Many Victorinox Swiss Army watch collectors mightย be surprised to learn that there was another limited edition watch besides the Power Gauge LE in the Airboss Mach 6 family of chronographs from the mid-2000s. Predictably, this other one was called theย Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition, and itย is even rarer than the Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge. The former is seldom seen in the wild, and it’s almost never for sale. As luck would have it, I know someone who owns one and was willing to share details about it. We’ll look at this mythical watch using photos provided by an amazing Swiss Army watch collector known online as Westsiderkg.ย I would like to thank Westsiderkg for his help and photos! This article would not have been possible without his contributions.
Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition on a Swiss Army Bracelet. Photo:ย Westsiderkg
Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge LE
The aforementionedย 2008 Limited Edition Airboss Mach 6 Power Gaugeย Chronograph was the eye-catching model with a complex dial construction, gunmetal PVD case and a massive wrist presence. It is impossible to ignore once you see one. I was lucky enough to own that watch for a few years, but I sold it. I replaced it with a Tudor Pelagos LHD to comfort me in my sorrow. haha. I wrote a detailed article about it here.
You might think that I am using the term “rare watch” loosely, but I assure you that it is accurate. There were a total of 333ย Airboss Mach 6 Power Gauge ย LE watches made and only 125 Airboss Mach 6 LE watches (V.24848)ย made for Victorinox’s 125th Jubilee Celebration (unconfirmed). Those are worldwide productionย numbers spread across all markets of the globe so you may never have the chance to see one. The Airboss Mach 6 LEย is so rare that I have only ever seen one for sale. That watch is the one featured in this article so it is something special
The Airboss Mach 6 LE on the original leather strap with deploying buckle. Photo:ย Westsiderkg
Before I built the Victorinox Swiss Army Watch Identifier Database, I might have easily overlooked this limited edition watch as the standard issue blueย Airboss Mach 6. Arguably, the family of Airboss Mach 6 watches represents the highest level of design that the Airboss series has made to date. That is my personal opinion, and it might be considered a bold statement. I think that the Airboss Mach 6 series is as collectibleย today as it was in the mid-2000s. I believe that these tasteful pilot chronographs have stood the test of time and will continue to do so as people rediscover them. While each Mach 6 looks unique, there is a strong family resemblance that binds them to one another.
The Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6 LE on the wrist. Photo:ย Westsiderkg
Airboss Mach 6 Family of Chronographs
If you are not familiar with the Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6 family, then it’s time for a quick overview. All Airboss Mach 6s have a 45 mm wide case, a lug-to-lug distance of 54.5 mm, and a height of 14.5 mm. Obviously, the Airboss Mach 6s are not small watches, but the size is manageable. Even someone like me with smaller wrists and prefers a case size of 40 mm to 42 mm can wear these. ย The Airboss Mach 6 is well proportioned and the designers used a black PVD tachymeter bezel to visually de-bulk the watch. Only one of the Airbossย Mach 6 modelsย had a brushed stainless steel bezel, and I think it looks larger than the other watches. That particularย model also has a sunburst silver dial, which contributes to the larger wrist presence.
Side by Side Comparison
At first glance, Airboss Mach 6 LEย (V.24848)ย could be mistaken for the other Airboss Mach 6ย (v.ย 241188.1) that also has a blue dial. For a long time, I did not realize the intricacies of the limited edition watch. The list of differences is vast and Swiss Army’s watch designers did not take the simple route of just changing a few of the specs and calling it a limitedย edition. The photos below illustrate how the watch on the right is more often seen on the internet and it is not great. In fact, you could easily pass it up without realizing what a stunning watch design it really is.
Standard Blue Airboss Mach 6
Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition
The One That I Let Get Away
I actually have a history with this exact Airboss Mach 6 Limted Edition and consider it a “watch that got away”. I first saw this watch back in 2016 or 2017 on eBay. Ebay is my happy hunting ground for all things horological. Between mountains of junk, there are true treasures and rarities to be discovered. The watch was for sale by a seller in California, but to be honest, they were not trying that hard to sell it. The photos were overexposed beyond recognition, which made the special watch look bland. I had doubts about it and was unwilling to take a chance without seller assurances and clear communication.
The images in the original eBay listing did not do the limited edition justice. Photo: eBay
I contacted the seller and asked specifically about the dial construction, color and condition of the watch. From their minimal replies, I got a feeling that they could not be bothered. That approach is not the best way to sell a watch, and their lackadaisical attitude turned me off. I got fed up and did not pursue it after that. It should not be that difficult really. I watched the watch sit for the next year or so, and it also appeared on other watch selling platforms like Chrono24. Eventually, it disappeared so I assumed it sold. However, I could not shake the feeling that I should have bought it. I guess I’m too cautious when potential watch costs get high.
