Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit Watch Review
The Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit dials things back with an uncluttered display that’s paradoxically rich in detail. The intricately textured dial is executed on a rose-engine lathe, creating a hand-guilloché surface that toys with light and serves as a glorious backdrop to the expression of time.
A glimmer in the crisis
Depending on which way you look at it, the arrival of Lucerne-based watchmaker, Chronoswiss, back in 1983, was rather ill-timed. The Swiss watch industry was struggling to stay afloat, with many brands having already succumbed to the crushing effects of the so-called ‘quartz crisis’ and ceasing operations. The demand for mechanical watches was drying up and manufacturers were given an ultimatum: adapt or perish. Some brands decided to change strategy and began manufacturing quartz-powered watches to stay in the game.
On the other hand, what the industry lacked most of all was a manufacturer with the audacity and intuition to launch something entirely off the wall. Gerd-Rüdiger Lang’s passion lay in the realm of chronographs and regulator clocks, the latter of which he one day envisaged miniaturising for the wrist.
Image: Chronoswiss Small Second
Chronoswiss launched its debut watch under a shroud of unease. Quartz watches were inexpensive to manufacture, astonishingly accurate and required minimal upkeep, characteristics that were perceived as progress at the time. Yet, in a landscape that had fallen silent with machinery and handheld tools gathering dust, Chronoswiss served as a beacon of hope, reminding others to continue the fight.
Lang, a lone figure standing amongst the dust of a catastrophic collapse, had already witnessed the suffocating impact inflicted by the quartz movement on Heuer, the company where he had once honed his watchmaking skills. The timing couldn’t have been riskier, but Chronoswiss did more than stand in the face of this cultural and psychological war between the mechanical and battery-driven watch. Its first release was a chronograph with an elegant moon phase indicator. Although this wasn’t the more famous Regulateur design that Chronoswiss eventually became known for, it certainly marked the brand’s gateway into this specialist field.
Image: Chronoswiss Small Second
It’s fair to say, the brand was no one-trick pony. Before long, regulator watches became a signature design associated with the Chronoswiss label, alongside chronographs, rattrapantes, tourbillons, jumping hours and several other complications. This leads me to talk about Chronoswiss today and its recent release, the Small Second Blue Orbit, which marks a clear departure from its usual forte. The latest release promotes a more straightforward approach to timekeeping, displaying hours, minutes and featuring a small running seconds at 9 o’clock.
Chronoswiss Small Second – the Blue Orbit and Desert
Over the last 12 months, Chronoswiss has been undergoing a comprehensive product line overhaul. Prices have been revised to the delight of collectors, while the use of La Joux Perret-based movements has further heightened appeal. Released alongside a dune-inspired model (the Small Second Desert) with a laser-engraved dial that depicts the shifting sands of Namibia’s wild and vast landscape, is the Blue Orbit, a model that takes inspiration from celestial bodies. Both models mark the beginning of a new collection, which Chronoswiss names the Small Second.
Image: Chronoswiss Small Second Desert
Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit – dial
Chronoswiss is not the first brand to experiment with a galactic-inspired dial. Many brands have felt compelled to capture the wandering celestial bodies that drift through the infinite darkness of space. Some artisanal dials take inspiration from swirling galaxies. Others capture star-studded night skies or the beauty of a nebula – a continually evolving nursery of dust and gas, where new stars are born.
The new Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit is not as elaborate as some space-inspired watches on the market. Rather, it modestly celebrates the brand’s artisanal expertise using meticulously engraved patterns, served on a bed of azure blue. Traditional lume-treated leaf-shaped hands are used for the hours and minutes. These sit upon a multi-layered dial adorned with a recessed sub-scale for the running seconds at 9 o’clock, integrated into an outer hour track characterised by Breguet-style Arabic numerals. The small seconds sub-counter is far from pedestrian. It features a beautiful azurage surface to keep it looking decorative, giving the Small Second a subtle ‘instrument’ feel, framed by a matte minutes scale around the periphery.
Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit – case
The 17-part stainless steel case of the Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit measures 40 mm in diameter and harks back to a time when the company enjoyed experimenting with unusual combinations. Active-duty cases were once mixed with refined dials, giving these watches a sporty aviator-style profile. The Chronoswiss Small Second follows a similar design, featuring longer, curvier lugs (paired with a classic black calfskin strap) that have been carefully sculpted and sandblasted to complement a more streamlined onion-shaped crown. In addition to this, the 11.5 mm-thick case benefits from a coined-edge bezel, elevated by a polished inner bezel.
The Small Second Blue Orbit mixes decorative elements with functional ones. The case is water resistant to 30 metres and is equipped with a strong, anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The same material is also used to the rear of the case, where you can catch a glimpse of the Calibre C.6000 in action.
Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit – Calibre C.6000
The Calibre C.6000 features a La Joux-Perret base movement that can accommodate different modules. Its versatility is evident in the Chronoswiss Strike Two which, unlike the Small Second, features a regulator display rather than subsidiary seconds at 9 o’clock. The movement beats to the rhythm of 28,800 vph (4 Hz) and once fully wound will run autonomously for up to 55 hours. In addition to components like the ‘Geneva cut’ and ‘ruthenium plated’ bridge and polished screws, the movement is endowed with a skeletonised rotor forged from tungsten.
Closing Thoughts
Despite the message behind the Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit watch being one of tangible simplicity, examples of craftsmanship and detail run deep into the dial and beyond. Simple and traditional watches are not commonplace for Chronoswiss. Yet, the Small Second happens to be a watch that is easy to love, whether you have a penchant for complex mechanicals or not, given the meticulous crafting of its dial and the attractive execution of its automatic movement.
Further reading
Technical Specifications
- Model: Chronoswiss Small Second Blue Orbit
- Reference: CH-8023.2-BLSI
- Case: Stainless steel, diameter 40 mm, height 11.5 mm, water resistance 3 ATM (30 metres), sapphire crystal to front; exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds
- Movement: Calibre C.6000; automatic movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 25 jewels, power reserve 55 hours
- Strap: Black calfskin leather
- Price: € 9,400 (RRP as of 6.7.2025)