With regards to stuntmen, there’s one identify that stands far above the remaining: Evel Knievel. Much more than 16 years after his dying, Knievel’s all-American performing persona and unimaginable motorbike feats stay the gold customary of stunt performing for a lot of followers, inspiring numerous excessive sports activities occasions, tribute bikes, and even probably the most iconic youngsters’s toys of the ‘70s. Items of Knievel’s precise using historical past are vanishingly uncommon within the fashionable period, however Danish watchmaker REC has turned parts from Knievel’s ultimate stunt bike (the well-known “Shark Soar” Harley-Davidson XR750) right into a daring, uniquely technical tribute to the stuntman for the wrist. Just like the model’s earlier releases, the restricted version REC TTT Knievel goes properly past merely showcasing reclaimed materials from a historic machine, this watch charismatically interprets its subject material into a trendy, solidly constructed assertion piece.
Like earlier variations of the TTT (reviewed right here), the REC TTT Knievel’s stainless-steel case measures in at 43mm huge and 12.3mm thick. In comparison with the figures on paper, nonetheless, the TTT Knievel’s case is impressively balanced and well-proportioned on the wrist due to a handful of intelligent design decisions. The primary and most evident of those is the wire lug design. Not solely does the clear separation from the principle case physique make this visually learn as a 43mm lugless case at a look, the minimal overhang and pronounced downward lug angle wrap the watch across the wrist remarkably properly. As well as, the tightly packaged vertical case sides play a task right here. With the sloping bezel taking over a lot of the case’s visible top in profile, the contrasting brushed mid-case gives the look of a slimmer cross-section on the wrist. In fact, there’s one ingredient of the mid-case that stands out above the remaining — the cutout slot between 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock. Like earlier TTT fashions, the TTT Knievel’s social gathering piece is its rotating interior case meeting, designed to permit for a extra pure studying angle when using a bike. REC takes one other thematic step ahead for this newest iteration of the TTT, with the seen interior case engraved with “SHOW TIME” when the dial is in its regular alignment. When the crown is moved to the rider’s place close to 4 o’clock and the dial is canted 30 levels, the interior case as an alternative shows a stylized engraved star. This newfound improved ending additionally makes its approach to the TTT Knievel’s bezel. Slightly than the straightforward mixture of polished surfaces and matte engraved grooves in earlier fashions, the TTT Knievel provides a cultured gold triangle at 12 o’clock to assist orient the dial at a look. It’s a stable visible spotlight on the wrist, including a contact of flash with out coming off as overwhelming. Like earlier iterations of the TTT, the TTT Knievel is capped off with a sapphire show caseback (that includes a printed rendition of Evel Knievel’s signature) and is rated for a fairly underwhelming 50 meters of water resistance.
As with the case, the REC TTT Knievel’s dial takes the fundamental idea behind earlier TTT dials and markedly refines it. Essentially the most recognizable visible components are right here, together with the rounded skeleton handset, retro automotive gauge-style printed Arabic hours numerals, and partial skeleton dial floor, however the ending and presentation of almost each ingredient has been made extra advanced. Take the arms, for instance. Slightly than the fundamental painted surfaces of earlier iterations, the handset right here makes use of a closely textured brushed end for a extra rugged, industrial really feel, whereas the racing stripe-tipped blue seconds hand provides a contact of finer element. In comparison with earlier TTT fashions, the TTT Knievel’s dial is rather more judiciously skeletonized, permitting for better legibility and a extra balanced presentation of the motion. The central part of the dial is completed in a grainy, asphalt-like matte black, whereas the crimson and blue angled stripes to both aspect pay tribute to the design of Evel Knievel’s traditional jumpsuit. This new striped strategy to dial skeletonization additionally permits for a broader view of the skeleton motion beneath, with an intricate net of slender bridges in easy matte black. Nevertheless, the dial’s strongest dialog piece sits at 12 o’clock. The uncooked, pitted five-pointed star emblem right here is reforged aluminum constituted of the handlebar levers of Evel Knievel’s 1977 “Shark Soar” Harley-Davidson XR750, bringing a tangible materials connection to the legendary stunt performer himself. REC counterbalances this piece of historical past at 6 o’clock with a cultured, utilized rendition of Knievel’s private “1” emblem, embellished with a monochrome American flag motif. Taken as a complete, it’s a solidly balanced, characterful dial presentation that clearly pays homage to Evel Knievel’s all-American aesthetic with out feeling overblown or pressured.
REC powers the TTT Knievel with a personalized model of the ever present Sellita SW200-1 computerized motion. With blued screws that stand out starkly towards the economic matte black skeleton bridges, it presents a visually dramatic (if barely unrefined) look on the wrist, particularly when paired with the brushed wire wheel-inspired signed skeleton rotor. Efficiency-wise, this can be a customary SW200-2, with a median 41 hour energy reserve at a 28,800 bph beat price. With that in thoughts, there’s one thing to be mentioned for the dependability and straightforward servicing of a significant third-party energy plant, and this lack of unique parts ought to maintain the TTT Knievel working easily for years to return.
To complete the design, REC pairs the TTT Knievel with a handsomely contoured black leather-based strap. Strap designs have lengthy been a powerful go well with for the model, and the TTT Knievel is one other step ahead over its earlier successes with supple, versatile development and a nuanced semi-matte leather-based floor. The tuck and roll-style vertical ribbing alongside a lot of the strap’s size provides a wealth of visible character right here, whereas the blue distinction stitching ties the strap in handsomely with the dial design. On the wrist, it’s daring, punchy, and eminently comfy, with an actual sense of visible cohesion to the case and dial.
Lengthy after his passing and almost half a century after his retirement from stunt performing, Evel Knievel nonetheless largely defines the general public notion of stuntmen. His unmatched type and showmanship nonetheless have legions of followers, and any piece of Evel Knievel historical past is not any small discover in motorcycling circles. With this in thoughts, it’s straightforward to think about the restricted version REC TTT Knievel simply coasting by on the energy of its historic supplies, however REC goes past the decision of obligation with daring, charismatic design, charmingly offbeat performance, and spectacular ending for the cash. Solely 736 examples of the REC TTT Knievel can be made. The REC TTT Knievel is on the market now for preorder by way of the model’s web site. MSRP for this watch stands at USD 2,295 as of press time. For extra info, please go to the model’s web site.
