For Chronoswiss, the year 2013 was an important one: for one, it marked the thirtieth anniversary of the brand’s founding. There was, however, another reason to celebrate: the legendary Regulateur turned 25. Therefore, it made perfect sense to pay tribute to the ticking figurehead of the brand – in the shape of the Regulateur 30.
This anniversary watch is actually an “untypical” Regulateur, very surprising in that it includes a window at the 12 o’clock position. It is here that the hour is placed within a “digital” display. The minute display has moved upward a little bit, intersecting the display of seconds.
As an exclusive anniversary model, the Regulateur 30 is available only in a limited edition of 130 pieces in a red gold case and 300 pieces in a stainless steel case. Its delightful “face” is what captures one’s attention at first sight, boasting a lavish barleycorn guilloché pattern cut into the pure Sterling silver dial and emanating from its center. Both versions also contain a chessboard guilloché pattern within the minute and seconds sub-dials.
This timeless aesthetic is completed by thermally blued hands, which have been ground by hand and thus display precisely the right length for the dials’ displays. Less obvious little details like these will continue to play a large role at Chronoswiss in the future – for the next 30 years and beyond.
The watch case measures 40 mm and the case height is 9.65 mm and features a 42-hour power reserve. Other special features include a skeletonized and gold-plated rotor with côtes de Genève, ball bearing, polished pallet lever, escape wheel and screws and bridges with côtes de Genève.
Chronoswiss was founded in the middle of the quartz crisis in 1983, a time only visionary pioneers believed in the survival and comeback of mechanical watches. Entrepreneurial spirit and ingenious inventions such as the transparent case back, the unique Chronoswiss design and of course the Regulator wristwatch led to immediate success and helped to save fine Swiss watchmaking.
After decades of the Regulator being the most successful model the still independent watchmaker goes back to its origins and reinvents the Regulator watch in the 21st century. The strictly mechanical Swiss made watch producer annually manufactures some 2,000 timepieces. These are exported to 26 countries, where they can be purchased from 150 select specialized dealers. The company headquarters are located in Lucerne, Switzerland.
