The new Calibre 37-01 column wheel chronograph debuts at the heart of the Senator Chronograph Panorama Date in two versions, one with a platinum case and hand-finished silver dial and the other with a red gold case and lacquered silver grained dial. Conceived as a permanent part of the collection, both timepieces feature the watchmaker’s classic Senator dial visuals and are presented at Baselworld 2014 as part of the manufactory’s Art & Technik pillar.

THE ART OF THE CHRONOGRAPH

Glashütte Original embodies the historic tradition of fine mechanical watchmaking dating back to 1845 in the Saxon town. The manufactory is renowned for a number of extraordinary complications, among them exquisitely engineered chronographs; the new Calibre 37-01 is the first it has conceived and built specifically as a chronograph movement. The manufactory’s inhouse design team has successfully integrated a unique combination of features: central stop seconds hand, 30 minute and 12 hour counters with flyback mechanism; small seconds counter with power reserve indicator (70 hours), and Glashütte Original’s compelling implementation of the Panorama Date display.

In contrast to more complex constructions, the automatic 4Hz column wheel Calibre 37-01 has been designed to be as simple and compact as possible. With a diameter of 31.6 mm and an essential simplicity, the movement has an increased stability and is less susceptible to interference, resulting in superior performance over time.

THE ELEGANCE OF SIMPLICITY

The simplicity and elegance in design is clearly evident in the classic harmony of the Senator dial visuals. The new Senator Chronograph Panorama Date will be available initially in two versions:

The first model features a superb silver dial with laser-engraved black tachometric scale, railroad chapter ring and Roman numerals; all engravings are filled in black before the gold dial is polished in preparation for subsequent silver plating. The process, known as "silver plating by friction", involves the application by hand of a fine silver powder, resulting in a beautiful, durable and unique dial. This lustrous silver dial edition is presented in a polished and satin brushed platinum case; a blue sapphire is mounted on the crown. A second version in this debut edition features a lacquered silver grained dial with black railroad chapter ring and black Roman numerals set within a satin brushed and polished case in 18 carat red gold.

The Senator Chronograph Panorama Date displays the signature symmetrical harmony of the manufactory’s classic yet contemporary Senator line. The dial presents an elegant 12 hour chronograph counter at 12 o’clock, while the Panorama Date display with black numerals on an ivory ground is positioned at the centre of the lower half of the dial. The small seconds dial with black and white power reserve indicator appears at 9 o’clock, the 30 minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock. All hands are in blued steel, and the dial is framed by a slim, elegant bezel and case in satin brushed and polished platinum or red gold.

The new chronograph presents a greatly simplified column wheel mechanism with fewer individual parts. The movement features a bi-directional rotor; the 70-hour power reserve is managed by a single spring barrel. Regulation is performed using four gold screws on the balance rim; the absence of a regulator on the spring allows the movement to run continuously over a much longer period of time, resulting in increased precision.

The chronograph start and stop functions are activated by the pusher at the upper right side of the case, the flyback mechanism by the pusher at the lower right. Pressing the flyback pusher halts the on-going chronographic time measurement and the chronograph hour, minute and second hands jump back to zero. The time measurement does not stop, however, but rather begins immediately a new measurement as soon as the flyback pusher is released.

EMBLEMATIC FINISHINGS

The new manufactory chronograph from Glashütte Original presents characteristic features and finishings for which the Saxon watchmaker is famous. A domed sapphire crystal, antireflective on both sides, protects the dial side, while a second sapphire crystal set in the case back opens up the automatic movement for closer inspection. Among the exquisite features on view are the rotor and chronograph bridges mounted on the Glashütte three-quarter plate; Glashütte stripe finish on the automatic bridge, blued screws, and the central skeletonized 21-ct gold rotor with double-G logo. Also of interest to connoisseurs is the novel oscillation system regulated by four gold screws, easily visible through the case back’s sapphire crystal.

The platinum version of the new Senator Chronograph Panorama Date is fitted with a blue Louisiana Alligator leather strap and fold-over clasp in platinum; the red gold version is fitted with a mat black Louisiana Alligator leather strap and fold-over clasp in 18 carat red gold.