The blue sunburst effect is on full display here.ย Photo:ย Westsiderkg
Many years later, I was emailing withย Westsiderkg, who casually mentioned that he had a V.24848 in his excellent collection. Fireworks went off in my brain when he sent me photos of theย Airboss Mach 6 LEย sitting on his desk. When I recovered, I asked Westsiderkg where he got it. He confirmed it was the same watch that I had seen on eBay. Westsiderkg is tenacious in his pursuit of collecting the rarest Victorinox Swiss Army watches available so if he wants something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it. He chased the seller a bit and they worked out a deal. Obviously, Westsiderkg is more patient than I am, and now has one of the coolest Swiss Army Airboss Mach 6s around.
The Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition in the wild.ย Photo:ย Westsiderkg
A Wildy Different Dial
The dial on theย Airboss Mach 6 Limited Editionย is unique amongst its siblings even if the hands, pushers, case, bezel, and straps are similar. While the “LE”ย is more similar compared to the regular Mach 6s than the Power Gauge, it has a unique dial design worth examining closer. This model has standout features that have never been seen on another Swiss Army chronograph. Specifically, two of the three subdials are so oversized that they seem to fuse into one another. The co-joined subdials represent the 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers for the chronograph function. Watch designers sometimes visually link these subdials by using colored hands, or background colors, but I cannot remember seeing another watch that had the chrono subdials connected in this fashion except maybe a Zenith El Primero. This is an interesting approach. Not only that, the date window is attached to this grouping.
The layered dial construction is a mystery. The top blue layer looks like an enamel that has softly beveled edges that is visibly thicker than the normal Airboss Mach 6 dials. Is this enamel? Lacquer? Plastic? I really could not say, but the effect is a deep, lustrous blue dial with a sunburst effect that is unique amongst Swiss Army designs. There is not another watch in their catalog like it. It must look incredible when paired with the matte subdials and highly polished hands and indices. I would love to see it in person one day.
The two-layer dial can clearly be seen here. This dial has depth and beauty! Photo:ย Westsiderkg
The Full List of Differences When Compared to Standard Airboss Mach 6 Chronos
Westsiderkg was able to confirm many of the differences of the Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition compared to the regular Airboss Mach 6. His eagle eyes picked out differences that are difficult to see in blurry internet photos and ones that I overlooked. Since I cannot improve his observations…
- The tachymeter lettering engraved into the bezel is crisper.ย ย It is also a grey color as opposed to the off-white color on the standard model.
- Circular hour indicators replace numerals at 3:00 and 6:00
- Swiss Army logo only at 12:00 (early Mach 6s were like this too without Victorinox in the logo)
- The dial itself appears raised, with a beveled edge around the three chronograph indicators
- Upgraded Valjoux 7753 movement with blued screws and pearlage
- Slightly different Limited Edition labeling on the case back
- The watch band stitching seems a bit more grey than the standard stitching
- The 9:00 running seconds subdial is lacking numbers
- The 12-hour subdial at 6:00 is larger and connects to the date window and 30-minute subdial at 3:00
- Lack of an automatic label at the 6:00 position
- Indices in the 6 o’ clock position vary with fewer markers
- All three chronograph subdials have a matte finish
- Circular engraving and deeply embossed areas in each of the three subdials.
- Lume appears to be slightly better than standard Mach 6. It looks hand filled to the brim.
The deeper dial of the Airboss Mach 6 LE. Photo:ย Westsiderkg
More differences from the stock Airboss Mach 6 Chronos are inside the watch. All Airboss Mach 6 Chronos are powered by the venerable Valjoux 7753, but the limited editions feature a top execution movement. This means it looks better with pearlage, blued screws and a custom rotor. It should have better accuracy, though that is not usually something that Swiss Army discusses in their literature.
Valjoux 7753 Top Execution seen through the display back.ย Photo: Westsiderkg
I consider it a rare treat to be in contact with some of the most serious Victorinox Swiss Army watch collectors in the world. Scott, Randy, Brian, Stevo and a few others on the WatchUSeek forum really make it fun to collect this brand. As for this watch, my hunt will continue for the rare Airboss Mach 6 Limited Edition. Finding one would be a feather in my cap, and it would be a prized jewel in my Victorinox Swiss Army collection. After seeing the photos up close, I think I want it even more. If you have one and want to sell it, please contact me. If you have photos of your Airboss Mach 6 LE that you want to share, please send them to me and I’ll post them.
