Introducing the Axios Flagship

Axios is a small brand based in Singapore that released their first watch, the Ironclad, in 2019. Their newest creation, the Flagship, is a colorful take on the vintage inspired dive watch. The Flagship collection is a series of four watches loosely inspired by the story of Horatio Nelson, the one time Vice Admiral of the British Royal Navy. Nelson will be known to history buffs for his role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and each of the watches in the Flagship series features an engraving of the HMS Victory on the caseback, the last flagship that Nelson captained against Napoleon’s significantly larger naval force. While Nelson’s fleet won the battle, he lost his own life in the process, and is considered one of the great British naval heroes. Let’s take a look at the watch inspired by his life. 

The Flagship is a 40mm dive watch with 200 meters of water resistance. The case lines are decidedly vintage inspired, in that they have an elegant sweep to them and lack any sharp or severe angles. The case measures 13.2mm thick (crystal included) which is right in line with many watches that Axios is competing with in this segment. Axios claims the watch has been made with durability in mind, and to that end the bezel has been crafted from sapphire glass for increased protection from scratches over the aluminum insert alternative. 

While the form factor is very much in line with classic divers, there’s a modernity present in the dials, both in colorways that have been selected and in their accents. All dials feature applied markers and plenty of luminescent material, and have been given a sunburst finish that should provide some additional visual interest when the watch hits a light source. Two black dialed versions are available, one with a matching bezel, and another with a playful contrasting bezel in a soft blue and orange. Axios is also making a blue dialed Flagship with a blue bezel, and the fourth variant is in sunburst teal with a ghosted gray bezel insert. 

The Flagship runs on the Miyota 9015 automatic movement, which is a solid enough workhorse that allows Axios to keep costs down and focus bringing their design vision to life. Each Flagship also comes mounted to a beads of rice style bracelet, which adds some value to the $499 asking price. While the connection to Horatio Nelson is of course purely a creation of the brand, there’s a certain charm and creativity here that might be appealing to some, particularly those with an interest in naval history. The Flagship is available now through the Axios website.