Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV - a chronograph from the Grand Tour series by the Swedish brand obsessed with cycling.
The color of the sub-dials and central seconds hand of the chronograph clearly says: “I am a Giro d’Italia Watch” (please read this with the best Italian accent). Since the famous race is in its final week, I thought it appropriate to take the 38.2 mm steel chronograph for a ride and find out what these watches are really about. Are these the watches you'll wear on the podium, raising the Trofeo Senza Fine above your head? Or is it a chronograph you'll want to wear on a bike while climbing the monstrous Stelvio?
Not long ago, I wrote about the new Team Heritage Collection from Bravur. Last year, we took a closer look at the Grand Tour III chronographs. Now it's time to test the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV. These watches are dedicated to “the longest race in the world” - the Giro d’Italia. The 107th race began on May 4 with a mountain stage from Venaria Reale to Turin, and will finish on May 26 in Rome, covering 3,321.2 kilometers. The winner? It seems Tadej Pogačar will stand on the podium in Rome, lifting the iconic Trofeo Senza Fine and taking the famous pink jersey home to Slovenia. He absolutely dominates the race in the old-school style of Eddy Merckx.
Chronograph Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV?
“Cannibal 2.0” was initially given to Merckx for taking victory whenever he wanted, leaving no crumbs for competitors - will also look cool with the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV chronograph, matching his pink leader jersey. But Pogačar's team, UAE Team Emirates, is sponsored by Richard Mille. So if the 25-year-old Slovenian two-time Tour de France winner and winner of seven one-day classics at this point will be wearing a watch, it will most likely be the RM 67-02. This is a 32-gram lightweight model made of TPT composite materials and Grade 5 titanium.
Cycling with Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV
Despite being an avid cyclist and watch enthusiast, I started wearing watches while cycling only recently. The reason is simple: I find it difficult to read time on my external bike computer, and sometimes I just want to know what time it is. Analog watches show time instantly, which is why I tried several watches. Conclusion: I need something light and clear. The watch must fit snugly on the wrist because I don't want to feel minor road imperfections through the wrist. Before this review, I tried several watches made of plastic, resin, and bioceramic with quartz movements, but never steel watches. I was simply afraid of the weight. It's not because I'm a fan of heavyweights, not at all. More because “heavy” watches bouncing on my wrist will be annoying at first and painful eventually.
Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV on the Wrist and on the Road
Still, I decided to give the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV a chance because the 38.2 mm steel case has a lug-to-lug length of 46.3 mm. Such moderate sizes provide a stable fit on the wrist. And although this does not increase practical comfort, the moderate 18 mm lug distance gives the watch a balanced classic look. This is also aided by the combination of matte and polished surfaces. For your information, looking good on a bike is very/too important for vain cyclists who prefer to ride slowly and stylishly rather than fast and unimpressive.
The 14.4 mm thickness of these 38.2 mm watches gives them a somewhat grounded appearance. Such proportions remind me of Domenico Pozzovivo, a 41-year-old veteran racer participating in the Giro this year. Pozzovivo, a good climber and a worthy GC rider, is 1.65 m tall and weighs 53 kg. Incidentally, the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV weighs 87 g. These numbers, compared to how he rides his Italian De Rosa bike, show the similarity with how the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV sits on the wrist.
Three Strap Options
While riding on drops and in drops with watches on my wrist, I was most concerned not with their weight. Rather, the leather strap of La Corsa Rosa IV caused discomfort because it had not yet broken in. Due to the stiffness of the strap, the watch did not want to stay in one place on my wrist. And because of this, they began to bounce slightly during the ride. Fortunately, Bravur offers a choice of an elastic rubber strap, a Milanese bracelet in retro style, or a perforated leather strap, on which this watch was executed. If the watch was equipped with a rubber option, I would probably come to a different conclusion. It's not only because this material is softer to the touch and better wraps around the wrist. It's also because leather and sweat are inherently a bad combination.
Speaking about the aesthetics of the watch, I want to note the dome-shaped sapphire crystal and the inclined polished bezel transitioning into the matte middle of the case. Yes, and, of course, the dial. The three-register chronograph La Corsa Rosa IV is equipped with a 15-minute counter at “3”, a 12-hour at “6”, and a seconds hand at “9”. You can use the chronograph to determine the duration of the ride. Most of us have a bike computer for this, but nevertheless, the watch can do it too. But showing time is also something Bravur can do, and that's exactly how I used them. And the watch reads excellently, so they meet my criteria.
Plenty of Pink Details
Bravur managed to integrate the Giro theme with great taste. Pink accents of various shades pay homage to the Giro d’Italia leader's jersey, “la maglia rosa”. The pink color is set against a contrasting asphalt-colored dial, where a fine texture mimicking the road surface is also visible. This not only looks good but also creates a magnificent contrast. The recessed sub-dials, executed in three shades of pink, have clear black markers that are easily readable both on and off the bike. A very nice touch is the inverted “race number” 13, embedded in the minute track. Riders who have to compete with the unlucky number 13 usually attach it to their jersey upside down to ward off misfortune. You see, cyclists are not only hopelessly vain but also very, very superstitious.
Not Campagnolo, Not Shimano, Not Sram, But Sellita.
The La Corsa Rosa IV watch is powered by a Swiss-made automatic movement, the Sellita SW511. The caliber with a frequency of 4 Hz provides a power reserve of up to 62 hours, has 27 jewels, blued screws, and a rhodium coating. You can see the movement in action through the transparent case back. And on the back of the watch, you will find a recessed “finish line”. This checkered pattern reminds me of the famous Team Peugeot cycling jerseys of the past, not the finish line.
Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV is not assembled in Italy. Instead, they are handmade to order in Båstad, Sweden. As I mentioned, you can purchase the La Corsa Rosa IV on a leather or rubber strap or Milanese bracelet for a price of 2,550 euros. There is also a version in a black case with a PVD coating that will cost you 40 euros more.
So what is it - a chronograph for racing victories or to drink celebratory prosecco with? When it comes to wearing a watch on the wrist during bike rides, I choose light materials, not steel. But these Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV will undoubtedly outshine my plastic watches on the terrace when I enjoy a Birra Messina Cristalli di Sale after a long ride through Tuscany.