Micro machines

The Anthony Bonja Fortress watch has a look to match its name. With a thick steel casing held together by six hefty screws and a weighty leather strap, it’s the kind of timepiece you would want on your wrist when facing down an angry bear or a brutish boss. It exudes an aura of solid self-confidence in a way only $5,000 concentrated in four square centimeters of stainless steel can. But inside, there is an entirely different matter at hand — or in this case, on hand. As a mechanical watch, the Fortress is powered by a system of gears and springs so delicate and so precise that their dimensions and alignment must be measured to the micrometer. It’s this balance of aesthetic sophistication and technical precision that makes a luxury watch, but Anthony Bonja, like the dozens of Middle Eastern brands offering luxury watch lines, is only responsible for