Eberhard & Co. launches of two anniversary editions 'Chrono 4 130‘

130 chimes that mark the history of Eberhard & Co., but well over 130 snapshots that immortalise the values and creations which throughout the years since 1887 – when the company was founded by Georges-Lucien Eberhard in La Chaux-de-Fonds – have made up the DNA of the Swiss watchmakers, located today in Biel/Bienne, whose name has become synonymous with tradition, constant research and innovation. 130 years of special passion for an art made up of charm and precision, 130 years of uninterrupted history of taking up new challenges, 130 years of watches with timeless personality.

Eberhard & Co. has always made these values the sole benchmark for the creation of its models, which are innovative yet at the same time able to inherit the richness of a renowned history. The success of Eberhard & Co.’s creations spans the entire twentieth century, enabling it to file numerous patents which have consolidated its position among the aristocracy of luxury Swiss watchmaking. This innovative spirit has found expression in precious timepieces with high technical content which have marked important stages of development, particularly of the chronograph, among other timepieces.

1887 – 2017: The hours have become years and the years successes

1894 saw the creation of a pocket watch with an innovative patented setting system. 1905 was the year for a special watch with a patented new system for reading the hours and minutes. 1919 saw the launch of the era’s most advanced single button wrist chronograph, while 1921 produced a watch with a special patented device – “Calotte Patrouille” – protecting the movement from dust and moisture. In 1935 the Maison unveiled an unprecedented chronograph with two buttons for stop and restart without resetting, then in 1939 the “rattrapante”, or split-seconds, chronograph made its appearance, followed by the Extra-fort chronograph in the early 1940s. 1942 was the year of the “Magini System”, a split-seconds chronograph that was one of the protagonists of the Italian-Japanese raid during World War II, flying from Rome to Tokyo and back. The ’50s were the setting for the Scafograf diving collection, whose 300 model was re-released in 2016 to great success, receiving several awards including the “Sport Watch Award” at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The Sixties saw the Contograf become an emblem of its time thanks to its innovative features, in the true style of a Maison that is always ahead of its time.

Collectors and enthusiasts of the Eberhard brand could easily complete the list by citing a number of fascinating new mechanisms and absolutely unique shapes, each of which has in some way left its mark on the world of watchmaking. In addition, from the very beginning the Eberhard name has been adopted by the sports world and military specialists, participating in the great achievements of many outstanding personalities. Since the early decades of the last century, officers of the Italian Royal Navy have worn Eberhard & Co. chronographs on their wrists, while the Maison’s “Frecce Tricolori” Chronomaster has accompanied the flights of the world’s most famous aerobatic team since 1984. This overview would not of course be complete without the collection dedicated to the legendary motor racing champion Tazio Nuvolari, the great driver who was never without his Eberhard pocket watch.

In recent times, the range has been enhanced with the 8 JOURS which, by means of a special device patented by Eberhard & Co., only needs winding once a week, and the Extra-fort, a re-interpretation of a chronograph that has been an iconic collection since the Forties. And last but not least, for the new millennium the Maison revolutionised the way we tell the time with the Chrono 4 (patented – registered design), the first and only chronograph in the history of watchmaking with four aligned counters, a veritable icon of the brand today. Never before had the minutes, hours, 24 hours and small seconds been arranged horizontally in a linear progression. Never before had telling the time proved to be so remarkably natural. A milestone of excellence, achieved thanks to the passion and commitment put into creating a mechanism that is unique for the complexity and difficulty of its construction. For these reasons Eberhard has chosen the Chrono 4 to celebrate its 130th anniversary, as an emblematic model which embodies the essence of the Maison and confirms its natural propensity for evolution and growth, its ability to reinvent itself while keeping its personality and independence intact, and without sacrificing its deep bond with its roots.

Chrono 4 130 Anniversary Edition

The commemorative version is the CHRONO 4 130, in a steel version with an attractive, sporty look and also in an extraordinary limited edition of 130 units. Chrono 4 130: featuring a new 42 mm Ø case framed by a bezel with circular satin finish; the crown, personalised with the number “130”, is positioned between the two wing-shaped chronograph buttons. Three dial variants are available:

[1] grey dial with 4 grey counters with azurée finishing and details in orange
[2] argenté dial with 4 black counters with azurée finishing and details in blue
[3] black dial with 4 black counters with azurée finishing and details in orange

In all versions, the central soleil part of the dial is delimited by a diamantage-finished circle, while luminescent indices are applied on the outer azurée zone. Waterproof to 50 m, the case-back of the Chrono 4 130 is secured by 8 screws and features a central medallion in bas-relief with sandblast finish, personalised with the Chrono 4 130 logo, where the 4 is raised. The model comes with a grey-black carbon wear strap.

Special Chrono 4 130 Édition limitée with spectacular view on the movement

Chrono 4 130 Édition limitée consist of 130 pieces to celebrate the anniversary of the Maison, a Chrono 4 in a very refined version. The steel case has the same dimensions as the standard edition but it houses a skeleton dial, argenté or black, which reveals the main plate and the wheels with DLC® finishing, protected by an upper bridge in a special sapphire glass that is 3 tenths of a millimetre thick, an element of highly complex construction. A rhodium plaque, secured to the main plate by two screws, shows the name of the model and the historic trademark of Eberhard & Co., as used for the first wrist chronograph in 1919. The sapphire glass case-back provides a view of the circular oscillating weight, finished with Côtes de Genève and customised with the number 130. This edition also comes with a grey-black carbon-wear strap.