ReviewIntroducing Graham’s Latest Chronograph—The Fortress Monopusher Limited Edition
There are few brands in the industry that rebel against standard horology norms and do it well. Among such players, Graham have carved a niche for themselves, particularly in the chronograph segment. And with their new Fortress, they’ve presented a chronograph with the advanced monopusher feature, while retaining the essence of what Graham watches have been known for
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While Swiss watchmaking has earned its fair share of credibility, and rightly so, one cannot forget the contributions made by British watchmakers back in the day, when it truly was the golden era. One such prominent personality was George Graham—an eminent British watchmaker and scientist, who always challenged the standard norms. His best-known contributions to the haute horlogerie world are: the dead-beat-and-cylinder escapement, the mercury pendulum, and the start-and-stop device of the chronograph in 1725—earning him the title of the ‘Father of the Chronograph’. He also built the most precise clock for the Greenwich Royal Observatory, which timed most of England’s naval explorations of the 18th century. The Graham brand, established in 1995, also celebrates the legacy of British watchmaking par excellence, where being conventional is not an option, but at the same time, keeping up with fine watchmaking traditions is also of utmost importance.
Known for their unconventional, oversized timepieces with bold designs, quirky aesthetics and use of high-tech materials; Graham watches hold their own when presented along with the ‘usual’ fare of conventional watches. Ever since their inception, the brand have crafted unique pieces with technical supremacy in-sync with their DNA—the most notable being the Chronofighter collection that features the renowned brand signature: the trigger on the left side of the case, which guarantees the most instinctive and fastest use of the chronograph functions. Then there is the Silverstone range, which is inspired by motorsports; the Swordfish collection, which draws from steampunk design; and the Geo.Graham line with its haute horlogerie masterpieces that pay homage to astronomy. While these are here to stay, Graham introduced a new collection this year—the Fortress—which is based on its existing design philosophy but opts for a more vintage pilot’s watch aesthetic without diluting the core of their watchmaking beliefs. The new model comes in a 47mm stainless steel case and is available in dial variations of blue and black—each one a limited edition of 100 pieces only. Let’s take a closer look at what makes it different from the brand’s other offerings.
Holding The Fort: A Resilient Case
One may ask, what’s in a name? The Fortress upholds Graham’s love for aviation-themed product names. According to the brand, this moniker pays homage to the sturdy Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress—a four-engine heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Alternatively, the word ‘fortress’ may also evoke thoughts of military strongholds or castles and, by default, elicit images of strong buildings and impregnable structures. All of these associations are consistent with the tough nature of this new Graham model. And this is evident in the robust stainless steel case, measuring 47mm in diameter and 15mm in height, which almost acts like an armour for the watch. Partially brushed and partially polished—to retain the old-world charm of pilot’s watches of yore—it features sturdy lugs and sapphire crystal for the glass and caseback, and is water-resistant to 100m. However, the one feature that catches the eye instantly is the onion-shaped crown, positioned on the left-hand side of the case. What makes it even more appealing is the single chronograph pusher or monopusher, which emerges through the crown, in order to maintain the refinement and symmetry of this timekeeper. This makes it slightly less aggressive when compared with the Chronofighter, which stands out for its oversized ‘trigger’ mechanism that is reminiscent of arms and ammunition. This lone pusher, starts, stops and resets the chronograph. In other words, it’s a one-stop controller for all of your stopwatch needs. By combining it with the crown, the case ends up with a clean, uncluttered profile.
Perks Of Unconventional Design Codes
Although Graham are no strangers to placing the crown on the left flank of their timepieces, this is not without a substantial reason. A leftfield design can also be eminently logical. A pusher on the left side of the case proves more intuitive when it comes to controlling a watch’s functions. When using a chronograph, the wearer observes the start of an event, actuates the stopwatch function and, thereafter, at the end of the event, halts the timer. The potential problem here is the human factor—that could be subjective to many aspects influencing the time gap between witnessing an event and the time taken to actually press the push-piece in order to activate the mechanism. The shorter the gap between observation and pressing the pusher; the more accurate the recorded elapsed time. The thumb is the fastest acting digit, hence with this design, a right-handed person will instinctively place their thumb first on the push-piece, and press it down with maximum force.
Another key benefit of positioning the combined crown and monopusher on the left side is superior wearer comfort. Often when a watch is worn and the wearer flexes their wrist, the protrusions on the right flank of the case often dig into the wrist, which can be quite uncomfortable. The Fortress’s leftfield approach completely omits such concerns.
The Dial Options
The Graham Fortress is available in a gorgeous, blue sunray dial, and another option of a more sombre, black, grained dial. Both versions feature bold, luminescent hour and minute hands, which complement the beige Super-LumiNova-coated oversized Arabic numerals. These are hand-applied and have been designed as a nod to the luminous numerals found in old pilot’s watches. The dial has two circular brushed counters, a small seconds display at three o’clock and a 30-minute chronograph register at six o’clock, also with luminous indicators. There is a date window, which sits at nine o’clock, adjacent to the crown with the monopusher. These dials look stately when combined with the matt finish of the stainless steel case.
The Powerhouse
On flipping the watch over one can view the calibre G1750, a modified Valjoux 7750 base movement. The generous proportions of the watch do justice to this automatic mechanism that breathes life into the timepiece, and offers a power reserve of at least 48 hours, while beating at a frequency of 28,800vph. It is replete with the Incabloc shock absorber for improved accuracy, 25 jewels for smooth functioning and comes with classic decoration of perlage and Geneva stripes, along with a customised rotor. The Fortress is presented on a black leather strap, which retains its vintage character.
As watchmakers, Graham know their craft, and know how to do it differently. Their watches stand out quite effortlessly due to the thought that goes behind the execution. The Fortress Monopusher Limited Edition amplifies this ethos with its revolutionary leftfield approach to standard chronographs.
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Graham Fortress
2FOAS.B01A.BRAL127B
This is beautiful collection I ever seen.this is my dream to in life a once. I will try it by my heart and target it before I die.