Dan Henry 1972 Maverick Chronograph

I have a need, a need for speed

In the early 1980s, Ehud Yonay wrote an article for California Magazine about the United States Navy’s Fighter Weapons School, entitled “Top Guns.” Three years later, Hollywood brought it to life starring Tom Cruise as the fictional aviator Lieutenant Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick. The rest, as they say, is pop culture history.

Dan Henry 1972 Maverick Watch Review — Dan Henry 1972 Maverick Watch @calibre321

What watch enthusiasts the world over would add is that Maverick wore the iconic Porsche Design Chronograph 1 (Orfina 7176) as he played volleyball, raced his Kawasaki Ninja down runways, wooed the lovely Kelly McGillis, and shot down three Soviet MiGs at the height of Cold War propaganda.

Why I am a bringing this up, you ask?

A few weeks ago, Dan Henry released a new collection of his popular (and sold out) 1972 Maverick Watch. The new line features two automatic three-handers, and two quartz-powered chronographs, including the black PVD reference featured here. The Porsche Design influence is, of course, undeniable.

The black reference also most closely resembles the previous collection, the 1972 Alarm Chrono. Outside the subtle change in movement there are other tweaks, which I will outline later; however, the important thread here is that like Lieutenant Pete Mitchell—who returned to the big screen after a 39-year absence—the 1972 Maverick Watch is back.

It’s a racing watch

In 1986, when Top Gun hit theatres, I was thirteen years old. The film’s adrenaline-laced, hyper macho storyline could well have been written exclusively for me. I clearly remember crossing my best friend Rob in the school hallway and delivering the iconic “High Five, Low Five.” At recess, we would trade movie lines back and forth. “Son, your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash.” I was having a moment.

So, for this review, I thought I would seek out the assistance of another friend, Gary, and his 1987 Mustang GT. It just felt right.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Chronograph 1 and the Dan Henry 1972 Maverick Watch, is that neither are, strictly speaking, pilot’s watches. They are racing watches, equipped with tachymeters. But nothing captures the essence of the 70s—the era in which the original was designed—like a blacked out chronograph.

In the words of Dan Henry, “In 1972, the oceans and space had already been conquered and were no longer novelties. It was a time for breaking records on Earth.”

Key Features of the Dan Henry 1972 Maverick

The 1972 Maverick is a sporty 41mm in diameter and fashioned from PVD-coated 316L stainless steel. It measures 45.7mm lug to lug, thanks to its truncated design, and 12.7mm in height with a 20mm lug width.

The raised bezel and sapphire crystal provide the dial with a great deal of depth. The angled tachymeter in the rehaut slides down to a minute track that is punctuated by sandwich-style hour markers. The sub-registers are organised in a characteristic 6, 9, 12 layout. The only text is the brand name, aligned right over the day/date windows at three.

The stark, high contrast dial is extremely legible and benefits from a striking red chronograph hand. The pencil handset and hour markers are also treated in C3 Super-LumiNova. Overall, the effect is simple and clean.

The Miyota 0S00—which differs from the 0S80 found in previous references—features a central chronograph and tracks intervals of 1/10th of a second. It also features a 12-hour register and a running seconds. It is accurate within +/-20 seconds a month and has an average battery life of five years. One other notable element is the satisfying click experienced when you actuate the chronograph function.

On the flip side, this new reference features an embossing of the F-14 Tomcat—the fighter jet flown by Maverick in Top Gun, as opposed to the Ducati motorcycle of previous iterations. The watch also features a screw down crown and 50m of water resistance.

For a bracelet, there is a slim H-link—also coated in black PVD. It has a simple, stamped clasp with a push-button release.

SPECS

Case	316L Stainless Steel 41mm Diameter 45.7mm Lug to Lug 12.7mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Crown 500m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Sapphire Crystal Sandwich Dial Printed Markers Pencil Handset Super-LumiNova
Movement	Miyota 0S00 Quartz Chronograph +/-20 seconds/month 5-year Battery Life
Strap	Stainless Steel H-Link Bracelet /w Stamped Clasp

Dan Henry 1972 Maverick Watch Pilot Chronograph

Final Thoughts

All of Dan Henry’s watches are named after the year that inspired them. While most offer accessible alternatives to the iconic designs of the last century, they do more than lean on aesthetic cues. Dan Henry chooses timepieces that capture the essence of an era–an essence harnessed in the design. The 1972 Maverick, in particular, demonstrates how these motifs can live in the popular imagination, recurring across eras and rendering them essentially timeless.

Pricing & Availability

The Dan Henry 1972 Maverick retails for $350 USD. For more information, please visit the brand website.

About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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