Up Close with the Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave
Thursday - 17 March 2022
Chronoswiss upholds its penchant for vivid regulator style dials with the Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch
Who do you think about when you think of regulator style watches? Chronoswiss! Back in the 1980s, the brand created the first serially produced wristwatch with a regulator style display and it was met with resounding success. The Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Wave released just last year is a blend of modern and artistic timekeeping. This is a watch that will fall onto the broad wrist and feel instantly at home, especially if you’re naturally into regulator style watches. Meet the Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave a limited Edition watch.
Earlier last year Chronoswiss released the Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch, limited to 50 pieces, with an eye-catching three dimensional and funnel type display. We’re going to take a closer look at this watch in this in-depth review, including its key features. Some notable points to make about the model’s striking design are its seconds feature, represented using a 30-second retrograde indicator, as well as a hand-guilloche dial applied by a 16th century rose engine lathe. In recent years the Lucerne-based manufacturer has produced some bold and vibrant dial tones and it seems that its Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch is no exception to this rule.
A hybrid, artistic dial using an age-old technique
It would be criminal not to focus on the details of the regulator style display, first and foremost. After all, Chronoswiss regulator style watches are all about introducing the wearer to a unique timekeeping approach. The hand-guilloche in this Open Gear ReSec Big Wave limited edition watch by Chronoswiss is a piercing blue colour and the rose engine lathe used to create this highly intricate surface pattern requires no electricity to operate. Applied by a hand-held technique, there is simply no room for error in this dial engraving process. Each beautifully finished dial surface is unique to the next and one small lapse of concentration can easily alter the constant level of pressure and speed required to produce the display, resulting in a ruined dial. A brass plate is fixed to a rotating head and positioned vertically. A cutter is then pressed against the brass plate and the rotating head is turned using a wheel. The cutter makes a groove into the surface of the brass plate. There are several rosettes to choose from within each machine, depending on the particular pattern required for the watch in question.
In the design of the Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave Limited Edition watch, the vivid blue dial is picked out by a striking wave-effect pattern. Positioned very close together, each wave is elongated, presenting a huge challenge for the artisan, since he or she must rotate the handle at an exceptionally slow rate to achieve a consistent pattern. The reward, however, is a dial rich in depth and detail. The patterned surface creates a three-dimensional effect where pockets of light hit its surface at various angles, creating a strong sense of dimension. Comparing a hand-guilloche dial like this one, with a stamped watch that has not been developed the traditional way using this tool shows itself in a very obvious way, especially when you know what you’re looking for. In fact, there is very little else that supersedes the allure of a hand guilloche dial when attention is really paid to its intricate execution.
The Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch makes a splash with its hybrid dial in a stunning metallic blue hue. Its surface is coated but not in the usual galvanized way one may expect. CVD (chemical vapour disposition) in its nano decoration variety creates a beautiful trompe-l’oeil effect with miniature valleys worked into the dial that capture light. The dial also features a minute scale at the southern hemisphere of the dial and a funnel-shaped hour ring at the northern hemisphere, adorned with a circular satin-brushed finish. The straight-grained bridges have been decorated with chamfered and polished edges and held into place by a set of stainless steel screws. Even the area surrounding each screw is executed in a circular grain finish, whilst the bridge spanning the 30-second retrograde feature is sandblasted and circular-grained.
Aside from the screws, bridges, wheel and jewels, the regulator display of this Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch is a 42-part construction and has been built on two levels. The stainless steel case is also a multi-piece structure, comprising 17 pieces along with a knurled bezel and a lug construction that has been patented. The three wheels that facilitate the decentralized hour hand on the dial are also put on show.
Inside the Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave limited edition watch is the Calibre C. 301, which has been rebuilt by specialists at Chronoswiss and equipped with a retrograde and a regulator. The movement sits inside the watch’s 100-meter water-resistant case performing through a sapphire crystal glass exhibition caseback and producing a 42-hour power reserve. The regulator dial watch is fitted on a dark blue leather strap with a stainless steel fastening engraved with the Chronoswiss name.
If you’d like more information on the Chronoswiss Open Gear ReSec Big Wave watch, you can check out the spec details on the watch here or call 01335 453453 and speak to a member of our sales team at Jura Watches.
