Akrone C-03 Worldtimer Pilot's Watch
Starting from 649 €Designed in Nantes, Akrone's C-03 Worldtimer puts the time in cities around the globe within reach of the bezel. Its bidirectional bezel displays twenty-four major cities and capitals, read against the dial's 24-hour scale, a function born of projects the brand ran with pilots. Offered in two versions, Sable and Fusion, each limited to 100 numbered pieces, it pairs a 41mm case in DLC Gun Metal-treated titanium with a Swiss automatic movement regulated in the Nantes workshop. Light on the wrist and priced from €649, this C-03 is aimed at travellers, aviation enthusiasts and fans of French tool watches looking for something rare without stepping into the very top end of the market.
Akrone C-03 Worldtimer pilot's watch
Based in Nantes and active since 2015, Akrone made its name with watches designed, assembled and inspected in its own workshop. The brand also runs a customisation service for professionals, available from orders of 30 watches upward. The bezel of the C-03 Worldtimer grew out of projects carried out with pilots, conceived to track the time from one side of the planet to the other.
The C-03 forms Akrone's aviation range. It currently brings together the C-03 Horizon Black S 41mm and the two Worldtimer models, which share the case architecture of the 41mm C-03 line. The Worldtimer concept is not new to the collection: a first generation, offered in Furtive, in black and grey, and Yoshi, lifted by a touch of mint green, launched in late 2023. Already limited to 100 pieces per model, it used a Japanese Seiko NH35 calibre with a date window at 3 o'clock, an untreated titanium case 13.15mm thick, and a nylon strap lined with rubber, priced at €549.
The current generation moves things up a level. It adopts a Swiss Soprod P024 calibre regulated in six positions, a case in DLC Gun Metal-treated titanium brought down to 12.2mm, and two new interpretations, Sable and Fusion. The C-03 Worldtimer nonetheless stays true to its original idea: a lightweight, practical pilot's watch, built as a travel tool rather than a showcase piece, and produced in deliberately limited runs.
Technical specifications Akrone C-03 Worldtimer
- Brand: Akrone
- Model: C-03 Worldtimer
- Indicative price: From €649
- Movement: Swiss automatic
- Calibre: Soprod P024
- Diameter: 41 mm
- Thickness: 12.2 mm
- Water resistance: 100 m / 10 ATM
- Materials: Grade 2 titanium
- Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Dial: 24-hour scale
- Strap: FKM, titanium bracelet option
- Warranty: 3 years
- Box contents: Carrying case, FKM strap watch, warranty
The Akrone C-03 Worldtimer pilot's watch
The C-03 Worldtimer takes the architecture of the 41mm C-03, Akrone's pilot range, and adds a function built for travel. Its grade 2 titanium case receives a DLC Gun Metal treatment, a technical finish that reinforces its instrument character while keeping the lightness typical of titanium. With a 41mm diameter and a 48.4mm lug-to-lug span, it keeps measured proportions for a watch with a rotating bezel. Its defining feature is the Worldtimer bezel. It carries the names of twenty-four major cities and capitals, read against the dial's 24-hour scale.
The principle is straightforward: if it's 10pm in Paris, simply line up “Paris” against the number 22 to read the corresponding time in other cities. The setting is manual and does not account for daylight saving changes, a limitation worth keeping in mind when travelling. This function is far from decorative: in flight, it shows the destination's time, on the ground it shows the time for loved ones on the other side of the world. Paired with a Swiss automatic movement and a run limited to 100 numbered pieces per version, the C-03 Worldtimer comes across as a contemporary pilot's watch, both utilitarian and low-key, assembled and inspected in the brand's Nantes workshop. It suits travel as comfortably as everyday wear.
