Automatic watches were hot in the 1950s, and chronographs were cool in the 1960s. But bringing these technologies together was not at all straightforward! Three different automatic chronograph movements were launched in 1969, and the story of their creation reflects the state of the industry at that time as well as the inevitability of technological progress.
Edox Grand Ocean Cape Horn Repeater
When it comes to watch complications, a minute repeater is one of the more unusual and entertaining. Press a button and a two-tone chime will ring out the number of hours and five-minute intervals past the hour. You’ll be able to tell the time without looking, and everyone around you will marvel at your watch just as surely as if it was covered in diamonds or skeletonized to show the gears working inside.
Audemars Piguet Huitieme Chronograph: Tantalum and Gold
Exotic materials are fairly common in modern watches, with most manufacturers augmenting their lineup of stainless steel and gold cases with titanium, platinum, and ceramic today. But what about really-unusual materials like rhodium and even tantalum? Yes! Many manufacturers have used these materials, though they’re certainly not common…