in at 39mm across, 11.8mm thick and just 46mm lug-to-lug. It’s nicely finished throughout, with fine brushing on the sides of the case, the top of the lugs and the bezel, and mirror polishing around the outside of the bezel and along the chamfered lugs. There’s more detail and refinement than you’d expect from this type of pilot’s watch, which I appreciate, as I sometimes can find this style of watch boring.
The case and the Oyster-style bracelet are both made of Grade 2 titanium, which means the watch is exceptionally light. The big knock against Grade 2 titanium is that it scratches very easily, but Jack Mason has thought of that too. An anti-scratch coating boasting a hardness rating of 1,200 Vickers has been applied to the case and bracelet, and I noticed no scratches during my time with the watch.
The bracelet has a nice taper, which adds to the elegant vibes of the watch, and it’s equipped with the usual niceties seen on modern Jack Mason watches, namely quick-release spring bars and a micro-adjustable clasp. If I had one nit to pick, it would be that the clasp is a bit too long. I could do with a few millimeters less of adjustability in exchange for a smaller clasp, but I’m grasping at straws for things to complain about here.