Latest Review
October 13, 2024 
There are commuters and then there are super commuters. Is this a businessperson who’s faster than a speeding e-bike, able to leap vente lattes in a single bound? Possibly. Super commuting is actually defined as living in one location, but physically working in a different, very distant location. For decades and decades, this style of commuting was often done by rail. But these days, more and more super commuting is done by air and that so-called “different, very distant location” could easily be multiple time zones away.
For the modern super commuter, travel-sized is a literal way of life. It’s a lifestyle that’s about getting the most out of everything you carry. Less is more. Versatility is key. A single piece of luggage is ideal, while everything else needs to do double-, if not triple-duty. for instance, it’s ideal when a full suit can function as professional attire, while the slacks alone can work for casual commuting, and the jacket can work alone as a blazer for evening events and escapades.
The iconic Swiss watchmaker Fortis is known for its dedication to tool watches that are crafted for everyday reliability. Their goal is to always strive to build in a sense of smart, luxurious details that are designed more with the wearer in mind, rather than for the random passersby. Fortis has determined to make the modern super commuter a priority and take on the unique, multifaceted use-cases they represent with an all-new watch aptly named the Vagabond.
Vagabond is a term that describes someone who’s always on the move. They often live in a condition of constant travel and need to be ready for anything. Fortis’ new Vagabond watch is designed specifically for folks that live on the go and it manages to pull off the triple-duty trifecta. First and foremost, it’s intended to be a handsome go-anywhere, do-anything daily wearer with just the right amount of elegance to be dressed up and sporty design cues that can be dressed down. With a 40mm diameter case size, the Vagabond has a substantive wrist-presence, but is purposefully designed to be neither too big, nor too small, and fairly lightweight thanks to the grade 5 titanium case and matching bracelet.
The sport watch stature of this Fortis makes it an ideal companion for everything from more formal meetings, to that quick morning run around a nearby park, to a dip in the pool—thanks to its 200 meters of water resistance and a screw-down crown with a triple gasket system. Much like the ideal traveler’s suit, it’s multifunctional while being a singular product that can reduce your overall load while on the road. Thanks to the sporty nature of the Fortis Vagabond—the super commuter never needs to worry about what’s on the wrist. It’s able to become a constant companion that never seems out of place in any given business, leisure, or active situation.
Next, the Vagabond is also a useful travel watch. With a manufacture calibre called the Werk 13, visible through a smoked sapphire crystal case back, the Vagabond sports a self-winding flyer GMT movement with a 70 hour weekend-proof power reserve and 27 jewels. It’s also COSC-certified with local jumping hours and a date that’s centered over 6 on the dial. When the lights are lowered in the airplane’s cabin, the Vagabond’s ample applications of SuperLuminova® X1 on its hands and indices get the job done. It’s built to be a robust multi-zone timing tool, ready to resist the wear and tear of the super commuting lifestyle.
The Vagabond is also a powerful memento of home for the always-on-the-move super commuter. The home time GMT ring that’s inset on the dial is crafted from 18K white gold that’s polished to catch the light just right. This special detail is meant as a vivid reminder for the wearer of what’s happening on the homefront. The specific use of this precious metal reminds the super commuter just how precious their limited time at home is—and to take full advantage of it when there.
These globe-trotting jetsetters don’t just travel for work, travel is still an important part of the super commuter’s playtime as well. This vagabond lifestyle is all about discovering fun, global events and happens around the world. Whereas with the Vagabond watch, once work is complete, it’s perfectly capable of sliding into a wide variety of activities and venues with ease, regardless of how fancy or rustic the affair. This makes the satisfaction of heading back home to enjoy life with friends and family all the sweeter before hopping on the next plane and doing it all again.
Is the super commuter an extremely unique audience to design specifically for? Yes. But what that results in is an extremely unique watch with a design language all its own. The Vagabond comes in three different colorways: Stormy Gray, Blue Dusk, and Urban Shadow. Each dial variant plays with the gold GMT ring in a slightly different way, while still being versatile enough to go with any outfit in any situation.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Case diameter: 40 mm
- Water resistance: 200 m
- Body material: Grade 5 Titanium
- Bezel: Polished Titanium
- Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Case back: Smoked sapphire crystal
- Crown type: Screw-Down crown with triple gasket system
- Indices: Applied with SuperLuminova® X1
- GMT-Ring: made of 18K White Gold
- Handset: Luminous hour and minute hands, partly polished, partly brushed, plus polished
seconds hand - Date: “13“ in Berlac Fluor Orange
- Bracelet: Titanium Block Bracelet with adjustable Slide Clasp
- Movement: Werk 13, COSC-certified self-winding flyer GMT with date
- Power reserve: 70 hours
In a world that continues to become more and more global in its economic structures, it’s clear to Fortis that more super commuters will inevitably flood the airways. The triple-duty Vagabond is purpose-built to make their jetsetting work lives more effective and balanced—and it’s designed to elegantly emphasize that critical link back to home time, where the most important things in life still reside.
