The world of horology is a highly competitive environment and to survive, a brand has got to produce something special. Not only do the watches have to be well built and reliable, they also have to look really good as well. German company Chronoswiss have definitely established themselves as a watchmaker of distinction. Within their current range they have some exciting models like the Timemaster and Sirius. All of these timepieces display an enormous amount of craftsmanship and are powered by reliable Swiss made movements. Recently they unveiled an exquisite watch called the Sirius Lion Heart of which all the profits will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Switzerland.
About a year ago I wrote an in depth article for Luxurious Magazine featuring their wonderful Régulateur 30. This elegant timepiece is exceptionally charming and measures 40mm x 9.65mm. Realistically this piece typifies what Chronswiss is all about. Ultimately they are renowned for making a certain type of timepiece that normally exudes modest dimensions. Another good example is their Timemaster Chronograph Skeleton (featured in my Baselworld Part III article), which has a diameter of 44mm. With this in mind you can understand why people were baffled at the release of their formidable Wristmaster.
Since I saw images of the Wristmaster a few years ago I have been desperate to get my hands on one (for review purposes). Even though this is an old and discontinued model it is definitely worth writing about. I absolutely love large timepieces and personally wear models measuring over 50mm on a regular basis. However the mammoth proportions of this timepiece astounded me when it finally arrived. Previously I have written about the U-Boat U-1942 (65mm), Antoine Preziuso Monumental Tourbillon (65mm) and the Angular Momentum Magnus Bronze Diver (60mm). There is also a watch by fashion brand Diesel called the Grand Daddy (66mm) that claims to be the world largest watch. However with dimensions measuring 84mm x 42.20mm the Wristmaster completely blows the competition out of the water.
Even though the Wristmaster has epic proportions it actually feels very comfortable to wear. The design was devised by Gerd-Rüdiger Lang and inspired by the Bordmaster. This timekeeping instrument (stopwatch and clock) was installed in the cockpit of historical automobiles. Some people might say that it actually looks like a car dashboard has been strapped to the wrist. Personally I love the eccentricity of the watch and am really glad Chronoswiss put this into production. In fact I wish more brands would experiment with idiosyncratic designs. Certainly I feel it would make the world of horology a lot more interesting place.
Beneath the gigantic exterior are two independent Swiss made self-winding movements. Powering the Wristtimer (watch) is a 21-jewel Caliber ETA 2892-A2 whilst the Wristcounter (stopwatch) is equipped with a 25-jewel Caliber Valjoux ETA 7750. Both of these mechanisms are visibly showcased via two sapphire crystal windows on the case back. Functionally the Wristmaster features hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph timers. The timepiece also is water resistant to a depth of 30 metres and has a power reserve of approximately 40 hours.
The Wristmaster has a black handmade crocodile double strap with matching steel buckles.
