Top of the line timekeeping

If precision were an international discipline, chronometers would rightly be considered the superstars of this art, since only the most accurate timekeepers of a given generation are permitted to bear this title. In the past, these instruments, which are as accurate as they are reliable, were used for navigation on the high seas, and in the 19th and 20th centuries marine chronometers from Glashütte won worldwide acclaim. In developing the Senator Chronometer, the Glashütte Original design team found inspiration in the original design of these timekeepers. They also adopted the historic high standards for quality and performance: in a strictly controlled 15-day test run, each model in this line is examined in five positions and three different temperatures by the independent Thuringian Office of Weights and Measures. They then take up their role as officially certified chronometers in the grand tradition of precision in everyday life.

An artistic appearance

The Senator Collection is an integral part of the Glashütte Original product portfolio. These sophisticated timepieces are an expression of the finest in German precision engineering. They combine mechanical complexity with traditional elements and elegant, timeless design. The new version of the Senator Chronometer adds a new facet to this collection: fresh and cool in silver-blue, it fuses traditional techniques with modern requirements. The dial and parts of the manual winding movement are silver plated by friction. In this elaborate process, a mixture of fine silver powder, salt and water is rubbed into a surface by hand, which lends it a fine, shimmering texture. These elements are then given a galvanic grey coating. Polished and traditional blued hands and appliques complete the design.

A harmonious overall composition

The silver-blue colouring of the dial set the tone for designing the other aspects of the watch. The 42 mm case is fashioned in fine white gold, elaborately polished by hand and satin- brushed. Sapphire crystals on the front and back offer optimal views. The watch’s displays are arrayed on the dial in a particularly clear and harmonious manner: along with the central hour and minute hands, a small second appears, lightly recessed, at 6 o’clock. It is complemented by the German watchmaker’s signature Panorama Date at 3 o’clock, a running-time display and the discreet day/night indicator just below 12 o’clock: a black dot appears during the period from 6 in the evening until 6 in the morning. A dark blue Louisiana alligator leather strap with foldover clasp in white gold rounds off the elegant appearance of this watch.

Refined and finely finished mechanism

The watch movement inside the Senator Chronometer and responsible for its exceptional rate precision is the manufactory’s own Calibre 58-08 with manual winding. It operates at a frequency of 28,800 half-oscillations per hour and has a running time of 44 hours and 40 minutes. It is equipped, in addition, with a refined second-stop mechanism: when then crown is pulled out, the time display stops and the second’s hand is reset to zero and held in that position. When setting the time, the characteristic minute detent ensures that the minute hand jumps ahead from one minute index to the next with an audible haptic click – thus ensuring that the correct relationship between seconds and minutes is maintained at all times and allowing the time to be set precisely to the second. The manual winding Calibre 58-08 is also a visual delight. Through the sapphire crystal case back, the classic, finely finished features of the Glashütte art of watchmaking can easily be recognised: the characteristic three-quarter plate, screw-mounted gold chatons and the hand-engraved balance cock.