Chronoswiss has always done things a little differently, playing with nonconformist designs, displays, colours, and textures to create truly surprising timepieces. It may have something to do with the fact that the brand is based in Lucerne, in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, far from the watchmaking hubs of Geneva, Bienne, Neuchâtel, and La Vallée de Joux.
Strike Two Series
The brand is well known for its love of guilloché, openworked mechanisms, and regulator displays, all of which come together in this latest duo of timepieces. Named the “Strike Two” series, there are two limited edition models – the Golden Gear and the H2O – both of which are limited to 100 pieces each. The first thing that catches the eye is their horizontal regulator displays with the hours in a subdial at three o’clock, the running seconds in a counter at nine o’clock, and the minutes’ hand from the centre. It sounds a little strange on paper but, in reality, the timepieces are extremely easy to read, as you can see from the photos here.
Fusion of the Past with the Present
Inspirations from Chronoswiss heritage have been reworked to create two unique timepieces that are resolutely contemporary in their design. Both editions are housed in 40mm stainless steel cases with a height of 12.7mm, although they differ in their use of colours and textures.
The Golden Gear model gets its name from the golden accents that adorn the guilloché small seconds dial, minute hand, exquisitely finished twin bridges, hour ring, and details on the gearwork in the movement that can be perceived below. The dial itself comes in a vertically brushed grey tone that elegantly brings out the beauty of the gold colour.
For the H2O model, Chronoswiss has chosen a silver/blue colour combination with the addition of traditional blued hands and screws that bring a historical horological touch to the modern design. The three-dimensional light-blue dial is stamped and CVD-coated, giving it an interesting texture that catches the light. Both models also feature stylish chapter rings with black and white dots that run around the periphery of the dials and the small seconds counters.
Under the Dial
The movement powering these two limited editions is the brand’s Calibre C. 6000 which was created in collaboration with La Joux Perret. The movement is ruthenium coated and features a tungsten rotor, skeletonized gear train, Côtes de Genève finishing, and a power reserve of 55 hours.
A last detail that won’t go unnoticed by the brand’s fans is a revised crown that brings a fresh twist to the models. The previous onion crown was fluted in the shape of an onion – thus the name – but this new version is slightly flatter and comes with a modern engraved cut-out in the centre. It is a small detail, but one that nicely sums up the beauty of these two limited editions that take elements of watchmaking past and give them a twist for watch lovers who like to stand out from the crowd.
