Monday, September 3, 2007

Carl F.Bucherer - chronograph

After over 2 years of development, the Patravi Chronograde by Carl F.Bucherer is a world first with 6 useful functions and a retrograde hour display for the chronograph. Functions include a chronograph, flyback function, large date, annual calendar, power reserve indication and retrograde hours totalizator.

The most important function of this wristwatch is the chronograph with its retrograde hours indicator. After each rotation of the central chronograph hand, the minute totalizator at 9 o'clock moves along one more graduation mark. This is in turn connected via an imposing gearing mechansim to the hours counter between 7 and 8 o'clock, completing its own rotations. The corresponding hand moves downwards through a semi-circular scale. When the hours counter reaches the end of its scale, it shoots instantly back to its starting position, in order to start its journey again from this position.

This is a function which should appeal to people in highly demanding positions with little time at their disposal. Pilots in the cockpit, for example, when they are in the landing queue and have to fly round in standard loops. Its takes them too long to stop the chrono each time and, before each new circuit, re-zero and start the chronograph again from scratch. One press on the push-piece is enough to restart the chronograph directly, without an intermediate stopping operation.

Additional features are: a large date display and a highly complex calendar which takes into account the variable months with 30 or 31 days. Only at the end of February will an adjustment by the owner be required with the crown, which resets it completely for the next year.

The overall appearance of the watch is decidedly masculine. The high-grade steel case is 44mm in diameter, water resistant to 50 metres and the bracelet is available in leather or robust high-grade steel.

by http://www.watchluxus.com