Glashütte Original introduces two new interpretations of the Senator Chronograph, drawing on different chapters of the Saxon town’s history of precision watchmaking.
The Senator Chronograph recalls the observation watches produced in Glashütte in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while the darker Senator Chronograph Navigator takes its cues from the functional pilot’s chronographs developed in the town during the 1940s.
Glashütte’s transition from pocket watches to wristwatches gathered pace in the 1920s, when UROFA (Uhren-Rohwerke-Fabrik AG Glashütte) and its sister company UFAG (Uhrenfabrik AG Glashütte) became the first companies in the town to concentrate on wristwatch production.
UROFA focused on movement development, while UFAG assembled movements into complete watches. Among UROFA’s most significant achievements was Calibre 59, developed at the beginning of the Second World War as a chronograph specifically adapted to the requirements of pilots.
The Senator Chronograh Navigator and the Calibre 59 “Flieger Chronograph”
The resulting Calibre 59 “Flieger Chronograph” was designed around demanding requirements for its time, including a flyback mechanism and shock protection. With its combination of robustness, precision and functionality, the Calibre 59 became an important milestone in Glashütte’s development of purpose-built wristwatch chronographs.
The two new Senator Chronograph models continue this tradition through distinctly different designs. Both are housed in 41 mm stainless-steel cases measuring 12.9 mm in height, with a lug-to-lug length of 48.5 mm.
Sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating on both sides protect the dials, while sapphire case backs reveal the movements. Water resistance is rated to 5 bar (50 metres / 165 feet).
The Senator Chronograph has a galvanic silver dial with a fine grainé finish and recessed counters featuring a vinyl record-inspired texture.
Applied solid-gold Roman numerals with blue coating are paired with blued steel hands, while the small seconds and 30-minute chronograph counter are arranged symmetrically.
At 6 o’clock, the characteristic Panorama Date is framed in white gold. The minute track is clearly printed, while the rehaut carries a tachymeter scale for measuring average speed.
The Senator Chronograph Navigator adopts a more utilitarian approach, with a matt deep-black lacquered dial and recessed counters.
Solid luminous Arabic numeral appliqués and engraved luminous hour markers enhance legibility.
The hour and minute hands are filled with Super-LumiNova, while the central chronograph seconds hand, 30-minute counter and small seconds hand are finished in white lacquer for a clear contrast against the dark dial.
The rehaut carries an engraved tachymeter scale, and the large pilot-style crown and mushroom-shaped chronograph pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock reinforce the instrument-inspired character of the watch.
Both models are powered by the automatic manufactory Calibre 37-24, an integrated column-wheel chronograph measuring 34.2 mm in diameter and 8 mm in height.
The movement provides central hours and minutes, small seconds, a Panorama Date and a flyback chronograph with central chronograph seconds and a 30-minute counter.
Operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), it offers a power reserve of 70 hours and uses a silicon balance spring with solid-gold regulating screws on the balance rim.
The flyback function allows the chronograph to be stopped, reset and restarted with a single press of the pusher.
Visible through the sapphire case back, Calibre 37-24 is finished with beveled edges, polished steel components, blued screws and a three-quarter plate decorated with Glashütte stripes.
The movement is fitted with a newly developed skeletonised rotor carrying a 21-carat gold oscillation weight and the mirrored “G” symbol.
The Senator Chronograph is available with a blue Louisiana alligator leather strap, a sand-coloured synthetic strap or a stainless-steel bracelet, all equipped with a quick-change system. The Senator Chronograph Navigator follows the same configuration, with a black Louisiana alligator leather strap, sand-coloured synthetic strap or stainless-steel bracelet.
For both models, the folding clasp also incorporates a quick-change mechanism, allowing it to be transferred between straps without tools.
The Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph is priced at €15,900 with the blue alligator leather strap (ref. 1-37-24-01-02-61) or sand-coloured synthetic strap (ref. 1-37-24-01-02-64), and €16,800 with the stainless-steel bracelet (ref. 1-37-24-01-02-71).
The Senator Chronograph Navigator is priced at €15,900 with the black alligator leather strap (ref. 1-37-24-20-12-61) or sand-coloured synthetic strap (ref. 1-37-24-20-12-64), and €16,800 with the stainless-steel bracelet (ref. 1-37-24-20-12-71).
glashuette-original.com
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