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Chronoswiss, the mechanical purists

BRANDS

By Serge Maillard

September 2019

Europa Star has been following the Chronoswiss adventure since it started in 1983. The brand was born in the midst of the quartz crisis with a vision: to revive the appeal of the mechanical watch. It pioneered several elements that have become widely popular today, such as the open caseback, the skeleton watch and the regulator. New owner Oliver Ebstein continues to preserve the legacy of the founder of the brand, while navigating the challenging waters of independent watchmaking.

Chronoswiss, the mechanical purists

BRANDS

By Serge Maillard

September 2019

Chronoswiss, the mechanical purists

Europa Star has been following the Chronoswiss adventure since it started in 1983. The brand was born in the midst of the quartz crisis with a vision: to revive the appeal of the mechanical watch. It pioneered several elements that have become widely popular today, such as the open caseback, the skeleton watch and the regulator. New owner Oliver Ebstein continues to preserve the legacy of the founder of the brand, while navigating the challenging waters of independent watchmaking.

H

ow to give new life to a brand founded by a visionary watchmaker, but evolving in an increasingly tough environment? This is the challenge that Oliver and Eva Ebstein have had to face on a daily basis since they bought Chronoswiss in 2012. The brand was founded during the quartz crisis by a mechanical watch purist, Gerd-Rüdiger Lang, who had lost his job at Heuer, but not his faith in “timeless” watchmaking.

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