his year marks 100 years since two men and three airplanes accomplished what had up to then seemed impossible - they crossed the South Atlantic by air. In partnership with the Naval Air Commission 100 TAAS and distribution partner Watchers, Graham is unveiling the Chronofighter Centenario TAAS to commemorate this great milestone in aviation and human history.

This first ever South trans-Atlantic flight was actually intended to commemorate itself another centennial, that of Brazil’s independence. March 30, 1922 saw Lusitânia, a Fairey F IIID MkII single engine seaplane, take off from the Tagus river in Portugal. On board were two members of the Portuguese Naval officers - Admiral Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho and Commander Artur Sacadura Freire Cabral, destination was to be Brazil.

The two-man crew experienced several near disasters, having to ditch twice in the ocean. Suffice it to say, the right watch might have helped, but history did not record whether chronometric failures were at the root of their mechanical mishaps. These mishaps necessitated two additional aircrafts be sent by boat to ensure the journey could continue - one from Portugal (the Pátria), the other from Brazil (the Santa Cruz).

In the end, the intrepid pair arrived in Rio de Janeiro 79 days after their departure from Portugal.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Functions:

• Chronograph (seconds, 30 minutes counter), day-date at 9 o’clock, hours, minutes, seconds

Calibre:

• G1747, Automatic Chronograph
• 28’800 A/H (4HZ)
• Incabloc shock absorber
• 25 jewels
• Power reserve: 48 hours
• Movement certification: Chronofiable^® (improved shock absorption)

Case:

• 44 mm steel
• Fast-action start/stop trigger and reset pusher
• Domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating
• See-through sapphire crystal case back with the printed flight plan and the names of the pilots
• Steel bezel

Dial:

• Silver sunbrushed black indexes
• Rhodium hands coated with white Superluminova (Grade A)
• White chrono hand with red tip

Strap:

• Hand-sewn aviator calf leather
• Steel pin buckle