PHOENIX GOLDEN EAGLE

The Phoenix Golden Eagle is the black-tie option within the trio of Eagles. While obviously an instrument-inspired chronograph, the Golden Eagle’s deep black lacquer dial is devoid of excess distraction. Ecru lume on the hands and dial evoke the look of aged radium and glow brightly on the deep black background under the gin-clear acrylic crystal.

About the Crystal; while a flat sapphire crystal made sense to show off our accurate, robust, beautiful, and ridiculously expensive Swiss chronograph chronometer movements from the back, our pilot design called for a “boxed” crystal over the dial – one that rises vertically from the bezel. This design looks amazing, is honest to the ethos of our design, and should not be made with sapphire.

Phoenix has taken the path less traveled by opting for an original that stands on its own merit. Optically superior, acrylic crystals don’t hold fingerprints, need no anti-reflective coating, and will never shatter into hundreds of razor-sharp shards - creating an expensive service nightmare.

While the scratch resistance of modern sapphire is often marketed as the benchmark of quality, it does come with drawbacks.  Not only do you need to apply multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings, they are also subject to catastrophic failure – especially when created in the retro-style “boxed” crystals.

Our own acrylic crystals may take small smudges and scratches over time, but these are quickly and easily buffed out, bringing the superior optical quality (and a crystal-clear view of our beautiful dials) back to as-new condition. It won’t shatter, and can easily and affordably be replaced in the unlikely case you actually crack one.

If acrylic crystals were good enough for Sir Edmund Hillary’s Rolex summiting Mount Everest, and Buzz Aldrin’s Omega Speedmaster taken into space and back, they will certainly serve you well.