BY STEVE HUYTON
AN ODE TO
MR . ROBOTO
THE MR . ROBOTO FROM AZIMUTH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE WATCHES . Essentially this watch is the reason I fell in love with the brand in the first place .
Over the past twenty years , Azimuth has really established itself as a big player on the horological landscape . In particular the Azimuth avant-garde SP-1 collections have gained enormous critical acclaim .
For this reason the brand has become synonymous for exceptional design and Swiss quality normally associated with more expensive watchmakers . In fact it ’ s fair to say their progressive approach to watchmaking has led the pathway for many micro brands .
Over the last few years , I ’ ve frequently communicated with Chris Long and got to learn what makes him tick . As a brand owner , you can essentially invent a title and Chris playfully describes himself as the Chief Product Visionary .
This perpetuates his approach to watchmaking , which is mainly inspired by childhood fantasies . Ultimately this was the catalyst for iconic creations like Mr . Roboto that pay homage to the Golden Robot of the 1950s . The Mark I variant was originally released in 2008 and measures 42.6mm x 49.5mm . For the price , there was nothing comparable at the time and it instantly became collectable with watch enthusiasts .
What originally impressed me about the original Mr . Roboto was the meticulous attention to detail . This watch has a sophisticated geometry and several bespoke sapphire crystal windows . The eyes display the hours ( left ), and GMT / second-time zone ( right ), with his red triangular nose featuring seconds and minutes in a retrograde format .
Certainly , in 2008 it was an ambitious project for a small independent brand . However , for Chris Long , this became a perfect springboard .
In 2016 Azimuth took on another partner , Giuseppe Picchi , who
98 | INTERNATIONAL WRISTWATCH | FALL 2023