Last year, Carl F. Bucherer introduced a new, retro-look version of its Manero Flyback Chronograph in a steel case, with design elements inspired by the brand’s watches from the 1960s and ’70s. At the Baselworld watch fair in March, the Lucerne-based watch maison will launch a new model that keeps the vintage flair and adds a touch of gilded luxury. Here’s a sneak preview of the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback Chronograph in 18k rose gold.
Like the seven models that preceded it in the series, the newest version of the Manero Flyback has a 43-mm case and a highly domed, nonreflective sapphire crystal. Under that crystal is a sunburst-finished black dial, with silver-colored subdials at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock (for chronograph minutes and running seconds, respectively), and punctuated by red accents in the chapter ring, on the central seconds hand, and in the word “Flyback” above the 6 o’cloc The applied, wedge-shaped hour indices and lance-shaped hour and minute hands are rose-gold-colored to echo the case, the date appears in a framed window at 6 o’clock, and an old-school tachymeter scale is printed on the dial’s flange.
Inside the case, beating beneath a clear sapphire caseback, is the self-winding Caliber CFB 1970 — based on the classical ETA 7750 and modified for Bucherer by La Joux-Perret — which boasts an impressive level of high-horology decoration, including circular graining on the bridges and côtes de Genève on the rotor. The integrated flyback chronograph function is driven by a control wheel, and operated by two mushroom-style pushers flanking the grooved crown. When engaged, the chronograph is capable of making multiple time measurements in quick succession, since both chronograph hands — the center-mounted seconds counter and the small counter of the elapsed-minutes subdial — can be reset to zero while the stopwatch is still running. The movement has 25 jewels, ticks at a brisk 28,800-vph frequency, and stores a 42-hour power reserve.
Completing the watch’s vintage-style look is the a dark gray, perforated kudu leather strap with a suede finish and red contrast stitching, which attaches to the wrist with a steel folding buckle. The Manero Flyback Chrono in rose gold, which makes its official debut at Baselworld 2019, will retail for $16,900.