Fortis Unveils the Marinemaster M-44 Watch

Fortis is reinvigorating its historical Marinemaster watch design with the M-44 watch – a time and date model with 500-meter water resistance, a bidirectional rotating bezel with a patent-pending Fortis Lock System, and a choice between a signature Fortis orange rubber band or metal bracelet.

There are dive watches specifically developed for saturation diving and experienced deep-sea exploration and then there are dive watches that are functional and practical enough for all sorts of outdoor exploration including underwater ventures. The latter is the category that the new Fortis Marinemaster watches sit in and there are two new types. One is the manufacturer’s entry-level model. A 40mm time and date watch that comes in a choice of four different dial colours, as well as a unidirectional rotating bezel and a 300-meter water-resistant case crafted from recycled stainless steel. The other is the higher-level water-come-outdoorsy watch, powered by a more sophisticated movement and available only in one eye-catching colour scheme.

Somehow, Fortis’ dives watches have been somewhat overshadowed by the brand’s specialist watches for pilots and cosmonauts over the years, but by no means does that suggest they aren’t just as capable and efficient at performing in their intended environment. Fortis Marinemaster watches stem way back to the 1960s and 1970s. The historic name has always been associated with tool watches that suffice as strong, rugged daily watches for outdoor adventures, daring exploration and, of course, diving.

The Fortis Marinemaster M-44 is the bolder and bigger brother of the newly released M-40 model. It can take a serious beating, with a spec that will certainly suffice for hiking, surfing, climbing, and sailing, not to mention a myriad of water sports. Although based on the same design as the M-40, the clue to the M-44’s size lies within its name. Its 44mm case is crafted from recycled stainless steel with a brushed finish and features bevelled edges for a true “tool watch” look. As mentioned, the M-44 is tailored to outdoor exploration and here’s where Fortis really deserves a lot of credit. Manufacturing a watch for all manner of tasks whilst bridging the gap between a sports model and something that will never tire of its aesthetics is no mean feat. But if anyone can do it, Fortis can. Jupp Philippe has been spending a lot of time giving the face of the brand a makeover since taking over as CEO to the company and so if there was ever a time to take the bull by its horns it’s now. The new Fortis Marinemaster M-44 watch is daring, confident and certainly packs a punch on the wrist. At the 12 o’clock location on the watch’s bezel is a lume pip and a 60-minute scale for measuring elapsed time up to an hour.

What sets the M-44 watch apart from the M-40 model aside from its superior 500-meter water resistance is a patent-pending Fortis Lock System crown, acting as a secondary crown at the 10 o’clock location. This feature locks the bezel into place. To unlock it you simply push and turn the crown. No doubt, this addition to the design gives the Fortis Marinemaster M-44 watch an assured and specialised look. Inside the robust casing of the tool watch is the WERK 11 Calibre. This movement is indeed manufactured by Kenissi, owned by Tudor. It has been newly designed and tested in accordance with Fortis standards. A two-point fixation for its balance bridge improves the movement’s shock resistance. The self-winding movement is also COSC-certified and capable of producing a 70-hour power reserve.

Here’s where the two models are similar, however. They both feature an “O”-embossed pattern across the surface of their dials. This pattern is repeated on the surface of the rubber strap if opting for the more casual and relaxed iteration of the M-44. A striking signature Fortis-orange rubber band matches the vibrant amber orange flange surrounding the black dial of the M-44 model, together with an orange minute hand and orange numerals against a black date aperture at 3 o’clock. The hands and baton indexes are also treated with Super-LumiNova to ensure they glow richly in light-compromised situations or during the night. The central hands are sword-shaped, whilst the second hand is executed in the instantly recognisable lollipop design seen in several luxury dive watches and tool watches of today. Alternatively, you can opt for the more sophisticated-looking Fortis Marinemaster M-44 watch, complete with a brushed stainless steel bracelet and a quick-adjustable slide clasp.

One of the key things to remember here is that Fortis is pledging to use only recycled steel for its future releases – a great step in the right direction and a concept that we expect to see many other leading brands adopt over the forthcoming years. For more information on the new Fortis Marinemaster M-44 watch, you can check out the rubber strap with steel pin buckle option here, or the stainless steel bracelet version here. Alternatively, you can always call our Jura Watches sales team and speak with a watch enthusiast from our specialist department on 01335 453453

Technical specifications of the Fortis Marinemaster M-44 watch

• Case: 44mm – recycled stainless steel – brushed with bevelled edges – sapphire crystal glass front with AR coating – bidirectional rotating steel bezel with 60-minute scale and Fortis Lock System – closed caseback with ultra engraving – 500-meter water resistance – screw-down crown
• Dial: Black – Fortis “O”-embossed dial surface – orange minute hand – Super-LumiNova-coated sword-shaped hands – luminous baton hour markers – date window at 3 o’clock with orange numerals – amber orange flange
• Movement: Werk 11 Calibre – COSC-certified – balance bridge with two-point fixation – 70-hour power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds and date function – 28,800 v.p.h – 26 jewels
• Strap: Recycled stainless steel bracelet - brushed - quick-adjustable slide clasp / Amber orange rubber strap with “O”-embossed pattern - stainless steel pin buckle
• Reference: F8120013 – rubber strap / F8120014 – Stainless steel bracelet
• RRP:£3,850 (Rubber), £4,200 (Bracelet)