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Chronoswiss Reaches for the Sun 

Chronoswiss continues to explore the universe with the new Space Timer Solaris, the independent Swiss watchmaker’s third watch in its relatively new Space Timer collection.

The new Chronoswiss Space Timer Solaris.

Like the earlier Space Timer Moonwalk and Space Timer Jupiter models, the new entry into the regulator-style collection boasts an unusual high-tech dial inspired by galactic-themes, patterns and colors.

As its name implies, the Space Timer Solaris’s fiery orange and red dial is meant to mimic the surface of the sun. Chronoswiss artisans created the dial’s textured surface by placing seventeen layers of nano-printed and laser-sculpted metal onto a gold-plated surface.

The watch’s multilayered dial is composed in part of a raised date disc and hour ring, each built from clear ITR2, a carbon nano-tube synthetic material.

Though employing a regulator dial display like the existing Open Gear ReSec series, the newer Space Timer collection offers a celestial dial theme that replaces that collection’s retrograde seconds hand with a large moon phase and date sub-dial. 

That date subdial is a heat-colored titanium globe with SuperLuminova that display the moon’s rotation and a few stars. Around the globe, miniature steel (0.6mm) ’planet’ balls serve as date indicators between Arabic numerals.

The remainder of the dial echoes the familiar Chronoswiss Open Gear regulator dial layout, with a polished and skeletonized bridge supporting the raised, decentralized hour display.

A long central minute hand and central seconds hand both rotate above the full Space Timer Solaris universe.

The watch’s rotor is skeletonized and orange-colored with Côtes de Genève finishing.

Chronoswiss fits its ETA-based C.308 automatic caliber into a 44mm by 15.2mm steel case to power this impressive galactic display. 

The Chronoswiss Space Timer Solaris is a limited edition of fifty pieces.

Price: $18,800.

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The Watches

Ulysse Nardin Celebrates World Oceans Day 

Ulysse Nardin refreshes two of its dive models with eye-catching azure blue dial markers and matching blue rubber straps to mark World Oceans Day (June 8).

The new Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure.

One model, the Diver Net Azure, adds the sparkling blue color to the watchmaker’s existing environmentally friendly Diver series. This latest model in the collection (which also includes the Ocean Race diver) utilizes recycled materials within its case, which is made from Carbonium (with a 40% lower environmental impact than other carbon composites), Nylo (recycled polyamide from fishing nets) and 95% recycled steel.

The watchmaker reports that the new model represents a greater use of recycled steel than the first Diver Net concept model in 2020, which contained 80% recycled steel. 

The watch remains water-resistant to 300 meters and exhibits its blue hue on the dial’s X accent, the dial markers, the bezel markers and its rubber strap.

Ulysse Nardin fits the watch with its automatic UN-118 movement (above), fitted with a silicon balance spring and a DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Price: $12,600.

The new Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure.

The Diver X Skeleton Azure is a more complex dive watch. As the latest model within the watchmaker’s Diver X Skeleton collection, the skeletonized watch exposes its UN-372 Manufacture caliber, a top-tier in-house automatic movement Ulysse Nardin outfits with an extra-large oscillator and a silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring.

The movement is exposed within a 44mm titanium DLC case, which is water-resistant to 200 meters. Its components are visible underneath a dramatic black and azure blue X-shaped bridge. Lightweight Carbonium tops the barrel cover at the 12 o’clock position and covers the unidirectional rotating bezel. Price: $26,400.

Ulysse Nardin Caliber UN-372.

 (See below for full technical specifications for both new watches). 

Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure

(Ref. 1183-170-2B/3A)

Movement: UN-118 Manufacture caliber, automatic movement displaying
hours, minutes, small seconds, date, power reserve indicator.  Silicon balance-spring, DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Frequency 4Hz (28,800 vph). 

