In the autumn of 2025, the colour purple is still going strong in watchmaking. One of the boldest examples flaunting the colour once reserved for royal and papal adornment is the 41-millimetre Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain.
“We’ve taken an icon that defined modern skeleton chronographs 30 years ago and evolved it into a bold, ultraviolet rebellion while keeping its soul intact,” said Chronoswiss CEO Oliver Ebstein. “Fully exposed mechanics, caged in grade 5 titanium with a purple CVD coating and a UV-reactive strap – every element of the Opus Purple Rain is designed to surprise, delight, and challenge expectations, just as the first Opus did in 1995.”
Skeletonising of watches dates back to the 1760s, when French watchmaker André-Charles Caron decided to cut away everything that wasn’t completely necessary for the watch to work. The idea of an essential timepiece flaunting its inner mechanics soon got a following, but nevertheless it would take around 230 years before it became comme il faut in wristwatches. The 1960s saw several uniquely skeletonised watches, for instance by Armin Strom, but it is oftentimes Chronoswiss Opus from 1995 that gets to wear the crown when it comes to the first serially produced, skeletonised Chronograph wristwatch.
The bold expression aside, the skeletonised Opus chronograph is an icon whose design has only been very carefully refined in its three decades of existence: the central chronograph sweep hands are still accompanied by 30-minute and hour subdials, the coin-shaped bezel is intact, as is the onion-shaped crown. The original case from 1995 has, however, grown from 38 millimetres to today’s 41 millimetres, and materials, coatings, straps, and typography have changed. For instance, all recent Opus models (since 2023) are made from titanium, whereas they used to be made with stainless steel or gold. But apart from these contemporary adjustments, the Opus Chronograph still carries all the DNA of the brand’s founder Gert-Rüdiger Lang, who sadly passed away on March 3, 2023.
But don’t get me wrong, minor adjustments create a major change! Not only does the grade 5 titanium case make for a lighter experience, and the purple chemical vapour deposition coating of case, crown, bezel, dial (what is left of it), and oscillating weight create a visual feast, it is also held in place with a revolutionary strap. What looks like a traditional white leather strap will surprise you when you step out into the sunlight: It gets activated by UV light and turns purple.
When it comes to movements, Chronoswiss works with unique proprietary designs developed in close partnership between its design team and Swiss top-of-the line manufacturers. The Opus is powered by the skeletonised, automatic C.741S movement, which beats at 4 Hz (28’800 vph) and has a power reserve of 46 hours – it truly represents both today’s brand claim “modern mechanical”, as well as the old one from 30 years ago: “Fascination for mechanics”.
Said Mr. Ebstein: “With only 30 pieces worldwide, the Opus Purple Rain is a celebration for collectors who value mechanical mastery, bold design, and the courage to be different.”
