Presented in 2010, the then-new Edox WRC Chronorally (ref. 36001 3 NIN) was one of the first chronographs powered by Soprod‘s new Calibre 16 TwinMotion quartz movement. While still needing some time to prove its advertised reliability and build quality, the mechanism still looks interesting with its overwhelming choice of functions and higher than average precision.
At a time when most second-tier brands keep on feeding us with (let’s face it) mediocre jobs featuring the same movements, same dial layouts, and same functionality, Edox offers us a WRC-themed timepiece that not only looks great but also comes with many functions rarely seen before. In two words, it’s an ultra-luxury G-Shock competitor that so many customers were looking for since the beginning of the Quartz Revolution.
Inspired by the world of rally sports, the WRC Chronorally comes equipped with a reworked version of a Soprod quartz caliber that they have renamed as Edox 36.
Edox does not elaborate on the technical specs of the device, but, judging by the layout of the dial and on some other bits and pieces of information available on the Net, I can make an educated guess that the watch uses pretty recent Soprod Calibre 16 TwinMotion “mecatronic” quartz movement. Employing the concept of modular design, the movement offers an almost infinite number of customizations (both mechanical and software) depending on the customer’s demand.
The whole gamut of functions includes a real-time compass, thermometer, altimeter, weather forecast, perpetual calendar, moon-phase indication, and automatic change for daylight saving time, equation of time, and so on, and so forth.
A manufacturer can even pre-program the movement to calculate different complex events, like, say, counting points in tennis or golf, or, like in our particular case, different sorts of timing used in rally racing.
The WRC Chronorally’s functions include measuring accumulated stage time, recount/replay mode, countdown mode, and chronograph. You can operate all of these modes using just a pair of standard chronograph push-pieces at 2 (start) and 4 o’clock (reset), and an oversized pusher at 9 o’clock that sets different rally timer modes: time, race, replay, t.time, countdown, and chronograph.
Unfortunately, due to inherited limitations of the movement, this 36001 3 NIN lacks a normal seconds hand.
Although the movement looks rather compact (it is only 36 mm in diameter and is fairly thin,) the WRC Chronorally comes in a massive stainless steel case of 48 mm in diameter and 15.2 mm in height. They probably did this to make the case more proportionate with the oversized push-pieces that even “the gloved hands of a rally driver” can operate with relative ease.
Yeah, right.
See also: Edox Grand Ocean Automatic Chronograph I (01201-357RN-NIR)
WWR Verdict
Originality 4/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Overall Legibility: 4/5
Nighttime Legibility: 4/5
Value for Money: 2/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Photos: Edox, Soprod
Edox WRC Chronorally 36001 3 NIN specification
Price: €3070 (MSRP)
Movement: Edox 36, based on Soprod Calibre 36 TwinMotion mecatronic movement, quartz, 36 mm diameter, Swiss Made
Jewels: 12
Complications: Chronograph, countdown, stage timing, accumulated stage timing, replay
Power reserve: A couple of years
Case: Stainless steel
Shape: Round
Size: 48.00 mm
Case height: 15.20 mm
Dial: Black carbon
Numerals: Arabic
Hands: Steel
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Black rubber strap
Crystal: Sapphire, anti-reflective
Back: Solid, stainless steel, engraved