Case: 44mm by 14.81 mm with central case, bezel, case back and movement mount in 95% recycled stainless steel. Side case and case back ring: 60% Nylo recycled fishing nets and 40% Carbonium up-cycled carbon fiber from the aeronautic industry. Open sapphire crystal case back. Concave unidirectional rotating bezel in 100% upcycled Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal.  Water resistance to 300 meters. 

Dial: Sandblasted black with an embossed and satin X Power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, date and small seconds at 6 o’clock, hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova. 

Strap: Azure-colored rubber with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock
Black ceramic pin buckle.

Price: $12,600.

 

Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure

(Ref. 3723-170-2B/3A) 

Movement: UN-372 Manufacture caliber, self-winding skeleton movement
Hours, minutes, seconds. Oversized silicon balance wheel, silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring. Frequency 3Hz (21,600 vph). 

Case: Polished and satin finished 44mm by 15.7mm black DLC titanium case,
concave unidirectional rotating bezel in Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal,
open sapphire crystal caseback in black DLC titanium. Water resistant to 200 meters.

Dial: X-shaped skeleton dial in polished and satin-finished black PVD Carbonium barrel cover, black hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova. 

Strap: Azure-colored rubber strap with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock, compatible with R-STRAP, folding clasp in black ceramic and black PVD titanium. 

Price: $26,400 

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The Watches

Accutron Twists its Spaceview 

Accutron offers a new twist within its electrostatic-powered Spaceview collection. The new Spaceview Evolution features two models with a movement Accutron has shifted thirty degrees counterclockwise.
 

The new alignment creates an asymmetric look to the Spaceview, with the watch’s turbines positioned toward the 3 o’clock position rather than at the 6 o’clock location on existing Spaceview 2020 models.

One of two new Accutron Spaceview Evolution watches.

Similarly the crown on the new design is positioned at two o’clock rather than at 3 o’clock.

In addition, Accutron has also paired the new asymmetric look with new bridgework finishing that adds a fine knurled pattern to the movement as well as blue or black screws that contrast with the bridge hue, depending on the model. 

One of the new Spaceview Evolution models features a smoky grey open-work dial with metal dial rings on which Accutron sets light green luminous markers along with silver hour and minute hands.

The other Spaceview Evolution model offers a silver-tone open-work dial with metal dial rings set with light green luminous markers, metallic blue hour and minute hands and a silver tone seconds hand.

Both watches retain the Spaceview’s existing 43.5mm by 15.9mm polished stainless-steel case with domed double box sapphire crystal. Both also remain water resistant to 50 meters.

As a reminder, Accutron’s Spaceview is powered by Accutron’s proprietary Miyota-built movement that utilizes electrostatic energy as created by the rotating twin ‘turbines.’

That energy, stored in an accumulator, powers two motors. One is an electrostatic motor to power the seconds hand and the other is a step motor powering the hour and minute hands. Accutron clocks the Spaceview’s monthly accuracy to plus or minus five seconds. 

Price: $3,950. 

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The Watches

Maurice Lacroix Updates Pontos S Diver 

Maurice Lacroix revisits its Pontos S Diver, revamping the dive watch with a sharp-looking new dial sporting bolder indexes and minute markings, improved luminosity and a raised date frame. In addition, Maurice Lacroix offers a bronze-cased edition, a first for the collection.

One of three new Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Divers.

The Swiss watchmaker released its first-generation Pontos S Diver in 2013 but halted it a few years later as it increased production of its hot Aikon collection to meet demand.

With the updated 42mm watch, Maurice Lacroix enhances dial visibility with newly facetted hour and minute hands, both of which glow with SuperlumiNova. On the minute hand you’ll now see a border colored to contrast with the dial. The hour indexes retain their generous luminescent treatment.

Maurice Lacroix also retains the watch’s useful internal rotating bezel to indicate elapsed time, adjusted using the crown at the 2 o’clock position. The second crown at the 3 o’clock position is used to adjust the time, date and to wind the automatic ML115 movement. All models are water resistant to 300 meters.

