For a magazine that specializes in wrist-borne timekeeping instruments, the chronograph holds a distinctive appeal. Not only is this complication one of four considered major features in traditional watchmaking, it is also one of the most popular as far as the wider world of wristwatches goes (according to Federation of Swiss Watchmaking). Of those four high watchmaking complications, it is the only one to have broad commercial appeal and thus available in the greatest range of qualities. This is not simply a matter of price and quality, for example, because more affordable and accessible tourbillons - one of the most distinctive of the aforementioned high complications - are available but have never quite been embraced outside of enthusiast communities.
Perhaps one limiting factor here is that the wider world has no idea what a tourbillon is, and it is not actually a function that one can interact with. By way of contrast, the chronograph requires interaction, and even proffers (typically) two pushers that invite handling. Pure functionality is a poor explanation for the appeal of the chronograph though. One of the world's most symbolically important examples of fine watchmaking, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is a chronograph, and its appeal has little to do with the complication. Perhaps now more than ever, the Daytona is shorthand for the entire luxury sports segment. By association, the chronograph also finds itself elevated beyond pure functionality, and catapulted into the realm of myth and legend.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 70-utgaven av WOW Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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NEW FRONTIERS
The outgoing CEO of TAG Heuer Julien Tornare shares his management style and values. No doubt these will remain consistent in his new role as Hublot CEO, just as they were in his Zenith tenure
STRUCTURAL STYLE
Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni explains the logic of the new Toric collection and takes us through his thoughts on style and elegance
THE CONVERSATION: APROPOS COMPLICATIONS
A watch with complications appeals to different sorts of collectors, and is quite different to a complex watch. The editors of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand discuss the virtues of all sorts of complications and consider when more is really better...
EUREKA MOMENTS
Our extended look at gold in watchmaking comes to a close in this third and final part, with a look at five proprietary gold alloys. Of course, there are certainly more than five so we will leave the door ajar on going even further
MACHINE LEARNING
The mechanical calendar has been perfected over the last 100 years; it remains a challenge that invites multiple watchmaking and engineering approaches. We get into the nuts and bolts of how the perpetual calendar gets the job done
CULTURAL SENSE
The story of our calendar and why it is rife with anomalies
QUANTA OF TIME
Just as hours, minutes and seconds are quanta of time, so too are days, weeks, months and years. We finally explore the story of the perpetual calendar in particular, in a year that invites such ruminations
PURPLE REIGN
H. Moser Cie brings a brand new dial to the party with the Pioneer Perpetual Calendar Concept MD Purple Enamel Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
AUTUMN HUE
Grand Seiko continues its celebration of the 20th anniversary of Calibre 9R with the limited edition SBGA499
TWICE UPON A TIME
The world's greatest double tourbillon wristwatch, the Breguet Classique 5345 Quai de L'horloge is back, with new hand-finishing touches