New watch brands pop up all the time, but it?s less frequent that they arrive with fully realized and distinct design language right from the jump. Usually it takes time for a brand to kind of settle into itself, work out the kinks, and figure out what it is that makes them different from their many, many competitors. Aera is a British brand that came onto the scene last year with their D-1 (a diver) and P-1 (a pilot?s watch), and have just announced a pair of follow up references that are very much in the same vein, but have some subtle improvements as well.

At first glance, Aera?s watches look almost run-of-the-mill, but a glance at the specs and a closer look at the dial design and small details of how each component hangs together reveal watches that actually inhabit a unique space in the enthusiast market. In short, these watches are big in every sense of the word. They have unapologetically large 43mm 904L steel cases and come in at 16mm and 15mm thick (for the diver and pilot?s watch, respectively) thanks to dramatically domed, double curved sapphire crystals. There?s a bulbous quality to the case design that recalls Ikepod, and when I had a chance to briefly wear a D-1 last year I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was for a watch that would normally be outside the limits of what I?d wear on a regular basis in terms of size alone. 
But they?re big in other ways too. The curved dials have large openings, much bigger than what you?d norma...