Achtung [ahck-tohng] or [ahck-toong] is a Deutsche (German) word used to command attention, also implying “warning” or “alert”. Angular silhouettes on every Achtung timepiece. Love at first sight is certainly possible, and be game for a second look.

I have reviewed a few different models of Achtung watches and there is one consistent detail about all of them. They all share that “street style” culture/attitude and the Turbo3 is no exception to this detail. Achtung is not a company that takes themselves too seriously in that stuffy attitude kind of way. They make fun watches that are an extension of the wearers unique style and personality. Achtung watches are released in very small limited edition numbers and are marketed for those who like that “outside of the box” individualized style.

The dial of the Turbo3 definitely has that individualized style which I refer to as industrial street style. Staying true to their form Achtung has created something different while not losing their DNA. The metal detailing on the dial reminds me of when you see buildings where it looks like architectural magic. What I mean by “this is the building”, I mean it is the perfect merging of art and industry.

The Turbo3 is definitely not for the faint of wrist, it wears large and looks large. The case is made of 316L stainless steel case is 48mm in diameter (excluding crown), lugs size are 24mm and the thickness is 13mm. Now 48mm isn’t unwearable by any means, but some people are very scared to wear anything over 40mm. I understand finding the right watch that works best for the wearer but I also think that way too much emphasis is placed on the size of a watch.

The Turbo3 case is full of detail, both functional details and decorative details. I prefer the functional details over the decorative ones. The fixed bezel is “held” in place by faux screws. This “cheapens” the experience of the watch for me because the screws are fake, there only for aesthetics not for actual function. These same detail aesthetics are also found on the crown guards and on the faux drilled lugs. These are the areas where the Turbo3 loses points for me. The last place of point loss on the Turbo3 is the plastic movement holder. Overtime plastic loses density and gradually becomes brittle which is why I can’t stand seeing plastic used inside of a watch, especially so close to the moving parts of the automatic mechanical movement.

Thankfully the Turbo3 has plenty of functional details that outweigh any of the aesthetic details. The dial is equipped with a day/night indicator, a tachymeter, a small seconds indicator and a skeletonized minute & hour hand. This is Achtung’s 3 year anniversary so the dial features one numeral. The oversized 3 is the only numeral that is featured on this dial in terms of the 12 hour count. The Turbo3 is a auto themed piece as you probably guessed from the name and the tachymeter, but like I mentioned earlier I get that industrial feel from this piece. So I can say this, I can see the auto theme if I view this piece as a Mad Max post apocalyptic vehicles. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means. The new Tom Hardy version was bloody fantastic.

The Turbo3 is limited to just 28 pieces and that makes perfect sense to me because this is definitely a nitch watch. It’s certainly not designed for the mass market but for those who like that unique street style look. There’s a lot going on with this dial and it works well for this watch. Normally I don’t like an open heart on a dial but this detail definitely is consistent to the overall theme of this watch. The crown protection/locking mechanism is simple yet functional. To wind or to pull the crown into the open position the hinged clasp can be lifted easily out of the way as it’s held in place by a ball bearing. This little functional detail reminds me of a gas cap cover and the crown is the cap itself. When details are functional but also retain design aesthetics, this is when they work best. When the details are fake, they lose that magic for me.

The Turbo3 comes is at just under $600. What do you get for your $590? You get a unique, limited edition watch, a large 316L stainless steel case with 330ft WR, Miyota movement, and art style post apocalyptic design/Akira meets Mad Max. The smooth black case is finished with nice detail teamed with a matte black dial protected by a sapphire crystal. The dial is my favorite part of this watch. Chaotic beauty is what I refer to it as. It’s full of detail, depth and definitely has it’s own unique personality. If you are a fan of cars, post apocalyptic movies and unique designs, then this is a great option for you to consider.

Thank you all for reading and thank you to Achtung for allowing me to review this watch.