A Racing Beauty

Chronoswiss is known for their tuna can watch cases and skelotinzed versions of the valjoux 7750 movements. They have never really been my glass of champagne, but hey I can’t love them all otherwise there would be nothing interesting to write about. This year for Basel 2009, Chronoswiss has introduced a special edition tachoscope in collaboration with Audi. I have to say I am really impressed. The watch is clean concise, and very well finished. I guess because it doesn’t look like a typical Chronoswiss and more like a higher end watch maker is why this watch has given me a slight bulge. This marks the 100Th anniversary of Audi and has been represented in a very classy way. The dial is made out of white enamel.

The only thing wrong that makes the watch look a little cheap is that the Audi Logo, the infamous rings give it that Olympic swatch feeling for a slight second, but if you can get beyond that, you will see how well balanced this watch really is. This limited edition of 100 pieces for the world will feature 65 pieces made in white gold and 35 pieces made in platinum which is marked on the back of the case which surrounds the beautifully finished rotor which also bears the Audi logo , giving it a nice subtle touch and more than enough for branding a collaboration.

The details of this watch are absolutely fantastic, as the the crown has been machined to look like a gearwheel, while the jet black contrasting Arabic numerals jump off the white enamel dial like words of a page,which were inspired by the union races of the 1930’s. The watch case was designed by Audi and the movement is a Chronoswiss Calibre C.125. which is the perfect bond between a watch and car manufacturer at it’s finest. I mean it’s clear that Audi who has nothing to do with watches, should be designing watch cases because they have very cleverly made the case to look like as if A lange & Sohne and Vacheron Constantine made the perfect love child of a refined watch case and besides it puts anything Chronoswiss has ever done to bloody shame.

The two separate subdials display the hours and seconds, while the floating bold black minute hand and the red chrono hand balances out all the functions by being such a bold simplistic colors and makes it a truly unique layout to provide just the right amount of space for the other functions . This one button tachoscope with a rich black alligator strap boasts boldness innovation and raw engineering with heart with ingenuity making this one hell of a racing beauty!

pics courtesy of http://www.timezone.com