BY JOVAN K
The new Delphis Art Deco shows exactly why Chronoswiss still occupies its own lane. Built on the brand’s distinctive Delphis platform with jumping hours, retrograde minutes, and small seconds, this latest edition adds a fresh Art Deco twist through layered textures, bold geometry, and rich color contrast. It is old-school watchmaking with a sharper wardrobe.
The titanium case measures 42mm x 14.4mm and is made up of 17 parts, finished in a matte-grained texture that keeps the watch looking technical rather than flashy. The oversized onion crown is pure Chronoswiss, while the knurled detailing below the bezel and around the caseback gives the whole thing extra bite. Sapphire crystals front and back keep the mechanics visible, and 100 metres of water resistance means this is less fragile than it looks.
The dial is where things get properly interesting. Finished in soft grey nickel coating, the surface is laser-structured to create a subtle grain that plays beautifully with light. At 12 o’clock sits a deep aperture for the digital jumping hour display, sunk into the dial and framed cleanly enough to feel architectural rather than gimmicky.
Above the centreline runs the Delphis signature retrograde minute display. A gold-plated arched track stretches across the upper half of the dial, printed with black Art Deco numerals and a slim railway minute scale. Sweeping across it is a skeletonised blue PVD-coated hand that snaps back from 60 to zero every hour. It is the sort of complication that never gets old.
At 6 o’clock, the small seconds sub-dial adds another layer of texture. Guilloché work is carried out in-house using century-old machines before being covered in a rich Art Deco Blue lacquer. The sub-dial sits slightly raised from the dial surface, helping both legibility and depth. A matching blue pointer hand ties it all together, while warm golden accents on the frame, plaque, and hand axes echo the minute track above.
Inside is the automatic calibre C.6004, developed together with La Joux-Perret. The 37-jewel movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and stores a 55-hour power reserve. It uses a Glucydur balance, Nivarox hairspring, and Incabloc shock protection, while the openworked tungsten rotor mirrors the arched shapes seen on the dial side.
The watch comes on a soft black nubuck strap that smartly tones down everything happening up front. Limited to 150 pieces, the Delphis Art Deco is priced at EUR 15,900.
What makes this watch stand out is that it never apologizes for being different. It is mechanical theatre, design nostalgia, and modern Swiss weirdness rolled into one titanium case.
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