Fortis

Fortis is a Swiss watch company founded by Walter Vogt in Grenchen in 1912. It makes mechanical watches for aviation, space research, and everyday use. Its watches are made by hand in Grenchen, Switzerland. Fortis has worked with pilots, aviation teams, and space research organisations to develop watches with clear displays and durable movements. Its Flieger collection focuses on aviation, while the Novonaut and Stratoliner ranges connect the company to space timekeeping.

Flieger Watches and Aviation

Fortis developed its modern Flieger line with the Swiss Air Force. A main goal was to make the watches easy to read.

The Flieger collection draws on more than 40 years of aviation history. Its designs focus on the needs of people who use watches as practical instruments.

Fortis also works with a test pilot named Marc, who is based in Grenchen. He checks new pilot instruments for readability, function, and design.

The company has partnered with the PC-7 Team for 25 years. The team flies precision formations and carries out manoeuvres at air shows in Switzerland and other countries.

One watch in the aviation range is the Flieger F-43 Triple-GMT, a pilot watch with a GMT function.

Developing Watches for Space

Fortis began working with the Swedish Space Corporation in 2018 to develop a watch for space use.

Its Werk 17 movement has been tested under demanding conditions, including microgravity, extreme temperatures, radiation, and winds of 250 km/h.

Fortis also works with the Austrian Space Forum on timekeeping for Mars exploration. The Novonaut AMADEE-24 marks work carried out in Mars analog research.

In 2023, Fortis introduced the Novonaut, based on its Official Cosmonauts design history but rebuilt from the ground up.

The Novonaut and Werk 17 TR

Fortis later upgraded its space-tested chronograph movement to the Werk 17 TR. The updated movement has a 70-hour power reserve.

The Novonaut Halo uses this movement. It also has a full Lumicast X1 dial and a luminous bezel, designed to make the watch easier to read at night.

Another model is the Stratoliner S-41 Reentry Edition, a chronograph with a space-related design.

Fortis watches have also been tested and used in orbit under real mission conditions.

Materials and New Collections

Fortis places importance on strong watch construction and works with Swiss manufacturers.

The company introduced a Marinemaster M-44 with a DLC coating that reaches around 4,500 Vickers in hardness.

In 2024, Fortis launched its Vagabond collection. An AMADEE-24 Mars Mission timekeeper also sold out quickly that year.

Fortis appeals to pilots and aviation fans through its practical Flieger watches, work with aviation teams, and space research projects. Its watches connect mechanical timekeeping with real testing in flight and space-related environments.