The 1970's are back, baby!
Ok, maybe not everything from the
70's. Leisure suits, 8-tracks, and flyaway collars are still consigned
to the dustbin of history, but the better aspects of that era are very
much a part of contemporary fashion. The disco years were the trailing
end of mid-century modern design and were marked by a bold use of color,
experimentation with form, and the occasional psychedelic excess. In
the watch world, we saw the rise of the Omega Flightmaster, Seiko 6139,
and second-generation Heuer Carrera.
Polish watchmaker Vratislavia Conceptum
has drawn upon this rich history to create the Heritage Chrono, a
barrel-cased racing chronograph now entering its third production
series. Guest Bum GUTuna kindly lent me his bright yellow series 2 for
this review and it is a beauty that perfectly captures the swinging
style of a classic 70's chronograph for only $190 USD. This model is now
sold out but then nearly identical series 3 is underway. I will note
the differences.
The stainless steel case wears
smaller than you might imagine. I would not believe the listed
dimensions until I brought out my calipers. Sure enough, it measures
42mm wide, 48mm long, and 13mm thick. The case tapers to stubby 20mm
lugs and has a pronounced curve in profile as well, creating a lean,
organic shape. The upper surface has a sunburst brush while the case
sides are polished. A polished beveled edge runs the length of the case,
slimming it even further. A push-pull crown and chrono buttons sprout
from the right side exactly as you would expect. They are polished and
coin-edged but unsigned. The case back is similarly unadorned. This
seems a shame to me and apparently I was not the only one. The series 3
will bear the image of a 1960's sports car.
The bezel wears an aggressive dental
edging that is also polished. It looks great and begs to be turned, but
don't bother, the black aluminum insert has a tachymeter scale so it is
fixed in place. Inside is a sapphire crystal with an inner
anti-reflective coating. The watch is water resistant to 100m.
Lovely as the case may be, the dial
steals the show. It is a bright chrome yellow that I associate with C6
and C7 Corvette LeMans racers. A white index surrounds the dial,
coordinating with the white subdials at 9 and 3 o'clock, and the 6
o'clock date window. Polished wedges mark the hours. The pencil hands
are also polished, beveled, and lume filled. The sweep hand is a red
needle and the sub dial indicators are similarly shaped, but more
triangular. Regular Time Bum readers know I am a stickler for font. Too
many micros blow it in this department, diminishing otherwise solid
layouts with oversized, unimaginative, or just plain ugly typeface. Not
so on the Heritage Chrono. The text is rendered in a wide, lightweight,
tastefully stylized font that is sized in proportion to the dial. Well
done Vratislavia Conceptum, very well done indeed.
By examining the dial, you might
have already surmised that there is a Seiko/Time Module VK64 MechaQuartz
behind it. This quartz hybrid engages a mechanical module for
chronograph timing allowing 1/5th-second timing with the sweep hand. A
60-minute dial is on the left and a 24-hour register is on the right.
Series 3 models will not have the Seiko, but will run a Miyota 6s21
quartz instead. This unit is not quite as sexy as the MechaQuartz, but
it is perfectly sound, trading 1/5th seconds timing for 1/4th, and the
24-hour register for a more practical small seconds.
The yellow and black combination is
stunning, but it gets some competition from its stablemate, which has a
bottle green sunray dial, a matching bezel insert, quite and orange
accents and pips. Unlike the yellow model, the green Heritage Chrono has
white blocks surrounding the sub dials, much like the Tudor of the same
name. The series 3 versions are offered in a gray dial with red accents
and black bezel, and a blue dial with a matching bezel, orange accents,
and white color blocks. Of course a racing watch needs a racing strap,
so all Heritage Chronos are supplied with a perforated black leather
rally strap that is lined to match the dial and secured with a
signed 18mm buckle.
The Vratislavia Conceptum Heritage
Chrono is certainly appealing in photos, but once I wore one I was swept
away. They have absolutely nailed the desired look and created a watch
that is as easy on your wallet as it is on your wrist. Series 3
pre-orders are priced at 700PLN, or $190 USD, exactly the same as the
series 2. If you are looking for a classic race timer that won't break
the bank, this is the watch for you.
Pro: All the best elements of retro racing design.
Con: Series 2 lacks crown and case back detail (rectified in Series 3).
Sum: Immense appeal, outstanding price. The Time Bum highly approves.
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