SpotlightGrey’s Anatomy: The Angelus Chronodate Titanium Magnetic Silver

Those acquainted with the Angelus watchmaking history, will acknowledge that one look at a Chronodate timepiece and you know it’s an Angelus. The dead giveaway is the nonchalance with which the twin snailed black sub-dials ride over the chubby Arabic hour markers 10, eight, four and two. Or if you tilt the watch to look at the right side of the case, it’s the same design aesthetic for the two chronograph pushers, which are named ‘start’ and ‘reset’, coupled with a crown embedded with an ‘A’ monogram. It is why their Geneva Watch Days 2023 launch of the Chronodate Titanium Storm Blue Edition appears to have passed the baton to the just released Geneva Watch Days 2024 edition, which is the Chronodate Titanium Magnetic Silver. The Chronodate, however, is considered iconic, given that every successive edition features subtle design tweaks without interfering with the ethos of the original framework. And the same aesthetic has been applied for the Angelus Chronodate Titanium Magnetic Silver.

Silvery Timekeeping Language: Angelus Chronodate Titanium Magnetic Silver

The colour palette of the new titanium Chronodate is mix of silver, black and hints of red. Its case, measuring 42.5mm with 14.25mm thickness, and its detachable mono-link bracelet, are satin-brushed throughout for a robust, matt look. Complementing the sunray-brushed magnetic silver dial, are the white-hued Super-LumiNova filled appliqué hour and minute hands, and syringe-style hour markers in large 1940s-style Arabic numerals; numerals on the minute tracker and those within the bicompax arrangement. Hints of red figure within the chronograph counters, and on the tips of the sweeping seconds hand, plus the pointer arrowhead of the peripheral date hand.

An Arresting Caseback

A highlighting feature of Angelus Chronodates is the openworked caseback, which offers views of the stacked La Joux-Perret calibre A500, an automatic movement based on the Valjoux 7750. The movement beats at 28,800vph, offers upto 60 hours of power reserve, and is held together by 26 jewels. Moreover, it features a column-wheel chronograph, which has been tweaked to now also operate the pointer date hand. The legendary bold ‘A’ on the tungsten rotor harks to the Angelus logo, designed to pay ode to an ancient idea of timekeeping; the bell and clapper system, still present in bell towers across Europe.

The Angelus Chronodate Titanium Magnetic Silver is not a limited edition piece, and gives the option of a black knitted strap in placed of the single-link integrated bracelet.