BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Chronoswiss is a brand that is primarily known for its regulator-style watches. That said, the Lucerne-based brand does have an expansive catalog with many other intriguing designs as well. Last year, Chronoswiss introduced the Skeltec, a thoroughly modern sports watch that exhibits the experimental side of the brand. And now, the brand has revealed the new Opus Chronograph Flag, a watch that continues to express the love and appreciation that Chronoswiss has toward the art of Skeletonization.
Skeletonization is a craft wherein watch dials are thoughtfully carved out by skilled craftsmen to bring the mechanical beauty of the watch to the forefront. And one look at the current Chrono Swiss collection is enough to gauge that the brand’s expertise in this regard. Released in 1995, the Opus was the world’s first automatic chronograph watch that underwent the knife to reveal its complicated internals, and the new 2021 Opus Flag continues to do the same, although in a more colorful manner. Presented in a navy-blue color, most of the dial, including the central sections of the four counters has been removed to give the wearer an unobstructed view of the intricacies of the automatic C.741S movement.
And while it is great to see all the parts working in harmony, what is impressive is the way folks at Chronoswiss have managed to strike a balance between visual complexity and legibility. Starting from telling the time to tracking the chronograph hours and minutes or the date and the running seconds, everything on this watch is easy to read. And this is where the use of color comes into play. For instance, the Breguet style hour and minute hands are well proportioned and have been painted white to offer a high contrast to the steel parts and the blue chapter ring on the outer periphery. Furthermore, the chronograph functions at 12 and 6 use a combination of white and red to be instantly readable and to be segregated from normal timekeeping.
The case is machined from stainless steel and conforms to the design DNA of Chronoswiss watches. It measures 41mm in diameter, features signature long lugs with big screws, an oversized onion-shaped crown, and a knurled bezel on the top. The case is water-resistant to a healthy 100 meters, which means you can afford to take a dip in the pool with this watch on, should you wish to do so.
The caliber C.741S which drives this watch is visible from both the front and the exhibition case back. This a heavily modified avatar of the venerable Valjoux 7750 and operates at a frequency of 4 Hz offering a power reserve of around 46 hours. The open-worked movement is well executed and comes equipped with a rhodium-plated blue rotor with Côtes de Genève and ball bearing.
The new Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph Flag comes attached to a Blue Louisiana Alligator strap and retails for EUR 11,500.
