Every year, between Black Friday and New Year, I browse all the major web shops to see if there are any interesting watches on sale — without any pressure to actually buy something. This year, a Revue Thommen Airspeed XL chronograph popped up. And I decided to buy one.
I originally had no intention of writing an article about this watch. It’s a model that has been on the market for over a decade, and therefore far from exciting from today’s perspective. But... when I started wearing it, I realized something surprising: despite being a very old Swiss brand with a rich tradition, Revue Thommen is still quite unknown — even to some of the (self-proclaimed) watch connoisseurs. I received several questions asking whether this was some Chinese brand trying to replicate Breitling.
How is that possible?
For me, as a collector primarily focused on alarm wristwatches, Revue Thommen is a well-known and important brand. It played a key role in the history of alarm watches from 1960 to 2000. In 1961, Revue Thommen stood out as the most significant player in the merger of five Swiss watch companies into the MSR group. Vulcain was one of those five companies. From that point on, all watches were sold under the Revue Thommen name, except for alarm watches, which continued to be sold under the Vulcain name for the next thirty years. By the late 1980s, even the Vulcain name was replaced by Revue Thommen. In the early 2000s, the Vulcain brand was sold — and that marked its rebirth. If you're interested in more details, check the Vulcain section on my alarm watch website.
Maybe I’m too biased, so let’s go back to my original question: why isn’t Revue Thommen better known?
Maybe the history of the company itself (https://www.thommenwatches.com/chronological-thommen-watches-milestones/ ) reveals part of the answer — particularly the last ten years. In that period, the ownership of the Revue Thommen brand changed three times. Additionally, Grovana, which owned the brand until 2014, retained the rights to sell watches that had already been produced and were still in stock. So over the past decade, we’ve had a situation where three different companies were allowed to sell watches under the same brand, but none of them appeared to invest enough in brand recognition — which would have also helped the other companies sell their stock.
The second possible reason might be the fact that Revue Thommen, in general, never truly managed to offer something different. A large portion of their collection consists of watches that are very similar to models from other brands — whether Breitling, Omega, or even Rolex in the case of some divers. And then there’s the pricing: quite often, even the official retail prices were close to those of their better-known competitors.
Despite all that, one thing has never been in question — the quality. Revue Thommen watches were, and still are, solid, well-made timepieces using quality Swiss movements. No shortcuts there.
Now, let's go back to the watch I purchased. As mentioned, this time it is not my intention to write an in-depth review — I decided this article will serve more as a presentation of the brand and the watch itself. I will, of course, share some of my observations, don't worry.
The watch comes from the Airspeed XL series. This series was launched back in 2010 or 2011. The reference number for chronograph models is 16071.6xxx (the last three digits depend on the exact model), while non-chronograph versions are labeled as 16070.6xxx. Over the years, this series has grown to include a large number of variations, and I must admit that some of the color combinations are quite impressive. The main factors that define a particular version are: case (stainless steel or black PVD steel), outer bezel (steel, steel with gold, or black PVD steel), strap (rubber strap in various colors, stainless steel bracelet with or without gold accents, or black PVD steel bracelet), inner bezel (matching the color of the rubber strap), hands (fully white or partially white), and chronograph hands (fully red or partially red). Colored versions also have a matching colored ring around the crown — this is not the case with black and dark blue variants.
To give you a better idea — below are just some of the possible versions that come with rubber straps (I’ve only considered rubber models). There are eleven chronograph variants, and for comparison, I’ve included one non-chronograph model (the last one on the right). Even though the first one may look similar to mine, it is not the same version (the hands are different).
As you can see, the same basic watch can appear on one side as a rather "boring," classic, old-fashioned vintage Breitling-style piece, and on the other side as a very attractive, even eccentric sport watch. I was quite excited about all the possible combinations — as mentioned earlier, many of them really caught my eye. Choosing one was extremely difficult. At one point, the orange version with a black PVD case was almost my final choice, but then I realized that such a bold combination can really only be worn in summer and in a sportier outfit. So my next pick was the blue version with a black PVD case. I think this combination offers a lot of flexibility, from a fully sporty look to something close to a dress watch. But in the end, I decided to take it one step further toward the classic side and went with the blue dial in a stainless steel case. The reason? Black PVD is more prone to showing scratches. Still, I remain tempted by some of the more colorful versions with black PVD. Maybe I’ll end up buying a non-chronograph version as well :)
So, this is my watch:
The watch is powered by the ETA 7750 – a true workhorse, reliable and easy to maintain. It doesn’t come with a COSC certificate, but it runs within +5 to +10 seconds per day, which is perfectly fine for everyday use. The case diameter is 43.5 mm, and the height is 15.6 mm. Non-chronograph versions are thinner (13 mm) and are declared to be powered by the Sellita SW221-1, although to me it seems more like the Sellita SW200, since the watch doesn’t feature a central pointer date. The rubber strap attaches to 22 mm lugs and features a deployant clasp with a push-to-release button. One unusual design choice: the strap has open pin holes, so if the spring bar happens to come loose, you’ll lose it. I’m also not a fan of rubber straps that need to be cut to size – it’s an irreversible operation, so you have to be extremely precise. One cut too far, and you're in trouble. Plus, it makes reselling the watch more difficult if the strap has already been shortened.
The bezel is unidirectional with 120 clicks – no complaints there. The glass is sapphire, water resistance is rated to 100 meters. The hands and hour markers have decent luminova, though not the best. Chronograph pushers are just the right size, with a firm, audible click on each press. They require enough pressure to prevent accidental use but not so much as to be uncomfortable – a good balance of robustness and practicality. I also have no complaints about the dial or the hands; even the logo and brand name are relatively discreet on this watch compared to some other RT models.
On the wrist, the watch is very comfortable to wear – though it definitely requires a larger wrist, I’d say at least 18.5 cm. It comes in a fairly basic cardboard box – nothing fancy. I forgot to take a picture, sorry.
All in all, it’s a very good watch. I’ve owned several Breitling models, and this one is absolutely comparable to them. When it was first released in 2010–2011, the original retail price in the US market was 3,500 USD – a figure that was far too high at the time. That same official price is still listed today, but compared to other watches, it no longer seems so outrageous – though it’s still not cheap. In reality, apart from the official RT webshop in the US, no one is selling it at that full retail price. It’s quite easy to find it for 800–1,000 USD, depending on the version (plus taxes and duties for the EU). I was even luckier – I got my version for under 800 EUR, taxes included. And for that kind of money, this is one of the best price-to-quality ratios you can find. So if you’re able to get one at a good price and you like how it looks – don’t hesitate. It’s a solid deal.
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Thank you so much for this review!
I’ve also heard that some of these models were worn by US presidents. So clearly, I am also puzzled why no one talks about this brand.