Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon
Angus Davies provides an in-depth review of the Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon. This watch weighs less than 100 grammes and is made of cutting-edge materials.
This detailed review of the Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon includes live images, specification details and pricing.
Mass has a significant influence on performance. An overweight runner is unlikely to achieve Olympic success. Likewise, if you look at a race car, much effort is expended trying to shed grammes in the pursuit of faster lap times.
Graham has recently launched a watch with a case formed of black carbon nanotube composite. With a total mass of less than 100g, this lightweight timepiece, on the face of it, appears to have the necessary feather-like qualities to perform.
Recently, I placed the Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon upon my wrist and appraised its qualities.
The dial
Lime green hour and minute hands strikingly contrast with the black and grey woven dial beneath. They confer a neoteric character which appears congruent with the cutting-edge materials used for the case.
The said lime green hands, together with lime green Arabic numerals which denote the hours, are treated with Super-LumiNova aiding legibility in restricted light.
Graham has wisely chosen the pallete of colours on this model, skilfully pairing a soupçon of red detail on the dial with a smattering of white to spectacular effect. The central chronograph seconds hand is presented in red, boldly sitting above the black and grey weave.
Residing at 3 o’clock is a small seconds display with a red hand. It resembles a rifle’s crosshairs, depicted in white, and marked with Arabic numerals.
Positioned at 6 o’clock, a 30-minute chronograph again pairs white dial detail with a red hand. In this instance, the red hand is open-worked. However, what makes this chronograph counter unusual is that the hand points downwards towards 6 o’clock when at rest, contrary to the customary upward orientation.
Both subdials are snailed and provide visual contrast with the adjacent woven dial surface.
A date aperture sits between 8 and 9 o’clock. It has a discreet character, absent of any frame or embellishment. Nevertheless, it remains simple to read.
A tachymeter scale positioned around the edge of the dial allows the wearer to calculate the speed of an object travelling over a given distance.
The case
The Superlight Carbon delivers an intriguing aesthetic with each part of its case providing visual differentiation from the norm.
The black carbon nanotube composite case has a matt appearance, evincing a clandestine persona. However, it is placed adjacent to an extrovert and cheery red rubber strap, hence any secretive intentions are dispelled. The contrast between the two materials works brilliantly, despite their seemingly opposing characters.
The bezel is made of the same material as the dial, namely black carbon (3K). The weave consists of charming lines of black and grey which interface at right angles, delivering a wonderful texture. Where the dial frustrates inquisitive fingers, being masked beneath a sapphire crystal pane, the bezel allows the hands to explore its form.
Part of the Graham design language is the unusual chronograph trigger located on the left hand flank of the case. Having worn several Graham watches, the function of the trigger proves intuitive, facilitating the quick operation of the start/stop operation of the chronograph. The trigger, in this instance, is made of black carbon. The chronograph reset is positioned above the trigger and features a textured rubber push piece.
The case back is held in position with six screws and features a smoked sapphire crystal allowing the wearer to see some of the movement within.
The movement
I have seen the Calibre G1747 movement previously when reviewing the Chronofighter Oversize. The Geneva stripes on the oscillating mass are visible, however, by using smoked glass on the caseback, some of the other movement details are less obvious.
On one hand, I lament that I cannot see as much movement detail, however, on the other hand the smoked glass does seem more befitting of this particular model with its aforementioned clandestine traits.
Closing remarks
Ordinarily, I quite like the feeling of weight upon my wrist as it seems to confer value. However, there is no escaping the comfort this lightweight horological creation grants. Indeed, the absence of mass is a notable benefit and one, I suspect, with greater familiarity, will continue to engender even greater affection.
An impressive aspect of the Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon is the design. It provokes thought with its interesting mix of colours and textures.
This eye-catching watch has many qualities and despite the absence of mass, there is no sense that anything has been omitted from the specification. Moreover, the price of this watch, £6980, is suprisingly low compared with other watches constructed of similiar cutting-edge materials.
With its vibrant colour scheme and various qualities, I am left feeling, once again, Graham has delivered an impressive performance.
Technical Specification
- Model: Graham Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon
- Ref: 2CCBK.B11A.K95K.
- Case: Black Carbon nanotube composite case; diameter 47 mm; water resistant to 10 bar (100 metres); sapphire crystal to front and caseback.
- Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds; chronograph.
- Movement: Calibre G1747, self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz); 25 jewels; power reserve 48 hours.
- Strap: Red rubber strap with black carbon (3K) pin buckle
- Price: £6980 (RRP as at 5.11.2014)
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