Introducing – Chronoswiss Unveils the Small Second Stone Collection

Chronoswiss Unveils the Small Second Stone Collection Two eye-catching stone dials, with jasper sourced in Germany and serpentine in Switzerland, adorn the brand’s slimmest model. Founded in 1983 in Munich by the late Gerd Lang, Chronoswiss acquired renown for introducing the first serially produced regulator wristwatch in 1987. Now in the hands of Oliver Ebstein, with headquarters in Lucerne, the brand has been given a 21st-century visual punch, reinterpreting classics with vivid colours and multi-layered dials. In a departure from its off-centred regulator dials, Chronoswiss recently introduced the Small Second, a simpler timekeeper with central hour and minute hands. Uniting the two-nation history of the brand, the Small Second Jasper pays tribute to Chronoswiss’ origins with an eye-catching natural jasper stone dial from Germany, while the Small Second Serpentine references the brand’s new location with a Swiss-sourced serpentine stone dial. Although the Small Second is one of the most straightforward watches in the brand’s current portfolio, the horizontal layout is similar to that found on the Strike Two Regulator. Smaller than most Chronoswiss models, the 40mm case is the slimmest, with a height of 11.5mm. Still complex and beautifully finished, the 17-part case construction preserves essential elements of Lang’s distinctive design language. The vintage-inspired onion crown is retained but has been streamlined to match the slimmer case height. And naturally, the signature fluting is featured below the bezel and caseback. The case is mostly polished, but the recessed area of the lugs is sandblasted. Fitted with domed sapphire crystals front and back, the case has a 30m depth rating due to the redesigned crown that does not screw down. The fascinating colours and swirling patterns of the Small Second Jasper edition, often referred to as the “painted stone of the Earth”, evoke a desert landscape of beige, brown, yellow and ivory tones, framed by the stainless steel case. Originating in the region surrounding the Matterhorn and Zermatt, serpentine is a rich green stone that once formed part of the ocean floor. The vivid mottled green Serpentine edition is housed in a more luxurious two-tone steel and red gold case. As natural stones, no two dials will ever be alike. The small seconds sub-dial is located at 9 o’clock with a hand-guilloché interior and a 5N sandblasted finish for the two-tone model. The outer track of the small seconds sub-dial echoes the dots and numerals of the peripheral minutes flange. Particularly striking are the stylised Breguet-style Arabic numerals applied directly to the stone. The central leaf-shaped hour and minute hands are treated with Super-LumiNova. Powering the Chronoswiss Small Second models is the automatic calibre C.6000, developed in collaboration with La Joux-Perret for the Delphis line in 2003. This movement, with an openworked tungsten rotor, has dark, ruthenium-plated bridges and plates and radiating Côtes de Genève. It has a 55-hour power reserve and an operating frequency of 28,800vph. Each edition is limited to 50 pieces. The Small Second Jasper is paired with a brown calfskin strap and retails for CHF 11,500 or EUR 12,700; the two-tone Small Second Serpentine comes with a green calfskin strap and retails for CHF 16,900 or EUR 18,500. More information at chronoswiss.com.