In 2005, founder Gerd-Rüdiger Lang made the Chronoswiss Digiteur, a mechanical watch without hands, and twenty years later it returns in stainless steel.
Chronoswiss today introduces the Neo Digiteur in two versions, Granit and Sand, each limited to 99 pieces. The original used a historic Fleurier movement and was made in 999 pieces, in fine metals only.
Three apertures show the time: a jumping hour at 12 o’clock, digital minutes in the centre and running seconds at 6 o’clock. The brand calls it a regulator without hands, an idea that goes back to the montres sans aiguilles of the 1920s and 30s.
The new hand-wound calibre C.85757 is named after the original Chronoswiss postal code, from 1983. An in-house module manages the energy of the jumping hour, and its bridges and wheels are partly guilloché by hand at the Atelier Lucerne. Granit has an anthracite dial with vertical satin finishing, Sand a 4N sandblasted dial.
Two decades on, reading the time without hands still feels like a small trick of the eye.
The Basics
Brand: Chronoswiss
Model: Neo Digiteur Granit; Neo Digiteur Sand
Reference: CH-1373.2-ANSI (Granit); CH-1373.2-ROSI (Sand)
Dimensions: 48mm × 30mm
Thickness: 9.7mm
Case material: Stainless steel, satin brushed, polished edges; sandblasted sides; sapphire case back; screw-in lugs
Dial: White matt discs behind three apertures; Granit: anthracite with vertical satin finishing; Sand: 4N sandblasted
Water resistance: 5 ATM
Strap: Black nubuck leather; steel pin buckle with Legacy logo
Limited edition: 99 pieces per version
The Movement
Calibre: C.85757, hand-wound
Functions: Jumping hour at 12 o’clock, digital minutes in the centre, seconds at 6 o’clock
Winding: Manual, in-house jumping-hour module
Power reserve: Approx. 48 hours
Frequency: 3Hz (21,600 A/H)
Jewels: 19
Images courtesy of Chronoswiss.