Franc Vila FV35 SuperSonico 5-Minute Repeater Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
Aug 31st 2010 at 12:01PM

This new watch from Franc Vila has a ludicrously long name "actual" name. The post title is just a shortened version. Like many full Spanish name, this one is long and complex being the Franc Vila FVa35 SuperSonico 5-Minute Repeater SuperLigero watch. Why all that? Not sure. Franc Vila could easily have gotten away with just "SuperSonico 5-Minute Repeater 5 watch." Anyhow, the watch itself is pretty cool, and builds on the Franc Vila "Cobra" style case that really does like to polarize watch lovers.

A 5 minute repeater is a chiming mechanism that has a small set of hammers hitting a gong in the watch to tell you the time to the closest 5 minute mark. You press the pusher on the side of the case, and the mechanical wonder sounds back the time to you in a little musical code. Different sounds stand for different parts of the time. Once the code is deciphered, you'll get the time heard back to you in a little song that tells the time to the closest 5 minute mark. There are other types of repeaters out there as well - ones that are true to the minute repeaters, as well as quarter hour repeaters.

The case is made from blackened steel (there is also a gold model available), titanium, and an aluminum alloy known as "lightnium." This sci-fi sounding material is dense and light, and assists with the sound traveling abilities of the case. Franc Vila's intent behind the watch was to open the dial up and show you the workings of the 5 minute repeater in action. He does a good job at doing that, has the dial has the typical brand flair. For more details on the case dimensions and other elements of the watch that are standard to the Cobra cases, you can simply visit their website.

With a bold, technical, and slightly sinister look, the steel and titanium version of the SuperSonico are pricey at $44,000. Priced high, but Franc Vila apparently has found his niche. The gold version of course costs more. I just like saying "SuperSonico" out loud.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 5 minute repeater, Frnac vila, FV35, FVa5, supersonico, watch