{"product_id":"eterna-kontiki-super-idf-issue-as02098","title":"Eterna Kontiki Super IDF Issue","description":"\u003cp\u003e“As the bat emerges from the darkness, as the blade cuts through with silence, as the grenade smashes in rage.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, that’s not the tagline to an upcoming superhero movie—it’s the motto of Shayetet 13, an elite special forces unit in the Israeli Defense Forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished in 1949, Shayetet 13—like the Navy SEALs and the combat divers of the French Navy—is trained for operations on land, in the air, and on the sea. Like the SEALs, the unit works in the utmost secrecy. The air of mystery that surrounds their missions, as well as the identities of operatives themselves, has given rise to the nickname “the people of silence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting in 1970, Eterna outfitted members of Shayetet 13 and other special forces units of the IDF with this watch, the KonTiki Super.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time, Shayatet 13 were ranging about the world in search of escaped Nazi war criminals, and acting in counter-terrorism missions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch grueling and taxing operations required heavy-duty gear, which is why the IDF chose the KonTiki Super for issue to their commandos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEterna’s watches have had a history of being taken to some of the most forbidding environments—such as Thor Heyerdahl’s three-month voyage across the Pacific in a balsa wood raft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn honor of that feat, which Heyerdahl enacted in 1947, Eterna released a watch called the KonTiki—the name of Heyerdahl’s raft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe KonTiki was a purpose-built tool rivaling anything produced by Rolex or Omega. Coupling a robust steel case with a highly-accurate automatic movement, the KonTiki’s spare, unadorned frame lent itself well to many different iterations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting in 1962, Eterna developed a KonTiki dive watch—the KonTiki Super.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Super that Eterna issued to the IDF, like many dive watches of the day, had a cushion case sized at an impressive 41mm. The chunky bezel made it easy to use when wearing dive gloves. Like many military watches, the screw-down case back bears engravings: spec, issue number, and Hebrew characters to denote its status as the property of the IDF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd inside of course beats the famed Eterna-Matic movement with its 5-ball bearing rotor mount. While Eterna’s competitors, Omega and Rolex, only adjusted their chronometer-grade movements in five positions, Eterna added one more—for temperature. This led to a robustness and accuracy that made the Kon-Tiki Super the perfect choice for the elite forces of the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular Kon-Tiki Super has a rugged, weathered appeal that comes from a life of action. Looking at it, it’s not hard to imagine it strapped to the wrist of a commando. With a worn bezel and darkened lime, it’s stood the test of time, and is sure to prove a trusty companion in all of life’s adventures.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Eterna","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":1817061654558,"sku":null,"price":3800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/Eterna_Kontiki_Super_IDF_Issued_AS02098_1.jpg?v=1507220683","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/eterna-kontiki-super-idf-issue-as02098","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}