Back in October at the Windup Watch Fair, we were fortunate enough to see many brands debut entirely new and slightly updated watches, and get some early hands-on experience. One watch that became something of a fair sensation by the end of the weekend was the newest watch from Astor+Banks, a new version of their Fortitude in appealing pastel tones and the removal of the 6:00 date window. With colorful dials having a moment (thanks in no small part to a certain light blue dialed superwatch from an iconic jewelry house) the timing for this refresh couldn?t be better. The new Fortitude Lite collection recently went up for pre-order, so we thought it would be a good time to take a look at what Windup attendees had a chance to sample a few months ago. 
Blake went hands-on with the original Fortitude last year, so definitely check out that review for some context on what the Fortitude is all about. This update is being billed by Astor+Banks as a refresh to what they call the ?civilian? version of the watch. It?s slimmer thanks to losing some of its enhanced magnetic resistance via soft iron plates on either side of the movement, but retains its 38.5mm diameter but has been given a subtle redesign to sit flatter on the wrist. The updates feel like a true refinement of the earlier watch, and Astor+Banks deserves a ton of credit for listening to their customers and making a handful of small changes that ultimately yield a significant result. 

We think the real dr...