Introducing the TCM Tazzoli Marinis AES watch

What I think it’s very entertaining to do during my leisure time (and mostly during the weekends) is surfing the net in search of news about watchmaking, either for new products or emerging brands. When looking at emerging brands, though, there are upcoming and independent ones debuting continuously.

The propeller is just my passion which persuades me in writing articles about watches as much as broadening my personal collection with new ones, for I always long for something truly original, out of the ordinary. Sometimes it is just about comebacks, as it is with the TCM brand, acronym of Terra Cielo Mare, a brand I already knew since it was first launched, but that I had completely forgotten during the last years.

Since I haven’t heard much for a long time, I texted their website address onto the browser and got surprised when I landed their home page. A big surprise if you are accustomed with the brand since the year 2000 and knew their product line up.

Terra Cielo Mare is a 100% conceived Italian brand, founded at the end of the twentieth century, which makes essentially sport watches (aviation, military, diving ones) that celebrate motoring and historical achievements, Italian and not. Its timepieces stand out for their strong, masculine design and their link to the Italian roots, merged with a limited production.

And a good price to quality ratio. Founded by watch enthusiasts and connoisseurs, it has been taken over in 2012 by a group of entrepreneurs who share the same passion and a longstanding experience in watchmaking: the first outcome, in terms of new products, is the TCM Tazzoli Marinis Aes, which is named after the Tazzoli submersible, a protagonist of some of the most famous feats which took place during the Second World War.

Given that everyone may hate or love any timepiece, especially when this one has a sturdy personality, it is a matter of fact the TCM Tazzoli Marinis Aes, even if it can be easily listed among military watches (a Panerai watch could be easily considered as its benchmark for example), is truly different. That dial, with an anchor placed at 12 o’clock, and a blue oceanic colour, reminds us this timepiece is part of the “Mare” line up of the brand, and has the indexes which are engraved and bronze colour laser cut: very innovative indeed.

Just to confirm we’re not just in front of a pure re-branding strategy, the TCM Tazzoli Marinis Aes, whose case is made out of marine bronze and measures 44mm in diameter, debuts a world first on a wristwatch,: it is the Protox, a covering made out of silicium protoxide, which is being used to protect bronze from its natural oxidation process.

The case back is made out of Grade 5 Titanium, a kind of titanium which grants a mirror polish quite similar to the stainless steel one, at half of its weight.

It is secured to the case via 6 screws and has, in its lower part, a tool used to display a submersible’s incline while sailing. Authenticity is not over, as the crown (or else its cover?), made in grade 5 titanium, can be fully unscrewed with a retaining device, in the shape of a torpedo, holding it firmly in position and driving it to the correct position for screwing in. Such innovation is merged with the reliability of an ETA 2824-2 caliber, and made in no more than 88 pieces. At a price tag, 3350€, which reflects the quality of this timepiece.

(Photo credit: courtesy of TCM watches)

Gaetano C. @Horbiter®

@Gaetano Cimmino