THE GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SEVENTIES CHRONOGRAPH PANORAMA DATE – REF. 1-37-02-03-02-70

There comes a point when several sprigs of grey hair appear atop a middle-aged head. It is often at this moment there is a desire to look back at one’s salad days, a period when moments were bathed in optimism and most of life’s journey had yet to be travelled. This is manifest with the number of pop bands from the 80s choosing to do revival tours, engaging with former fans, the so-called fiftysomethings. The overwhelming desire to relive the best years will be familiar to many people of my generation.

In my youth, I lacked the pecuniary means to buy the cars of my dreams. Now, as a ‘mature’ gentleman, I can afford to purchase some of the cars I once craved as a child. The only problem is that such cars often lack the refinements we have grown accustomed to with modern vehicles. For example, drum brakes have been supplanted by disc brakes, cars now have ABS braking and provide superior levels of safety. Put simply, retro styling is often accompanied by out of date technology.

Glashütte Original has looked to the past and produced a range of models imbued with a dose of retro charm. However, where these watches are superior to their vintage forebears is that they also encompass the benefits of modern-day watchmaking. For example, the mainplate and three-quarter plate are made using state of the art CNC machines, capable of milling metal to tolerances of just a few microns. Recently, I had the opportunity to don a tank top and a pair of flares and enjoy some ‘hands-on’ time with the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date.

The dial

The Manufactory offers a selection of ‘Iconic watches’ inspired by designs of the 1960s and 1970s. The brand’s ‘Sixties’ models include three-handers, three-handers with a Panorama Date and chronograph options. Each Sixties timepiece is housed in a round case.

The ‘Seventies’ themed models include a three-hand Panorama Date option and the Chronograph Panorama Date, the latter watch being the focus of this review. Both models feature a square dial with rounded corners reminiscent of a 1970s TV screen.

My press loan came with a galvanised blue dial embellished with a sunburst decoration. The model is available on a blue Louisiana alligator leather strap, a black rubber strap or a stainless steel bracelet. The sample I received came supplied with the latter option.

Glashütte Original has a dedicated production facility in Pforzheim making dials of the highest order. Certainly, the dial fitted to the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date perpetuates this reputation.

Despite this model from Glashütte being housed in stainless steel, the German marque has chosen to make the hands from white gold. These hands are also facetted and lined with Super-LumiNova. The central chronograph seconds hand is supremely slim and includes a counterweight incorporating the firms ‘double-G logo’. The hours are denoted with triangular-shaped, white gold appliques.

Two counters are positioned along an east-west axis. A 30-minute chronograph register is positioned adjacent to the crown, while a small seconds display is located opposite. Both counters are lightly snailed. A power reserve indicator nestles within the small second display, imparting meaning using a colour-coded disc, visible via an arcing aperture.

Unusually, another aperture in the upper portion of the dial, positioned below the brand’s nomen, serves as a 12-hour chronograph register. The hour values are presented on a revolving disc, shown via a curved window.

As its name implies, the watch features a Panorama Date. This large format date uses two discs to display the tens and units. There is a welcome absence of any framework, just two numerals presented on the same dial plane. I am mindful that I nay have said this before, but the German firm’s date indication is the best I have seen. Purists will also appreciate that the two date discs are blue, matching the dial shade.

The case

The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date measures 40mm x 40mm. It looks larger than a conventional 40mm round case, owing to its distinctive shape. The dimensions of the watch contribute to its extraordinary wrist-presence. Indeed, this is a watch that makes a statement without appearing gauche or outlandish.

Let there be no misunderstanding, the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is heavy. This mass can be mitigated by forgoing the 3-rows steel bracelet and selecting either the leather or rubber strap alternatives. In the future, the brand may wish to consider a titanium version of the watch for those wearers who appreciate the lightweight characteristics associated with this metal.

However, notwithstanding the notable mass of this watch, especially with said 3-rows bracelet, I would plump for it every time. Firstly, the weight provides a sense of worth. I cannot help thinking that a watch with a high B.M.I (Body Mass Index) feels valuable. Secondly, the 3-rows bracelet is beautifully made and tastefully blends polished and satin-finished surfaces, a characteristic that also extends to the watch head. Each bracelet link feels substantial. Indeed, the bracelet looks capable of post-apocalyptic survival. The sense of quality pervades each facet and surface of this high-end timepiece.

The chronograph pushpieces sit either side of the crown protector. Interestingly, while this feature is often seen on sportier watches, it perfectly suits this German timepiece, wonderfully coalescing with the rest of the watch. A caseband corrector is positioned on the left flank of the watch, providing a simple means of adjusting the Panorama Date.

The movement

Consistent with the finest chronographs, the Calibre 37-02 is equipped with a column wheel. However, the brand is at pains to point our that the movement features a ‘simplified column wheel mechanism with fewer individual parts’. With this system, the integrated movement employs a pinion, providing the ‘advantages of a simpler, cam system chronograph. Certainly, when handling the watch I noted the pushpieces deliver the buttery smoothness, typical of a column-wheel system.

The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is a flyback chronograph. With a conventional chronograph, the pushpiece at 2 o’clock starts and stops the measurement of elapsed time. Once the chronograph has been stopped, the pushpiece at 4 o’clock returns the hands to zero. The Calibre 37-02 works in the same way, save for one significant difference. If the chronograph is running, the pushpiece at 4 o’clock can be pressed just once and the chronograph will stop, reset to zero and restart in one user-friendly step. This function proves particularly useful when timing consecutive events.

Typical of watches from this region of Saxony, the movement features a three-quarter plate. This supplants the use of several bridges or cocks, thereby delivering superior stability. The bridges and openworked oscillating mass are both embellished with Glashütte ribbing, a form of decoration similar in concept to Geneva Stripes. The oscillating mass features the brand’s ‘double-G logo’ which is presented in a resplendent golden hue. A 21-carat gold weight hugs the edge of the oscillating mass and is affixed to it with four screws. Glashütte Original has placed the bulkiest part of the rotor within a channel (trottoir), mitigating the overall height of the movement.

Furthermore, the German marque has equipped the watch with a variable inertia balance. This is superior to an index adjusted balance as the effective length of the hairspring remains fixed. By tightening/loosening the four screws set in the rim of the balance wheel, changing the moment of inertia, the watchmaker can alter the rate. This means of regulation is less susceptible to positional error. Moreover, a further benefit of a variable inertia balance is that the rate stability is superior.

Another characteristic found on many watches from this region is the swan neck. In this instance, the swan neck doesn’t adjust the rate, it is used to adjust the rate symmetry. This provides a user friendly means of mitigating any beat error.

Beyond its functional attributes, the Calibre 37-02 is beautifully appointed with many refinements. There are numerous bevelled/polished edges, a plethora of polished steel parts and an abundance of thermally blued screws. This movement perfectly demonstrates the Manufactory’s prowess and close attention to detail.