BY MICHAEL THOMPSON
Backstory
REAR VIEWS OF NOTE
Chronoswiss
LIMITED EDITION FLYING GRAND
REGULATOR SKELETON
CHRONOSWISS HERE DEVISES A handsome skele-
tonized version of its well-known regulator configura-
tion, where the hour hand is separate from a usually
much longer minutes indicator.
From the back, the watch’s base movement, the
Unitas 6498, is barely recognizable because
Chronoswiss has modified fully half (twenty-six) of the
caliber’s original fifty-two components. The newly
blue-coated bridges are most noticeable, almost
organically framing circular-grained wheels, gears and
polished, thermally blued screws and pallet wheel.
Chronoswiss says the design itself was created to
“be both unique and recognizable for Chronoswiss as
a brand.” The look is also meant to convey a contem-
porary, powerful message that contrasts with other
Swiss skeletonized watches, which are frequently
playful, floral or frilly.
The Chronoswiss skeletonized hand-wound caliber
C. 677S movement is also characterized by a stop sec-
onds mechanism: Activating the crown triggers a slide
that blocks the balance spring. This means the sec-
onds hand can be stopped and precisely set. What
you can’t see here is the regulator dial with its off-cen-
ter hours at 12 o’clock and central minutes and small
seconds at 6 o’clock.
The 44mm watch is an example of the latest addi-
tions to the Chronoswiss Flying Grand Regulator
Skeleton range. The look is made available in several
color options, each combined with a galvanic black
dial. These options include bright red and yellow, light
blue and orange, or red and coral. Two more color
combinations are available in a red gold (or stainless
steel) case with a blue or a silver dial (pictured, with a
steel case). Each combination of colors and case is
made as a limited edition of thirty.
THE ESSENTIALS
CASE
Solid 21-part, 44 mm by 12.48mm red gold, stainless steel
(pictured) or DLC-coated steel, satin finished with polished
bezel with case side knurling and curved sapphire crystal,
screw-down case back with satin finish and flat sapphire
crystal, onion crown, water resistance to 30 meters, strap bars
screwed in with patented Autobloc system
MOVEMENT
Chronoswiss manual-wind caliber C. 677S (Unitas 6498 base)
modified to Regulator dial; skeletonized, handcrafted
Glucydur balance with stop seconds mechanism, Swan-neck
precision regulator, 2,5 Hz., (18.000 vph) and 46-hour power
reserve. The pallet, pallet-wheel and screws are polished while
the plate, gear wheels and bridge are skeletonized
and circular grained.
PRICE
$9,150
130 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SUMMER 2019