Armin Strom Launches Limited-Edition Watch for IndyCar Driver Max Chilton


Swiss skeleton-watch specialist Armin Strom celebrates its sponsorship of British IndyCar driver Max Chilton with a limited-edition timepiece — the Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel — which made its debut at Fort Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway during what was scheduled to be the running of IndyCar’s Firestone 600 race. While unexpected heavy rains postponed the race until August, the presentation of the watch went onward as planned.

Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel Max Chilton LE - front

Chilton, who first became a friend and brand ambassador of Armin Strom during his time racing on the Formula 1 circuit, is an avid watch enthusiast and fan of the brand. The new watch — which is limited to only eight pieces worldwide, and to which Chilton gave input on the design— marks his rookie year as a driver for the Chip Ganassi Racing team in the IndyCar series.

Max Chilton at Texas Motor Speedway

WatchTime was one of a handful of media outlets to get a first look at the Armin Strom Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel at its official product launch in Fort Worth. The newest addition to Armin Strom’s new Edge Double Barrel collection, the brand’s headliner launch at this year’s Baselworld, the watch is distinguished as distinctly Chilton in several details: on the dial side, Chilton’s customized racing team number 8, with a Union Jack motif, appears in the small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. The blue Arabic hour numerals match the colors on the turbocharged Chevrolet racecar that Chilton drives for IndyCar. On the back of the movement, which is visible through a sapphire caseback, Armin Strom has added a special plate etched with Chilton’s “MAX” logo and the limited edition number, 1 through 8.

Armin Strom Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel - wrist

The case is 46 mm in diameter and, like the models in Armin Strom’s “Earth” collection, is made of stainless steel with a black PVD coating. The bezel features a series of notched cutouts. The off-center time display, another component of the Armin Strom “look,” is enhanced by the 9 o’clock subdial, which combines the small seconds display with an “up-down” indicator for the watch’s astounding eight-day power reserve (another nod, albeit probably an unintentional one, to Chilton’s number 8, along with the limited-edition number).

Armin Strom Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel - reclining

The engine of this racing-inspired timekeeper is Armin Strom’s ARM16 caliber, a manual winding, painstakingly skeletonized movement with unusual geometric and angular components and unconventional cross-grinding decoration on the plates and hand-beveled bridges. In addition to that aforementioned eight-day power reserve, stored in the double barrels indicated by the watch’s moniker, the movement has spider-shaped crown wheels that are visible from the dial side, an escape wheel and pallets made of gold with hardened functional areas, and a screwed balance with a Breguet overcoil. Composed of 194 total parts, including 34 jewels, it beats at a slow,steady frequency of 18,000 vph.

Armin Strom Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel - back

The Armin Strom Max Chilton Edition Edge Double Barrel is fitted with a black alligator strap and fastens with a double-folding clasp made of black-PVD-coated steel; an additional black rubber strap is also included. If you’re looking to be one of the lucky eight to own this timepiece, you can expect to pay $29,900.

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