Why We Love It

It's no secret that we love quirky, atypical watches here at Analog:Shift...

With so many smaller brands shrouded in mystery due to poor record-keeping or simply lost all together, we aim to shed light on some of the forgotten watches that were produced last century.

Fortis is one such brand.

Established by Walter Vogt in 1912, Fortis claims a series of horological firsts, not least of all being the production of the first waterproof wrist alarm in 1956. The brand was at the forefront of style, releasing brightly-colored watches in the 1960s and 1970s that could in many ways be considered forefathers of the Swatches of the 1980s.

This Easy-Math model from the 1970s features a plated cushion case with twin crowns - the lower of which is used to wind its manually-wound movement and the upper used to operate an internal rotating bezel and compass printed crystal assembly, which allows for navigation calculations. Additionally, the watch features a  with a period Tropic-style rubber strap.

If you've been on the lookout for a funky, unique watch with an unusual function that you're unlikely to see on anyone else's wrist - your search is over!