One of the things we love about independent watchmaking is the ability for a brand to move swiftly on a project based on feedback from their clients, collaborators, and the watch world writ large. A new release from Collective and Armin Strom is a great example of how one good idea can quickly beget another, and in the grand scheme of things it really doesn?t even take that long. Not even two years ago, Collective and Armin Strom released the P.03 Gravity Equal Force, a creative take on one of Armin Strom?s signature designs. The concept behind the original release was to make this bit of high end watchmaking into something truly tactical, and its aesthetic was inspired by apparel, packs, and EDC tools in its finishing, color, and overall vibe. This new release, the P.03 ?Night Ops,? takes that idea a step further, and does what arguably should have been done the first time around: blacking out the case. 
It seems obvious, right" When you think ?tactical? in watchmaking, you probably think ?black,? at least to some extent. I have to say, though, that until I heard Collective and Armin Strom were making this new edition, the thought never actually crossed my mind that the original should have been black. I think that speaks to the genuine novelty of that first watch. It?s so rare for a haute horlogerie brand like Armin Strom to dabble in EDC inspiration that the first try really sold me. The new Night Ops variant feels like a more fully realized version of the conc...