BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
The folks at Maurice De Mauriac have cooked up something new that marks a new beginning for the family-owned brand. The Chrono Modern Skeleton “Grand Coeur” is a sports chronograph, that happens to be the first watch to be entirely developed by the duo of Massimo and Leonard Dreifuss, the sons of Maurice De Mauriac’s founder Daniel Dreifuss. Powered by the Concepto manufacture calibre 3038 and featuring some interesting red highlights, this new watch showcases the youthful new direction of the brand and pays homage to Daniel Dreifruss.
The Grand Coeur is a bold and energetic timepiece that has been designed to make its presence felt. One of the first things that grab attention on this piece is the skeletonized dial. Presented in black with a Matt finish, the dial has been thoughtfully carved out to reveal the escapement as well as the balance wheel. And while the wearer does get a glimpse of the internals, the partial skeletonization also ensures that the legibility of the dial is not hampered. The dial features a balanced twin-register layout with running seconds at 9 and a 30-minute counter at 3. One nice attention to detail is the use of red hands for chronograph functions, which not only separates it from normal timekeeping but also brings in a dash of color. The hour markers have been applied and, like the hands have been filled with lume to help with low light readability.
As I said above, this watch is all about presence, and the large 45mm case contributes to that. However, don’t let the size intimidate you, as the case has been crafted from lightweight titanium for better wrist comfort. The case has also been DLC coated, which makes it more scratch-resistant and lends the watch a stealthy vibe. Present on top of the case is a fixed knurled bezel that adds to the rugged and sporty character of the watch. One of my favorite details on the case is that both the crown and the pushers screw down to protect the watch from water damage and offer peace of mind to the wearer.
The sporty touches continue through to the rear of the watch as well. Flipping the watch over reveals the unique red sapphire case back that provides a translucent view of the automatic Swiss Concepto movement that powers this watch. The calibre 3038 runs at a frequency of 4 Hz, offers a power reserve of 48 hours, and features an Incabloc shock protection system along with a skeletonized rotor.
The new Maurice De Mauriac Chrono Modern Skeleton “Grand Coeur” comes attached to a high-quality black rubber strap with contrast red stitching. The watch is limited to just 48 pieces, a number that is a part of the address where each watch comes to life – Tödistraße 48 in Zurich. The watch retails for CHF 13,500.
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