Bangalore Watch Company Introduces their Latest Pilot’s Watch, the MACH 1 Synchro

Bangalore Watch Company has released a handful of watches over the last few years that we’ve found quite charming. The brand’s mission is to make watches that tell stories about Indian culture, and they’ve delivered timepieces that speak to the nation’s obsession with cricket as well as India’s decades long history of space exploration. Their latest effort, the Mach 1 Synchro, is a sequel of sorts to the Mach 1, a pilot’s watch we wrote about here that took inspiration from an Indian Air Force fighter jet. The Synchro has the same footprint as the original Mach 1, but features some additional details that set it apart, and it draws from a very different aviation tradition, that of formation aerobatics. 

The inspiration for the Mach 1 Synchro begins with the Indian Air Force Formation Aerobatics team, known as Suryakiran (“Rays of the Sun”) or SKAT, for short. The team celebrated their 25th anniversary last year, and is something of a beloved institution in India. These pilots are pretty impressive by any measure. They fly at half the speed of sound alongside in a formation of 9 while pulling g-forces that are nearly back breaking. The team is made up of the most skilled pilots in the Indian Air Force, who sign on for three year stints with SKAT. They perform for literally millions of people during that time, in distinctive red and white striped aircraft. 

The planes themselves are what drive much of the Synchro’s aesthetic. Near 9:00, you’ll see a representation of the 9 aircraft formation in a diamond shape. The planes on the dial are surprisingly detailed, with small white stripes visible on each wing. The minute hand also features a red and white pattern drawn right from SKAT aircraft, and the white portions of this hand are lumed, which makes for a unique effect in low light situations. You’ll also notice a red marker at the 25 minute position, which signifies the anniversary year of the SKAT team. An engraving on the caseback also features the 9 aircraft formation and references the anniversary specifically. 

You might recall that the Mach 1 came in a stainless variant as well as a black PVD option. For the watch, Bangalore is offering only a PVD coated case, and that’s absolutely the right choice. The matte black color suits the pilot’s watch vibe really well, and the tone of the case really complements the red highlights nicely. The watch is quite handsome even if the dial is a bit busy with references to the SKAT team. 

Like its predecessor, the Synchro comes in at 40mm in diameter and is 11mm tall (it’s 46.5mm from lug to lug, for those wondering). The watch runs on a Sellita SW200 automatic caliber, and is water resistant to 100 meters with push/pull crown operation. It’s mounted to a black leather strap with red stitching that matches the dial accents. 

The Synchro launches on August 4 via the Bangalore Watch Company website. The retail price is $1,950. Bangalore Watch Company