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Chronoswiss is a relatively new kid on the block as far as watch manufacturers
go. The company was established in 1982 by Gerd-Rudiger Lang who gave it the name
Chronoswiss as a conjunction of the words "Chronos" (meaning "Time"
in Greek), and "Swiss" for the motherland of mechanical watch making.
Even as a child, German-born Lang had a passion for mechanical things. He pursued
a career in watch-making and was obsessed with tracking time precisely. In 1983,
this watchmaker extraordinaire founded Chronoswiss in Munich, Germany, and
embarked on a quest to make the most extraordinary mechanic timepieces. He purchased
limited-edition- and out-of-use movements that he could embellish and improve. His
watches were immediately recognized for their classical elegance and technical prowess.
Gerd-R Lang, who is also a lover of automobiles, has won two races alongside a co-driver,
and both times in a Jaguar. Although Chronoswiss headquarters are actually
in Munich, Germany, they use only watch parts manufactured in neighboring Switzerland.
Most Chronoswiss watches have a very familiar shape & style: large round
cases, fluted bezels, bulbous crowns, and sapphire glass case backs.
In 1988, Chronoswiss surprised the world when it unveiled its stunning regulator
wristwatch-which carried the oversized regulator dial that heretofore had only graced
the faces of pocket watches and clocks. In 1990, the brand began to manufacture
its own models and in 1992, it again caused an international stir when it presented
its patented two-handed Rattrapante.
Indeed, Chronoswiss has regularly unveiled mechanical masterpieces that have
garnered the brand international acclaim. Among them are the patented, reversible
Cabrio watch, which was launched in 1993, followed a year later by the patented
Grand Regulateur. In 1995, the Opus automatic skeletonized chronograph made its
debut and in 1996, the Delphis watch with a unique system of analog, digital and
retrograde time-displays made a profound impression on the world of mechanical watchmaking.
The first skeletonized self-winding fly-back chronograph, called the Pathos, made
its debut in 1998 and in 2001, the Tourbillon Regulator stole the limelight with
its beauty and technically advanced movement. Each of these creations has won at
least one international award, with many winning multiple honors.
Lang relentlessly pursues the fine art of mechanical watchmaking and has thereby
propelled his brand into the 21st century with a gusto that is, perhaps, unmatched.
Chronoswiss believes in exclusivity and produces only about 7,000 watches
per year for global distribution.
Every component of Chronoswiss watches is produced in Switzerland and watches
are hand finished to Lang´s exacting specifications. Obsessed with the measurements
of time intervals, Lang has affectionately been called "Mr. Chronograph"
by friends and colleagues. For decades he has restored many exotic chronograph movements,
and he has regularly imbued these treasures of timing with additional functions
and complexities.
In his most recent unveiling the Chronoscope Lang pays homage to the pioneering
achievements of 19th-century watchmakers who dedicated themselves to developing
split-second timing. For this first chronograph with regulator dial, Chronoswiss
has reworked the plate of the movement in order to mount the switching mechanism
at the front. The three chronograph functions (start, stop and return to zero) are
triggered via a push piece that is integrated into the winding crown rather than
by separate pushers.
The lacquered dial of the Chronoscope is a work of beauty and harmony. The scale
for the chronograph hand is subdivided into exactly 360 strokes. There is a separate
subdial at 12:00 for the hours readout and another subdial at 6:00 for the minutes.
The hands of the watch have been specially developed to be extremely slender and
elegant, and they are crafted in a reddish-blue hue to emulate the dials of 19th-century
chronographs.
The 38mm case of the Chronoscope is assembled from 23 individual parts and is water
resistant to 30 meters. The sapphire crystal is antireflective on both sides to
enhance readability. Chronoswiss has developed 17 different renditions of
the Chronoscope with cases created of gold or steel and dials of various colors.
Every Chronoscope is hand signed by Lang.
In 1996 they received the first prize award for "Watch of the Year" for
their Opus, the first skeletonized automatic chronograph. Chronoswiss tries
to stay exclusive by only producing about 7,000 watches per year.
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