Tutima Debuts the New M2 Coastline Chronograph, an Updated Take on a Classic Military Design

For reasons that quite frankly confound me a bit, Tutima is a brand that doesn’t get as much attention from American enthusiasts as  some of the other German brands that are widely covered in watch media circles. That’s to take nothing away from Sinn, Nomos, and other brands who call Glashutte home, but Tutima’s history and the quality of their watches has always stood up next to those brands and many others. Today, we bring you news of a new watch in Tutima’s M2 collection, which is home to one of the most distinct and classic chronograph case shapes in modern watchmaking.

Tutima M2 Coastline Chronograph 

• Case Material: Titanium
• Dial: Black, blue
• Dimensions: 43 x 15.8mm
• Crystal: Sapphire        
• Water Resistance: 30 bar 
• Crown: Screw down                        
• Movement: Cal. Tutima 310 
• Strap/bracelet: Titanium bracelet, leather
• Price: $3,300 – $3,600
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: Available now

We did a deep dive into Tutima’s history all the way back in 2013, and reviewed the M2 Pioneer right here in 2015, so if you’re looking for a  thorough examination of the brand and a key watch from the recent period of  their history, be sure to check out those posts. But what’s important to know about the M2 is that the unique case shape has its origins in 1983, when Tutima won a contract to produce watches for the German Air Force, and subsequently issued watches to NATO pilots for the next 30 years. The M2 is essentially a commercial version of that military  watch, colloquially known as the NATO, and easily identified by its distinctive (and substantial) cushion case, with rectangular chronograph pushers and soft lines. 

The new M2 Coastline Chronograph is sporty and robust, and designed in the tradition of the historic NATO chronographs from the brand’s past. The hallmarks are all here: splashes of red on the dial, an eminently readable chronograph display, and of course the large case that keeps sharp edges to an absolute minimum. The case is titanium, so in spite of its size it should wear comfortably. One of the most distinctive features of the modern M2 are the pushers, which on previous versions of the watch have featured knurled rubber pads. On the Coastline, the pushers have been given a black PVD treatment, which should offer a more premium feel but maintain the distinctive look of a contrasting black pusher. 

In addition to the somewhat traditional black dialed version, Tutima is also offering the M2 Coastline with a blue dial, and on a leather strap. This changes up the look of the watch considerably. It feels less like a military tool and more like an everyday beater that can be dressed up in a pinch with the blue dial.

With a 43mm brushed titanium case, the M2 is a big watch with a lot of wrist presence, and it definitely isn’t for everybody. But at $3,600 on the titanium bracelet, it represents a good value for a watch with some real military history, particularly considering the M2 Pioneer linked above in our review retailed for $6,900, to start. Tutima