Fortis 671.24.14 K B-42 Marinemaster Yellow Men’s Chronograph

New Stripes for an Enduring Classic

One thing that gets some collectors excited is a new variation of a favorite watch. Fresh colors have the ability to revitalize a design and breathe contemporary air into a classic look. The latest version of the Fortis B-42 Marinemaster Chronograph mixes black and yellow – a popular color combination found in nature, in fashion and in design the world over, not to mention in watch collections from brands both large and small.

Like other watches in the Marinemaster collection, the B-42 Marinemaster Chronograph is built for life. It starts with a stalwart movement: the ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic, a benchmark among chronographs and veritable pillar of Swiss precision and reliability.

Fortis Mens 671.24.14 K B-42 Marinemaster Chronograph

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The rugged three-part case is constructed of brushed stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. The unidirectional turning bezel is both a visual and functional highlight: the combination of black and yellow is eye-catching, while the deep scalloped edges provide good grip for turning, especially underwater, where the watch is water resistant to a depth of 660 feet. There is more to the bezel: unlike most dive bezels, this one makes a full turn in 120 increments, meaning it is adjustable in half-minute steps. The pip positioned on the bezel at 12 o’clock is luminous and has a blue afterglow.

Functional aspects of this Marinemaster do not end there. The crown is substantial enough to grip and is personalized with the Fortis logo; the chrono pushers are firmly inset and well protected. Adding to the watch’s water resistance is a screw-down caseback, which is embossed with a historic Fortis motif. On the front, anti-reflective sapphire crystal provides a clear and scratch-resistant pane.

To a novice, the dial of the Fortis 671.24.14 K B-42 Marinemaster Chronograph watch might seem crowded, but it is actually clear and easy to read thanks to the sharp contrast between the white, yellow and black elements. The layout of the sub-dials is based on the Valjoux 7750 movement with a 30-minute totalizer at 12 o’clock, a 12-hour totalizer at 6 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock. These stand out next to the yellow hour numerals. Toward the outside of the dial is the minute-and-second track as well as a tachymeter scale, which is positioned on the angled flange. The hands, hour markers and indices are all coated with Super-Luminova, which glows blue in the dark. The central chronograph seconds hand also has a luminous circle half way up the hand.

A tidy set-up on the dial at 3 o’clock includes the Fortis logo as well as the day and date. Both stand out well on white backgrounds. Changing the day or date is a breeze on this watch because the two arrowheads on either side of the day and date windows – one facing down and one facing up – indicate which direction the wearer should turn the crown to make quick adjustments. They might seem superfluous, but the arrowheads are convenient reminders and, in design terms, echo the shape of the traditional arrowhead index at 12 o’clock – which appears in deference to Fortis’s aviation style watches.

Since the B-42 Marinemaster Chronograph is a seagoing watch at heart, Fortis mounts the watch on a black rubber strap that fastens by way of a brushed steel folding clasp featuring the Fortis logo. But there are options to mix it up; namely, a black leather strap or steel bracelet.