SpotlightHorizontal Hierarchy: Introducing The Chronoswiss Strike Two Series With A Horizontal Regulator Arrangement
Featuring a horizontal regulator-style dial, the new Chronoswiss Strike Two series timepieces, H2O and Golden Gear, showcase the brand’s savoir-faire with both mechanics and aesthetics of non-coaxial timekeeping
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Chronoswiss have perfected the regulator watch over the years, with multiple iterations including skeleton watches and chronographs with non-coaxial dials. Their latest offerings, to be showcased at Watches and Wonders, Geneva, is the Strike Two collection. The Golden Gear and H20 feature a horizontal regulator layout, rather than the traditional vertical arrangement the brand are known for. A gorgeous grey satinage dial with rose gold highlights on the Golden Gear, or a textured blue watch face for the H2O take their design cues from a 1990s watch, showcasing both the brand’s artistry and mechanics, and their respect for their history.
Horizontal History And Strike Two
In the 1990s, watchmaker and Chronoswiss founder Gerd-Rüdiger Lang designed the Tora watch which featured the small seconds and hours counters arranged horizontally at nine and three o’clock. This popular watch inspired an entire collection of regulators, with GMT functions, chronographs, and dual time watches. The brand revive the founder’s horizontally arranged counters with the Strike Two series featuring two watches, the Golden Gear and H20. Named for the two exposed bridges behind the hour sub-dial at three o’clock, Strike Two could also presumably be a reference to the Tora and brand founder.
Strike Two For Chronoswiss
The Strike Two collection feature steel cases with a diameter of 40mm and height of 12.7mm. This is relatively small considering that most Chronoswiss’ current offerings are in case sizes of 41mm and larger, with a height of 14mm or more. The redesigned case features the brand’s distinctive coin edging on both ends of the profile, and the grooved onion crown is interrupted by a ring around its centre. Screws on the curved lugs lend the watch an ornate aesthetic.
The hours sub-dial at three offers a glimpse into the movement, displaying visible gears, while the small seconds at nine is beautifully decorated with hand guilloche, a technique that requires immense skill and patience.
Strike Two Golden Gear
On the Strike Two Golden Gear timepiece, the guilloche on the small seconds sub-dial is finished in rose gold. This finish matches the rings around both counters, bridges and gearwork behind the hours sub dial and the brand logo between 11 and twelve o’clock. A satin-finished grey dial forms a contrasting background and highlights the rose gold on the watch. Elegant leaf hands in rose gold are filled with Super-LumiNova for the central minutes and hours at three.
Strike Two H20
Hands on the Strike Two H20 timepiece are a deep blue and filled with lume. This offsets the textured blue dial that has been stamped and coated in CVD for a striking finish. Here, highlights stand out with their rhodium-plated finish, even on the hand-guilloche small seconds. The ring behind the hour markers at three features a brushed finish, allowing the Roman numerals to stand out.
The watches are powered by the automatic C. 6000 calibre, created in collaboration with La Joux-Perret. The movement is visible through the open caseback. It offers enhanced efficiency, anti-magnetic and shock-resistant properties, beautifully decorated finishes and a 55-hour power reserve.
Paired with black calfskin leather straps with an alligator embossed finish, the dial on the Strike Two is the hero of the watch. By themselves, regulator watches are fascinating, but when flipped horizontally—as in the Chronoswiss Strike Two series—they offer a new approach to telling time. Simple, really, but rather effective.
