Iim7v7im7 introduces the Chronoswiss Timemaster Automatic CH 2855LU, a modernized sports watch from Baselworld 2012, highlighting its distinct personality and aesthetic updates. He delves into the watch's design, from its pronounced onion crown to its luminous dial and DLC-coated case, while also discussing Chronoswiss's unique position as an 'etablisseur' in the industry.
Hi,
This is one of the "new" Chronoswiss models presented last year at Baselworld 2012. I believe that this is one of the first to arrive to the United States. It is a Timemaster Automatic (Ref. CH 2855 lu). It is a design update on the earlier, more traditional looking Timemaster Automatic that had been available for many years now. The watches styling has been modernized in form and finish, yet it retains some of the case, dial and crown design DNA that is still distinctly Chronoswiss in my opinion.
It is definitely not a watch for everyone and will usually elicit a response of “love” or “hate” mostly around its pronounced onion-shaped crown. However, I was looking for a sports watch that had a distinct personality and was different aesthetically than the rest of my collection. The updated geometry, DLC coated case and luminous dial create a distinct modern design that pays tribute to the past with the design of its hands, lugs and crown. The watch is 40.0 mm in diameter and is an under-the-sleeve compatible 12.1 mm thick. The case has 20 mm strap lugs that arch downward to wrap around your wrist. The watch has solid stainless lug bars with Chronoswiss’s auto bloc system to secure the strap to the case lugs. The case and dial are the primary areas of update.
Chronoswiss as an etablisseur uses a network of Switzerland’s finest suppliers to create their watches. In a World of large, well-capitalized conglomerates with integrated manufacture it nice to see a small independent is doing things in the traditional Swiss way. A master watchmaker conceives the watch and a network of the best specialists create the components with the etablisseur acting as integrator of the process. I have always admired Chronoswiss’s transparency in this regard.
The dial is similar to past models and is made by MOM Le Prelet for Chronoswiss, is metal dial with densely applied RC TRITEC C3 Super-LumiNova® background with the numbers and chapter ring decoration printed in an opaque black. This is the brightest of the luminous pigments and provides a greenish-off white color to the dial in daylight. The graphical impact is a bit more strident and less conventional than its predecessor with bold numbers at 2, 4, 8 and 12 instead of the typical 3, 9, 12 of the prior models. A small date window has been placed at the 6 o’clock position balancing the dial layout. The hour, minutes and second hands which are made by Aiguilla are black matte lacquered with gloss edges and have been made a bit bolder and wider than the prior model as well. They are both carefully sized to visually touch the associated markers of the chapter ring. The sapphire crystal is coated with an anti-reflective coating.
The 29 part case design made by Baume, has been modernized and is a bit less anachronistic with a high gloss chamfered bezel replacing the traditional coin edge that the company is known for. Unlike most Chronoswiss watches, it does not the reference number engraved at 6 o'clock and the serial number at 12 o'clock along its outer diameter between the lugs but on its caseback. The case is coated with a thin (2-3 micron), black, DLC (diamond like or amorphous carbon) coating called dianoir® (Argor-Aljba SA). This is an extremely hard coating with a vickers pyramid number of 5,300 HV (for example, Sinn’s tegemented cases are about 1200 HV). Obviously, it is just a surface coating and is only as good as the steel beneath it, but it is extremely hard and has a low coefficient of friction. We will have to see how well it holds up to normal abrasion and impact. I suspect it will be excellent in terms of abrasion and more susceptible to impact.
The two-way, screw down, non-rotating bezel has been polished and is also decorated with C3 Super-LumiNova® at the 5 minute markers and applied thickly into pockets. The sides of the case have a brushed finish like many of their models in contrast to the polished bezel. The case back like all Chronoswiss watches has a sapphire display case back to see the utilitarian decorated movement (Faszination der Mechanik) within while maintaining a "swimmable" 100 meter water resistance rating. The onion-style crown is DLC coated solid stainless with its tube outfitted with a double gasket to support its water resistance. The o-rings being on the tube vs. the crown allows them to be exchanged easily during a service.
Chronoswiss calls the movement Caliber C.281 that is of course an ETA 2892-A2 base, outfitted a glucydur 3-legged balance and an incabloc shock absorber running at 28,800 bph. It is similar to the movement used in the new Kairos and Sirius Automatics. Chronoswiss has added a CNC'd skeletonized, oddly non-contrasting Rhodium plated rotor that is nicely machined with a central bearing plate finished with a sunburst pattern. All of movement finishing is typically done for Chronoswiss at AROLA. The bridge plates are also nicely finished with perlage finish. Additionally the pallet lever and escape wheel have been finely polished and the screws have been heat blued. All in all, a very respectably appointed version of this venerable ETA workhorse ebauche.
Overall, it really is a stunning watch in person and is a nice update to long-time model in their line-up. It is a watch design that is full of bold contrasts. A clean, simplified modern form with bold graphics mixed with details that pay homage to classical watches of the past. A black case and hands that contrast against a light green luminous dial. A glossy-polished bezel that contrasts against a brushed finish case. The watch size at 40 mm is large enough to provide a distinct wrist presence, but not too large (which has been a trend of the last 5 years). I like the simplicity of this model vs. the larger and visually busier Large Date and GMT Chronograph. Those of you that can't get over the crown (I know that your out there), it is not at all uncomfortable to wear and it is a pleasure to wind.