Two limited versions for travellers and pilots
On the wrist, the C-03 Worldtimer leads with lightness: it weighs just 81g on the FKM strap, for a thickness of 12.2mm and a 20mm lug width. This strap suits wrists from 16 to 19.5cm. The sapphire crystal carries an internal anti-reflective treatment, while the bidirectional 60-click bezel sits on a ceramic ball bearing. The movement is the Soprod P024 calibre, a Swiss automatic with a 38-hour power reserve. Each piece is regulated in six positions at the Nantes workshop, with a stated accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day. This individual regulation reflects the in-house work carried out on every piece.
With 100m water resistance and a push crown rather than a screw-down one, the C-03 Worldtimer is built for travel and everyday wear more than for diving. Two versions share this edition, each limited to 100 numbered pieces. The Sable gets sand-coloured Super-LumiNova BGW9, with a relative luminous output of 54%, while the Fusion adopts dark orange BGW9, with a relative output of 27%. Case, calibre and pricing stay identical: €649 on the FKM strap, €734 with the titanium bracelet option, the FKM strap still included in that case. The choice therefore comes down to the tint of the lume and the character it gives the watch.
Akrone C-03 Worldtimer pilot's watch: the world in 24 cities
Akrone's C-03 Worldtimer is a pilot's watch limited to 100 numbered pieces for each of its two versions, Sable and Fusion. It pairs a 41mm case in DLC Gun Metal-treated grade 2 titanium, 12.2mm thick and weighing 81g on the FKM strap, with a Swiss automatic Soprod P024 calibre offering 38 hours of power reserve. Its bidirectional 60-click bezel displays 24 major cities, readable against the dial's 24-hour scale. An anti-reflective sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance and a 3-year warranty round out this piece, assembled in Nantes and priced from €649 to €734.
Movement
The C-03 Worldtimer is powered by the Soprod P024 calibre, a Swiss automatic movement that replaces the Seiko NH35 of the first generation. It offers a 38-hour power reserve, a decent but unremarkable autonomy for regular wear. Each movement is individually regulated and checked in six positions at Akrone's Nantes workshop, which lets the brand claim an accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day, a reassuring detail for a watch aimed at travellers.
Diameter and materials
The case follows the architecture of the 41mm C-03, in grade 2 titanium with a DLC Gun Metal treatment. Its dimensions stay measured: 41mm in diameter, 12.2mm thick, a 48.4mm lug-to-lug span and a 20mm lug width. The sapphire crystal carries an internal anti-reflective treatment. The bidirectional 60-click Worldtimer bezel sits on a ceramic ball bearing. The Sable and Fusion versions share this case and differ only in the tint of their lume.
Water resistance
The C-03 Worldtimer claims 100m / 10 ATM water resistance. Its push crown, rather than a screw-down one, is a reminder that this is a travel and everyday pilot's watch rather than a diver. Night-time legibility relies on Super-LumiNova BGW9, in a sand tint on the Sable version, with a relative luminous output of 54%, and in a dark orange tint on the Fusion, with a relative output of 27%. The internal anti-reflective sapphire crystal limits glare.
Accessories
The watch ships on an FKM strap, suited to wrists from 16 to 19.5cm. A titanium bracelet option is available for an extra €85, with the FKM strap still included. The box includes a dark grey carrying case with two compartments, the watch fitted on its FKM strap, and the warranty card. Any options chosen at order are added to the package. This holds for both versions, Sable and Fusion, offered under the same pricing terms.
Warranty
The C-03 Worldtimer comes with a 3-year warranty, that is 36 months from delivery. It applies worldwide, a welcome point for a watch built with travellers in mind, and covers manufacturing or material defects. The warranty card ships in the case alongside the watch. Beforehand, each piece is assembled and inspected at Akrone's Nantes workshop, where its movement is individually regulated in six positions before reaching its owner.
Akrone C-03 Worldtimer The pros
and cons
- Swiss Soprod P024 calibre
- Grade 2 titanium DLC case
- Just 81g on FKM strap
- Worldtimer bezel, 24 cities
- Two limited, numbered versions
- Push crown, not screw-down
- 38-hour power reserve
- Limited run of 100 pieces
- Fusion lume less intense
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Prices and technical specifications are subject to change. Content and photos are not contractual.
