BY ERIK SLAVEN
Although iterative, adding new dial colors to existing collections can make a world of difference. The contrast in tone between a red and black Ferrari 296 GTB is significant, and that same idea applies to watch dials. Carl. F. Bucherer has added an olive green dial to its bicompax Manero Flyback collection and it’s not just an ordinary shade of green. The color is mature yet a bit playful, and a solid update to the five-year-old Manero Flyback line. It can be difficult to get colors like green or blue just right, and the Swiss brand nailed this one.
The dial itself has a retro, timeless vibe. Twin sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock display a 30-minute counter and small seconds respectively. A date window tastefully sits at 6 o’clock and doesn’t take away from the design (I’m not always a fan of date windows). Silver applied indices and Dauphine-style hour and minute hands are classy and elegant, while the red chronograph seconds hand adds a bit of sport. The hour and minute hands also have narrow cutouts for a subtle open-worked aesthetic. Other than the dial color, nothing has changed with the Manero Flyback model, but the overall vibe is certainly different.
The stainless steel case has polished and brushed elements with a polished bezel. Dimensions are bold with a diameter of 43mm and thickness of 14.45mm, but it wears well for such a piece and is a contemporary size. The oversized crown is flanked by classic pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock, and as a flyback chronograph, the counter can be reset and restarted with a single click of the 4 o’clock pusher. A white tachymeter scale spans the outermost perimeter and there are sapphire crystals front and back. The main crystal is double-domed with anti-reflective coatings on both sides. The strap is a matching olive green textile with folding clasp.
Powering the watch is the proprietary Caliber CFB 1970, developed in collaboration with La Joux-Perret. It’s an advanced and refined movement with a column wheel and flyback function, and well decorated with Côtes de Genève, blued screws and perlage. It has 25 jewels, beats at 4Hz with a 42-hour power reserve. Functions include central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds with a 30-minute counter and date.
The latest Carl. F. Bucherer Manero Flyback Green retails for EUR 5,500, which isn’t bad at all for such a piece.
Visit Carl. F. Bucherer here.
