When introduced in 2018, Carl F. Bucherer’s Heritage BiCompax Annual watch, which takes its design inspiration from one of the brand’s archival pieces dating back to the 1950s, instantly appealed to fans of retro-style watches. Combining vintage flair with contemporary features, it was an authentic expression of the brand’s heritage. With its symmetrically arranged chronograph counters positioned on the dial’s horizontal central axis and a tachymeter scale framing the dial, it has become one of Carl F. Bucherer’s most popular watches.
This year, the Lucerne-based brand with a penchant for traveling and exploring the world, releases the Heritage BiCompax Annual Hometown Edition that pays a tribute to 16 of Carl F. Bucherer’s “adopted” hometowns in nine different countries. Eight of the watches in the collection pay homage to some great places in its home country: Lucerne is one of them, of course, and it is joined by Basel, Bern, Geneva, St. Gallen, Zermatt, and Zurich. Two of Switzerland’s neighboring countries, Austria and France, are represented by Heritage BiCompax Annual Hometown Editions dedicated to Vienna and Paris, respectively. Furthermore, models have also been created to honor two German cities, Berlin and Munich. Rounding out the offering are five other global capitals: Beijing, London, Mumbai, New York, and Tokyo.
Each edition is distinguished by a 3-D-look engraving on the case back’s sapphire crystal, which is dedicated to its specific hometown. For example, the Lucerne Edition features that city’s landmark Chapel Bridge, while tribute is paid to Tokyo with its skyline and Mount Fuji in the background. The Heritage BiCompax Annual Beijing’s case back is engraved with the city’s Tiananmen Square landmark. Each edition is distinguished by a one-of-a-kind case-back crystal with a similarly iconic and identifiable monument to its respective city, the name of the city and the phrase “1 out of 88”. The watches being created for Beijing will be individually numbered and are limited to 188 pieces.
The watches feature impressive gradient dials, which means that the center of the dial is silver and gradually transforms to darker shades of the corresponding color toward the outside of the dial. With their sunray brushed surfaces, they have been crafted in five different colors, in a a choice of yellow, brown, burgundy, green, and mint.
The stainless steel cases with a diameter of 41mm and a height of 14.15mm are home to the automatic CFB 1972 caliber, which amasses a power reserve of 42 hours. Pricing is marked at $7,200.
To learn more, visit Carl F. Bucherer, here.
