Eberhard & Co., with roots all the way back to 1887, is really one of the original independent brands. And ever since 1919, it has made chronographs for the wrist. One of its most recent chronographs is the 41.5-millimeter flyback Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée with a heritage-steeped coquille d’oeuf-colored dial.
What are the most interesting things with the exclusive caliber EB 280 in this chronograph?
Chronographs have always been central to the maison’s identity, and for this project we focused particularly on models from the 1930s and beyond. Every detail, technical or aesthetic, was carefully considered to reinterpret these distinctive features in a contemporary way. For this reason, we developed an exclusive hand-wound chronographic movement with a column wheel and fly-back function, in collaboration with Manufacture AMT (Sellita’s manufacture for high-end movements, Ed.’s note), combining technical sophistication with refined aesthetics.
How do you create the right feeling in the winding mechanism of a hand-wound movement?
Hand-wound watches are chosen today by true enthusiasts of mechanical watchmaking; people who appreciate direct interaction, care, and a tangible connection with their timepiece. In line with our commitment to authentic vintage spirit, we designed a sculptural crown with classic knurling and proportions that ensure a comfortable grip. Our goal was to deliver a tactile sensation that conveys the feeling of “giving life” to the watch, allowing the wearer to truly feel like the deus ex machina behind the mechanical marvel of traditional horology. And, thinking of real-world use, we also worked to provide an extended power reserve — in this case exceeding 60 hours.
What was the challenge with having the reset pusher at 3 o’clock on the crown?
As with many other elements, the decision to create a coaxial reset pusher was driven by our commitment to vintage codes. Achieving this solution required a technically demanding approach, particularly the development of a dedicated lever system that enables the chronograph reset pusher to be placed coaxially with the crown. I would also like to highlight that, despite the complexity of its multi-element construction, the crown maintains full water resistance.
Now you work with existing movements, adding many things that are unique to Eberhard & Co.– do you have any plans for your own movements?
Our choice is to work with trusted Swiss movement makers, true experts in their field, allowing us to equip our watches with highly precise and proven calibers. Over the years, we have built long-standing relationships with these companies, founded on mutual trust and shared standards of excellence. By sourcing movements from specialized Swiss partners, we ensure precision, consistency and value, while focusing fully on refinement, materials and finishing — offering genuine Swiss quality at exceptional value.
This is not simply a matter of taking an existing base movement and “decorating” it, it is a process of true research, design and engineering. Each caliber is entirely conceived, developed and designed in-house, transforming original ideas into authentic technical innovations, which our trusted partners then bring to production. I would also like to highlight the distinctive movements powering two of our most iconic collections — Chrono 4 and 8 Jours — which exemplify this approach. Both were fully conceived, engineered and designed by our team, born from concepts generated and refined entirely within the company.
While this is our approach for now, we look to the future with confidence — fully in control of our path, yet open to new possibilities and innovations that may arise.
Discover our video here.
