Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1 - mini review

Nov 23, 2016,06:30 AM
 

"Wow" is the word when I was told that Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1 was at Chopard Ginza boutique and actually saw it and handled it.


I wish I could spend more time with it (at least a day or two...), but I did my best there.  


Beautiful profile, round bezel sitting on the octagon WG case....










What can I say?  Beautiful execution on the dial design.




Power reserve indicator on the left.






Beautiful blued steels....




Transparent tourbillon window.... 











The other side has yet another beautiful design executed wonderfully.








Constante Force...






Great design, I must say.





. and on the side.... As you can see, this is not such a thick watch....




There are four windows (two on each side) and you can see the mechanism from them.

Here, fusee-chain mechanism from one window.






On the other side is the other side of the fusee-chain mechanism.






The crown has simple function - hand winding, time adjustment.  After all, this is a three-hander watch.







A bit of wrist time smile)  Sure, it is big for my smallish wrist, but not as big as I thought.  (Relatively) slim and smart/ handsome watch.







The box is gigantic!










The paper has Mr. KFS's own signature....







Just wow.
LE of 50 for WG case, and LE of 50 for PG case.  

Wonderful watch and no wonder many people are waiting for delivery.  This really deserves the Grand-Prix!

Thank you, Chopard Japan team!

Ken


  login to reply

Comments: view entire thread

 

Thanks for the write up Ken. The movement is mind boggling but

 
 By: alex : November 23rd, 2016-06:49
I think that such a sublime caliber would deserve a different dial and case. I understand that the case is inspired by deck chronometers but just not subtle enough and the dial looks as f it is hesitating between modern and classical without really decidi... 

+1 Alex

 
 By: Alkiro1 : November 23rd, 2016-07:07
I was thinking the same thing about the dial. It is too "well-behaved" for me and a more demonstrative one (but class too) should have been a good idea IMHO regarding all the other elements of this watch. About the case, it seems too big and there\'s a la... 

Wonderful pictorial report.

 
 By: M4 : November 23rd, 2016-18:50
I love this watch. Gorgeous. M4

Beautiful photographs. Beautiful watch.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : November 24th, 2016-17:05
But don't call this a "Ferdinand Berthoud". Call it anything else. Berthoud had nothing to do with tourbillons or octagonal-shaped cases. Why do watch brands do this?!

A very fair point, padj...

 
 By: KIH : November 24th, 2016-17:18
From Mr. KFS\'s perspective, he rescued this brand - which had been bought by someone else who were thinking of making watches ETA movement under that brand name - and he bought that brand from those people and tried to give the brand much more worthy re-... 

There's no question that the watch is of high quality.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : November 24th, 2016-19:37
And it honors the name in terms of quality. But this watch is in no way representative, or derivative, of Berthoud's chronometers. This is just an objection I have to so many companies that choose to use "masters of old" for branding purposes. I think I a... 

I hear you....

 
 By: KIH : November 24th, 2016-21:47
... I am aging, too So, should Mr. KFS just pay the price for the brand and do nothing? Well.... there is no way to know what course the brands\' DNA would take them on watchmaking after such a long years. As far as my small knowledge goes, those who have... 

Overall, you are right.

 
 By: TheMadDruid : November 25th, 2016-06:07
I guess I don't like the use of names that have not been continually in existence, and with no connection at all to the original brand or maker. A point: I love quite a few Arnold & Son watches but I am annoyed that the brand is called Arnold & Son. It's ... 

It's a date. [nt]

 
 By: TheMadDruid : November 25th, 2016-11:58

I am the worst reporter

 
 By: MTF : November 27th, 2016-03:03
padj, I'm sorry that my three reports at the launch of the Ferdinand Berthoud FB1 Chronometer did not explain the reasons for the revival of the Berthoud brand enough. Click for previous report . Mr Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (KFS) has been collecting Berth... 

Well said! [nt]

 
 By: brandon1 : January 27th, 2017-09:45

Brilliant!

 
 By: KMII : November 26th, 2016-09:29
Would love to see it live at some point Your review comes a close second, though, Ken! Thanks a lot.