Graham’s watches are rarely straightforward, but this 2012 Graham Chronofighter 1695 Hotsy Totsy (Ref. 2CXAP.S03A) provokes the most acute attack of cognitive dissonance. I mean, could you expect a classic, vintage-style dress watch to be equipped with a huge, M1 Garand-style trigger made from 18-karat rose gold?
Well, the trigger is a signature element of Graham watches and you can love it or hate it, but something tells me that the British watchmaker won’t change it because the part is the only thing that makes their watches (visually) stand out from the rest of the crowd.
Also, the trigger is not here for purely decorative purposes: the component makes it easier to operate the chronograph function (but, mind you, also makes it more difficult to reach the pusher at 10 o’clock that is placed dangerously close to the trigger.)
Since mechanical chronographs have long lost their value as time measurement devices, this one is equipped with a single 30-minute counter at 6 o’clock, which is balanced with a huge applied rose gold Arabic numeral at 12 o’clock.
On the other hand, the date aperture, which is placed at 3 hours, is rather small and may be difficult to read for persons with impaired sight or early in the morning after a bad night’s sleep when your eyes are still full of sand and are hard to focus on small objects.
Thankfully, the hour and minute hands are broad enough to see and are also covered with thick patches of Superluminova making the watch readable even in bad lighting although I would probably increase its ‘legibility’ rating from four to, maybe, four-point-five out of five if the British-based watchmaker has also accompanied the applied stick-shaped hour markers with small luminous dots to make the task even easier.
According to Graham’s press release, the new Chronofighter 1695 Hotsy Totsy is equipped with their exclusive Caliber G1745 automatic movement. Produced by an unspecified Swiss-based manufacturer of blank calibers, the movement is built on 25 jewels and its balance wheel is protected from severe shocks with an Incabloc shock absorber.
By the way, although the case back cover is cut from 18-karat solid rose gold and sports a hand-engraved Greenwich Observatory image, the balance wheel is still clearly visible through a small cutout, which is covered with a sapphire crystal.
According to Graham’s PR service, the watch will soon be offered at a pretty much reasonable price of $23,250.
See also: Graham Chronofighter Fortress (Ref. 2CRBS.B10A)
Photos: Graham
Graham Chronofighter 1695 Hotsy Totsy 2CXAP.S03A specification
Price: $23,250 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber G1745, Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 25
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Functions: Hours, minutes, 30-minute chronograph, date
Power reserve: 48 hours
Case: Rose gold, 18-karat
Shape: Round
Size: 42.00 mm
Dial: Silver-white, domed; Snailed minute counter
Numerals: Arabic, rose gold, applied
Hour markers: Applied, rose gold
Hands: Rose gold, luminous
Water resistance: 50 meters
Strap: Brown crocodile leather strap with rose gold pin buckle
Crystal: Sapphire, domed, anti-reflective on both sides
Back: Solid, engraved, cutout over the balance wheel