2012/12/20 - Flashback - Glashütte Original the PanoGraph

 

The evolution of a contemporary chronograph

 

The PanoGraph signals the return and contemporary evolution of a most remarkable timepiece.

Twelve years ago at the Basel watch fair, Glashütte Original presented the PanoRetroGraph. A quintessential illustration of the art of fine watchmaking in Germany, its startling asymmetrical dial design, its unprecedented “retro” chronograph mechanism and 30-minute chronograph totalizer earned immediate acclaim from critics and customers alike. The limited edition of 50 pieces in platinum soon sold out. This was the timepiece that launched the entire Pano line of hand-crafted mechanical timepieces, among them its immediate successor, the PanoGraph, first presented at Basel in 2002.

Today, Glashütte Original presents the PanoGraph, a contemporary heir to its illustrious predecessors. The PanoGraph takes advantage of a larger case (diameter 40.0 mm) and expansive dial to represent the Pano line’s characteristic asymmetric visuals in a distinctly modern and contemporary manner. Favoured by the larger and cylindrical case, the new design distributes the elegant interlocking hour/minute and subsidiary seconds dials to the left, while Glashütte Original’s compelling big date display, the Panorama Date, takes up its usual position at 4 o’clock.

The chronograph’s remarkable 30-minute totalizer represents the original design in a contemporary look with a supremely elegant set of three cumulative ten-minute scales with three separate pointers. Two chronograph pushers at 4 and 2 o’clock are labelled in black, START-STOP and FLY-BACK, respectively, the latter indicating the chronograph reset mechanism, the former the standard chronograph timing operations.

Presented in a red gold case with rose gold hour indexes and hands and rose gold stop/seconds hand on the main dial and a rose gold subsidiary seconds hand, the PanoGraph visuals represent the epitome of simplicity and aesthetic harmony: like all Pano dials, the design was developed in accordance with divine proportion, the fascinating golden ratio deployed by artists in extraordinary works of art, music and architecture from antiquity to the present day.

At the heart of this superb mechanical wonder is the Calibre 61-03, designed and hand-crafted in the Glashütte Original manufactory. The manually wound column wheel chronograph is outfitted with a classic switching wheel that operates the various chronograph functions, including start, stop, reset and a satisfying flyback mechanism allowing one to reset the chronograph without first having to stop it: all functions are accessible through the two chronograph pushers on the right side of the case. Easily visible through the sapphire crystal case back are the characteristic features and finishings of Glashütte Original movements, including the traditional three-quarter plate with Glashütte ribbing, screw-mounted gold chatons, screw balance, and swan-neck fine adjustment.

The PanoGraph is available with a black Louisiana alligator or brown nubuck alligator leather strap, slightly broader than prior versions.

 

 

Technical Specifications

Ref. : 61-03-25-15-05

• Case material : 18 ct red gold
  
• Strap : Louisiana Alligator Leather/Nubuk strap
  
• Case diameter : 40 mm / Height 13.7 mm
  
• Waterproof : up to 5 atm
  
• Glass : Sapphire crystal, anti-reflective both sides
  
• Bottom : Sapphire crystal
  
• Caliber : Manual winding movement, Caliber 61-03
  
• Dimensions : Diameter 32.2 mm, Height 7.2 mm
  
• Oscillating frequency : 28.800 A/h, equivalent to 4 Hz
  
• Power Reserve : 42 h (+/- 5%)
  
• Jewels : 41
  
• Balance : screw balance with 18 weighted screws
  
• Features : Hours and minutes (off-centre), small second (off centre), Chronograph, Second stop, Flyback, 30- minute counter, stop second, Panorama Date; exquisitely finished movement, bevelled edges, polished and brushed steel parts, screwed godl chatons, blued screws, swan-neck fine adjustment, balance cock engraved by hand.