Carl F. Bucherer encompasses practically all aspects of watchmaking.
The company Carl F. Bucherer has been around since 1888, initially engaging in the retail sale of luxury watches and jewelry in Lucerne, before expanding internationally. In 1919, Bucherer entered a new niche, starting to produce watches under its own brand. The Carl F. Bucherer Heritage collection, rich with archival materials, represents reissues of selected vintage models equipped with modern movements. Last year, the brand celebrated its 135th anniversary with the Heritage Chronometer, inspired by 1960s watches and presented in steel or gold cases with matching mesh bracelets. Perfectly conveying the minimalist vibe of vintage watches, the Heritage Chronometer Celebration model with time and date indication returns this spring in new limited editions with leather straps.
The 39 mm case, made of steel or 18-karat rose gold, has a slim profile of 8.45 mm, making it an attractive option for dress watches, although some might object to the date feature. The simple design with a round polished case and short lugs reflects the 1960s trend towards deliberate minimalism. The screw-down case back is engraved with the Carl F. Bucherer family crest from the 1960s, featuring a swan and a beech tree - symbols of the founding family's hometown of Lucerne.
Expanding the Heritage Chronometer Celebration collection, four new models are equipped with embossed calf leather straps in dove gray or dark brown and stand alongside the 2023 models with attractive Milanese mesh bracelets. Comparing the model with a bracelet to the latest models with leather straps, you will notice that a quick-release bracelet system is not featured in these watches.
Protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal rising above the bezel, the dial is offered in the same colors as last year: silver, brown gradient lacquer, and black lacquer. Two stainless steel models can be ordered with a silver galvanic or black lacquered dial. The more refined dial with brown gradient lacquer is available only in a rose gold case, along with a second option of a silver galvanic dial.
While the overall aesthetic meets pragmatism, the details on the dial are distinguished by sophistication. For example, the hands and indexes have beveled edges, creating a subtle 3D effect. Another feature attesting to attention to the dial is the strips of black lacquer applied to the gold-plated hands and indexes (in the case of the rose gold case), and rhodium-plated hands and indexes in the steel model.
Simple rectangular hour and minute stick hands are treated with a luminescent compound, yet in keeping with the style of the watch. An unexpected splash of color is added by the central seconds hand with a red tip. The date window is located at the 3 o'clock position and has a white background, but fortunately, it does not cut off the index. And last but not least, the inscription indicating that the watch is equipped with a chronometer-grade movement.
Beneath the solid case back lies the CFB 1965.1 caliber, created on the basis of the reliable Sellita SW300 automatic movement. The COSC-certified chronometer movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 per hour and has a 42-hour power reserve.
Availability and Price
The Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Chronometer Celebration models in rose gold are limited to 88 pieces per dial color and are priced at 11,700 EUR. The stainless steel models are limited to 188 pieces and are priced at 5,500 EUR.
More information can be found at carl-f-bucherer.com.