Astor+Banks Is Bringing Some Serious Colour To The Fortitude Lite
There are plenty of microbrands out there making perfectly respectable watches. Clean dials, sensible dimensions, reliable movements and the sort of colour palette that would never upset anyone at a board meeting. Then there is Astor+Banks, a brand that seems considerably more interested in making watches that you actually want to wear.
Based in the United States, Astor+Banks has built its reputation around enthusiast focused watches that combine thoughtful design, quality materials and a willingness to do things a little differently. The brand describes itself as being driven by a passion for watchmaking and design, with every model developed with fellow watch enthusiasts in mind. Its current collection includes the Terra Scout, Sea Ranger, Fortitude Pro and the Fortitude Lite.
And now, the Fortitude Lite is getting a rather colourful update.
Credit - Astor+Banks
Meet The New Fortitude Lite
The upcoming Fortitude Lite promises to take what is already a very straightforward everyday watch and inject it with considerably more personality. Astor+Banks is introducing new gloss dials, an exhibition case back and a new custom rotor, while also offering two limited edition colours that are particularly difficult to ignore.
First up is Miami Blue, limited to just 50 pieces. It is exactly the sort of blue that makes a relatively understated watch considerably more interesting, with Astor+Banks describing it as a pop of blue ready for summer. And, frankly, they are not wrong.
Then there is Peach, also limited to 50 pieces. The colour has appeared in the Fortitude Lite collection before, but this time Astor+Banks is giving it a gloss finish, creating a richer and more vibrant interpretation of the shade.
The brand has also teased the wider updated Fortitude Lite range alongside the two limited editions, with the launch page showing the new watches together and highlighting the move towards glossy, more expressive dials. So while Miami Blue and Peach are the genuine limited editions, this is clearly intended to be more than a simple change of colour.
Why The Fortitude Lite Works
The Fortitude Lite has always occupied an interesting position in the Astor+Banks collection. It is intended to be the everyday watch, described by the brand as clean, legible and powered by Japanese precision. Existing versions have included everything from Navy Blue and Mint Green to Mother of Pearl, Polar and Silver, so the brand has never been afraid of offering something beyond the usual black and white combinations.
That approach makes sense. The Fortitude Lite is not trying to be a complicated luxury watch. It is the sort of watch you can put on in the morning without giving it a second thought, but the colourful dials ensure you might actually give it a second look.
And that is precisely where microbrands can be so much fun.
While the established Swiss names can spend years carefully protecting a particular design language, smaller independent brands can experiment. Astor+Banks appears to understand that enthusiasts do not always want another black dial sports watch. Sometimes we want something blue. Or peach. Or, heaven forbid, something that actually stands out.
The Exhibition Case Back Is A Welcome Addition
Perhaps the most interesting update is not actually the colours.
The new Fortitude Lite will feature an exhibition case back and a new custom rotor, allowing the wearer to see the movement rather than hiding everything behind a solid case back. Astor+Banks has specifically highlighted this as part of the new generation, alongside the gloss dials.
It is a small change, but one that adds another layer of enthusiast appeal. After all, if you are going to wear an automatic mechanical watch, being able to see what is happening underneath is half the fun.
Limited To Just 50 Pieces
If you have developed a sudden and completely reasonable desire for a Miami Blue or Peach Fortitude Lite, there is one slight problem.
There are only 50 of each.
That makes these considerably more interesting than simply adding another colour to a permanent collection. Astor+Banks is positioning both Miami Blue and Peach as limited editions, with the launch page currently inviting enthusiasts to sign up for further information ahead of the release.
The timing also makes sense. Bright blue for summer is hardly a revolutionary concept, but when it is combined with a compact everyday watch and a limited production run, it suddenly becomes rather appealing.
And Peach returning in gloss is an especially nice touch. It gives fans of the previous colourway a reason to take another look without simply reissuing the same watch.
What Else Does Astor+Banks Make?
The Fortitude Lite might be getting the attention here, but it is only one part of a surprisingly varied collection.
The Terra Scout takes the classic field watch and gives it a distinctly modern interpretation. The current Terra Scout DLC, for example, uses a 38.5mm stainless steel case with DLC treatment, a Swiss LJP G100 automatic movement with a 68 hour power reserve, sapphire crystal, Super Luminova and 660 feet of water resistance.
Then there is the Sea Ranger M2, which takes Astor+Banks in a more rugged direction, while the Fortitude Pro sits above the Lite in the range.
There is also a refreshing amount of colour throughout the collection. Existing Fortitude models include Mint Green, Mother of Pearl, Navy, Polar, Powder Blue, Sand and even Viva Magenta.
Clearly, Astor+Banks did not get the memo about microbrands only making watches in black.
Winding Things Up
Astor+Banks is exactly the sort of brand that makes the microbrand watch world interesting. It is not trying to reinvent the wristwatch every time it launches something new, nor is it simply copying whatever happens to be selling well in Switzerland.
Instead, it takes familiar watch formats, gives them solid specifications and then adds a little personality.
The new Fortitude Lite looks like a particularly good example of that philosophy. The updated design brings gloss dials, an exhibition case back and a custom rotor, while Miami Blue and Peach add two genuinely eye catching limited editions, each restricted to just 50 pieces.
The big question, of course, is whether you would choose the Miami Blue or the Peach.
Personally, I think I would struggle to walk away from that blue.
