Victorinox Chrono Classic 1/100th: Perpetual Cool

Victoronix Chrono Class 1/100th chronograph. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Victoronix Chrono Class 1/100th chronograph. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

We believe the Victorinox Chrono Classic 1/100th watch is one cool watch that is especially ideal for the young.

Apparently, Victorinox Swiss Army had worked closely with Soprod to develop the Calibre FM13D quartz watch which features not only an interesting chronograph function but also incorporated the perpetual calendar feature.

What we like is the identity Victorinox has created for itself with this watch, notably the guilloche-style of the counter that has two apertures at 6 o’clock for the large date display which transforms into a 1/100th digital counter read-out for the chronograph function.

The shape and design of this counter was inspired by the Swiss Army Officer’s knife made by Victorinox.

In normal time-reading mode, the Victorinox Chrono Classic 1/100th is a three-hand analog watch for the hours, minutes and seconds. At 6 o’clock is the large date display.

To move into the chronograph mode, activate the crown twice in succession. The hour, minute and seconds hands will all return to the 12 o’clock position. The large date display indicates “00” as it is now the 1/100th second chronograph digital counter.

 The chronograph mode is activated by pushing the crown twice in succession. The hour, minute and seconds hands will all return to the 12 o’clock position. The large date display indicates “00” as it is now the 1/100th second chronograph digital counter. The chronograph central seconds hand will begin once the pusher at 2 o’clock is activated. Photo: © TANG Portfolio


The chronograph mode is activated by pushing the crown twice in succession. The hour, minute and seconds hands will all return to the 12 o’clock position. The large date display indicates “00” as it is now the 1/100th second chronograph digital counter. The chronograph central seconds hand will begin once the pusher at 2 o’clock is activated. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Activate the pusher at 2 o’clock and the chronograph function begins with the central red hand timing the elapsed seconds. The hours and minutes elapsed are likewise indicated by the central hour and minute hands.

To stop the chronograph, activate the 2 o’clock pusher and the elapsed time will be displayed. The digital counter at 6 o’clock will display “00” when the chronograph is operating and will only indicate the 1/100th of a second elapsed when the chronograph is stopped.

When the chronograph is stopped after the pusher at 2 o’clock is activated, the elapsed time to 1/100th of a seconds is displayed. In this example, the elapsed time is 7 minutes, 37 seconds and 50/100th seconds. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

When the chronograph is stopped after the pusher at 2 o’clock is activated, the elapsed time to 1/100th of a seconds is displayed. In this example, the elapsed time is 7 minutes, 37 seconds and 50/100th seconds. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Resetting of the chronograph is through the activation of the pusher at 4 o’clock.

To return to normal time reading mode, activate the crown twice in succession.

What is noteworthy is that the chronograph timing can continue running if one switches back to normal time mode. To switch between normal time reading and the chronograph function is a simple matter of activating the crown twice in succession.

The chronograph will continue operating even if one switches back to normal time reading mode. The digital display will only indicate the 1/100th of a second elapsed after the chronograph is stopped. When the chronograph is running, it will display “00”. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

The chronograph will continue operating even if one switches back to normal time reading mode. The digital display will only indicate the 1/100th of a second elapsed after the chronograph is stopped. When the chronograph is running, it will display “00”. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

The added bonus feature in the Victorinox Chrono Classic 1/100th is the perpetual calendar function. This means that one need not worry about the dates, especially for months with 28 or 30 days and leap years as these will be automatically adjusted by the Soprod Calibre FM13D quartz movement.

This Victorinox Chrono Classic 1/100th is one cool watch indeed and it allows one to easily appreciate and / or graduate to higher-end, more complicated and dearer timepieces like Devon’s Tread.

JeanRichard with a more lethal Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger who joined the football club in 1996 holding the JeanRichard clock together with Bruno Grande, managing director, JeanRichard. Photo: © JeanRichard

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger who joined the football club in 1996 holding the JeanRichard clock together with Bruno Grande, managing director, JeanRichard. Photo: © JeanRichard

In early 2014, JeanRichard, a brand owned by the Kering Group, announced their collaborative tie-up with English Premier League football club Arsenal F.C. as their “Global Partner” and “Official Watch”.

Founded in 1886, Arsenal FC is more popularly known as the “Gunners” as their logo is the cannon. This Premier League football club has won 11 FA Cups (The Football Association Challenge Cup). Their eleventh FA Cup win was secured in May 2014.

During this 2014 English FA Cup, Arsenal triumphed 3-2 over Hull City in the match held at Wembley Stadium in London, effectively ending their long nine-year wait (or as one article reported, 3,283 days). Arsenal’s last FA Cup victory was in 2005.

In August 2014, the winning streak of the Gunners continued when they secured a 3-0 win over Manchester City to lift the Community Shield.

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and left-back Kieran Gibbs. Why are Szczesny and Gibbs checking the time? Because it is time to check out the special JeanRichard Arsenal watches? Or is it because it is also time to check out new product accessories including watches with the JeanRichard branding?

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and left-back Kieran Gibbs. Why are Szczesny and Gibbs checking the time? Because it is time to check out the special JeanRichard Arsenal watches? Or is it because it is also time to check out new product accessories including watches with the JeanRichard branding?

JeanRichard’s partnership with Arsenal is timely as it also “wins”, given that this Premier League football club is reputed to have one of the largest numbers of fans worldwide. This would ultimately translate to more branding awareness for JeanRichard similar for another Arsenal partner, Emirates, which has its branding emblazoned onto their football jerseys.

Forbes even estimates that the club is valued at US$1.331 billion (in a table with values calculated in May 2014), ranking it the fifth most valuable football team globally, behind clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich (from first- to fourth-placed respectively).

This is not the first football club JeanRichard has collaborated with. In 2003, JeanRichard partnered Juventus. The Italian football club, ranked ninth most valuable by Forbes (in May 2014), currently has a partnership with Hublot.

The JeanRichard Terrascope Arsenal housing the Calibre JR60 automatic movement is the first JeanRichard watch specially made for Arsenal. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 BaselWorld

The JeanRichard Terrascope Arsenal housing the Calibre JR60 automatic movement is the first JeanRichard watch specially made for Arsenal. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 BaselWorld

The collaboration as “Official Watch” partner cannot be justified without “Arsenal” watches. This explains why JeanRichard launched two special watches at the 2014 BaselWorld watch fair: the Terrascope Arsenal and the limited edition Aeroscope Chronograph Arsenal.

JeanRichard Aeroscope Chronograph Arsenal (powered by the Calibre JR66 automatic movement) is the second JeanRichard watch made for Arsenal. Limited to 250 pieces. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 BaselWorld

JeanRichard Aeroscope Chronograph Arsenal (powered by the Calibre JR66 automatic movement) is the second JeanRichard watch made for Arsenal. Limited to 250 pieces. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 BaselWorld

The Gunners logo is printed on the dial of the Terrascope Arsenal while the football club’s cannon symbol functions as a rotating sweep seconds hand in the Aeroscope Chronograph Arsenal which is limited to 250 pieces.

There are four collections from JeanRichard: Terrascope, Aquascope, Aeroscope and 1681 representing Earth, water, air and the “fire of passion” inspiring the brand respectively.