The Chameleon
Time Factors Speedbird II PRS-7
There was a certain type of man, mostly English, that emerged during the cold war. Understated in appearance, seemingly innocuous, they were nevertheless trusted with important, sometimes vital tasks.
Unfortunate news. We’ll have to take countermeasures. (Photo source)
Say there’s a bank in Bangkok that’s been connecting Russian money with the illegal drug trade and could potentially destabilize the border region. Someone may be sent there to quietly ask a few questions, coordinate a counter-operation, maybe shoot someone or arrange an accident, maybe blow something up or help it blow up on its own. Surgically, if possible. And then slip away, innocuously.
So what kind of watch, does a man like this wear? Nothing ostentatious, of course, nothing showy. These were government men, but a field watch - betraying recent military experience - would likely be an error. Likewise a dive watch: while many had underwater training, they would not want that to be common knowledge.
They were typically civil servants, not showy capitalists, so today’s $20,000 wonders would hold no attraction for them. No, they would look for something unobtrusive, respectable-looking, yet highly functional. It would need to be a good watch, however: senior civil servants do not wear dime store timepieces.
I suspect the best of them would find the Speedbird II PRS-7 with ivory dial appealing.
This was a limited edition produced by Time Factors, an enthusiast shop specializing in small batches. The ivory dial batch, I’m told, was unusually small: most of the three hundred pieces made had a black dial (functional of course, but attracts unnecessary attention).
I’ve had mine for about 20 years, and it gives good service, ticking diligently through board meetings, marketing meetings, coordination meetings, conferences, conference meetings, and all of the other normal activities of the modern middle-aged salaryman.
But there is another side to its personality. I was recently engaged to intercept and destroy a boat carrying contraband. I was concerned, something didn’t feel right…a quick glance at my Speedbird affirmed, without ambiguity, that they were running late. Note the clarity and fine contrast of the hour and minute hands: redesigned from the original Speedbird, and far superior in my opinion. Note also the surgical precision of the black sweep second hand, which needs no special coloration or baubles to fulfill its duties.
Of course lume can be an issue with older watches, but at a recent rendezvous to eliminate a courier who had entered into some erroneous allegiances it became necessary to check the time, and the well-designed hands again gave good service, with just enough glow to help ensure that we were targeting the right person and not an unfortunate pizza boy (this happens, alas, to teams with lesser timepieces).
The Speedbird series are of course named for the emblem of Imperial Airways and, later, BOAC; in fact BOAC headquarters was known for many years as Speedbird House. So having the name subtly imprinted on one’s timepiece conveys great national pride, but also connotes the care and exactitude in important affairs as exercised by the international air-line pilot.
Like the strong grey men of England in those dreary days, the ivory-dialed Speedbird is rare, and like those men it does not attract much notice. It is not a luxury watch, but it looks very good. It is not a field watch, but it serves well in the field. It is not a flieger, but it can fly. Its chameleon-like ability to give good service in these diverse roles is not obvious. Until you wear one.
Time Factors Speedbird PRS-7 (link)