Chronoswiss began in Munich in 1983 with master watchmaker Gerd Rüdiger Lang and now works in Lucerne, and two new stone dials connect those places.
Chronoswiss today introduces the Small Second Jasper and the Small Second Serpentine, each limited to 50 pieces. The brand says they are its first natural stone dials of the Modern Mechanical era.
The Jasper comes from Idar-Oberstein in Germany, in warm beige, brown and ivory tones, and sits in a stainless steel case. The green Serpentine, from the region around Zermatt and the Matterhorn, was once part of an ancient ocean floor, and its case is two-tone steel and 18ct red gold.
Each stone is selected, then cut by hand into thin slices. Too much pressure can break it, and no two dials are alike. Both watches measure 40mm across and 11.5mm thick, with a hand-guilloché small seconds at 9 o’clock. Inside is the automatic Chronoswiss calibre C.6000, with about 55 hours of power reserve.
Munich gave Chronoswiss its start, and Lucerne gives it a home; these two dials carry a little of both.
The Basics
Brand: Chronoswiss
Model: Small Second Jasper; Small Second Serpentine
Reference: CH-8023.2-STLS (Jasper); CH-8022R.2-STSE (Serpentine)
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 11.5mm
Case material: Stainless steel (Jasper); two-tone stainless steel and 18ct red gold (Serpentine)
Dial: Matte natural Jasper stone with a black hand-guilloché small seconds subdial (Jasper); polished natural Serpentine stone with a 5N hand-guilloché small seconds subdial (Serpentine)
Water resistance: 3 bar
Strap: Calfskin leather, brown (Jasper) or green (Serpentine)
Limited edition: 50 pieces per model
The Movement
Calibre: Chronoswiss manufacture calibre C.6000, automatic
Functions: Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 55 hours
Frequency: 4Hz (28,800 A/h)
Jewels: 25
Images courtesy of Chronoswiss.