Maurice Lacroix debuts its first bronze-cased Pontos S Diver.

Bronze too 

As noted, Maurice Lacroix is offering a bronze edition of the watch in addition to the steel models. 

While the regular production steel models are available with black grained or white lacquered dial options, the bronze model is limited to 500 pieces and is paired with a blue grained dial.

The bronze version comes supplied with two straps, one in dark blue leather and the other in dark blue rubber. Maurice Lacroix supplies the steel models with three matching straps: an M-branded fabric strap and two rubber straps.

Finally, Maurice Lacroix equips the new Pontos S Diver with the company’s Easy Strap Exchange System that allows the wearer to quickly swap straps without the need for tools. 

Prices: $2,050 (steel) and $2,600 (bronze). 

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The Watches

An Ode to Mr. Roboto

By Steve Huyton

The Mr. Roboto from Azimuth is one of my favorite watches. Essentially this watch is the reason I fell in love with the brand in the first place.

Azimuth’s Mr. Roboto R1 Original.

Over the past twenty years, Azimuth has really established itself as a big player on the horological landscape. In particular the Azimuth avant-garde SP-1 collections have gained enormous critical acclaim. For this reason the brand has become synonymous for exceptional design and Swiss quality normally associated with more expensive watchmakers.

In fact it’s fair to say their progressive approach to watchmaking has led the pathway for many micro brands. 

Over the last few years, I’ve frequently communicated with Chris Long and got to learn what makes him tick. As a brand owner, you can essentially invent a title and Chris playfully describes himself as the Chief Product Visionary. This perpetuates his approach to watchmaking, which is mainly inspired by childhood fantasies.

The Mr. Roboto Artist Series with rat and gears.

Ultimately this was the catalyst for iconic creations like Mr. Roboto that pay homage to the Golden Robot of the 1950s. The Mark I variant was originally released in 2008 and measures 42.6mm x 49.5mm. For the price, there was nothing comparable at the time and it instantly became collectable with watch enthusiasts.

What originally impressed me about the original Mr. Roboto was the meticulous attention to detail. This watch has a sophisticated geometry and several bespoke sapphire crystal windows. The eyes display the hours (left), and GMT/second-time zone (right), with his red triangular nose featuring seconds and minutes in a retrograde format.

Certainly, in 2008 it was an ambitious project for a small independent brand. However, for Chris Long, this became a perfect springboard. 

In 2016 Azimuth took on another partner, Giuseppe Picchi, who now runs the technical side of the operation from Neuchatel in Switzerland. This allowed the brand to experiment with more sophisticated designs and build on a solid reputation.

In 2017 Azimuth unveiled the Mr. Roboto R2, which is a larger more muscular version of the original. The primary objective was to give the watch an ‘Haute Horlogerie’ aesthetic similar to MB&F and Urwerk.

Mr. Roboto R2

In my opinion, they were very successful and this is an exceptionally fine watch. However, interestingly Long revisited the original version to create several limited editions constructed from bronze. 

Notable highlights include the Mr. Roboto Bronzo Artist Series, a collection of unique 1/1 pieces. These feature hand-engraved bezels inspired by steampunk, bitcoin and motorcycle themes.

Mr. Roboto Bronzo.

For those that prefer a natural finish there was also a 100-piece limited edition Mr Roboto Bronzo that’s long sold out. 

Recently Chris Long informed me of a very special 43mm x 50mm sapphire crystal model, which will be limited to twenty pieces worldwide (to commemorate Azimuth’s 20th anniversary). Certainly, it’s the most exclusive model they’ve created to date and visually the boldest.

Mr. Roboto Sapphire.

Not surprisingly Azimuth will be entering this masterpiece for a prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève award.

Personally, I feel it’s a perfect recipient for this type of accolade and maybe a natural conclusion to Mr. Roboto’s story.

Steve Huyton is an industrial designer, illustrator and author who publishes Total Design Reviews

 

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