A look at the Glashütte Original Senator Seventies

The 1970s spelled the start of certain eventful stories as well as seeming to mark the end of an era. This complex decade witnessed the invention of some of the major watch models currently in production – and all this at a time when the Swiss watch industry was experiencing a dizzying drop due to the spread of quartz movements made in Japan. However, these important watches and the watch industry lived to tell the tale, and the common denominator among these designs (often referred to as iconic) is that they established the codes of sport-chic watches as decidedly high-end and made of steel. The Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet and the Nautilus from Patek Philippe were the milestone models in forging this new trend.


Integration
The Senator Seventies by Glashütte Original is a worthy descendant of this prestigious lineage in two key respects: firstly, by its sport-chic nature; and secondly through certain design options that anchor it firmly in the age of bell-bottom trousers. This model, launched in 2011 and a permanent fixture in the catalogue of the German brand owned by the Swatch Group, is distinguished by its square shape, its generously rounded angles and the absence of protruding lugs – the watch band being attached along the entire width. It is mainly available in steel with a choice of blue, anthracite or white dial bearing gold hands and hour-markers. At Baselworld 2013, the range was enriched with rubber and above all alligator straps. All models are equipped with the 39-47 self-winding large date movement by Manufacture Glashütte. This model’s full name is thus the Senator Seventies Panorama Date.


Relaxed and refined
Above and beyond facts and figures, the Senator Seventies is an incredibly pleasant and ergonomic watch. It exudes a relaxed aura typical of the 1970s (for those who experienced them). Although a finely made watch, its design is carefree and endows it with an attribute much sought-after by lovers of fine objects: that of nonchalant elegance. This is possibly due to the proportions of the case, as well as its seamless integration with the bracelet composed of understated and supple intermeshing links. Thus Senator Seventies Panorama Date thus easily adjusts to small wrists with its 40 x 40 mm size, despite occupying a considerably larger space than a 40 mm-diameter round case.