Tockr "That's All Brother" Limited Edition

by Michael Satterfield - 03/25/2019

While the rest of the watch community is following everything at Baselworld, I have been enjoying the Tockr "That's All Brother" D-Day C-47 limited edition. I was especially interested in the Tockr brand since they are based in my home state of Texas, while the watches are assembled in Switzerland, the style is all American. What makes this watch special is the unique history that is a part of each D-Day edition, but before I get into that I think it is best to tell you the story behind the C-47 that this watch shares its name with.

On June 6, 1944, the invasion of Fortress Europe would begin, while brave men stormed the beaches of Normandy, 800 C-47 transport planes packed with over 13,000 paratroopers, the first plane to cross into enemy territory was "That's All Brother" piloted by Lt. Col John Donalson who made it back with his crew after their successful run the plane would take part in Operations Market Garden, Repulse, and Varsity, before returning the United States to be sold to the civilian market.

The crew of "That's All Brother" after returning from Normandy, via Commemorative Air Force

Today "That's All Brother" has been fully restored by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) and will be making a return to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Europe, then to Germany to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.

What ties this special version of the C-47 series to "That's All Brother" is the watch face which is made of the actual skin from the damaged panels that were replaced during the restoration, and the best part is a portion of the sales goes directly to the Commemorative Air Force to help them continue their mission of preserving this historic plane. Now, this isn't the first watch to use salvaged parts in its construction, we covered the REC PT879 a few months ago that recycled parts of a British Spitfire and the Christopher Ward used metal from Ferrari 250 GTO chassis # 3527 back in 2014. But using significant materials add an extra bit of provenance to a watch, and provide the wearer with a great story to tell.

The watch face is offered in three variants, the "Clean Cut" which is the least distressed, "Stamped" which features original lettering on the face, and the "Hard Worn" which is the most distressed version, and the one I had to sample. Each one is numbered and includes a certificate from the CAF verifying that the face is made from a piece of the original plane. This natural patina and wear mean no two are alike, what does stay the same is the 42mm brushed stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal, and a military green strap (a leather strap is also included).

Left to right: Stamped, Clean Cut, and Hard Worn.

Inside the Tockr you will find an automatic ETA 2834 movement, pretty standard with watches in the price range. 2834 is known as a workhorse in the watch world with 25-jeweled bearings, a 38-hour power reserve, and requires little maintenance.

Overall I have been impressed with the Tockr D-Day and the rest of their range of watches which includes the Air Defender Chronograph and the C-47 Series. The quality is on par with its competitors, and they seem to be making inroads within the watch community. Plus with the D-Day Limited Edition, you are not only buying a unique watch, but you are also helping preserve a little bit of history.

The D-Day C-47 Limited Edition is priced at $1,990 regardless of which watch face you choose and can be purchased at fine retailers or on tockr.com.