Reservoir Turns Up the Volume with the Sonomaster Chronograph


Watchmakers take a great deal of inspiration from their daily surroundings. Nature is a favorite, but also old-school equipment. For their latest creation, Reservoir reimagined the VU-meters of analog stereo amplifiers used to measure the level of sound intensity, and incorporated them into their new Sonomaster Chronograph.

The way that Reservoir did this is very pleasing to the eye, and any audiophile will recognize where the inspiration came from. Of course, the brand had to give them a new function. They utilize the left display to show the seconds on a 30-seconds scale, while the right shows the date. Both hands are retrograde, a complication that many watch enthusiasts love because of the technical challenge that it gives watchmakers and the rewarding motion of seeing the hand fly back to the beginning of its scale in a blink of an eye.

As the name already indicates, has the Sonomaster Chronograph more to offer. In between the two retrograde displays, we find two subdials, the top one measuring the minutes, while the bottom counts the hours passed when the chronograph is activated. Reservoir has been able to integrate all these complications in an ingenious way, ensuring legibility but also unity in the design. With a diameter of 43mm, it also has plenty of space to do so. While the bezel is relatively slim, Reservoir still found space to engrave it with a tachymeter scale. While this may add to the watch’s functionality, it looks pretty busy and a bit off theme.

Through the sapphire crystal insert in the caseback you get to admire caliber RSV-Bi120. This automatic movement is nicely decorated and features a column wheel for the precise operation of the chronograph and a generous 60-hour power reserve. It is based on the La Joux-Perret L100, which was developed to compete with the ETA/Valjoux 7750 and Sellita’s SW500. The module for the retrograde hands was developed by Reservoir, giving the watch a unique touch. The brand offers the Sonomaster Chronograph in two different versions; Silver with black dials for the retrograde functions, or creme colored ones combined with a black dial. Both cost US$6,100. ,

To learn more, visit Reservoir, here

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