Not only does the Lucerne-based watchmaker dip the watch ’ s 44mm steel case in a chocolate-colored PVD coating , but it then sprinkles the ‘ dial ’ with a chili-colored textured red varnish – enhancing its attraction to the horological taste buds .
Unlike previous iterations of this Chronoswiss best seller , the new Open Gear ReSec Chocolate minimizes distractions with only a very small set of numbers on the dial at the retrograde seconds display . Hours and minutes are displayed more simply with ( luminous ) markers .
As Maik Panziera , Chronoswiss head of design , explains , the tasty chili and cranberry red dial is actually the watch ’ s mainplate . “ The fine-grained , powdery appearance is achieved by sandblasting a red varnish mixed with a see-through pigment .”
RETROGRADE DISPLAY Named for its premier function ( ReSec stands for Retrograde Seconds ), the watch ’ s jumping seconds hand operates in a half-circle , leaping from the thirty seconds position back to start its arc to complete counting each minute .
Chronoswiss places blackened bridges on the dial around the namesake retrograde seconds display . These bridges , which stand out clearly amid the chili red color , support the automatic Chronoswiss caliber C . 301 skeletonized open gear train wheels , which power the regulator hands . In regulator style ( where minutes are the focus ) the large minute hand circumnavigates the dial while the smaller hour hand is positioned at the 12 o ’ clock position .
In addition to the regulator layout , the Open Gear ReSec Chocolate features all the expected Chronoswiss design codes , including a three-dimensional dial , onion crown and fluted bezel .
For collectors not sold on this latest horological nugget from Chronoswiss , the watchmaker adds another tasty bonus : Every customer who buys this watch , and also registers for the Chronoswiss three-year international warranty , will also receive a one-year ( quarterly ) chocolate subscription from Max Chocolatier , the Lucerne shop that inspired the watchmaker ’ s latest design . Price : $ 9,900 .
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